Frequently Asked Questions about your Beginners’ Courses

Who will be teaching me?

All our coaches/instructors are members of Tamar Valley Archers who give up their time freely to teach and promote archery.  All are Archery GB Qualified and licenced coaches with additional World Archery qualifications.

How long is the course?

You book and pay for five lessons over five consecutive weeks. Each lesson is approximately two hours long. The course is structured over the five weeks so we recommend that you are able to attend each session. The course costs £60 per person.

Where do the lessons take place?

Beginner courses are currently held outdoors at the Old Rectory, Gulworthy, Tavistock.  We are in the process of developing our Indoor facility.

Are the lessons indoors or outdoors?

Currently all lessons take place outdoors though we are developing our indoor facility and hope to have this ready soon.  Any days that cannot be used due to bad weather will be rolled over to the following week.

What should I wear?

Clothing should be well fitting tops, not loose sleeves or baggy jumpers, Comfortable flat shoes or trainers (no open-toed footwear please).  Long hair should be tied back away from the face.

Is there an age limit?

The recommended minimum age is about 9 years due to the physical demands of archery and no maximum age limit.  Any juniors under the age of 14 must be supervised on the shooting line by a parent or guardian.  We ask that any parents who are not staying with juniors aged 14 to 18 make sure that they know what time they should collect their children, and leave a contact number in case of emergency.

Will I need to bring any archery equipment of my own?

No, it is all provided by Tamar Valley Archers.  Persons attending the course who have their own bows may be allowed to use them on the final session of the course - this will be subject to a check of the equipment by the Club Coach.

What sort of bow will I be shooting?

We only teach beginners using the “Recurve” style of bow. This will give you the “basics” of shooting and enable you to shoot other styles such as longbow, flatbow or compound later.

Is it strenuous?

The training bows are lightweight, but yes it is a “physical” sport. Should you feel any pain or muscle ache please tell your trainer immediately. If you have a disability which you think may affect your training, please inform the course organiser when you book onto the course.

How big a group will I be trained in?

There are normally up to about 12 booked onto each course. We aim to deliver coaching on a one-to-one basis. This is not always possible and sometimes one coach will look after two to four students.

What happens at the end of the course?

All successful candidates are awarded a certificate.  This can be used to prove a basic level of competency to join an archery club.  During the course, you will be given information about joining Tamar Valley Archers as a full member and given information about other clubs in the area.  It is important you consider trying other clubs to find out what works for you - sometimes location, shooting days, volume of people, atmosphere etc all play a part in choosing the right club for you.

Ultimately our goal is to ensure you have are equipped with the skills to make you a safe archer and enjoy this sport at whichever club is suitable for you.

I’ve finished the course but don’t have my own bow to carry on shooting - what do I do?

Fear not.  The club will support you providing guidance on the type of equipment you may wish to purchase, and in the meantime will allow you to use the equipment you trained on for up to 2 months for a small fee whilst you prepare to make that all important first bow purchase - an exciting time.