So, seeing as Holly has his FT Blog with all his meanderings on it. I thought it was about time that I would challenge his words with some of mine.
I have set myself the challenge of doing all the BFTA Grand Prix’s or more commonly known as GP’s, which are not doctors but after each one I might need to see one.
The first one is fast approaching, like this weekend, practice is all done now. And it is all down to the course builders, the weather and me.
I am endeavouring to put a general view of each of the rounds, not my thoughts they will be elsewhere, on here with maybe some pictures. These are the rounds and as you can see I will be covering quite a lot of the UK over the next 5 months. The towns are just the general area so you can get an idea of the distances.
GP1 Millride MFTA (Birmingham)
GP2 Tawd Vale NWFTA (Bolton)
GP3 Tondu WAFTA (Swansea)
GP4 Oaktree WAFTA (Swansea)
GP5 ETL SEFTA (Dartford)
GP6 Buccaneers CSFTA (Southampton)
GP7 York NEFTA (York)
GP8 Purbeck SWEFTA (Weymouth)
GP9 Blackbrook MFTA (Birmingham)
What do I hope to achieve, well by the end I hope that I might finally qualify for the BFTA Masters and Showdown. Never have done so far but going to give it my best this year.
So be prepared for my ramblings over the next few months.
Your the right build for darts Andy ? friday is a bad day to go . a lot of the lads who work down south go home friday . good luck ??? HOLLY
Ok journey up from Home took about 6 hours and forgot how long it takes to get through motorway roadworks.
Currently enjoying a bedtime ale. A breakfast then a bit of sightseeing tomorrow. Got asked if here for the darts, news to me so must be a PDC one!
Well i hope the wind up there Andy is not what it was at the club today . damn near unreadable ??? HOLLY
Round 2 at Tawd Vale this weekend.
Weather looks dry and a slight breeze. 6 ish hr drive up tomorrow will report back Sunday night, not sure if it will make sense as might be drinking.
GP1 Millride FTC
Millride, or Hellride by some, has a bit of a reputation of being windy and uphill. Well, yes it was windy but not excessively. Uphill, well a few but not backbreaking like they say. Some of the Island lanes have been worse.
Having never been before I did not know what to expect. So Millride is a shooting/freshwater fishing enterprise. In fact, the first part of the course had regular shot showers.
Weather wise it was chilly and overcast mainly with the sun breaking through occasionally. Wind was between 5 to 20 mph.
So let's get to it, the course was a 2 parter you could say. Part 1 were lanes 1 to 10 in a small wooded on an incline, starting at lane 1 at the bottom they used the bank deciding the shotgun and airgun ranges. The breeze definitely seemed to swirl a bit going by the spread of misses on each side. Medium to long targets with the occasional reducer and one of each of the positionals as well. Slight variation in angles both hieght and direction kept you on your toes. Lane 10 was 90 degrees from the first 9 so wind calculations needed.
Part 2 was along the top of the incline. Here they had the lane gates between 10 and 30yds out from the wooded section that ran along the top. By having targets at angles on each lane you got varying amounts of wind effect and also the tunnel effect in the thicker areas of woodland.
Going buy the number of dinks being heard and chats afterwards at lot of 'gave it edge went straight' or 'inside went outside' remarks heard. Windicator at the gate seemed to have no relation to the target.
The 1st part seemed to need more windage than the second but the second seemed more tricky as it came over the hedges and trees. Strings not moving much but pellets were.
Positional not excessively long but long enough for the wind to come into effect.
Top score when I left was a 46.
Good luck with them all.
You will be well biased when you come away Andy . keep an eye out for grandad . he will be there ??? HOLLY
Thats the point Holly, never been there before so will not be biased when I get there.
By the way , i doubt if you will like Millride Andy . gonna do your back in shooting up hill ??? HOLLY
PS Good cafe though .
Good news Andy , a win along the way may well happen . get the old Ripper polished up and may god speed ??? HOLLY