Guelph Rod and Gun Club?

What a load of Crap.

This sporting community needs as much support from new members to help sustain and increase the numbers not just on the range but for votes as well.

If you want your mantra garbage of yours to stick, the onus should be placed on the established members/directors to assist transition new members as painless as possible.
In the Waterloo-Wellington area there are no clubs actively seeking members. Most are already close to capacity with some even imposing membership caps.

Executive members are accountable both collectively and individually for the actions of the members they admit to the club. I don't blame them whatsoever if they decide to make damn sure the people they are letting in are responsible.
 
What a load of Crap.

This sporting community needs as much support from new members to help sustain and increase the numbers not just on the range but for votes as well.

If you want your mantra garbage of yours to stick, the onus should be placed on the established members/directors to assist transition new members as painless as possible.


..

Well... I'm sure you're doing your part.
 
I belong in the motorsport/car enthusiast community we have similar issues with being on the track etc, I understand and see why GRGC is setup the way it is and think its more than reasonable. The CFO rules imposed are non-negotiable, it is the way it is, the club has not made them so why blame them?

I also like the EESA idea about the phone but maybe its not for GRGC because say they rotate the phone around and you speak to one person one week and then a different another week and you have lost the continuity of the conversation.

I have already been approached by a few members to help me out, take me for a tour etc. I am planning to be active on their forum and organise with RSO's and co-ordinate timings.

I have no doubt in my mind from the support I have received at GRGC that they will help me and other new members to their best ability.

As I said before I am looking forward to it all
 
It's true, idiot members are a huge liability to a gun club....but I am also significantly opposed to having huge barriers to entry for new members (especially those new members who are experienced shooters).

I think the only real solution is monitoring and consequence. The no shooting alone rule doesn't really protect the club from idiot members who have idiots as friends or guests. Gun clubs need to police themselves because the alternative is much worse.

It also wouldn't hurt to advise members of the risk of not following range policies...not just the risk to their membership but the risk to the club

Very well said.
I am a member in Guelph as well and I think it is one of the best facility we have in Ontario. Unfortunately I am thinking about quiting at the end of 2012. It is so hard to have such a perfect range and not being able to come and practice, especially indoor which is less prone to accidents then outdoor range, since all shots are confined.
Some guys like to hang around on Saturday, and Guelph is an excellent place for them, for those who like to practice is not.
 
Very well said.
I am a member in Guelph as well and I think it is one of the best facility we have in Ontario. Unfortunately I am thinking about quiting at the end of 2012. It is so hard to have such a perfect range and not being able to come and practice, especially indoor which is less prone to accidents then outdoor range, since all shots are confined.
Some guys like to hang around on Saturday, and Guelph is an excellent place for them, for those who like to practice is not.

Amen to that, after a couple of years at GRGC I switched to a club in the Lincoln region :) and never looked back...I see a lot of the GRGC guys there on Sundays LOL
 
I also like the EESA idea about the phone but maybe its not for GRGC because say they rotate the phone around and you speak to one person one week and then a different another week and you have lost the continuity of the conversation.

That is not much of a problem......thus far the phone only bounces between the Membership Director and myself. If I am unfinished with a person before passing off the phone I give those individuals my home number and we continue. Not to mention the membership director has a very good grasp of the clubs operations so the continuity should be fine.
 
That is not much of a problem......thus far the phone only bounces between the Membership Director and myself. If I am unfinished with a person before passing off the phone I give those individuals my home number and we continue. Not to mention the membership director has a very good grasp of the clubs operations so the continuity should be fine.

Storm,
you guys are exceptional in the way you run your club. You not only have great facility and model club but more then that, dedicated group of people who know how to help and serve. I feel always at home when I come to your club.
 
Once upon a time I looked into joining the Guelph Rod and Gun Club;

But after closer examination, it seems like it's next to impossible to actually shoot there.

You can't shoot on Sunday at all.
You can't shoot alone. You can't bring a guest, to make you not alone.
You can't shoot without an RSO. You can't become an RSO.
The hours of the indoor range are very limited. Closed at 9pm or something like that.

Compare that with Shooter's Choice/Colby Shooting Club in Waterloo;

You can shoot alone, whenever the store is open.
You can bring a guest, so you aren't alone.
The range is open 24/7.

Not much of a contest.
 
You can't shoot on Sunday at all.
Indoor range is open on Sunday.
You can't shoot alone. You can't bring a guest, to make you not alone.
Yes you can bring a guest, or anyone like partner or child over 16.
You can't shoot without an RSO. You can't become an RSO.
Anyone can be RSO, but it takes as much as 12 months, IMO way too long :eek:
The hours of the indoor range are very limited. Closed at 9pm or something like that.
It is open from 9:00am to 10:00pm.
What Guelph should try to do is run a project with CFO to have people shooting alone indoor. I didn't hear from BOD that they are interested with this, but who knows maybe there is something going on in this regard.
 
" Indoor range is open on Sunday. "

It was closed when I went there to visit on a Sunday. Just a bunch of people sitting around outside drinking coffee. They all told me shooting normally takes place on Saturdays only.

" Yes you can bring a guest, or anyone like partner or child over 16. "

I was told no guests are allowed in your first year of membership. After that, you can only bring the same person once or twice as a guest.

It should be anyone can bring any guest as often as they want to. You could charge a $5 guest fee if you like.

That way I could bring my wife to the range and not be shooting alone. She would only shoot maybe 18 rounds out of my revolver while I am shooting for a couple hours. But the fact that she is there means I am not alone. The fact that she is involved means that someday she might want to get her RPAL and join the club too. Keeping guests out is bad for the sport, period.

" Anyone can be RSO, but it takes as much as 12 months "

Again this ridiculous one year probation. Another obstacle to keep new people out.
The RSO course should be available to anyone. If someone is an experience shooter from another club, they should be fast-tracked directly to this course when they join.

(indoor range) "It is open from 9:00am to 10:00pm."

Indoor range should be open 24/7. It doesn't cost the club one penny extra to keep the range open all the time. You already have cameras installed everywhere, which would obviously be running 24/7. No reason to lock everyone out.
 
I don't know why indoor range was closed on Sunday, whenever I go is open, maybe all those people didn't have an access code??
And yes I agree, it should be open 24hrs, it cost nothing to operate indoor 24/7, but I guess most of the members doesn't care if closes at 10:00pm.

You didn't mention about first year of membership for bringing guests, yes it takes 12 bloody months, but again this is a nanny rule which I don't like. As for experience shooters, how they gonna know that? Unless you shoot same discipline as one of the board members they don't know your experience.

It is so sad to have such a nice facility only open selectively...
 
" It is so sad to have such a nice facility only open selectively... "


What's even more sad is the number of people (like me) who drive right past the Guelph club on their way to Shooter's Choice.

They all laugh and say the same thing as me; "Once upon a time I was going to join there."
 
Guelph used to be the most vibrant or one of the best club to shoot IPSC, all best Canadian shooters were members. All or almost all left. It is impossible to be a good shooter if you need to rely on someone else to come. I hope this is only temporary and maybe this year BOD with blessing from CFO will at least allow members to use indoor range without having another person.
 
I agree, but I hope the BOD is working with the CFO to lift the rule for all ranges. Even on Saturday, which is the busiest day, there is rarely anybody on the action shooting ranges. It's a shame to have this great facility and nobody ever uses it. I'm sure the action ranges would get way more use if we could shoot alone. I know I would use them all the time because I'd rather do practice drills with live ammo as apposed to dry firing in my basement.

Guelph used to be the most vibrant or one of the best club to shoot IPSC, all best Canadian shooters were members. All or almost all left. It is impossible to be a good shooter if you need to rely on someone else to come. I hope this is only temporary and maybe this year BOD with blessing from CFO will at least allow members to use indoor range without having another person.
 
Once upon a time I looked into joining the Guelph Rod and Gun Club;

But after closer examination, it seems like it's next to impossible to actually shoot there.

You can't shoot on Sunday at all.
You can't shoot alone. You can't bring a guest, to make you not alone.
You can't shoot without an RSO. You can't become an RSO.
The hours of the indoor range are very limited. Closed at 9pm or something like that.

Compare that with Shooter's Choice/Colby Shooting Club in Waterloo;

You can shoot alone, whenever the store is open.
You can bring a guest, so you aren't alone.
The range is open 24/7.

Not much of a contest.

Not to mention that when a RSO does show up, with a friend, they tell you "sorry buddy, I can only supervise one person"
Draconian rules tailored for the "old boys"
Man, I loved that club when Mr.B was boss...
 
im joining guelph with a few of my friends so most of the concerns arent a concern to me.

but i was reading the 2011 application and i think it said 12 safe shoots OR 1 year to be able to bring guests and be a RSO, and (ill double check) but the 2012 application said 6 safe shoots to be eligible for the RSO course and to bring guests.
they have a sign off form you have to have done every tie you go till you pass your probation. i think anyone that is a RSO can sign off on it for you.

i went there with a friend of mine and instantly found it to be a better atmosphere than other clubs i have been to.
the members at GRGC are very nice, all seem to be good friends. another member there who was shooting next to me even encouraged me to try some of the pistols he brought (we got talking about some i was interested in buying) so i took him up on it. its nice to be somewhere where people arent grumpy.
the range is in great condition.
once you become a member you get access to find out what days and times other RSO's are planing to be there, so it will make it easier to get out there and shoot.

as i said, im not a member YET ( i have my orientation booked) so im a little fuzzy on all their policies right now, but it looks like some things have changed.

the only other option for me really is Burlington, and ive gone there 2x now and not been able to shoot because they have some sort of league there, or its black powder only... you have a strict calender.

bottom line, all ranges have their pros and cons , Huntsville only allows pistol calibers, and 5 rounds max in each mag, but its 24-7 access with limited league nights. i think the only thing is the blackpowder nights get busy.
 
I've been a grgc member for about 13 years...
For me it's a fine club...
I use the action ranges frequently.. All it takes is a holster cert and a shooting buddy.

I'll get flamed but as far as guests go... Sure, bring someone a couple of times, but if it becomes a regular thing... Your guest should pony up and pay for a membership.
 
The probation is actually 12 shoots AND 12 months. Basically you shoot on a range and whomever the RSO is at that time can sign your paper. Like most of us you'll be done your 12 shoots in a couple months so you'll just have to keep your sign off sheet somewhere for the rest of the year. Joining with your buddies will resolve the shooting alone thing after you are all done probation and become RSOs. Until then you'll still need to coordinate when you shoot with an RSO. Saturday morning is pretty much a guarantee that there will be an RSO there so it's a good time to get your sign offs.

i was reading the 2011 application and i think it said 12 safe shoots OR 1 year to be able to bring guests and be a RSO, and (ill double check) but the 2012 application said 6 safe shoots to be eligible for the RSO course and to bring guests.
they have a sign off form you have to have done every tie you go till you pass your probation. i think anyone that is a RSO can sign off on it for you.
 
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