I'll second this post.Wayne County Raccoon Hunters Club is a great place for Wed. night IDPA practices.They have been welcoming and helpful since i discovered them last Spring.I do not shoot the matches which are held on the 3rd Saturday of the month.Their RSO's do a great job of explaining the course of fire,the rules and procedures. I am not at a level that would be considered speedy in any way. I enjoy going just to practice/simulate real-world targets versus static shooting at a target in a lane at an indoor range. I record most of my shooting with a small helmet cam and then post to youtube.NOTE: I don't do it to show my lack of video skills,nor my lack of accuracy but to help show just how much fun it is to shoot IDPA.
https://youtu.be/wRUV54IVs_E
What I would recommend for first timers is to have the usual gear,hat,glasses,GOOD ear protection, a rigid belt and a decent OWB holster that you can comfortably wear on your side.Optional but handy is a mag holder or two as you may need 3 magazines to finish a stage. Also as the weather heats up a water or Gatorade (or two) to beat the heat,a rain poncho,bug spray and sunscreen have been welcome items in my shooting bag.