Skeet Fleet Report

Once again your Skeet Fleet was back in action this past season. Our sporadic activity partially falls on me, as I would like to find a younger shooter to take over the leadership of our fleet. However, our home field at the Beaver Creek Club in Amherst requires a club member be present when guests are there and only a couple other CYC members belong to Beaver Creek. This challenge is compounded as Beaver Creek has had a five- to 10-year waiting list for membership. And they have added membership leagues on the weekends, so we shall see what the future holds for our Skeet Fleet, but in the meantime, we continue on.

In December, we journeyed to the home of the Mentor Swamp Frogs. We had 10 shooters, which was the best turnout we have had in years. Unfortunately, our scores were not our best, but we always enjoy shooting with the Swamp Frogs. Our top five scores totaled 170 out of 250 birds; the Swamp Frogs, 224 out of 250. Yes, it was a slaughter, and the socalled captain of your Skeet Fleet, was not in the top five. Ouch!

In March, we had our annual breakfast gathering at the Hill-n-Dale Club in Medina. We had our typical 30 shooters, which is the max we can do. The squads are put together and handicaps are assigned, but seldom with much understanding. I always tell them I can be “bought,” but it has never happened. I keep hoping.

After we shoot a round of skeet and a round of 75 sporting clays, we gather back at the clubhouse to “review” the scores. This year heavy winds and rain were predicted, but we lucked out. Of our seven squads, only the last one was still shooting when the storm hit on the last of 14 stations. It was my squad but happily I do not shoot last. That unlucky guy still had three birds to shoot when mother nature came in really fast and let loose. The wind almost blew him off the station and the birds were flying crazy. We piled on the golf cart and fled but we were soaked by the time we made it to the clubhouse for our beverages. Yes, beverages rule! The top squad was led by Matt Thompson and had, with its handicap, a 382 out of 500 birds. The top two sporting clay shooters were Ben Thompson with a 58 and Sumner Mead with a 54, out of 75 birds. Congratulations guys for some good shooting on a windy day.

— Jim Winton, CYC Skeet Fleet Captain