"I have never been to Hotwells, but I have spoken with them on the phone." Therein lies the rub. If you'd ever been to Hot Wells, that policy should be no surprise. Their primary pistol range has fixed lanes with set target distances, starting at seven yards. To shoot at 10 yards, you have to physically switch lanes; ditto to shoot at 15 yards, etc. It simply isn't possible to conduct a CHL proficiency test there.jamcgowan wrote:I have never been to Hotwells, but I have spoken with them on the phone. I called to inquire about bringing my students there for the proficiency exam. They were very short with me and told me in no uncertain terms that the do not allow "independent" CHL instructors to hold classes on their range.It's their range and they can do what they want.
I am posting this only to make the membership here aware of their policy as explained to me. I hope that it will change in the future. I had a class of 15 paying students who also would have been potential ongoing customers.Just saying.
To the east of the primary pistol lanes is a smaller range that can be used only under direct supervision of the pistol instructors at Hot Wells, Guardian Defensive Solutions, or by preregistered, active LEOs. This range is narrow, has no defined lanes, and allows rapid-fire, draw-from-holster, and carbine shooting. The range policy means that, in order for an independent CHL instructor to conduct a class, not only would one or more Guardian Defensive Solutions instructors have to be present (and paid) but it would mean no GDS classes could be scheduled at the same time, and it would mean closing the tactical range for that period of time to the approved, and paying, LEOs...and LEOs from federal agencies to Jersey Village PD shoot there often.
Range policies like this are not unusual. Whether privately owned or co-op/membership owned, each range has its own rules, policies, and procedures. In Hot Wells' case, its physical layout is limiting. Even if they wanted to allow independent instructors to conduct the CHL proficiency test there, it really isn't a practical option.
Hot Wells probably gets a number of those calls every month, and if they were short with you on the phone...now you may have a better understanding of why.
