What is a handicap?

Just like in other sports, most notably in golf, a handicap system is used in archery. Put simply, an archer’s handicap is a rating of how good they are, or more precisely a rating of their ability to shoot a tight group of arrows. 0 is the best handicap with the tightest groups, and 150 is the lower end of the handicap scale where arrows would be quite widely scattered.

The best-known use of handicaps is to compare performance across different rounds. As there are a variety of different rounds each requiring a different number of arrows shot, it can be difficult to know how a score on one distance compares to a score on another.

Since handicaps represent an absolute measure of precision, all the scores corresponding to a single handicap represent a consistent level of performance. The Archery GB classification scheme uses this approach. Each bowstyle and classification level is assigned a specific handicap, and qualifying scores for each round are calculated from this.

Handicaps can help you track your progress. Whilst the classifications and other badge schemes provide a number of milestones on your archery journey, it can take some time to progress between each one. Handicaps are closer together so you can continue seeing progress, even if you don’t get any new badges.

The mathematics of the handicap system make it possible to work out what score would be expected for a given handicap, and vice versa, calculate the handicap for a given score. The official handicap tables show the scores you would expect on any official round, for every handicap from 0 – 150. The official handicap tables are available from Archery GB here:  AGB Handicap Information.

How do you calculate your handicap?

The calculation of handicaps is normally handled by the club Records officer. But there is nothing stopping you from doing it too.

The first step is to get an initial handicap. Using the Archery GB handicap tables, if you shoot a certain score on a certain round you can look up the handicap that corresponds to that score. Once you have shot three scores your handicaps are averaged to provide a starting value.

Each time you shoot a score for a round the handicap that corresponds to that score is compared to your current handicap. If it’s lower than your current handicap, take the average of the new score’s handicap and the current handicap to be the new handicap (rounding down if not a whole number). If its equal or higher than your current handicap then nothing is done. Your handicap can only be reduced during a season.

At the end of the seasons (31 December for outdoors, 31 June for indoors), your three best handicaps from scores made during that season are averaged together. This provides the starting handicap for you for the following season.