Anyone been to one and did you think it helped? <p>There is a fine line between hobby and insanity.</p><i></i>

Rick,<br>About two years ago I attended a clinic put on by Gil and Vicki. I had just remarried and was introducing my wife to the shooting sports. I realized she was having a vision problem that I had no business trying to correct, so we both signed up for two days worth of "lessons". Did it help my shooting?<br>Arguably. By that I mean that my skill levels increased, but my scores did not. What I gained most was the uncanny ability to diagnose everyone elses problems. I only have to be in close proximity to someone who misses a clay target <br>(any disipline) to be able to tell exactly what they did wrong<br>(at least according to what the Ashes taught). They really made me realize that my best shooting days are behind me as my age is a limiting factor. Too, they stressed that we should all shoot for the pure enjoyment of the sport, and that is something that I had lost. I was self-taught up to that point and had a lot of ingrained "bad habits". While neither Gil nor Vicki specifically told me any of this, it was very easy to pick up as their method of teaching allows those in the clinic who are not shooting to watch and learn from the "victim of the moment"...the person who they have put on the line. Is the clinic setting better than individual lessons? Not if you are a raw beginner or an advanced shooter. Would individual lessons be advisable? You bet! They are top notch shooters and could help anyone. Their personalities may not match up with everyone, but of all the professional instructors out there today, they are among the best. The methods that they teach are tried and proven, but as with any other method, if you can't/won't apply it and give it time you may come away feeling shortchanged. Would I do it again? You bet, but I would wait until my wife was at about the stage where she is now before allowing her to even consider a lesson<br>(not a clinic). That is to say, I would work with her myself or have another patient shooter coach her, not instruct her in such a way as to overload her mind with too many facts at one time. The clinic was very tiring, and I was glad to be done shooting at the end of each day (never thought I would say that!). I wish I had been able to take lessons from someone like the Ashes when I first started my clay target journey. While I still enjoy shooting for the pure enjoyment of watching a target break it was even better when I could occasionally win something. I feel that lessons for someone while they are still competitive are not an expense but rather an investment, and there are not too many places where you can get a better return than with Gil and Vicki. <p></p><i></i>

Me and two shooting buds are signed up. I also ordered a video of their Sporting Clays clinic so I will have a "taste" of their methods. I look forward to seeing how they teach. <p></p><i></i>

Rick, <br>Hope you enjoy the clinic! One thing that they will ask you to do is come with an open mind and an idea of what you want to walk away with. For me that was kind of difficult. I had shot fairly well in the not-so-distant past, but because of several personal issues my scores had dropped down about two classes. I feel that I gained more than I first realized.<br>Gil, especially, has the ability to "read" you and style the instruction specifically to your personality even though it is a clinic where several levels of skill are typically represented.<br>Since you are going with friends you will enjoy the luxury of being able to help each other after it is over. While I said that I wanted to get my scores back up to where they had been, I came away a completely different shooter. If you are perceptive (which you seem to be from the posts you have made) you should realize that not everything they teach is going to work for you. Just don't let your old methods take back over your shooting if/when some of the new stuff they throw at you doesn't work once you get back home. Too, don't sign up to shoot a major tournament as soon as you get back-I guarantee it won't work and may cause you to fall back on those old habits and styles. I also recommend that you take at least two days at the clinic (they usually let you pick 1,2 or 3). The second day is important as it allows you to see for sure if you understood and retained the first day's work. Again, congratulations on the decision to go, and good shooting! <p></p><i></i>