WELCOME TO FORT ARCHERS
CLUB OVERVIEW
AGE TO PARTICIPATE
AGE TO PARTICIPATE
FORT ARCHERS HAS BEEN IN EXISTANCE FOR OVER 20 YEARS, WE SHOOT RECURVE, COMPOUND, BAREBOW AND TRADITIONAL BOWS. OUR RANGE OFFERS UP TO 100YDS OUTDOORS AND UP TO 25YDS INDOORS. WE MEET EVERY SUNDAY MORNING FROM 9AM-12PM.
AGE TO PARTICIPATE
AGE TO PARTICIPATE
AGE TO PARTICIPATE
ANYONE FROM THE AGE OF 8 AND UPWARDS CAN BECOME A MEMBER, JUINIORS MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A PARENT. NO AGE LIMIT, YOU ARE NEVER TO OLD TO SHOOT A BOW.
LOCATION
BEGINERS COURSES
BEGINERS COURSES
WE HAVE TWO LOCATIONS, IN THE SUMMER WE SHOOT AT OUR OUTDOOR RANGE IN SCLEDDAU AND IN THE WINTER MONTHS WE SHOOT AT OUR INDOOR RANGE.
WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE IN THAT WE HAVE ONE OF THE BEST INDOOR/ WINTER TRAINING FACILITIES AROUND, THE MAIN SPORTS HALL, IN FISHGUARD LEISURE CENTRE, JUST OFF WEST STREET IN THE TOWN. SEE GOOGLE MAPS LINKS BELOW TO EACH LOCATION.
BEGINERS COURSES
BEGINERS COURSES
BEGINERS COURSES
WE RUN BEGINNERS COURSES TWICE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. ONCE IN THE SUMMER AND ONCE IN THE WINTER. WE INTRODUCE NEW COMERS TO THE SPORT AND AT THE END OF THE COURSE THEY CAN DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT IT IS FOR THEM. WE HAVE PLENTY OF BASIC AND BEGINNERS EQUIPMENT IN EVERY DISCIPLINE, WHICH CAN BE USED BY THOSE NEW TO THE SPORT, BEFORE THEY DECIDE IN WHICH DIRECTION THEY WANT TO GO IN AND TAKE THE NEXT STEP TO PURCHASING EQUIPMENT.
DATES OF THE NEXT COURSE WILL BE SHOWN ON OUR NOTICE BOARD BELOW WHEN WE SET THE DATE.
NOTICE BOARD
Outdoor season has now started, so we are at our outdoor range in Dwrbach, Scleddau. Seee below for
WE HAVE A NEW EQUIPMENT PAGE IN THE MENU AT THE TOP OF THIS PAGE. TAKE A LOOK!
RANGE IS OPEN FROM 9-12
COMPETITIONS
WITH COMPETITION IN MIND, WE DO TRY AND ENCOURAGE THE PARTICIPATION BY OUR MEMBERS IN THE LOCAL AND NATIONAL EVENTS, BUT IT IS BY NO MEANS A REQUIREMENT OF MEMBERSHIP. WE FULLY APPRECIATE THAT THERE ARE THOSE WHO JUST WANT TO SHOOT PURELY FOR THE PLEASURE OF THE SPORT.
The UK Record Status Dyfed Archery
Association Outdoor Championships to be hosted by Cymric Archers on
Sunday, 2nd July 2023. Rounds are York/Hereford/Bristol I-V. entry forms can be requested from the staff at the club.
CLUB CLOTHING
WE ENCOURAGE MEMBERS TO REPRESENT THE CLUB BY WEARING OUR CLUB CLOTHING WHEN ATTENDING THE WEEKLY SHOOT. THIS WILL BE ESSENTIAL IF YOU ENTER COMPETITIONS, AS ARCHERY HAS QUITE A STRICT DRESS CODE AT OFFICIAL EVENTS. THE FOLLOWING CLUB CLOTHING CAN BE ORDERED FROM THE CLUB. HOODIES, ZOODIES, CREW NECK SWEATSHIRT, SHORT SLEEVE T-SHIRT, LONG SLEEVE T-SHIRT, SHORT SLEEVE POLO, LONG SLEEVE POLO, TOTE BAGS & MUGS. ORDERS USUALLY TAKE APPROXIMATELY A WEEK TO TURN AROUND.
NEW ARCHERS HINTS AND TIPS
ARCHERS ETIQUETTE
SOMETIMES THE SHOOTING LINE CAN BE CROWDED AND WE ONLY HAVE ENOUGH SPACE THAT WE NEED TO MAKE THE SHOT. THIS MEANS BEING AWARE OF THE PERSONS IN FRONT AND BEHIND YOU. KEEP YOUR BOW UPRIGHT WHEN NOCKING AN ARROW, KEEP THE BOW POINTED DOWN RANGE, TRY TO NOT EXCLAIM LOUDLY IF YOU MAKE A POOR SHOT OR BE LOUDLY TALKING ON THE LINE. WHEN YOU FINISH THE END AND MOVE BACK AWAY FROM THE SHOOTING LINE, TRY TO WAIT UNTIL THE ARCHER BEHIND YOU HAS FINISHED THE SHOT AND IS NOT AT FULL DRAW WHEN YOU WALK AWAY. THIS CAN BE VERY OFF PUTTING TO THE ARCHERS BEHIND.DO NOT RUN ON THE RANGE WHEN COLLECTING ARROWS OR RUSH FORWARD TO THE TARGET, OFFER TO PULL OR PICK UP ARROWS FOR LESS ABLED PERSONS WHERE POSSIBLE. IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE WITH ANYTHING, PLEASE ASK.
FEET FIRST
WHEN YOU STEP UP TO THE LINE TO SHOOT, ALWYAS CHECK YOUR FEET POSITION FIRST, MAKE SURE YOU AR PROPERLY ALIGNED TO THE TARGET AND THEN DON'T MOVE YOUR FEET AGAIN UNTIL YOU FINISH THE END.
ANCHOR POINT
HAVING A GOOD, SOLID AND CONSISTENT ANCHOR POINT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKING A GOOD SHOT. MOST BAREBOW ARCHERS WILL ANCHOR AT THE CORNER OF THE MOUTH WITH THE INDEX FINGER, OR HIGHER UP THE FACE, WHEN SHOOTING 3 FINGERS UNDER THE NOCK. A FULL RECURVE SHOOTER WILL ANCHOR UNDER THE CHIN AT A LOWER POINT DUE TO SHOOTING ONE FINGER OVER AND TWO UNDER THE KNOCK OR SPLIT FINGER STYLE.
RELEASE
HAVING A SMOOTH RELEASE IS CRUCIAL TO MAKING A GOOD SHOT, USING THE CORRECT MUSCLES IN THE BACK TO EXECUTE THE SHOT AND NOT DEPENDING ON OUR ARM STRENGTH IS IMPORTANT. ALSO ALLOWING THE HAND TO RELAX AND NOT FORCEFULLY LETTING GO OF THE ARROW WILL AID IN A SMOOTH AND CONSISTENT RELEASE.
RELAX AND REMEBER TO BREATHE
WHEN HOLDING THE BOW, BE SURE TO HAVE A RELAXED BOW ARM AND A RELAXED GRIP ON THE BOW ITSELF. GRIPPING TIGHTLY WILL MAKE YOU TORQUE THE BOW LEFT OR RIGHT AND MAKE INCONSISTENCIES IN YOUR SHOT. TRY TO SHOOT WITH AN OPEN HAND GRIP AND RELAX YOUR BOW ARM. REMEMBER TO BREATH NORMALLY, MANY NEW ARCHERS HOLD THEIR BREATH DURING THE SHOT PROCESS. THE USE OF A FINGER SLING OR WRIST STRAP WILL HELP YOU SHOOT WITH AN OPEN HAND.
FOLLOW THE SHOT THROUGH
FOLLOWING THROUGH ON THE SHOT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE SHOT PROCESS. AFTER THE ARROW HAS LEFT THE BOW, ITS IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN YOUR POSITION A FEW SECONDS AFTER THE SHOT, BEFORE DROPPING YOUR ARM OR REACHING FOR THE NEXT ARROW. TRY TO WATCH THE ARROW HIT THE TARGET BEFORE COMING DOWN FROM THE SHOT.
ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT.
ALL NEW ARCHERS SOON DISCOVER THAT THERE IS A NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL PERSONAL PIECES OF EQUIPMENT THE MORE EXPERIENCED ARCHERS USE. THESE ARE THINGS LIKE FINGER TABS, QUIVERS, FINGER SLINGS OR WRIST STRAPS, ARROW PULLERS ETC. THERE IS ALSO ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT TO BE FITTED TO THE BOW LIKE SIGHTS AND STABILIZERS. (WHICH YOU CAN TRY OUT AT THE CLUB WHEN YOU ARE READY). A FINGER TAB IS PROBABLY THE FIRST THING NEW ARCHERS PURCHASE, YOUR FINGERS WILL TELL YOU WHEN YOU NEED ONE SOON ENOUGH. WE STOCK MOST OF THESE ITEMS AT THE CLUB AND CAN ADVISE ON WHAT YOU MIGHT NEED.
GAP SHOOTER OR STRING WALKER
GAP SHOOTING IS WHEN YOU ARE AIMING OFF CENTRE AT A POINT ON THE TARGET TO HIT THE CENTRE OR TEN ZONE, THIS COULD BE AS LITTLE A FEW CENTIMETRES OR AS MUCH AS A FEW FEET DEPENDING ON THE DISTANCE OF THE TARGET AND POWER OF THE BOW. STRING WALKING IS WHEN YOU MOVE YOUR FINGERS DOWN OR UP THE STRING TO ALTER THE POINT OF DRAW USING INCREMENTS ON YOUR FINGER TAB AND THIS ALLOWS YOU TO ALWAYS AIM ON CENTRE., THERE ARE LIMITS TO THIS TECHNIQUE AND IS MORE COMMON IN BAREBOW STYLE AND SOME FIELD ARCHERY.
PRACTICE, PRACTICE AND MORE PRACTICE
AS WITH ANY SPORT, PRACTICE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. THE MORE ARROWS YOU SHOOT THE MORE YOU WILL LEARN. YOU DON’T NEED A FULL SIZE RANGE TO GET YOU ARROW COUNT UP AND PRACTICE TECHNIQUE. YOU CAN DO A LOT OF FORM PRACTICE WITH ONLY A FEW YARDS OF SPACE. IF YOU ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A SPACE TO SHOOT AT HOME 50 TO 100 ARROWS A SESSION WILL KEEP THE BODY IN GOOD SHOOTING SHAPE. THERE ARE MANY PRACTICE DRILLS YOU CAN DO TO PERFECT YOUR FORM ASK US FOR DETAILS ON DIFFERENT DRILLS.
ENJOY YOUR SELF
ARCHERY IS A FUN AND ENJOYABLE SPORT, REMEMBER TO NOT GET TO STRESSED ABOUT HITTING THE CENTRE OF THE TARGET AND ALLOW THE SKILL TO BUILD NATURALLY, GETTING GOOD GROUPS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN HITTING THE CENTRE BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF IT ALL, IS THAT YOU ENJOY YOUR SHOOTING AND HAVE FUN.
COMMON TARGET FACES WE SHOOT
PORTSMOUTH 60CM
PORTSMOUTH 60CM
PORTSMOUTH 60CM
VEGAS
PORTSMOUTH 60CM
PORTSMOUTH 60CM
WORCESTER
PORTSMOUTH 60CM
FITA 18 3 SPOT
FITA 18 3 SPOT
COMPOUND WORCESTER
FITA 18 3 SPOT
COMPOUND WORCESTER
COMPOUND WORCESTER
COMPOUND WORCESTER
PORTSMOUTH 120CM
COMPOUND WORCESTER
COMPOUND WORCESTER
OTHER TARGET FACE INFO
OTHER TARGET FACE INFO
OTHER TARGET FACE INFO
THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT TARGET FACES, STYLES, SIZES AND COLOURS. IF THERE IS A SPESIFIC ONE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHOOT AT, THEN ASK US AT THE CLUB AND WE WILL SET IT UP. WE TRY TO GIVE YOU THE OPERTUNITY TO SHOOT AT ALL THE KINDS YOU WILL ENCOUNTER AT COMPETITIONS.
