USPSA course layouts—ranging from Short and Medium to Long Courses, and continuing into Specialized and Supplemental stages—represent the structured ways in which stages are arranged to challenge shooters across various dimensions of movement, accuracy, and strategy.

USPSA - COURSE TYPES

There are several types of Courses in USPSA competition and this article breaks them down so you can understand the differences. Course types help course designers create stages that test competitors’ skills across a wide range of challenging combinations.

The Short Course

These courses accommodate up to two shooting locations and require no more than twelve rounds to complete. The stage design should not allow you to shoot the entire stage from any single location or view of the targets. Short course designs should not let you shoot more than eight scoring hits from one location or view.

Maximum number of shooting locations: up to two.

Maximum scoring hits per location or view: up to eight.
The number of rounds needed to complete the course of fire: up to 12.
Maximum points: 12 hits x 5 points = 60.
Scoring rules: Comstock, Virginia Count, or Fixed Time.

Stage Planning: Plan reloads carefully, and missing a shot on a short course costs more compared to longer stages.

The Medium Course

These are designed to accommodate up to three shooting locations and require no more than twenty rounds to complete. Medium course designs should not allow you to shoot and score more than eight hits from one location or view of the targets. These courses can incorporate props or require a demonstration of dominant- and supporting-hand shooting skills.

Maximum number of shooting locations: up to three.
Maximum scoring hits per location or view: up to 8.
The number of rounds needed to complete the course of fire: 13 to 20.
Maximum points: 20 hits x 5 points = 100.
Scoring rules: Comstock.

Stage Planning: Walk the stage and cover the details. You don’t want Mistakes in movements to cost you more time.

The Long Course

Long courses have no limit on the number of shooting locations and can encompass up to thirty-two rounds. You can only shoot and score up to eight hits from one location or view of the targets. These courses can incorporate props or require a demonstration of dominant- and supporting-hand shooting skills.

The maximum number of shooting locations: no limit.
Maximum scoring hits per location or view: up to 8.
The number of rounds needed to complete the course of fire: 21 to 32.
Maximum points: 32 hits x 5 points = 160.
Scoring rules: Comstock.

Stage Planning: Always confirm the number of shots and targets on the different sightlines before your stage run. Missing one hidden target in a long course can result in a miss penalty plus failure to engage.

Location vs. Views

Locations

Locations are defined as physical spaces within the boundaries of the course of fire. A change in location occurs when both feet have moved to a new physical position where additional targets can be engaged.

One Location

Example: Two targets are engaged from one location because you are not required to move your feet to a new position to take the targets.

Two Locations

Example: Two targets engaged from two locations because you are required to move your feet to a new position to take the targets.

Views

Views are specific to what you can see when you are looking at an array of targets. Vision barriers and walls are used to create multiple views from a single location. However, one location may offer multiple views.

In competition, competitors are required to move across multiple locations and change views to engage all targets.

USPSA - Single Location with Multiple Views — USPSA - Single Location with multiple Views

Special and Supplemental Courses

Special course types are used to design stages that test specific skills and create consistent courses of fire that can be set up, shot, and scored consistently for competition and classification.

The Standards Course

Standards are two or more separately timed strings totaled together to produce a final stage score. Standards can be up to twenty-four rounds or less and scored under the Virginia Count or Fixed Time scoring systems. Standard stages use only cardboard targets and may require specific skills to be demonstrated on the clock. Standards courses may require specific shooting positions across multiple locations, mandatory reloads, and dominant-, supportive-hand shooting.

The Speed Shoot Course

Speed shoots are completed in one continuous string of fire of sixteen rounds or less from a single location in any order. Scoring is calculated under the Comstock or Virginia Count rules. One mandatory reload may be required, and stage rules may specify which hand you shoot from after the reload.

The Classifiers Course

A classifier is a specific stage or course of fire that is designed to measure a competitor’s speed and accuracy within a division. Classifiers may require mandatory reloads, specific shooting positions, specific shooting locations, and a demonstration of dominant- or support-hand shooting. All USPSA classifiers follow a published set of rules with notes and diagrams. The classifier documentation outlines everything needed to set up, shoot, and score the stage consistently. Hit factor scores for classifiers are recorded nationwide and loaded into a scoring database to facilitate the USPSA classification ranking. Details on the most current USPSA Classifiers can be found at https://uspsa.org.

The Shoot-Off Course

Shoot-offs are supplementary courses of fire where competitors shoot directly against each other on a simultaneous stage using similar but individual targets. Shoot-off stages are usually a maximum of nine rounds and will require one mandatory reload. These courses are similar to drag races as competitors compete head to head for the best times.

Stage Design Rules and Course Layouts

Stage design in USPSA is governed by strict rules that ensure every course is fair, safe, and challenging for all competitors. While match directors have creative freedom to build stages, they must follow the USPSA Handgun Competition Rules when creating layouts. These guidelines balance skill tests, safety, and competitiveness.

Key Rules for Stage Design

Round Count Limits:
- No course may exceed 32 scoring rounds.
- Short, Medium, and Long courses each have strict caps (12, 24, and 32 rounds).
Target Engagement:
- No more than 8 scoring hits may be taken from a single shooting position or view.
- This forces competitors to move, change positions, and engage targets from multiple angles.
Diversity of Skills:
- Stages should test a combination of accuracy, speed, movement, and reloads.
- Match directors avoid repetitive or “stand-and-shoot” stages.
Safety Standards:
- Targets must always be within safe angles of fire (commonly known as the 180 Rule).
- Props and walls cannot create unsafe engagement angles or crossfire situations.
Props and Obstacles:
- Use of walls, barrels, doors, and barricades is encouraged, but they must not create unfair sightline advantages.

How USPSA Course Layouts Differ: Short, Medium, Long, and Classifiers

When building USPSA courses, match directors focus on variety and flow:

Short Courses: Often quick “sprints” with one or two shooting positions — layouts emphasize fast transitions and accuracy under time pressure.
Medium Courses: Typically mix close and distant targets, requiring efficient movement across 2–3 positions. Layouts often use barricades or walls to force stage planning.
Long Courses: Complex layouts with multiple shooting areas, movement paths, and target arrays. These stages simulate dynamic shooting environments and challenge reload management.
Classifiers: Unlike field courses, classifiers use fixed layouts standardized across the country, ensuring shooters in different clubs are measured against the same challenge.

Why Layout Matters

Well-designed USPSA course layouts prevent “gaming” — where shooters find one position to clear the stage — and instead encourage:

Stage Planning Skills: Competitors must decide target order, reload timing, and movement strategy.
Balanced Skill Testing: No single skill (speed or accuracy) dominates the course.
Fair Competition: Each stage provides comparable challenges to shooters regardless of division or equipment.

Why Course Knowledge Separates Good Competitors from Great Ones

In USPSA, raw shooting skill is only part of the equation. The shooters who consistently rise to the top are the ones who understand how course types shape the match and adjust their strategy accordingly.

Short Courses reward precision and efficient reloads — a single mistake can cost more than in longer stages.
Medium Courses demand smart transitions and movement planning.
Long Courses test endurance, round management, and stage flow.
Classifiers highlight pure fundamentals, leaving little room to hide weaknesses.

Great competitors don’t just react when the timer beeps — they’ve already walked the stage, visualized every target engagement, and chosen reload points that maximize speed while minimizing risk. They know how different course layouts force different decisions, and they use that knowledge to gain seconds over the field.

Bottom line: course knowledge transforms a shooter from someone who just completes a stage into someone who competes with purpose. When you understand how USPSA stages are designed, you can make smarter choices, reduce penalties, and turn your skills into higher scores.

FAQs About USPSA Course Types

The four official course types are
- Short Course (≤12 rounds)
- Medium Course (≤24 rounds)
- Long Course (≤32 rounds)
- Classifiers
A short course allows up to 12 rounds, with a maximum of 8 hits from any one position.
Classifiers are standardized stages that track shooter skill for classification. Field courses (short, medium, long) are designed by match directors and vary from match to match.
Comstock, Virginia Count, and Fixed Time are the three main scoring systems.
No course may exceed 32 scoring rounds, regardless of design.

What are the different types of courses in USPSA competition?