I shot a 95 (singles) at Janesville Conservation Club in WI today, never really got into a groove. Things got better in the handicap where I shot 24, 24, 23, 24 for a 95. That won my yardage and paid back my entry fees. Also my best handicap round of the year so far. But an overall win or a 96 is necessary for a 1 yard punch. So one target short but I know it will come. Did not miss the last targets.
I met Ray Moser at the club. He's 83 and told me he would give me his 90T (with two diamonds inset on both sideplates, he said) if I ran 100 handicap targets. Came up short but had a chance to talk to him afterwards. He was inducted into the Wisconsin Trapshooting Hall of Fame in 2002. Most older trap shooters are deaf as posts but not Ray, even after 330K registered trap targets. He said he quit stuffing cotton balls in his ears back in the day and has worn ear muffs ever since. I watched him dirt ball 16 yard targets (he shot a 95 and won C class) for awhile and afterwards he talked to me about the mental game of trap shooting. What a great sport where you can find people still smashing away at targets into their 80s.
His wife of 55 years died last year and I found this quote from him in an article about a donation he made to a cancer center in her name, "Never underestimate your own abilities, as you are probably better than you thought you were.”
A nice day today.