Havant & Hayling Bowmen
Beginners Course
Information Booklet
 www.hhbowmen.co.uk
 hhbowmen@gmail.com
Shooting Address:
Fort Purbrook, Peter Ashley Lane, Portsdown Hill Road, Cosham, Portsmouth. P06 1BJ
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Hello and Welcome,
On behalf of us all at Havant and Hayling Bowmen
we hope that you enjoy our beginner’s course and
find everyone helpful.
This booklet is intended as a backup to all you will
encounter on the course and as an account of any
basic concepts that you may wish to read at your
leisure.
Please feel free to ask us if there is anything you
would like explained further, or if there is
something you would like to know that is not
covered in this booklet. We will do our best to
answer.
We hope you have fun and enjoy this ancient sport
as we all do.
You will be very welcome to join our club after
your beginners' course ends and some information
regarding this can be found in the following
pages.
Good luck and best wishes from us all
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Your Archery Leaders
Keith Keeping
Brian Thorne
Mark Gilbert
Les Gibbons
Ian Salter
David Gerrard
Steve Trinder
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Beginners Course - 6 Week Programme
In your first lesson you will be introduced to your instructors,
learn about equipment, the various parts of the bow and the
basic rules of safety. You will learn how to hold and shoot a
take down-bow, and how to correctly and safely pull arrows.
You will start shooting at 10 yards, then 15 yards, building up
to 20 and 30 yards after the first couple of weeks. You will
shoot at various types and sizes of target faces whilst you are
guided towards perfecting your technique.
The emphasis is on lots of practice. Hopefully you will
experience the pleasure of getting your arrows in the center
of the target and it can be a very satisfying feeling. Don't be
disheartened however if your arrows seem to have a mind of
their own preferring the grass to the target face (we all suffer
from this on occasions). Our archery leaders have been
trained to spot the little inconsistencies that can cause this
and will help you correct them.
We usually end the course with a fun shoot called 'archery
darts' which is 'round the clock' on a face similar to a
dartboard.
Our instructors will be pleased to answer any questions you
may have so please ask
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About our Club
Our main shooting venue is at Fort Purbrook, which is
situated on the top of Portsdown Hill. Thursday evenings in
the summer, Wednesday evenings in the winter, and Sunday
mornings are our main Club meetings, although we have
access to shoot seven days a week all year round.
We are a friendly club welcoming all ages and abilities.
Unfortunately we do not have provisions for wheelchair
bound people. The Club also maintains an active social side
with events put on during the year.
For further details and a fuller flavour of the club please visit
our web site at: www.hhbowmen.co.uk
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Joining a Club
When the course is completed, if you want to continue
shooting, you will need to obtain insurance through the
Grand National Archery Society (GNAS) before you can start
shooting. This can be arranged through the club) and is
renewable from end September each year. This, together
with your certificate, will allow you to apply to join any club
convenient to you.
Our club membership fees are currently £65 for adults and
£30 for juniors (10 - 18 years) and £100 for a couple. These
are due in May.
A discount of £5 is given against the membership fee to those
who have completed the Beginners Course.
Please see our Club Secretary or one of the archery leaders
for further details.
Our members are always willing to help and will try to make
you feel at home
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Buying Equipment
It is essential that you only purchase equipment that is
suitable to your needs and thus it is not advisable to buy
anything until after your beginners course has ended. Our
archery leaders will help and advise you when it comes to
deciding the best equipment to purchase.
You may wish to obtain a copy of the sales catalogue from
'Quick’s' who are the local archery stockiest. This will give
you an idea of what is available and how much it costs.
Safety Rules
Safety is of course paramount when taking part in archery
and the following is a brief résumé of the main rules that
apply.
All shooting will be controlled by a Field Captain, who will
signal with a whistle.
A nocked arrow (an arrow on the bow) must never be
pointed in the direction of another person and must only be
aimed in the direction of the target. A bow with an arrow
nocked is never drawn anywhere else but on the shooting
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line and then only when the Field Captain has given the all
clear using the whistle.
Only cross the shooting line when the Field Captain gives a
signal to do so.
If any person or animal is seen within the shooting safety
area whilst shooting is in progress, the call 'FAST' is to be
shouted by anyone seeing the danger. This call and or a
single blast on a whistle means that all shooting must stop
immediately and all arrows removed from the bows.
Shooting will only re-commence when a further signal is
given by the Field Captain.
Any archer not actually shooting must keep at least 5 yards
behind the shooting line. Spectators must keep at least 10
yards behind the shooting line.
When all arrows have been shot and the signal given by the
Field Captain, walk towards the target looking for any arrows
that may have fallen short. Do not run. No open toed shoes
to be worn. This is very important both for safety and
protection of archers and arrows.
All archers not pulling arrows from the target must stand to
the side of the target to avoid risk of being struck by a
carelessly drawn arrow.
When pulling arrows they must be grasped as close to the
target as possible to avoid bending the arrow shaft.
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Etiquette
Good etiquette is important in archery and listed below are
some of the Rules of etiquette that apply.
A good archer:
 Does not talk in a loud voice whilst others are shooting.
 Does not talk to another competitor who obviously prefers to
be silent .
 Does not make an exclamation on the shooting line that might
disconcert a neighbour in the act of shooting.
 Does not go behind the target to retrieve his arrows before his
score has been recorded.
 Does not walk up and down the shooting line comparing
scores.
 Does not touch anyone else's equipment without per-mission.
 Does not leave litter.
 A Calls his/her scores in groups of three. E.g. '7-7-5' pause '5-53' etc.
 If he breaks another's arrow through his own carelessness, pays
for it in cash on the spot.
 Thanks the Target Captain after the round for work on his
behalf. > Checks there are always at least 2 archers on the
shooting line.
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Technical Information
The following pages detail the basic technical aspects of
archery.
The Recurve Bow
The picture on the left is a
diagram of a recurve bow. This
is the sort of bow you will be
using on the beginners course
and is the same (in principle) as
those used by Olympic archers.
Another style of bow used for
target archery is the compound
bow that uses cams to ease the
weight of holding the bow at
full draw.
There are also different
varieties of bare bow (bows
that have no sight) probably
the most popular in this
country is the traditional
English Longbow (medieval war
bow) made famous in the myth
of Robin Hood, and shot today
by many enthusiastic
traditionalists.
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The Arrow
The picture below shows a basic diagram of an arrow and
names the main parts.
Nocking the Arrow
With the arrow nock between index and forefinger.
Note the use of a tab (shown below) to protect your fingers.
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Correct Form (or Posture)
There have been tomes written about correct and incorrect
stance, breath control, mental and physical preparation and
even studies on human anatomy in pursuit of the perfect
shooting style. Therefore, if you wish to study this in detail,
we advise a trip to the library.
However, the diagram below shows the basic principles of
good form.
The archer's stance should be a
relaxed, 'think tall' approach, where
the bow arm, and shoulders and
elbow of the drawing arm complete
with nocked arrow are virtually in a
straight line.
The drawing action should be one of
transferring the weight of the bow
string onto the back muscles, by
rolling the drawing arm shoulder,
rather than pulling with the ann.
It's a tricky concept to master, but our archery leaders are
always willing to give advice even when the official
beginner’s course has ended. You will also find many of the
archers in the club willing to advise through their own
experiences.
REPEAT R- relax, E– equal weight on feet, P– posture, E– even
stance, A– aim, T– try to hit the target.
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Care of Equipment
A general inspection before shooting should detect such
things as frayed or damaged strings, loose screws and 'sticky
points' where rain may have made moveable parts slightly
rusty. A good habit to get into is to dry off the bow
thoroughly after shooting in the rain and to occasionally put
beeswax on the string.
A 'tackle' box is a good idea as it can house spare parts that
might be needed in an emergency, such as a spare string,
screw driver and Allen keys. In archery, the Scouts motto
always applies - 'be prepared'.
The Bow
It is important not to mistreat the bow. Never dry loose
(shoot without a nocked arrow) a bow as this can seriously
damage the limbs and even break them. Bows are designed
to be bent in one direction only with equal stress on each
limb, so never lean on the bow as if it were a walking stick
when not shooting.
The String
Perhaps the most overlooked item on a bow, but one of the
most essential. Dry loosing damages and can break bow
strings. Always replace a frayed or worn string.
Arrows
Never shoot arrows that are too short for your draw length
as this can cause accidents if the arrow falls off the arrow
rest. Arrows are quite robust but can be bent easily if miss
handled usually when being pulled from the target.
Be gentle!
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A Few Archery Terms
Anchor Point
Bare Bow
Boss
Bowyer
Braced Bow
Bracer
Clicker
Compound Bow
Cresting
Damper
Draw
Draw Length
End
Face
Fast
A point on the face that becomes a
regular reference point to which the
string is drawn back.
A bow with no sights and limited
shooting aids.
The object the target archery face is
pinned to.
Person who makes/repairs archery
equipment.
A bow that is strung ready to shoot.
A lower arm protector for the bow arm.
An item positioned on recurve bows that
clicks as the arrow pile is pulled past it.
A bow that uses a system of pulleys to
take the strain At full draw.
Coloured marking placed near the fletch
of an arrow for identification purposes.
A usually small powder or mercury filled
weight attached to the bow to absorb
the shock of release.
The act of pulling a nocked bowstring
back prior to Shooting.
The correct distance for an individual to
draw the bow on each shot.
Six arrows shot in succession.
In relation to a target, the surface that
you shoot at.
Warning to STOP shooting.
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Fletch
F.I.T.A.
Flat Bow
Flight shooting
GNAS
Gold
Kisser
Limbs
Long Bow
Long Rod
Nock
Over-bowed
Pile
Quiver
Recurve Bow
The vanes/feathers at the rear of the
arrow that aid its aerodynamic flight
Federation Internationale de Tir a l'arc The World governing body for all
amateur archery.
A type of bare bow that has flat limbs
A shooting contest where the objective is
to shoot the longest distance.
Grand National Archery Society Governing body For archery in the UK.
The center of the target, scoring 9 points
for Imperial rounds and 10 points for
metric rounds.
A small disc or marking on the string to
help gain a consistent anchor point.
The two arms of the bow attached to the
riser.
A bow made from wood to traditional
size and design specifications with no
sights or shooting Aids.
An item added to the bow to help
stabilise it.
A grooved part of the arrow that
attaches to the string.
Using a bow that is too strong a
poundage for an individual.
The pointed tip of the arrow.
A device for holding arrows.
A bow constructed to have the tip of bias
curve towards the back of the bow
increasing efficiency.
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Release
Riser
Round
Scope
Sight
Stabiliser
String
Tab
Tackle
Tassel
Tournament
Weight
The point of loosing the arrow from the
bow.
The handle of a bow.
An archery shoot over a predefined
distance or Group of distances. Divided
between Imperial and Metric distances
and different scoring methods There are
over 60 types of round that we can
shoot.
A magnified sight used on compound
bows.
A device used to help aim.
A weighted attachment for the bow that
helps Stabilisation
The action of preparing the bow for
shooting.
A device (often made of leather) that
protects the Archer’s fingers when
shooting
Archery equipment
A piece of fabric or a pom-pom of wool
used to clean Mud from arrow. Essential
for longbow archers.
A competition. Details can be obtained
from the Records and Tournaments
Officer.
The amount of pull, measured in pounds,
required to draw the bow to full draw.
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5 Zone Scoring
10 Zone Scoring
This is the GNAS scoring method for
imperial rounds With distance measured
in yards. Points are awarded As 9,7,5,3,1
and miss.
This is the F.I.T.A. and Olympic scoring
method for Metric rounds with distance
measured in meters. Points are awarded
as 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 and miss.
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Handicaps, Classifications and Scoring
Within the UK we use the GNAS handicapping and
classification system for all archers. This enables weaker
archers to compete in handicapped tournaments alongside
highly skilled archers with reasonable; some would say good,
chance of beating them.
The classification scheme gives an annual assessment of each
archers skill by classifying them according to ability as either
unclassified, 3rd class, 2nd class or 1st class. Then for the
more accomplished archers there are Bowman, Master
Bowman and finally Grand Master Bowman classifications.
To obtain a classification an archer must complete at least
three official Rounds that have been scored according to
GNAS rules. Our archery leaders can give full instruction on
how to complete score sheets in order to record a round for
classification purpose.
In conclusion we would like to wish you every enjoyment
during our Beginner’s course. Always remember that above
all archery is fun, Frustrating at times, but equally satisfying
at others. Here at Havant and Hayling Bowmen we like to
ensure that everyone enjoys their shooting.
Thank you.
The Club
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Havant and Hayling Bowmen
RISK ASSESSMENT — FORT PURBROOK
The following RISK ASSESSMENTS are in addition to G.N.A.S.
Safety Rules of Archery.
ON ENTERING FORT PURBROOK CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN ON
THE FOLLOWING
"HAZARDS" STEPS
There are many steps in various parts of the Fort that you as
Members may come across. These steps can be very slippery
when wet and shoes are muddy. Use the hand rails and take
care when going up and down the steps.
THE TUNNEL
The main areas the club shoots are the top field and in the
moat. To get there you have to use the tunnel. The walls of
the tunnel are very uneven and the floor can be slippery after
rain-fall. Take your time and take care.
IN THE MOAT
Down in the moat we have a family of rabbits who love to dig
holes here and there causing hazards if care is not taken
when walking up and down the field to collect arrows. Make
sure care is taken at all times whilst in the moat.
SETTING UP
Before any shooting can take place the target area has to be
set up. Care should be taken when setting up the stands and
bosses -Beware of wood splinters in the stands.
The bosses are heavy — take care when lifting them onto
stands. 2 people must be used to lift the bosses off the
trolley and stands.
BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS AT ALL TIMES
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APPLICATION TO JOIN
HAVANT AND HAYLING BOWMEN
NAME/s
_____________________________________________
ADDRESS:
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
TELEPHONE NO:
______________________________________
EMAIL ADDRESS:
______________________________________
TYPE OF MEMBERSHIP (Please tick)

No. Persons
Dates of Birth
(Juniors)
ADULT
JUNIOR
COUPLE
DATE: ____________
SIGNATURE: _____________________
Please note: If membership is for a junior, an adult with parental responsibility must sign
and always be present with them.
Please hand this completed form to the club secretary, or to your Course Archery Leader,
with the relevant fees.
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