Participants hack and blast their way through Plains trap and golf clubs

PLAINS – The blasts of shotguns and the ping of golf shots filled the air this weekend as the annual Hack and Blast event was held in Plains.

Participants blasted their way through the shooting range and golf course on Saturday May 17, as teams of four attempted to outdo one another. 

This unique event was held at both the Plains Trap Club and the Wild Horse Plains Golf Course, with teams of four taking part in a trap shooting competition and nine holes of golf. 

Attendees arrived fully prepared for the day with guns, golf clubs and coolers to keep them going through the all-day event. 

Cookie Kunzer of the Plains Trap Club explained the origins of this one-of-a-kind event. 

“The Hack and Blast is just a chance to have fun and get golfers to be shooters, shooters to be golfers, and everyone to support both clubs,” Kunzer said. 

The daylong competition started with the shooting event where clay pigeons fell from the sky in droves as experienced trap shooters, in addition to some newfound enthusiasts, brought the bright orange missiles back down to earth. 

For the trap shooting, competitors were split into pairs, alternating the first shot at the bird.

If the first shooter missed the target, his or her partner had the opportunity to save the points by clipping the target before it landed.

If the first shooter hit the target no points were scored, if the teammate was able to pick up the clay pigeon after a miss then only one point was scored. If the target came to the ground undamaged, two points were given. The object was to have the lower score.

An impressive array of shotguns were brought to the fore by competitors with both over-under and pump action varieties being deployed. 

By the time the first stage of the Hack and Blast was concluded, the remnants of the clay pigeons filled the field of the shooting range providing a striking accompaniment to the yellow dandelions and darker wild mustard. 

Closer to where the shooters had looked down their sights and blasted the clay pigeons from the air, red Winchester shell casings enveloped the area, though they were promptly picked up as participants made the short trip over to the adjacent golf course. 

The trap shooting aficionados were not the only ones to bring their own equipment to the annual event. Golf regulars not only brought their clubs, but in some cases threw their personal golf carts into the back of their trucks and hauled them out to the local course. 

The hack portion of the Hack and Blast was not your typical round of golf. Though a scramble format was implemented, traditional for group golf, where teams of four played the best ball of the group as they made their way around the course, there were some alterations to the traditional Scottish game. 

The first hole of the nine-hole competition required competitors to take their tee shot while sitting on a toilet seat, complicating the already difficult exercise of hitting a golf ball in a straight and orderly fashion. 

Other holes featured the substitution of baseball bats for golf clubs, wherein players took their drives in a soft toss manner.

Yet another challenge was presented to the golfers when they were forced to shoot opposite of their preference for one hole. Righties had to use lefty clubs and address the ball from its right side and vice-versa.

Playful banter, jokes and a great deal of laughter accompanied the competition, which is going strong 14 years after it made its debut at two of Plains favorite places for outdoor recreation.  

The Talking Bird team took first in the competition, tying with Those Guys but winning the 100 yard chip-off for the victory.

Plains Auto Parts finished in third.  

Both events allowed members to show off their skills while participating in events they weren’t so familiar with. 

A great deal of hooting and hollering was exchanged as skilled golfers learned the rules of trap shooting and everyone adjusted to the unique rules of the hack portion of the event.