Match A=well organized, follows some established rules/scoring, safe gun handling= everyone can have "fun"
Match B="Fun Match-not too serious", organized=rarely? Rules followed, scoring consistent=not so much, safe gun handling=hit or miss.
Match A = Everyone can have "Fun", both serious competitors and the "I'm here to have fun and don't care about my score" shooters. The “serious” competitors will be back.
Match B = None of the serious competitors will have "fun" or ever come back. The "we are here for fun" guys will never learn and grow to the point where they could shoot in state/regional/national matches safely without embarrassing themselves.
So I'm with Gary, if you’re going to do something do it right=Safety first, follow some established rules. Does every match have to be hard, complicated COFs, prop heavy, NO.
Concerning safe gun handling; it’s all about your life experience/shooting experience. Before I shot my first pistol match I had never heard of a safe area.
My favorite unsafe gun handlers are the “good old boys" that only shoot at their own club, no safe areas, waving guns all around, awesome! “It’s OK if I point my xxx gun at you, it’s unloaded.”
Bottom line for me; if you call it a “match”, keep score and charge money; do it right from a rules, scoring and safety aspect. If a bunch of guys are getting together to just shoot; don’t call it a “match” don’t keep score, don’t charge money.
I personally don’t believe it when someone says “my score doesn’t matter” really? Maybe you will never win a match or never get better because of limited practice time or some physical limitation; but the fact that you try your best when the buzzer goes off means you care even if you don’t know it.
David E.
For "competitors" serious competition is fun.
I didn't come here to lose.