Yesterday being one of the nights I practice my skill with a longbow, my club had a new set of beginners. This isn't anything strange the indoor season is when the club hosts the beginners lessons because its a more control environment to learn in. Normally we shoot at 20yards but when the beginners arrive on their first lesson the "step-back" method is used.
The "step-back" method for those that don't know is pretty much in the name, you start at a closer distance and progressively move back to the more common distance of 20yds, this is to give you the feel for the distance from shooting line to the target. Plus its fun for experienced archers to get up so close, downside is that experienced archers have more powerful bows than beginner bows so that arrows haven't got the time to level out, so at times you get odd angles, and odd shots.
I did find though when stepping back with the beginners as I eventually reached the proper shooting line I was still shooting in a pretty tight group(mostly). The one exception was during 3/4 ends* when another archer turned up and all my shots went from staying mostly in the red/gold rings to missing the target with the occasional white. So don't know what he did but obviously threw me for those ends.
Hmmm kind of gone off what i was going to say, what was it now.....ah yes beginners. When beginners start they take a long time to shoot, well they are starting can't blame them for that. It was when someone from the previous beginners course (finishing only two weeks previous) was moaning about them taking ages. So springing to beginners defense saying they were learning and that he was in their position once, he ends up rolling his eyes and going "yeah, need to be kind to beginners" said in a voice like he'd been doing it for years........WHAT!! You were the slow ones two weeks ago! Ok I didn't say that but thought it, some people's way of thinking is just odd.
Personally I like watching the beginners shoot, for a few reasons: i)Reminds me how bad i was to start with and how much i have improved (quite a few people compliment me now on a weekly basis), ii)Its fun to watch and work out which ones are going to see it through and sign up, as usually courses start with 12 beginners and slowly get reduced down to 5/6 by the end weeks (lose interest or realise its not as easy as they thought, or hard to get there). Then by the end of it only 2-4 join and then only 1-2 stay as regulars.
iii)Its when after the 3/4 lesson I normally get 1-2 new beginners come to talk to me about long bow and where I got my stuff (eyes always widen slightly when I say I make most of my stuff.....need to take in my business cards), why I have a knife, etc and I find its nice to pass on my knowledge and thoughts on the sport. Yes I know I'm not an expert and technically still only a novice but I still have ideals and hints I can pass on. iv) Gives me a bit of time to show off too.....yes vain I know but still, always a bit of a nice feeling when people are impressed by your skills, esp when they realise that a longbow doesn't have any of the helping bits a recurve has, not even an arrow rest.
Stay tuned for next post, I've got a couple of club competitions this week and I'm sure to post something about them.
*An end is the number of arrows you shoot when at the line before you put your bow down and collect your arrows.
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