The gold standard ... Advertiser reporter tries his hand at archery with Rotherham's Chantry Bowmen

I've never performed well in front of a crowd but this was a friendly one for one of my first tries at using a bow and arrow.

I'd gone along to a late-summer gathering of Chantry Bowmen, Rotherham's long established archery club, at the Phoenix Sports Club at Brinsworth.

There to greet me was Peter Titterton, the club's president, who pressed a recurve bow into my hand and a quiver to keep my arrows in.

“Remember, you don't fire a bow, you shoot a bow. You can fire a gun, but there is no fire from a bow. Remember that for your article,” said Peter.

Point taken.

I have dallied with archery on a couple of holidays in the past, including finishing in last place in a competition at a hotel in Lanzarote a few years ago.

Robin Hood I am not.

Taking instructions from Peter Titterton.

Still, you don't have to be red hot at something to enjoy it, and that became clear as I shaped to take my first shots at a target ten yards away.

There's a real pleasure to the sound of an arrow thudding into the target and if it's in the golden centre, even better.

You don't have to be athletic. All you need is a steady arm, a steady eye, a good aim and lots of enthusiasm.

“Archery is therapeutic and accessible.” says Pete. “You can start at eight years old and carry on shooting as long as you're fit. We have an 80-year-old shooting.

“We also have Phil (Tranter), a partially sighted archer, and a couple of guys who shoot from wheelchairs. We're a friendly club.”

Peter got the archery bug 30 years ago when his daughter wanted to go to a summer fair.

“Chantry Bowmen had a stall there. I had a go, spent most of the afternoon there and the following April my wife bought me a course of lessons.

“Within six months I was on the committee and I've been shooting ever since.”

County archer Ged Hebdige gives advice.

Archery isn't an expensive hobby.

All equipment at Chantry is provided for the beginners' lessons. A set of seven is £50.  

Anyone wanting to stay on can carry on with the kit until they get their own, which needn't be expensive.

Membership is £90 per year, less for juniors and 18-24s.

The Bowmen's male and female members shoot outdoors in summer until the end of September and indoors in winter.

Some shoot for fun, others competitively. There are open tournaments every weekend, all over Yorkshire but further if you want to go. The club hosts seven a year.

Back to my archery, I'm a study in concentration.

“Your arm and shoulders need to form a straight line,” says Pete.

My attempts are hit and miss. Some hit the target and one or two thud into the ground. One or two birds fly up into the trees for cover, just to be sure.

After a while I'm put into the care of Ged Hebdige, who competes for Yorkshire.

He asks me to position myself at a 180 degree angle to the target and only turn my neck towards it.

“I'm seeing two targets,” I tell him. “I need my glasses.”

Ged asks me to shut my left eye and, bingo, the thing I'm aiming at comes more clearly into view.

Even though I keep hitting the bottom right-hand side of the target and taking too long over shots, I'm starting to enjoy it.

Meanwhile, stood back at a distance, taking it all in, is Advertiser photographer Dave Poucher.

He nonchalently asks for a go, takes aim, and despatches his arrows into the gold area smack in the middle of the target. It was like something from the old advert for Strongbow cider.

“Did you get a picture of that?” laughs Ged.

That's how you do it ... Advertiser photographer Dave Poucher with his three 'golds'.

A county player, Ged is from a family of archery lovers. His wife and daughter both shoot competitively and compete all over the country most weekends.

“That's why we bought the camper van,” he said. “It becomes a way of life. You get to know people on the archery circuit who live all over the country who become friends.”

As the rain starts to fall, it's time to head for home.

I take one look back across at the field of targets and think what a pleasant couple of hours I've had, trying something new.

“Thanks for publicising our minority sport,” calls Ged.

Minority sport or not, it's been a pleasure.

Many thanks to Peter Titterton and all at Chantry Bowmen for their help at my archery taster session and in compiling this article.

CHANTRY Bowmen, formed in 1957, meet twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays all through the year.

Summer shoots are outside at Phoenix Sports Club, Brinsworth (2pm until dusk) and indoors in the winter months

A seven-session beginners course is £50 (equipment provided).

Annual senior subscription is £90, including all outdoor shooting.

Junior renewals are £30 a year and 18-24s pay a reduced subscription.

Chantry also host team-building corporate days for businesses on request.

For more details ring 0114 2664145 or visit www.chantrybowmen.co.uk