When taking up a new sport or joining a new club there are often questions you would like answered before taking the step to join. In the sections below we have set out the questions we are asked most frequently when joining our club or attending one of our Beginners Courses.
The same question may appear in more than one section; this is merely to cover every eventuality as prospective members may not be prospective Beginners Course attendees.
Our membership fees are set each year at our AGM and reflect the hire our of our ground, affiliation fees and amounts to replace targets, bosses and other equipment. Details of current fees are on our Membership Fees page.
Our yearly membership fees only covers the rental on our outdoor field. When we shoot indoors, we have to hire the venue and have to cover the hire cost by charging each member a small fee. Details of the current charge are on or Membership Fees page. The fee applies to each member per session and there is no reduction for Junior members.
We shoot at two locations, details, including maps, can be found on the Find Us page.
We shoot all year on Sunday Mornings from about 9:30 to 12:30 at our outdoor venue. We also have the opportunity to shoot Monday – Friday afternoons throughout the year. This is arranged between members using our WhatsApp group. Details can be provided on joining.
Absolutely not. When shooting is taking place a minimum of two people must be present at all times. The second person does not have to be an archer, but must be a responsible ADULT. In the event of only two people shooting one person must always be on lookout.
Any transgressions and the member will be asked to leave the club.
If it rains during the outdoor season then it is up to the individuals whether you they wish to continue. If there is lightning, you are advised to stop shooting, similarly, if it is too windy to shoot it is not advisable to continue.
We shoot outdoors during snowy or frosty conditions. It’s entirely up to the individual archers whether they are (fool)hardy enough to endure the prevailing weather!
We have a number of qualified Level 1 and Level 2 coaches who run regular coaching sessions. If you would like one to one coaching this can be arranged.
We are a Target club, so we shoot at targets although we do run one club Clout shoot a year.
We have an even mix of Recurve and Compound bows with longbows, barebows and the occasional horse bow thrown in for good measure. We do not allow Crossbows.
A number of our members regularly attend competitions throughout the county and beyond. Although we like to encourage new members to attend competitions you do not have to attend if you do not want to.
Outdoors, we can shoot any round up to 100 yards. Indoors, we shoot 18m/20yards.
Archery can be dangerous. However, there are simple rules governing the conduct of archers and it is one of the safest sports practised in the UK today. As a club, we take safety very seriously and strive to maintain our excellent safety record.
We have a wide range of club clothing which we encourage members to purchase some of, especially if you are attending a competition, even if it’s just the polo shirt.
However, there’s no obligation to purchase anything, but it does look good when you see a sea of Smurf blue at competitions.
Please take some time to read the Frequently Asked Questions below, they will answer most of your queries regarding our beginners course’s and in particular our policy on Junior Archers attending our courses.
We welcome junior archers over the age of twelve. If a junior does attend the course, a parent or guardian also needs to attend the course and join the club with their child(ren).
No. We are not a crèche. If a junior does attend the course we require a parent or guardian to also attend the course either as a participant or to supervise their child(ren).
To join us or any other Archery GB affiliated archery club you will need to have completed an archery beginners course first this usually comprises of 4 – 6 two hour lessons. A course will give you a good basic shooting technique and teach you all of the necessary safety rules
If you attended a course some time ago, or are an experienced archer who has not shot for years you may not need to attend a refresher course. Please contact us to arrange a time where one of our coaches can chat with you about technique and safety and stay with you for the first few ends. This just allows us to see if you can shoot safely and understand the rules of shooting.
Archery is an inclusive sport and we will try to accommodate archers with any disability. This is why we ask if there are any medical conditions or disabilities on the application form so that we can make appropriate provision.
Although we would like you to join, there is no obligation to join Burton Joyce Archers after completing one of our beginners’ courses.
At the end of the course you will be presented with a certificate saying you are safe and competent to shoot. You can take this certificate to any AGB affiliated club and apply for membership.
You don’t need your own equipment to attend our course. We provide all of the equipment necessary to participate in the course and offer a hire system for new members joining the club after the course has finished.
Because Archery equipment is tailored to individuals, it is advisable to wait until you are more familiar with the sport before buying any equipment.
It’s generally not a good idea to rush out and buy a new bow straight after completing a beginners course. There are a number of reasons for this, but in the main, it is because your technique and strength will be still be developing and you run the risk of buying a bow which is too heavy to pull and causing injury.
Juniors can be particularly at risk of using equipment which is not suited especially if they are undergoing a growth spurt.
In both cases, it’s always best to consult a coach before buying any equipment and they may be able to accompany you to a local shop when purchasing your first bow.
The club offers a bow rental scheme for three months where we can provide you with suitable equipment when starting out.
All of our coaches are fully trained by Archery GB to either Level 1 or Level 2 or Instructor standard. We occasionally have senior archers helping at our sessions, but all are under the supervision of a Level 2 coach.
There are two elements to taking up archery and joining a club:
When you are attending the sessions please wear close fitting clothing and tie back any long hair, it is essential to stop the bow string catching on loose clothing and hair when you shoot, and it enables the coaches to ensure you are using the correct muscle groups when you are shooting. Please also remove any long earrings and piercing which may also catch on the bowstring.
If you have any questions not answered above, please email us.
Please take some time to read the Frequently Asked Questions below, they will answer most of your queries regarding our beginners course’s and in particular our policy on Junior Archers attending our courses.
We welcome junior archers over the age of eight. If a junior does attend the course, ideally we would like a parent or guardian to also attend the course.
No. We are not a crèche. If a junior does attend the course we require a parent or guardian to also attend the course either as a participant or to supervise their child(ren).
To join us or any other Archery GB affiliated archery club you will need to have completed an archery beginners course first this usually comprises of 4 – 6 two hour lessons. A course will give you a good basic shooting technique and teach you all of the necessary safety rules
If you attended a course some time ago, or are an experienced archer who has not shot for years you may not need to attend a refresher course. Please contact us to arrange a time where one of our coaches can chat with you about technique and safety and stay with you for the first few ends. This just allows us to see if you can shoot safely and understand the rules of shooting.
Archery is an inclusive sport and we will try to accommodate archers with any disability. This is why we ask if there are any medical conditions or disabilities on the application form so that we can make appropriate provision.
Although we would like you to join, there is no obligation to join Burton Joyce Archers after completing one of our beginners’ courses.
At the end of the course you will be presented with a certificate saying you are safe and competent to shoot. You can take this certificate to any AGB affiliated club and apply for membership.
You don’t need your own equipment to attend our course. We provide all of the equipment necessary to participate in the course and offer a hire system for new members joining the club after the course has finished.
Because Archery equipment is tailored to individuals, it is advisable to wait until you are more familiar with the sport before buying any equipment.
It’s generally not a good idea to rush out and buy a new bow straight after completing a beginners course. There are a number of reasons for this, but in the main, it is because your technique and strength will be still be developing and you run the risk of buying a bow which is too heavy to pull and causing injury.
Juniors can be particularly at risk of using equipment which is not suited especially if they are undergoing a growth spurt.
In both cases, it’s always best to consult a coach before buying any equipment and they may be able to accompany you to a local shop when purchasing your first bow.
The club offers a bow rental scheme for three months where we can provide you with suitable equipment when starting out.
All of our coaches are fully trained by Archery GB to either Level 1 or Level 2 or Instructor standard. We occasionally have senior archers helping at our sessions, but all are under the supervision of a Level 2 coach.
There are two elements to taking up archery and joining a club:
When you are attending the sessions please wear close fitting clothing and tie back any long hair, it is essential to stop the bow string catching on loose clothing and hair when you shoot, and it enables the coaches to ensure you are using the correct muscle groups when you are shooting. Please also remove any long earrings and piercing which may also catch on the bowstring.
If you have any questions not answered above, please email us.
