A tail wheel pilot reported loss of control during takeoff due to wind gusts resulted in a runway excursion and minor damage.

Narrative

I was trying a takeoff on a short runway XX at ZZZ but had never had flaps down before. It was really going variable with gusts. A gust popped me into a false ground effect and sent me skidding. Normally I could maintain ground effect flight but the drag from the flaps seems to be more like an air brake than lift. It bounced me across the runway and I clipped the marker light. I bounced in the grass and pulled power since ground effect flight was not happening and stopped. I mowed the grass back to the runway and went to the FBO. Looked at the prop which got a ding that was blendable. I found dents in the cowl and superficial trim. I sent off photos to another mechanic to see if it was flyable to return to base. Did a no flaps takeoff and then a flaps landing with no issues. Crosswind gusts and flaps were the issue. Flies more like a Pitts than a Decathlon. One factor suggests the gear were reversed for the tail conversion by a previous owner and based on wear patterns they didn't adjust the toe in which became a toe out double. That may have attributed to manuscripts; but variable gusts and flaps were main problems.