Course Dates : Sunday : 24th September, 1st October, 8th October
Please fill out the form to register your interest in taking part in a beginners course : BEGINNERS COURSE FORM
Time : 3 x 2 hr sessions
Cost : £60 per person
Payment : Details will be sent via email to secure your place on the course (once payment has been received there are NO refunds)
Please Note : You must attend and complete ALL sessions to be able to pass the course
Age Limit : Due to the short lead time to running this course, we will not be accepting any juniors (U18).
However, if you would like to register your child's interest in participating in a course then please fill out the form and we will contact you when the next course dates are finalised.
FAQs :
Equipment : All equipment will be provided (you will not have to share). We advise that you do not purchase any equipment before completing the beginners course
Bow Style : Recurve (bow with a sight)
Clothing : Please come dressed in close fitting long sleeved tops
Footwear : Closed toe
Avoid String Contact : Long hair tied back, facial piercings may have to be removed, avoid tops with ties
Payment : Required in advance
How many on the course : 8 max
Attendance : Must complete all sessions to complete the beginners course
Weather : Only severe weather will force a change in date of the beginners course by the club (Heavy rain / strong winds / lightening)
Strength : If concerned about upper body strength please mark 'low' on the form. The club will invite you down before the beginners course to make sure you are able to draw the bow back comfortably.
Welcome : You are always welcome to come down when we are shooting to have a chat with our members who can help you with any additional questions you may have.
The following details the format and our beginners courses:
We reserve the right to remove you from the list if payment is not forthcoming.
When enquiring we need it know of any medical issues or disabilities so that we can make sure that we can offer all the required support.
Due to the unpredictability of weather we may reschedule missed sessions after the originally agreed dates. Please be mindful of this if you wish to complete your course.
Hand preference is based on Eye Dominance - you can find out which eye is dominant by following these tests. Our training equipment is ambidextrous and covers most sizes of adult but if you are very short or very tall please ask to visit us for a fitting before proceeding, to ensure that our equipment is safe and suitable for you to use. Likewise, if you have poor upper body strength drop by for a fitting also. Please inform us if you have any medical conditions/past injuries that might be aggravated by archery - we can meet to try out a bow and then proceed from there. The poundage of our bows is roughly 20lbs (dependent on the draw length of the archer). We have two sets of 14lb bows if this too much to handle. If enquiring on behalf of a child between the ages of 13 - 18 then we may require you to come to the club to arrange a fitting before hand. Please read our FAQ section regarding applying for children.
Payment is required to secure your place on the beginners course. You will be contacted with details about how to do this once we have availability.
If your intention is to pursue Longbow or traditional bow types using wooden arrows we would advise you to seek a more suitable club. As a shared sports field we cannot allow the use of wood, carbon or fiberglass arrows.
"What can I expect?"
Our beginner’s courses consist of 6 hours of coaching over multiple sessions at our outdoor venue. All equipment is provided for - you only need to bring yourself (and maybe some boots and a raincoat if the weather turns inclement).
You will be taught target archery and learn to shoot a recurve bow with a sight (if you have tried archery at have a go events or at Centre Parcs you were most likely shooting without a sight - also known as Barebow). You will be provided with your own bow for the day (no sharing!) and share a target with another fellow archer. An experienced club archer will be on hand to instruct and guide you throughout the session.
Please come dressed in close fitting long sleeved tops. Thin layers work best in colder days. Bulky and loose clothing can catch the string on release and arm strike is quite possible as novices get to grips with a consistent technique. We will provide protective arm guards but for additional safety please wear long sleeves. Facial piercings should be removed and long hair tied back. For your safety, open toe footwear is not allowed.
Membership to Beeston Rylands Archers is dependent on completing the course - there is no obligation to join afterwards. You will be issued a certificate upon successful completion of the course - this is just a token of your experience with us but if you decide to join any club in the UK please direct them back to us for a reference/confirmation that you completed a beginners course which should satisfy their vetting process. Your application to join this club may be subject to committee vote.
Cancelled sessions due to poor weather (decided by us) will be rescheduled - normally after the originally proposed dates. Please allow for course dates to run beyond the original proposed dates due to variable weather. Be prepared to shoot in light/intermittent rain (this is the norm for archery!). The only weather conditions that prevent archery from proceeding are persistent rain, snow, high winds, thunder and lightning.
* All monies received are non profit and go directly to supporting the club. The crew hosting your course are all club members and volunteers.
