That would be great I'm a huge noob when it comes to anything long range but I'd love to learn and meet some folks!
Second Sunday every month - the
match page has all the details. The matches are tee time format - you pick an available start time from 10AM to about 2PM and shoot your 50, 100, and 150 yard targets and are done in about an hour. There is one this Sunday but it is considerably more challenging than a normal match. Probably a little tough to start out on. Plan on the August and September matches and you might want to try the October Challenge match if you are gung-ho about it by then
You can hang out and talk, and check out all the nice rifles and scopes too.
It sounds like you are on the right track. Rifle, scope with your 50/100/150 yard dope with whatever ammo you choose, a bipod and rear bag, and enough mags for 25+ rounds and you will have the equipment side covered. Practice as much as you can of course. On scopes, beyond being reasonably good optics so you can see, the main thing is mechanical reliability and repeatability, especially dialing the turrets back and forth over and over. Google "rifle scope box test" if you don't already know what that means. Ammo will vary - take the time to try several different options up to whatever limit you are willing to spend, and see what works best in your rifle, because they will vary gun to gun, even the "exact same" model. You might get lucky, but generally, at least within one ammo mfr, you get what you pay for - the higher priced ammo is more consistent.
If you want to shoot from awkward and annoying positions (since you mentioned a shooting mat), sign up for tactical division. Everything else is from the benches. In tactical you can use whatever kinds of bags you want, a pack, sticks, and all the other cool stuff people drag around DMM/PRS style matches
Oh, and if you get a CZ455, do yourself a favor and get a
Yodave trigger kit for it. Cheaper than a magazine and well worth it (no, not a paid shill, it's just a no-brainer to improve the already decent factory trigger).
Front Line Defense does precision rimfire matches also, out to 300 yards, although I always have a conflict :-( No benches for those matches!