Handicap and award calculators

How it works

What is an archery handicap?

A handicap is one number that says how well you shoot, whatever the round. It runs from 0 to 150, and lower is better. It comes from how tightly your arrows group, allowing for the distance and the size of the face, so a Portsmouth indoors and a York outdoors can be compared. Every score on a round has a handicap in the Archery GB tables; this calculator looks it up with the same maths as the tables.

Your club's records officer keeps your official handicap from the rounds you shoot. Use it to compare yourself across rounds, to set goals, and to shoot handicap-adjusted competitions against archers of any standard.

How Archery GB classifications work

Classifications are standards for your bow style, your age category and whether you shoot in the Open or Women's category. They go from Archer 3rd Class up to Bowman 1st Class, then Master Bowman, Grand Master Bowman and Elite Master Bowman. Outdoor and indoor classifications are separate.

You gain a classification with three scores at its standard in a season. The Master Bowman classes need scores shot at record-status tournaments, and some classes need the round to be long enough for your age and bow. The calculator tells you when a round can't earn a class. Your records officer confirms classifications; the tables are from Archery GB's 2026 rules.

World Archery and national awards

World Archery's target awards are for scores on its own rounds, such as the 720 and the 1440. Many national bodies have award schemes of their own. Pick your scheme at the top: the calculator shows which award a score reaches and what the next one needs. Awards are claimed through your national body, usually for scores at recognised tournaments.

Rounds and faces

Imperial rounds are shot in yards on a five-zone face scoring 9, 7, 5, 3 and 1. Metric rounds are shot in metres on a ten-zone face scoring 10 down to 1. Indoor rounds use smaller faces, often a triple-spot face, and compound archers score only the inner ten ring as a 10. An arrow touching a line takes the higher score.