Welcome
On this page we have tried to give you a quick description of the sport of archery, and answer the most common questions visitors to this our Web site may have. If you find that your question is not answered on this page, please email the webmaster and we will do our best to answer you as soon as possible.
How do I join?
In order to join the society and be allowed to shoot you must be a competent archer. Most of our members achieved this status by successfully completing one of the 6-week ‘Beginners Courses’ that the Society runs from time to time. The dates of the next Beginners’ Course will be shown on the Events page, and all the other details you need are on the Beginners’ Course page.
Are there other ways to join?
If you can demonstrate your competence as an archer in other ways (e.g. via a reference from another accredited club, or by satisfying one of our coaches as to your abilities) then you may apply in writing (email acceptable) to the committee for consideration.
Can I try it?
If you want to try archery, look out for the ‘Try Archery’ (formerly known as ‘Have A Go) booths run by our club (and others) in your vicinity. They tend to be held over the summer at fairs, school fetes and similar occasions. For a few shillings (OK, pence if you prefer!) you will be able to shoot a few arrows at a target and see how you like it. Have a look at our Events Page to see if there are any currently planned.
Is there more than one type of archery?
Yes, several. We are a Target Archery club where we stand in line and shoot at targets at a set range. There are other types, such as Field Archery, where the archer walks round a field course shooting at targets located around the venue.
In addition there are four main families of bow. Firstly the traditional wooden longbow (Crecy and all that), which is great fun but somewhat inaccurate. Then there is the Recurve (or Olympic) bow - similar to a longbow, but made of metal & composites, and much more accurate. Next there is the compound bow, which is much more compact and uses cams and other mechanisms to improve accuracy still further. Finally there is the crossbow family, although this is seldom seen at a target club. Lastly, to thoroughly confuse everybody, each family of bow is subdivided into classes depending on the extra equipment fitted (e.g. type of sight).
How old do I have to be?
Any age really, as long as you can prove your competence, although the Society tends not to have members under 10.
How much does it cost?
As much as you want to spend really! The annual membership fee to our society is £110 (£30 for Juniors). The equipment can be expensive, but a recurve archer could get equipped with good basic kit for around £250, spread over the first year (less for a longbow, more for a compound). Of course you can spend £1000’s!
In the winter there are shooting fees:- £3 per night to pay for the hire of the hall, and tournament fees (should you wish to enter), normally in the range £5 - £15 per event.
What about disabilities?
Archery, more than most sports, is accessible to disabled individuals. In general you need good upper body strength in both arms, steady hands and reasonable eyesight*. Wheelchair users tend to use compound bows because of their compact nature, and can compete successfully on equal terms with able-bodied archers.
Droitwich Archery welcomes applications from disabled archers and will, upon request, lay on ‘Burntwood’ rounds (for visually impaired archers) at its open tournaments.
(*Please note that that the Blind College have additional facilities, and have a considerable number of blind & visually impaired archers enjoying the sport).
Is it dangerous?
Yes and no. Remember, the bow and arrow is essentially a weapon so it is, of course, dangerous. Because of this our Society (and all the others in the UK) is strictly run under very stringent safety rules. Thus the sport of archery boasts one of the lowest rates of injury of any sport in the UK. You are much much less likely to be injured participating in archery than, say, soccer.
What is a round?
A round is a specified number of arrows at a set range. For example the round known as a York is 6 dozen arrows at 100 yds, followed by 4 dozen at 80 yds finishing with 2 dozen at 60 yds. - all shot at the 120cm face. There are many rounds covering a huge range of distances and number of arrows. The GNAS recognised rounds are displayed in a table here.
What about tournaments?
Tournaments are organised shoots, which can be Closed - i.e. for the club only - or Open. At a tournament one of the recognised rounds will be shot, with variations in distance for ladies & juniors. For instance a York (100 / 80 / 60 yds) is normally accompanied by a Hereford (80 / 60 / 50 yds) for Lady Archers, and the Bristol series which go to even shorter ranges, but all with the same number of arrows. Archers will be placed in the round appropriate to their age and gender.
Some archers like tournaments - some don’t. It does not matter either way, but you should try it at least once. Many archers, particularly novices, think that they are ‘not good enough’ to go to a tournament, but this is not so. Provided they are safe, and follow the basic rules of etiquette, there is never any criticism of archers shooting low scores. It is quite common to see members of the County (and even national) team shooting on the same target as a relative novice: what better way to learn?
Here is a picture of the Junior Nationals 2003 - a very large tournament!
How do I find out more?
Go to the contacts page & contact anybody on the list. You will find that everybody in our Society (and, indeed in UK archery in general) will be very friendly and more than willing to help.
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