What is an archer's handicap?
At its most simple, a handicap can be viewed as a measure of precision (i.e. group size or consistency). The smaller the handicap, the smaller the group and the better the score.
The Archery GB Classification and Handicap scheme allows archers of all levels to understand their skill level and progress through the various awards available. From the initial Archer 3rd Class classification, right through to Elite Master Bowman.
Our sport is always developing and as part of this progression, we have revisited and updated the classifications and handicap scheme, both modernising and creating more awards to give all archers a roadmap to progress along, no matter their skill level.
Inclusivity is important in our sport and that is why the new update includes new Archer tiers to give beginners a more substantial way to mark their progression through the sport. New archers should typically be able to achieve a classification within their first 1-2 years. Additionally, for the most ambitious in our sport we've added an Elite Master Bowman classification, which will be no easy task to achieve in an outdoor season.
Archery GB Outdoor Classification Scheme
Archery GB Indoor Classification Scheme
What awards are available?
There are nine different classification levels available to all archers, which are grouped into three sets of three. An archer starts off with the Archer tier, with 3rd Class, 2nd Class and 1st Class awards. They then move up to the Bowman tier, again with 3rd Class, 2nd Class and 1st Class, and then finally the Master Bowman tier, where the naming gets a little more fun with Master Bowman (MB), Grand Master Bowman (GMB) and Elite Master Bowman (EMB).
| Tier | Sub-tiers | Rounds | Type of Event | Administered by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archer | Archer 3rd Class Archer 2nd Class Archer 1st Class | 3 rounds as listed in classification tables | Any Event | Clubs |
| Bowmen | Bowmen 3rd Class Bowmen 2nd Class Bowmen 1st Class | 3 rounds as listed in classification tables | Any competitive event | Clubs |
| Mater Bowmen | Master Bowmen Grand Master Bowman Elite Master Bowman | 3 x 24-target rounds as listed in classification tables | Any record status competition (Scores must be from three different record status events) | Archery GB |
Outdoor Classification & Handicap FAQs
Calculating Your Outdoor Handicap & Classification
The Archery GB website contains the official handicap and classification tables and also a tool to calculate handicap and classifications for a given score. Many people also make use of third-party online tables, calculators or score tracking apps for calculating their handicaps and classifications. Whilst it may take some time for all of these to become up-to-date with the new schemes, these two online calculators already support the new tables: Archery Calculator and Archery Geekery.