Handicaps
A handicap is a measure of the dispersion of the arrows, and how well you hold your aim at the gold. Each time we shoot an arrow there are small differences, and those differences cause a spread in how the arrows fall on the target. The more accurately you repeat the shot, the smaller the group, and the lower the handicap. Because it is a measure of the spread as the arrow leaves the bow the handicap is comparable across different target sizes and ranges, and allows you to track your progress and compare different rounds. For example, you can compare shooting outdoors at greater ranges with indoor rounds such as a Portsmouth or WA18.
During the year, handicaps can only go down, never up. We take the first three scores and average the handicaps to get the initial value. For each subsequent round we calculate the new handicap based on that new score. If that value is higher than the current handicap then it is ignored, otherwise we take the average of the current handicap and the new one.
At the start of a new year it can go up as well as down. We take the average of the final handicap from the previous year and the first new score even if the new score is a higher handicap, then continue as before.
As it is purely a mathematical measure of arrow dispersion it is the same regardless of age, sex, or bow type. Therefore it can’t be used to allow different bow types or ages to compete against each other, but it does allow people of the same class to compete with an even chance of winning by adding the handicaps to the final scores.
The best use of handicaps is to monitor progress through the year, and to compare scores on different kinds of rounds. For example, my PB for the Portsmouth round is 529 (out of 600), but I have shot a 610 Stafford (out of 720). Which was the better score? Handicaps tell me that a 610 Stafford is the equivalent of shooting a 539 Portsmouth, so the Stafford was my best shooting to date.
With the new system, I can calculate a handicap given as few as six arrow scores (although it will be better over a greater number).
Classifications
Classifications, like handicaps, were changed to a new system in 2023. The new classifications for indoor rounds are:
- Indoor Archer 3rd class (IA3)
- Indoor Archer 2nd class (IA2)
- Indoor Archer 1st class (IA1)
- Indoor Bowman 3rd class (IB3)
- Indoor Bowman 2nd class (IB2)
- Indoor Bowman 1st class (IB1)
- Indoor Master Bowman (IMB)
- Indoor Grandmaster Bowman (IGB)
To calculate a classification I need scores for a recognised full round, such as 60 arrows on a 60cm target from 60 feet (Portsmouth). Indoor Archer scores can be recognised from 10 dozen arrows (eg two Portsmouth rounds) including normal club night shooting. Indoor Bowman scores need 15 dozen arrows (eg three Portsmouth rounds) shot during competition, but I take this as including intraclub competitions and not just open competitions. Indoor Master Bowman and Grandmaster Bowman scores need to be from Record Status competitions.
In the table below I just list the bow type, but the required scores are different for different age groups, bow style, and the two sexes. The 2023 handicap is as was available at the end of that year, or the starting handicap for 2024.
| Name | Bow type | 2023 class | 2023 Handicap | Current Class | Current Handicap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graham | barebow | IB3* | 61 | IB3* | 59 |
| Alun | recurve | IB3* | 54 | IB3* | 52 |
| Cindy | barebow | IA3* | 84 | IA3 | 80 |
| David | recurve | IA1 | 57 | IA1 | 57 |
| George | barebow | IB2 | 58? | IB2 | 55 |
| Tarryn | barebow | IB3* | 86 | IB3* | 82 |
| Keeley | recurve | IB2* | 71 | IB2* | 70 |
| Holly | barebow | N/A | 89 | IB3* | 85 |
| Freya | barebow | N/A | 81 | N/A | 81 |
| Shirley | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Jamie | barebow | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Tony | recurve | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Valerie | N/A | 78 | IA3* | 76 |
Handicap Tournament
The tournament on April 5th will not be a normal tournament where the highest score wins. Instead, on the day each person’s score will be used to calculate their handicap, and the winner in each category will be the one who decreases their handicap the most (or increases it the least). We won’t actually increase handicaps, but we will compare the handicap given by the score in the tournament and compare it with their current handicap. In this way, each person if shooting against their average, and the winner in each category is the person who shoots better than average on the night. In this way, everyone has an equal chance of winning, regardless of their actual scores.
There will be three classes, each eligible for a medal or trophy. The U14 Barebow category will have Tarryn shooting against Holly. The Senior Barebow category will have Cindy shooting against Graham. The Recurve category will have Keeley shooting against Alun. Again, when I say, ‘shooting against’ it is not a comparison of scores directly, but a comparison of how well each person shoots on the night compared to how they usually shoot.