When I saw Tawd on the list for GP’s my heart sunk a litte, Hellride and then Tawd, double grade buster Batman!
The last couple of times I’ve shot there I really haven’t enjoyed it, a long course that didn’t take the weather into consideration and everything straight in front of you, the last one their had nearly 50% of the targets over 47 yards in a 20mph wind, seriously no fun.
Phil and I have to play the odds and do all the GP’s to try and complete our mission of getting in the top ten, that’s all we are after. B Grade is a tough old grade to be in and you always have to put in a couple of AA scores to stay in the top ten. Let battle commence as they say because I really want it to happen this year, I’ve been so close, I think I’ve been 11th three times!
It was going to be a tough week because the Bic Bic Monster was staying for the week in a bid to reduce my biscuit supplies, she also had plans on my sleep patterns by flicking her eyes open at 5.30am and not shutting them again until 10pm. Dear reader, I can confirm between these hours she probably only stopped once for a 10-minute break and the rest of the time it’s like this video.
Come Sunday, I was exhausted but at least I picked Phil up on time, thanks Bic Bic. We both hoped we’d be getting a more balanced course and a chance to put in a score of at least 35, we both needed a good one after Hellride, we crossed everything because the weather was certainly on our side.
It was a pretty good drive over to Tawd, Phil nodded off a couple of times while I dreamed about a double sausage and egg McMuffin but the diet says no and so does my breathing exercises. Boots on, camera out and a little prayer that the lads at Tawd had listened to all the criticism, a quick walk around the course would suggest they had, it’s nice to see a more balanced and creative course up here, most welcome.
The course seemed to have only two types of people on it, people doing really well and people having an absolute nightmare with nothing in-between, I was surprised to see Woody in the latter group but we all have off days. It’s a shame most my off mine are at shoots 🙂 That aside, I was really in the mood today, the weather was good and the course looked like an interesting shoot.
Oh man, standing lane start again but most of the practice courses I use start/end with a discipline lanes so it doesn’t really rattle me that much anymore. The 25mm went but I split the long one at 3 O’clock, a voice whispered in my head, please let’s not repeat Hellride! Head down and with two good shooters in front of me I knew I could read some of the clues for the clean targets. There didn’t feel like there was much wind but all the strikes were inside right, 20mm out and she dropped, and that was me off. Head down and bang into it, I didn’t let the misses get to me, double checked everything and just went for it.
The course was really well balanced but difficult to read in places and I knew the wind would be switching as we worked our way to the plinker. It caught me out on one target as I hung off the wrong edge, if I’d gone down the middle it would have gone, this sport can be so cruel sometimes but that’s the game.
My only disappointment was missing 3 x 25mm reducers, wobbled on one, pulled another and split the last one, proper voodoo. I did come off with a personal best of 42 and went home buzzing, well done Tawd for making this old man happy. I will be returning.
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