As most Sandman fans have figured out by now, Adam Sandler really struck the ultimate hole in one with his Happy Gilmore 2 Netflix streaming-exclusive film that’s part of an eight-movie deal valued at about $250 million. Yeah, yeah, yeah, big deal, but there’s no way in hell the actors who worked on HG2 had quite as much fun as a select few content creators had at SilencerCo’s 2nd Annual Chubbs Peterson Memorial Rifle Golf Tournament (Carl Weathers — R.I.P.) held at the Side X Side Ranch in Oklahoma.
Golf fan favorite John Daly, sadly, was not at the event, but his famous “grip it and rip it” slogan sure was, but with a slight wrinkle: “Grip it. Rip it. Drop the pig at 300.”
That’s not your grandpa’s golf game. This is Rifle Golf: SilencerCo style. Think long drives replaced by long bolt-action rifle shots, putters swapped with suppressor-equipped pistols, and every strike sounding more like pew than bang. And it’s one of the wildest ways to burn powder with some of the industry’s biggest names, best gear, and a backdrop straight out of a hunter’s dream.
Day One: The Calm Before the Controlled Mayhem
We rolled into Side X Side Ranch like a convoy of caffeine-fueled kids on Christmas morning. Southern Oklahoma heat, SilencerCo banners flapping, and enough flags, archways, and branded gear to make you feel like you’d walked into a 5.56-fueled Super Bowl.
Side X Side isn’t just a range, it’s an outdoor playground dialed to 11. Founded by Scott and Wendy Robertson, the place has a 7,000-square-foot lodge, five-star meals, and a vibe that screams let’s get weird — with guns. As we toured the property, actual pig hunting kicked off immediately. The rule: Spot a hog from the ranch truck…if it runs, it gets rung.
After lunch and a quick mission brief from SilencerCo’s Jessie Ashdown, we started letting loose on the ranges. Steel at 1,000 yards? No problem. Suppressed .338 ARC? Smooth as butter. Hornady’s new round hits with authority but whispers like it’s telling secrets. After warming up on steel, the group split — some headed to the bass pond, others (myself included) locked and loaded for squirrel recon with the Daniel Defense crew.
The rifle locker at the event was like stepping into the Batcave, that is if Bruce Wayne was obsessed with cans. I picked out a .22 LR that was deathly quiet and hilariously fun.
Dinner that night? Pork steak and chicken with enough sides to put you into a food coma. But no rest for the wicked. We geared up with EOTech thermals and jumped into side-by-sides for hog patrol. One crew had a suppressed .308, the other a .338 ARC. Both rolled back with hundreds of pounds of bacon.
And then we lit up the night.
Blacklight clay shooting — yes, it’s a thing. No, it’s not easy. Yes, it’s insanely fun.
We ran a Benelli shotgun with SilencerCo’s Salvo 12 because nothing says “party” like fluorescent clays vaporizing in UV light. The added length from the suppressor took a minute to get used to, but the recoil was tame. Beretta’s A300 Ultima made an appearance, but that rear sight made tracking a little tricky. Bottom line? Shooting clays in the dark might be the hardest thing I’ve done with a shotgun. And I loved every second of it.
Day Two: Let’s Tee It Up
Breakfast hit the spot — eggs, bacon, coffee — fuel for the fire. Today was the big show: Rifle Golf.
Instead of “strokes,” you get rounds. Par 4? Four rounds to hit your target. The fewer shots, the better your score. Each squad had a golf cart loaded with gear and bravado. I partnered up with Neil Davies and Seth Swerczek from Hornady, so no pressure.
Pistol Stage
We kicked things off on the pistol stage — 40-yard steel plate, Daniel Defense H9, EOTech EFLX red dot, and a SilencerCo Spectre suppressor. First shot? Ping. Not a bad way to set the tone.
Then came the 9mm Zev FDP (Folding Defensive Platoform) transformer that snaps open like a switchblade. With a touch of a button, you’re suddenly holding something that feels way more serious. And yes, it’s fun. The final target was a steel alligator plate that played hard to get. It took me three shots, but I got him in the snout.
Bolt Guns
Next came the bolt-action rifle hole where we ran a silky-smooth .338 ARC-chambered custom rifle that sported an Impact Precision receiver and a beautiful Proof Research barrel. The plate/target was tucked behind a steel cowboy silhouette at nearly 400 yards. Everyone landed clean hits, and we burned a few extra rounds just for grins.
The Truck Stage
Next up was the “Truck Stage.” It. Was. Epic! Imagine an old 4-ton military truck retrofitted with an extendable rooftop shooting platform. First shot was from the top. The target was set at 150 yards, and we were shooting a Daniel Defense PCC (Pistol Caliber Carbine) topped with an EOTech HHS II and a Spectre can. Small plate, big flex. I followed Neil’s lead and rang steel on my first shot.
Second truck shot was from the passenger seat. The steel wasn’t even visible by the naked eye. I picked a gap in the trees and tried to walk it in. Seth nailed it like a pro… makes you wonder what he does on his off time. He was the only one in our group to ping it.
The Jon Boat Hole
The good times continues to roll, or float. It was onto the jon boat hole. Yes, a jon boat under a SilencerCo tent, where you had to balance while sending rounds downrange. Cue the 7-inch barreled Daniel Defense DDM4 PDW suppressed with SilencerCo’s Scythe. The target was a steel disc floating at 70 yards. The PDW’s compact setup made it easy to control and a blast to shoot — pun fully intended.
A Long Shot
We wrapped up with a PRS-style setup deploying a Stuteville Precision bolt action rife. Distance to target was 500 yards. This station was less chaotic than all others — precision shooting is like that. The rifle handled beautifully, and the plate sang nicely, too.
After rifle golf was finished, we took turns on a thrilling side-by-side ATV ride while shooting as many steel plates along the way with the DDM4 PDW as you could manage. Airing it out like we did was a great way to end the day!
The 19th Hole at Side X Side Ranch
Then it was back to the lodge for the final meal. Let me say this loud and clear: Side X Side Ranch doesn’t mess around with food. Picture a three-tiered spread covered in gear from sponsors, surrounded by next-level grub that tasted like it came out of a five-star kitchen deep in wild hog country.
The official course may have ended — but the hunt didn’t. As the sun dipped, the trucks rolled out once more. Thermal optics humming. Suppressed rifles loaded. The property is loaded with hogs, and no one wanted the fun to end.
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