An introductory course to archery for people with no prior experience. Completion is a pre-requisite for club membership. There are 3 classes to a course, each running 1:30pm to 4:30pm on consecutive Sundays. This introductory course uses recurve bows only, with the opportunity to test shoot compound, longbows and traditional Asiatic bows in the final session. Participants wanting to take up compound shooting can receive further instruction on this after the introductory course.
The course is taught by qualified archery instructors, with all equipment is supplied by the club. Participants are advised against purchasing equipment prior to completion of a course to avoid wasting money. We will elaborate further during the course, but fit and suitability of equipment is best determined once the archer has had some experience. Advice can be given on equipment after completion. As a general rule, we do not allow participants to use their own equipment during the course. Permission may be granted to use it at the lead instructor’s discretion and pending a safety inspection of the equipment.
Goals and Expectations
By the completion of this introductory Beginners Course we expect that you will:
- Understand safety on an Archery Range and your role in maintaining that safety.
- Understand personal safety and how to handle a bow safely.
- Understand Target Recurve Bow shooting technique and be able to perform it reliably at a basic level.
- Understand how to use and adjust a Target Recurve Bow sight.
- Be confident that most of your arrows will land where you want them to when shooting at 10m.
- Feel comfortable with shooting at distances up to 20m.
Requirements and Limitations
While we endeavour to provide a learning experience that is accessible to all, there are some limitations to what we are able to provide.
- All teaching and safety instructions are provided in English only and participants need to be able to understand and respond to those instructions. We are unable to provide beginners courses in other languages.
- Although we recommend that participants be at least 12 years old for strength reasons, we realise that it is an age where physical development can vary significantly from child to child. To avoid disappointment during the course, we suggest that if you have a child that is under that age or are unsure whether your child will have the strength, to come down during our shooting hours (listed on our main website) and ask to do a quick strength test with the bows we have available. Bear in mind that the child will be repeating the act of drawing a bow up to a hundred times in a 3hr session and that an overbowed child may not have an enjoyable experience or risk acquiring a strain injury.
- If you have a wingspan (measurement of your arms when held horizontally out to either side of you, fingertip to fingertip) greater than 2 metres we may not be able to accomodate you. This is because the commercially manufactured arrows that are available to us top out at a length of 32 inches (81.3 cm), which roughly corresponds to wingspan of 2 metres. Arrows that are too short for the archer present a signficant injury risk. As with our lower age recommendation, if unsure, drop by the club to do a test fitting.
- As a Target Archery club, we teach target archery techniques. We are unable to provide specific training and advice for hunting. Please seek out an Australian Bowhunting Association club for hunting specific knowledge.
Attire
- Close toed footwear (no sandals or thongs) must be worn during the course. This is a safety requirement.
- Long hair should be tied back. This is a safety requirement.
- Please wear close-fitting clothing and tie up long hair to avoid getting tangled with the bow string. Loose sleeves in particular can be a problem. In cold weather consider layering close-fitting clothing or thermal underwear as heavy parkas and jackets will interfere with the bow string.
- Be sun smart and wear sunscreen. If you are wearing short sleeve or sleeveless shirts, cycling arm sleeves can be helpful if you have them.
- Hats are a good idea, but beware that wide brims can interfere with your ability to shoot. For example, Akubras and straw hats are too wide and stiff. Wide brims that are floppy can be pinned up if you have safety pins. Peaked caps, such as baseball or trucker caps will need to be worn with the peak pointing backwards.
- Depending on the style, sunglasses may help or hinder. As a rough test, look for a pole such as a street sign and position yourself about 10 metres away. Turn side-on so that the pole is on your non-dominant side and turn your head to look at the pole and close the eye on your non-dominant side. Make sure your head is turned as far as is comfortable. Do not strain to achieve this position. If your view of the pole is obstructed by the bridge or frame of the sunglasses, the sunglasses will not be suitable.
The cost is $120 per person – members of the immediate family of a full ticket holder receive a discount.
If you have any injuries or medical conditions that may affect your upper mobility, consult your medical practioner before signing up and tell us about your condition before the course.
Having completed the course, the new archers can return for additional training sections for four weeks before deciding whether to join.
Bookings close a day before the event, or when the class is filled. When a course is full or currently running, bookings for the following course do not open until the conclusion of the current course.
Gift vouchers for a Beginners’ Course (valid for 12 months) can be purchased here.