Escalon Sportsman's Club

(Attended 10/09/24 WE @ 12:30pm): Hey, man... this club mainly catered to sports hunting!The relatives of my dear friend rented out Escalon Sportsman's Club which held the funeral reception for her grandmother. This was just a short drive from St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Ripon, and one of the relatives was a member of this club, so he was able to rent it out for a discount, too! Having grown up and lived in a big city, I personally didn't have much contact with such manly clubs and lodges although I've seen a few in the wild throughout the years (I believed there once was an Elk's Lodge in Burbank). Did we have a sporting chance in this club to appease those who attended for some reconnecting, reflecting, refreshments, and remembrance!?EXPERIENCEPeople from the funeral - and even those who couldn't make it - slowly rolled in. While mostly everyone from the area appeared to know each other (as they should), myself, my dear friend, and her sister were on the outside looking in. No matter, we chatted amongst ourselves and the few we knew. The drinks and food was set out buffet-style, so it was like the buffet line on a cruise ship with just about the right demographic! I eased into my first plate https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=qVys8sEFYxK9onr_KxolgA and eventually made more until it was time to start cleaning up. The food was yummy, and there was plenty to take home to graze on. But before that, let's have one last beer https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=-4NX-lqhYwK8KvGth4sdPw and cheers to those who have passed. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and the small-town feel that came along with the reception!SERVICEIt was an all-hands-on-deck situation where family and friends chipped in to set up and tore down the facility in addition to providing the catered food. With a handful of us, we easily pulled out the chairs and tables (there was even a posted instructional picture https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=wCZRq7dQ-jSOPNUVMl0Lxw of how to reorganize them which I loved), arranged them as we saw fit, and did the necessary decorations the day before, and with even more able bodies after the reception, everything was put back into place and cleaned up even quicker. A friend of the family catered the food, and whatever was left over was packed up and divided so nothing went to waste. All was easy-peasy; a pat on our respective backs!PARKING (FREE)They had their own medium lot - 'nuff said!ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCEA country rustic building that had a large main hall, a small bar area, and a seemingly full-functional kitchen. The bare wooden beams and various stuffed animal heads https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=hKUNu5C_QIbv5ld7LxczGw mainly grabbed my attention. We placed out several long tables with coverings and chairs in the main hall https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=-aZn9-SGlw_A2FYqGcgiLA while we set-up small round tables https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=Jz_AeOx87lF8EvF_aw18lg with coverings and chairs in the bar area. Plenty of natural lighting came through the many windows that surrounded the place while soul-sucking fluorescent electric ceiling lights filled in the rest. I noticed only one TV (turned off) in the bar area, while the chatter of conversations filled the background. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=eymkqOT0dy2npSxHml8e5QATTIREBecause I was part of the funeral party, I was in all-black long-sleeve buttoned-up collar shirt, dress slacks, and dress shoes. However, the attire would wholly depend on the type of event being held here.OVERALLThe Escalon Sportsman's Club fitted the occasion well, and I found it quite charming with its farmland feel. I felt like this was a snapshot into a long-gone era, but then again, it still may ring true here and my city living has skewed my perception of things. The rental rates seemed highly reasonable (i.e. Member Pricing: FR-SU $900.00 w/$800.00 deposit, MO-TH $500.00 w/$800.00 deposit, Funeral or Bar Only $350.00 w/$800.00 deposit; Non-Members only a couple hundred dollars more). I found very good value based on the service and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $0.00 BEFORE any discounts and/or tip). And, they accepted my credit card of choice (I did some post-research)... AMEX! 4.0 STARS

Being that there are not a lot of options in the area, Escalon Sportsman is a good option. They have a small pistol and rifle range that is based on a first come first serve basis. This range can only be used when trap shooting is not going on. It's not the best looking place, but it has everything you'll need if you are into shooting sports. They have a decent trap range with a handful of trap houses. You can attend as a guest of a member or you have to be a member to shoot here. They do occasionally hose benefit trap shoots that are open to the public. The only downside side are their hours for trap. They generally open the pistol/rifle everyday from 8am to sundown (except during trap hours). Trap is open on Monday's from 8am "until done." They also run trap on Saturday's from 8am-noon. It's a cool place to check out if you're local to the area.

Founded in 1947 by local farmers Escalon Sportsman Club offers a place to shoot clays or practice honing your rifle or handgun skills. They have a indoor clubhouse, BBQ pit etc. All new members must be referred by 2 existing members to join.

Great place to let the stress out. Everyone in the club is very friendly and helpful.