Handicaps and Classification

Shooting and scoring a round, and then giving the scoresheet to the records officer (Terry) enables him to calculate your handicap and classification.

Handicaps

The handicap is a way of checking your archery is improving even when shooting different rounds each week.

To get an initial handicap, during the year you have to shoot 3 of the rounds for which handicap tables have been printed. There is a copy of the handicap tables in the back of the GNAS green book in the shed.

The initial handicap will be the average of the 3 handicaps rounded up. For each round with an improvement, the handicap is recalculated as the average of the new handicap and the old rounded up. Since the handicap is only made from your best scores, you will often shoot rounds with scores below your handicap level.

Handicap Improvement Medal

The Handicap Improvement Medal (shown right) is awarded by the club each year to the club member that achieves the greatest outdoor handicap improvement over the year. The ArcheryGB "Shooting Administration Procedure 6", paragraph 6 (page 6-4) gives the details. The winner shall have been a member of the Club for at least six months prior to 1 January and shall be in possession of a current handicap on that date, and shall have shot a minimum of 8 rounds. The medal is loaned by the club as it is property of Archery GB.

Classification

ArcherGB classifications are based on the percentage of archers reaching a particular handicap level. So 1st class may be set at 40% of archers, and Grand Master Bowman at only the top 1.5%. As bows, arrows and training improve, the scores needed are adjusted, so it's necessary to check using the latest copy of the ArcheryGB "Shooting Administration Procedure 7" which can be found online (see the links page). You need to get 3 scores above those listed in the tables in the same year to achieve the classification, you then need to repeat that every year to keep it. For 3rd class to bowman, these can be shot on club days and Terry will do the work. For (Junior) Master Bowman and Grand Master Bowman it has to be shot at a record status event, shooting a 12 dozen round, and then claimed from ArcheryGB.

The following is a table of the shortest rounds that qualify for the first 3 levels. Some of the junior metric rounds are a much shorter distance but 6 dozen arrows instead of 4 dozen. The 2 scores shown are for recurve and bare bow, scores for compound and longbow as well as other rounds can be found in the "Shooting Administration Procedure 7".

Ladies	(Junior) Warwick 40 - 279 / 149	(Short) Warwick 50 - 287 / 145	National - 436 / 221
Girls U18	(Short Junior) Warwick 30 - 315 / 292	(Junior) Warwick 40 - 288 / 242	(Short) National 50 - 417 / 313
Girls U16	(Short Junior) Warwick 30 - 267 / 239 or Short Metric IV - 462 / 427	(Short Junior) Warwick 30 - 300 / 284	(Junior) National 40 - 387 / 328
Girls U14	(Short Junior) Warwick 30 - 160 / 131 or Short Metric V - 390 / 348	(Short Junior) Warwick 30 - 229 / 200 or Short Metric IV - 415 / 378	(Short Junior) National 30 - 415 / 360
Girls U12	(Short Junior) Warwick 30 - 104 / 80 or Short Metric V - 305 / 262	(Short Junior) Warwick 30 - 160 / 131 or Short Metric V - 390 / 348	Short Metric IV - 439 / 366
Gentlemen	(Short) Warwick 50 - 278 / 145	Warwick - 297 / 157	Long National - 418 / 234
Boys U18	(Junior) Warwick 40 - 252 / 201	(Short) Warwick 50 - 278 / 177	National - 436 / 254
Boys U16	(Short Junior) Warwick 30 - 307 / 275	(Junior) Warwick 40 - 304 / 232	(Short) National 50 - 430 / 296
Boys U14	(Short Junior) Warwick 30 - 239 / 200 or Short Metric IV - 427 / 378	(Short Junior) Warwick 30 - 307 / 258	(Junior) National 40 - 387 / 296
Boys U12	(Short Junior) Warwick 30 - 112 / 88 or Short Metric V - 320 / 276	(Short Junior) Warwick 30 - 200 / 150 or Short Metric IV 378 / 315	(Short Junior) National 30 - 360 / 299

The 2 metric rounds use 1 to 10 scoring and an 80cm target face. The imperial rounds score 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 by colour and use the 122cm face.

Crystal Palace Bowmen Tassles

Tassles are awarded for achieving an ArcheryGB classification.
Most archery shops sell badges for the classifications.