Handicaps

Handicap Rules

Excerpts reproduced from GNAS National Handicap Scheme

1. Introduction
   1. The administration of the National Handicap Scheme is in the hands of Club Officials. No central register is maintained by GNAS.
   2. Handicaps may be derived and used for both Outdoor and Indoor shooting, but the two ratings must be kept entirely separate. Procedures given below apply equally to Indoor and Outdoor Handicaps.
   3. Rounds to be recorded for handicapping purposes are shown in [tables unable to be reproduced here due to copyright issues - see Island Archers Club Secretary or Records Officer for further details]. They must be shot under GNAS Rules of Shooting at a Club Target Day or at a meeting organised by GNAS, FITA, or an affiliated body. For the purposes of handicapping, any archer, irrespective of age may shoot any of the listed rounds, except that rounds marked '*' in [tables unable to be reproduced here due to copyright issues] may only be shot by Juniors under 9 years of age.


2. Recording the Handicap
   1. In each club's 'Record Book', the Club Records Officer should record every score made by each member, together with the appropriate handicap rating, obtained from [tables unable to be reproduced here due to copyright issues]
   2. In assessing the handicap equivalent of any score between those listed in [the Tables] the handicap figure to be taken is the one corresponding to the next LOWER score which is listed. For example the handicap rating for a Hereford [round score] of 1006 is 39 and not 38.
   3. Every member must inform his [or her] Club Records Officer about every round shot and, if a member is a member of more than one club, is responsible for seeing that his [or her] handicap is recorded as being the same in each club.


3. Initial Assessment
   1. A beginner or an archer not in posession of a handicap will be eligible to receive a handicap after shooting three complete rounds. The handicap awarded will be equal to the average rating of the three rounds. If the average handicap rating is not a whole number, it will be rounded up to the next larger whole number. If any of the rounds so shot do not qualify for a handicap as shown in [the Tables], the archer will be given a handicap of 100 which he [or she] will hold until [the handicap rating] improves.
   2. An archer who is not in posession of a handicap is not eligible to enter a handicap shoot.


4. Reduction of Handicaps
   1. The process of reducing handicaps is continuous. A handicap may be reduced every time the archer shoots a round to a better standard than his current handicap. It will be reduced to the average of his [or her] current handicap and the handicap rating of the better score. If the average is not a whole number, it will be rounded up to the next larger whole number.


5. Annual Re-assessment of Handicaps
   1. The Club Records Officer will re-assess the handicaps of all archers in the Club annually.
      This shall be at:
      1. 1^st January for Outdoor Handicaps
      2. 1^st July for Indoor Handicaps
   2. The handicap allocated at the beginning of each yearwill be equal to the average of the handicap ratings of the archer's best three scores shot during the previous year. If an archer has shot less than three rounds, the average will be taken over those rounds which have been shot plus the re-assessed rating for the previous year.
   3. If the average is a fraction, it will be rounded up to the next larger whole number.
   4. An archer who has failed to shoot any complete round during the previous year shall retain his last declared handicap until he [or she] has requalified under Rule 2(a) above.


6. Handicap Shoots
   1. Handicap allowances for the round shot by each archer are given in [tables unable to be reproduced here due to copyright issues]. No further adjustment is necessary for mixed rounds.
   2. The allowance should be added to the actual score to give the handicap adjusted score.
   3. The allowances have been calculated so that any archer shooting exactly to his [or her] current handicap will achieve an adjusted score of 1440 on any round.
   4. In a handicap shoot, archers may be allowed to shoot any round available, save that only Juniors under 9 years of age may shoot rounds marked '*' in [tables unable to be reproduced here due to copyright issues].


7. Additional Tables
   The following additional [tables unable to be reproduced here due to copyright issues - see Island Archers Club Secretary or Records Officer for further details] give the scores to be expected at each handicap rating for each distance at:
   1. Two dozen arrows shot at a 122cm face using 5-zone scoring
   2. Three dozen arrows shot at a 122cm face using metric scoring
   3. Three dozen arrows shot at an 80cm face using metric scoring