Tracking Your Progress
What’s it all about?
Some archers are happy just to shoot without bothering to score. They choose to concentrate on their technique or just shoot for fun. Others will want to measure their progress and advance in technique and skill.
There are a couple of ways you can do this:
The 252 scheme is an informal and fun way to track your progress and gauge your improvement. You shoot a self-scored round of 3 dozen arrows at a distance of your choice. Your aim is to score a total of 252 if shooting recurve (other bow types have different target scores). If you achieve this score, it shows your arrows are falling mostly within the gold and red, which means you are ready to move up to the next distance. See here for more information about the 252 scheme.
You can obtain a nationally recognized classification by shooting rounds that are witnessed and scored, as at our monthly club shoots. There are six classification levels that you can earn by shooting at the club, from Archer 3rd Class to Bowman 1st Class. If you get really good at archery, there are three further Master Bowman levels that can only be earned by shooting at external, record status competitions.
By shooting formally scored rounds, you can also gain a nationally recognized handicap. This is not only a useful way to track your progress, but enables you to compete on equal terms with archers of different abilities or different bow styles in competitions that use handicap-adjusted scoring. You will be issued with a handicap after you have shot three qualifying rounds. If you then shoot rounds with better scores, your handicap will decrease (improve).
The handicaps and classifications issued for shooting at Rivernook are for outdoor archery. If you shoot indoors during the winter, you may also earn an indoor classification and handicap.
Choosing the round to shoot
In the shelter at the range there is a comprehensive list of outdoor rounds showing the number of arrows to be shot at each distance and the size of target face to use. Choose one that you feel comfortable with, both in terms of the distances to be shot and the number of arrows you will have to shoot.
The target faces to use, and methods of scoring, can be found under the Target Faces and Scoring page.
How to submit your scores
When you shoot and score a round at a Club Target day (as defined below), you should send the completed scoresheet to the records officer even if it’s not been witnessed. Do this by posting it in the score box at the range shelter at the club, or by emailing it to the Records Officer.
Unwitnessed scores are still useful to collect as they help to give an idea of the level and progress of individual archers within the club. Please note that it needs to be clear to the Records Officer whether or not a round has been witnessed. If you self-scored a round, do not fill in the scorer’s signature box on the scoresheet, and do not ask someone who did not score the round to sign it.
If you have shot at an external competition, please highlight your score on the competition results sheet before emailing it to the Records Officer.
If you are a member of more than one club you should send score sheets to the Records Officer for each club. This is to ensure that your handicap is kept consistent.
For the purposes of claiming club or external records, scores must be recorded according to the Rules of Shooting. This includes adopting a system of scoring which prevents any archer being the sole recorder of their own score. The scoresheet must be signed by both the archer and the scorer, or in the case of external shoots, the official competition results sheet must be submitted. You can find the current Club and External records in the Members Area.
Club target days (for the purposes of shooting rounds for handicap purposes)
As the range is open ‘all the time’ and members can shoot anytime they wish, club target days are defined as Monday to Sunday inclusive at any time that the range is open.
What happens with your scores?
Whenever you shoot a round you should submit your scoresheet to the Records Officer as described above. They will then, using the Archery GB Handicap Tables, work out the handicap value for that round and score. Once you have submitted 3 scores your handicap is worked out as an average of those handicap values. Once you have shot the appropriate number of arrows the Records Officer will also be able to work out your classification.
More information on Outdoor Handicaps and Classifications can be found here.
Shooting Indoors
During the winter months individuals can shoot at indoor venues or competitions.
Scoresheets are used to calculate handicaps and classifications in a similar way to that described previously.
More information on Indoor Handicaps and Classifications can be found here.
Awards and Trophies
Badges are awarded for achieving the 252 scheme target scores at each distance, and for achieving a new classification level. We also issue badges for beating target score levels in the indoor Portsmouth rounds and outdoor winter Frostbite rounds.
A list of internal club records is maintained in the member’s area of this website and on the noticeboard in the range shelter. Each month, a bulletin is sent round listing the achievements of our members, including improved handicaps, new classifications, internal club records set or beaten, and notable performances in external competitions.
A trophy is issued to the archer with the most improved handicap each year. Trophies are also given to the Ladies, Gents and Junior winners of our annual Club Championship shoot in September. At the AGM shoot in April, Ladies, Gents and Junior novice trophies are awarded to archers who have joined the club within the past year. There is also a Frostbite Trophy awarded to the best archer over the entire Frostbite season.