Archery scoring rules explained

On the full WA target face, values run from 10 at the centre to 1 at the outside. An outdoor X is an inner 10, not an additional point. A reduced face omits outer scoring zones; an arrow beyond its outer scoring area does not earn the value of an imaginary full-face ring.

The standard WA 18 m qualification round has 60 arrows, giving a maximum of 600. WA 720 qualification rounds have 72 arrows and a maximum of 720. Distance and face depend on division and class; “720” is not a universal instruction to shoot at 70 m.

At 18 m, compound uses the smaller 10-ring; recurve and barebow use the recurve 10-ring. Learn from the correct labelled face before scoring. A triple face has three separate aiming centres, each with its own scoring area. Confirm the applicable multiple-face shooting rule rather than borrowing NFAA five-spot practice.

IFAA Standard Indoor uses two units of six ends, with five arrows per end: 60 arrows. Its usual distance is 20 yards; Cubs use 10 yards. The full face scores 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. An X is a 5 with an additional tie-break record. The maximum is 300.

The NFAA blue-face Indoor Round also has 60 arrows and a 300 maximum, organised as three games of four five-arrow ends at 20 yards. Check current class-specific event provisions separately. On either organisation's five-spot face, the scoring areas are 5 and 4, but the placement procedure differs: IFAA requires one arrow per spot; NFAA permits multiple arrows in a spot within the allowed end count.

Do not infer the rules from the colour of the paper. A scorer needs the governing body, named round and applicable event provisions. A Vegas-style substitution is a different scoring configuration and must be announced and configured explicitly.

For WA target scoring and NFAA rounds, a shaft touching the relevant scoring boundary receives the higher value. IFAA outdoor scoring differs: where a separating line exists in the lower scoring zone, the shaft must cut through it to reach the higher zone. Do not turn either rule into a universal “line cutter” shortcut.

Look at the shaft's position at the target surface. An angled shaft, torn paper or crowded group can make a casual glance misleading. Preserve the evidence while requesting the authorised judge or group decision. Do not press on the face, rotate an arrow or pull it partly out to make the call easier.

Bounce-outs, pass-throughs, wrong-face arrows and arrows embedded in other arrows have specific rules. The answer can depend on the organisation, round and stage of competition. Report the event immediately and obtain the correct procedure before assuming a replacement arrow is allowed. **Verify** the ruling with the responsible official when the situation is uncertain.

Treat scoring as a sequence: identify the archer, call the values, record them, compare records and check the total. A correct sum cannot rescue an arrow entered against the wrong person. Confirm mistakes while the required evidence and authorised correction process remain available.

At WA events, two scorecards are used and one may be electronic. For an arrow-value disagreement between paper and electronic records, paper takes precedence. Before signing, check your recorded values, totals and required high-ring counts. Do not assume an app's arithmetic makes the complete record correct.

Tie-breaking is format-specific. Under WA Book 3 effective August 2026, ordinary long-distance qualification ties use Xs before 10s; short-distance ties use 10s before 9s. Certain advancement ties require shoot-offs instead. IFAA and NFAA tournament provisions must be checked for their own tie procedures. Record the required counts during scoring rather than attempting to reconstruct them after arrows have been pulled.