On Thursday 28th November-Friday 29th November we held our Autumn Handicap Tournament, the last tournament of 2024. As before, we compare people’s current handicap with the handicap that corresponds with the tournament score. Therefore, the winners are not those that score the highest, necessarily, but those who shoot better than usual the most.
Here are the results:
Name
Score
Current Handicap
Score Handicap
Result
Chip (B)
380
91
73
-18
Ruairidh (B)
350
93
76
-17
Lachlan (B)
215
95
90
-5
Valerie (B)
360
76
75
-1
Freya (R)
295
81
82
1
Alun (R)
504
52
54
2
Eli (T)
66
106
111
5
Tarryn (B)
248
82
87
5
David (R)
455
57
63
6
George (B)
470
55
61
6
Holly (B)
165
85
95
10
Graham (B)
394
59
72
13
Shirley (R)
165
—
95
—
First prize: Chip. Second prize: Ruairidh. Third prize: Lachlan.
Handicap updates
The following changes to current handicaps result from this tournament. Note that during a calendar year handicaps can decrease but not increase.
Just like our Spring Tournament this was a handicap event, where each person was shooting against their own current handicap. The person whose score was lower than their current handicap the most, or higher the least, would be the winner. Unlike in Spring, we have no divisions and instead a medal for 1st place and one for 2nd place.
The event was very well attended, with 11 archers (one non-scoring as I did not have a handicap score to compare with). With three target bosses, this meant we had to shoot in two waves, but we still managed to shoot 60 arrows plus two sighter ends with 20 minutes to spare.
Results
Name (bowstyle)
Current Handicap
Score Handicap
Result
Holly (B)
89
81
-8
Tarryn (B)
85
78
-7
Valerie (B)
78
73
-5
Cindy (B)
82
78
-4
Keeley (R)
71
68
-3
David (R)
57
65
8
Graham (B)
59
67
8
Alun (R)
52
60
8
George (B)
55
66
11
Freya (R)
81
110
29
Holly wins 1st prize, and Tarryn 2nd prize.
Raw scores
Here are the scores and classification (considering just this shoot). The Current Handicaps and Classifications page will be updated with the change in handicaps (for those that shot below their current handicaps), and classification if appropriate. Note that these are not qualifying classifications, for which we need scores from three competitions. Those will be updated on the page linked above. This is an indication of the level people were shooting at on this particular night.
Archer
Score
Classification
Holly (B)
303
Indoor Bowman 2nd class
Tarryn (B)
337
Indoor Bowman 3rd class
Valerie (B)
379
Indoor Archer 1st class
Cindy (B)
338
Indoor Archer 2nd class
Keeley (R)
422
Indoor Bowman 3rd class
David (R)
445
Indoor Archer 2nd class
Graham (B)
430
Indoor Archer 1st class
Alun (R)
474
Indoor Archer 1st class
George (B)
434
Indoor Archer 1st class
Freya (R)
72
Unclassified
Handicap updates
Five people get an updated handicap. We take the average of the current handicap and the tournament handicap (rounding up if necessary). If people shot above their handicap then there is no change.
As mentioned in the previous post, to make things interesting and challenging for everyone this tournament is not a competition for the highest score in each category, but for who can beat their own handicap the most (or do worse the least). Therefore, the winners have the lowest (preferably negative) score for handicap change.
In this way, everyone has a chance to win, everyone is pushed to shoot at their best, rather than think, ‘I’ve got no chance so no point competing’. Furthermore, the handicap is updated with these results if people shoot better than normal, so next time they are pushed to do better still.
Tournament results
We had four groups, each containing two archers.
Archer
Current Handicap
Score Handicap
Change
Alun (R)
54
50
-4
David (R)
57
73
16
Freya (R)
81
89
8
Keeley (R)
71
85
14
Cindy (B)
84
80
-4
Graham (B)
60
58
-2
Tarryn (B)
85
86
1
Holly (B)
89
92
3
Winning scores in each category in bold
Raw scores
Here we have the absolute scores and number of X’s (which would be used for tie-breakers if necessary):
Archer
Score
Number X’s
Classification
Alun
522
4
Indoor Bowman 2nd class*
Graham
484
1
Indoor Bowman 2nd class*
David
380
2
Indoor Archer 3rd class
Cindy
314
0
Indoor Archer 3rd class
Keeley
266
1
Indoor Archer 2nd class
Tarryn
252
0
Indoor Bowman 3rd class*
Freya
229
0
Indoor Archer 3rd class*
Holly
196
0
Indoor Archer 1st class
By total score, ignoring junior/senior and barebow/recurve. *=provisional
As this is a tournament, it does count towards establishing ArcheryGB classifications. Indoor Archer needs two Portsmouth rounds (including club night shoots); Indoor Bowman needs three tournament scores, so these are currently provisional.
Unlike handicaps, classifications do take age, sex, and bowtype into account.
Handicap updates
Three people get an updated handicap as a result of this tournament. Remember that during the year handicaps never go up. If there is a lower score, the new handicap is mean of the old handicap and the tournament score.
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
* = provisional.
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.
We have had normal weekly shooting since July at Cardross, running a succession of beginner’s courses in parallel. We came to the final session of the last course of 2021 last week; we are taking a break for a few weeks from running courses, in order to work more with those who joined recently. We will run a new course starting sometime in February (to be confirmed). We already have more people on the waiting list that we could accept as members, given the size of the hall, but we will accept them in order of initial enquiry.
In the meantime, we have in mind to run some workshops on bow setup and tuning, technique, and string making. We have some members working for ArcheryGB Progress Awards (with some already earned), both indoors and now outdoors. In addition, members can collect scores to work out their handicap in preparation for some tournaments later in the year, where anybody with a handicap has the possibility of winning.
Our sincere thanks for the hospitality of the new Trident Club on the base, who have been allowing us to join them to shoot outdoors on their range. We have long wished to have the ability to shoot at distances up to 100yds, and now we can!
Since Autumn we have been using Spond to organise events and stay in touch, which is working well.
We currently have one beginner’s course running, which ends on 1st October.
We have a fully booked beginner’s course starting 8th October and ending on the 12th November.
We have a final beginner’s course starting 19th November, and ending on 7th January. This course is now also fully booked.
Thanks to everyone for the enthusiasm of getting back into a sport after this weird 18 months. For those thinking about it, we aim to keep the costs as low as we can, which means a minimal club annual fee of £10 and the full 6-week beginner’s course (equipment and insurance included) for £50. I have seen some cutting back beginner’s courses down to a mere two weeks (for more money), but six weeks is standard and we will not go below that.
New archers are required to take a beginner’s course so that they not only are set on the correct path of shooting technique, but very importantly they understand the safety procedures. These are weapons, after all. On successfully completing the course, students are invited to join the club. Everyone, beyond the beginner’s course, must become a member of ArcheryGB and Scottish Archery Association for insurance coverage. This also means you can shoot at any club in the UK without joining it (they may charge a target fee for the sessions you shoot to cover hall fees and target replacements).
