Archery
The power and excitement of pulling back an arrow through a bow to practice shooting, accuracy, and hand-eye coordination is one that historically satisfied the hunting and combat needs of ancient civilizations. Today, archery has become a popular precision sport that has even earned a place within the line-up of the Olympics. At Golden Gate Park, the only archery range in the city is situated north of the golf course, offering nine target bales.
Archery at Golden Gate Park
Once you have brought along or rented your archery targets, bows, and arrows, you may enjoy the nine target bales situated at the park. The field can be found on Fulton Street, which is located between 45th and 46th avenues. There is also no charge to use this space for your target practice.
If you are a newbie to the world of archery, there are classes held at the Golden Gate Park Archery Range. Over the course of 16 weeks, you will learn the ins and outs of the sport. As you step 100 yards into the park on the left side, you will encounter beginning archery instruction on Tuesdays (2-4pm); and on Thursdays (12-2pm and 2-4pm). For intermediate archery classes, you may obtain lessons from 1-3pm.
Archery classes are provided by City College of San Francisco, which offers training through the knowledge and skill of a NAA Level 2 Archery Instructor, who is also a CCSF Physical Education instructor. For college students, the class may be taken for credit or no credit and is accepted as a 1-Unit transferable class with the option of a letter grade.
Equipment Rentals
To enjoy the concentration, focus, and rush of an afternoon filled with target practice, shooters are responsible for furnishing their own targets and equipment. If you do not own a bow, arrows, and other athletic gear associated with the sport, the nearby San Francisco Archery Shop offers complete equipment package rentals at their 3795 Balboa Street location. You may also call them at 751-2776 for additional questions or simply stop by from 12:30 pm to 5:30 pm on Monday thru Saturday.
Exploring the Different Types of Archery Equipment
Before you explore the intriguing world of archery, you should familiarize yourself with some of the pieces of equipment associated with the sport. In archery, there are five main types of bows to consider, which are listed below:
a) Longbow: A longbow is a tall selection that is almost equal or greater to the height of the individual using it. The average thickness of this type of bow is at least 5/8 of its width. Typically, the longbow is widest at the handle, used for centuries, as plenty of cultures across the globe have utilized the bow for hunting and other pursuits. When turning the pages of English history, during the Middle Ages, the longbow was a popular tool of warfare.
b) Shortbow: A shortbow is a smaller version of the longbow, which is lighter and easier to maneuver than other selections. Since the size isn’t as large, it stores less energy and produces a shorter maximum range. When compared to the longbow, the shortbow requires less skill to handle and possesses a history of being used during the training of rank-and-file soldiers.
c) Recurve Bow: When it comes to the Olympic Games, this is the only class of bow allowed for shooting. The basic values associated with the bow are quite comparable to the traditional longbow. A distinguishing characteristic I seen at the ends of the limbs as they slightly curve forward. This allows an increase in power to take place from the bow, which smoothens at the draw.
d) Compound Bow: The force of the archer is reduced through the use of a compound bow, which provides an increase in stored bow energy. Enhanced leverage on a compound bow will be furnished through the use of cams or elliptical wheels located on the ends of the limbs. The compound bow requires less force to reach a full draw, allowing the muscles to rest longer. Archers with this kind of bow enjoy additional time to establish their aim.
e) Crossbow: Coming from the general bow design, the crossbow limbs are held horizontally rather than the usual vertical position. The string is pulled back manually or with a windlass (a barrel that supports heavy weight) locked into place. When using a crossbow, shortened versions of arrows called quarrels or bolts are used because of its smaller design. It is also much easier to aim.
At the San Francisco Archery Shop for Golden Gate Park users, long bows, traditional recurves, and compound bows are offered for rental. When choosing arrows, you should know that they are often made from solid wood, aluminum alloy tubing, fiberglass, or carbon fiber shafts. The flatter carbon arrows are very light and are known to fly faster than aluminum arrows.
