At what age can one start archery?
Mental development, coordination and concentration govern the starting age of a child. Strength is also a limiting factor, but only as far as availability of appropriately sized equipment. At Box Hill, our available range of equipment extends from strong adults down to children of around 12 years of age. Children as young as 10 may also be able to use our equipment, but it is suggested that parents bring their child down for a strength test before enrolling in a beginners’ course to avoid disappointment.
Would I be too old for archery?
How old is too old? There is a Master division for over 50+ and a Veteran division for 60+. Our oldest active club member is 71 years of age. There is no true upper limit, you are only restricted by our ability to find you equipment that meets your physical needs.
Can people with disabilities take up archery?
There is no one size fits all answer to this, but generally speaking, probably. In some cases specialised apparatus may be necessary that is beyond our club’s current means to acquire. If you are interested, please get in contact with us or better yet, visit us in person to discuss your potential. We’ll do our best to see what adaptations we can make for you. One of our archers shoots using a tactile sight 10% vision impairment and there are a number of archers competing at the world level in para-archery divisions without arms. Our club has a disabled toilet and a ramp for wheel chair access.
How much does it cost to attend the Beginner’s Course?
We run Beginner’s Courses regularly in the morning at a cost of $120 for 3×3 hours blocks in 3 consecutive weeks. Our club will provide all necessary archery equipment and basic protective gear to the students.
When and how do I apply to attend the next Beginner’s Course?
See Beginners’ Course page for details. Only the currently active course will be displayed for enrolment. If no course is displayed, you will need to wait until the current course has concluded before the next one will become available for enrolment.
I have learnt archery before. Do I still have to attend the Beginner’s Course?
If you have previously been instructed in archery at another Archery Australia club, then we are prepared to waive this requirement.
If you have previously been a member of an officially sanctioned sporting archery body overseas we are also prepared to waive this requirement.
If your only archery instruction is from holiday resorts, school camps or casual functions we would require you to receive formal instruction in a Beginner Course either with us, or another Archery Australia affiliated club. We would accept an archer who can produce a certificate to prove that the person had attended an archery course from recognized archery clubs.
Do I have to buy my own bow and arrows to attend the course?
No. All necessary equipment for the beginner course is provided by the club. We strongly advise students not to purchase archery equipment prior to completion of the course. The instructors will generally advise the student what archery equipment is more suitable for their use.
What does it cost to set up for archery?
Archery equipment comes in a huge range of prices. We generally recommend a beginner to purchase quality equipment rather than expensive equipment. A basic Olympic Recurve Bow set up is around $800.00. A good quality fibreglass traditional Asiatic Bow can cost as little as $200. Good pre-loved equipment can be purchased at very reasonable prices.
How much is membership fee?
Archery membership costs are composed of four parts:
Archery Australia membership, Archery Victoria membership, our club’s membership and shooting fees.
See the membership fees page for details.
What are the disciplines of Archery?
Archery disciplines can be broken down into multiple categories based on equipment type, and shooting environment.
Equipment types:
- Recurve Bow – a bow where the limb tips point towards the target.
- Compound Bow – a bow that leverages the mechanical advantage of cams and pulleys to generate much higher arrow speeds than more traditional means.
- Longbow – a more traditional style of bow using the concept of a self-bow, that is a straight length of wood, that is bent into a curve using a string to form a bow. Most important differentiating factor is that on a longbow, the string does not touch the back of the bow, the back being the side that faces the archer.
- Traditional Asiatic Bow – An umbrella term for a wide variety of traditional bows used from Eastern Europe to far Eastern Asia. Sometimes called “horse bows” due to the assumption that they are for use from horseback, these bows were also used historically by archers on foot. Often drawn using the thumb rather than the fingers.
- Crossbow – NOTE: Not permitted at Box Hill under the terms with which we lease the ground from the council. A bow mounted horizontally to a stock with a trigger. Contrary to popular myth, they do not necessarily shoot further than a bow, and often have a shorter range to an equivalent strength bow due to the heavier projectiles they use. Unlike bows, crossbows are subject to more stringent controls. Significant difference is that unlike a bow, a crossbow may be cocked and loaded by a trained person set down, and picked up by an untrained person and discharged. In this respect, crossbows are closer to firearms than bows.
Shooting environments:
- Target – Flat ground, upright targets placed at marked distances. Both outdoor and indoor variants of target archery are popular.
- Field – Uneven terrain, vegetation and other obstacles. Upright targets placed at either marked or unmarked distances can be above or below the archer’s position.
- 3D – Similar to field, but with foam animal targets.
- Clout – Target peg placed at long range, acting as a target laid flat out on the ground.
Do I have to live locally to join Box Hill City Archers?
No. We welcome anyone who is interested in taking up membership with our club. We provide on going training for new and experience members. Our club is a place for friendship and competitions.