Scoring
GNAS/Imperial rounds (distances measured in Yards)
In general imperial rounds are scored with 5-zone scoring; so each coloured ring on the face indicates a different arrow score. The gold scores 9, red 7, blue 5, black 3 and white 1. On your score sheet golds are 9s and there are no Xs.
Some imperial rounds indoors are scored with 10-zone scoring (the exception that proves the rule?) for example the Portsmouth. For these rounds each coloured ring is split into 2 scoring areas, so gold scores 10 & 9, red 8 & 7 and so on. On your score sheet golds are 10s – NOT 9s and there are no Xs scored.
True to form there is an imperial round that does something different, namely the Worcester round. This is shot on a special face which is black with a white centre and has 5 scoring rings scored as 5,4,3,2,1 from the middle outwards. If your score sheet has golds on it you will score 5s as golds.
FITA/Metric rounds (distances measured in Metres)
Metric rounds are always scored with 10-zone scoring. As above, for these rounds each coloured ring is split into 2 scoring areas, so gold scores 10 & 9, red 8 & 7 and so on. On your score sheet golds are 10s and Xs but NOT 9s. If there is an X column on the score sheet it contains the Xs only. So for example, if in an end you shoot two 10s and one X the golds column should be 3 and the X column would be 1, an X scores 10 afterall.
Other notes regarding scoring
Misses: An arrow missing the target or landing in a none scoring part of the target is recorded as an ‘M’, a miss and scores 0 points.
As a point of interest longbow archers record arrows that hit the target but are not scoring as ‘Petticoat’ arrows. They score no points but are used to differentiate equal scores should the need arise.
Line Cutters: If an arrow cuts the line between scoring areas the higher score is counted. A line cutter is deemed to cut the line if it is at least touching the line; this applies to the shaft of the arrow and not the hole the arrow made.
X ring indoors: Indoors compound archers use only the X ring as their 10 whilst recurve archers have the use of the whole 10 ring.
Spot faces: Additionally compound archers may have to shoot on a 3-spot face or a 5-spot face for the Worcester. These faces only have some of the inner rings, usually down to the 6 ring, so that compound archers can safeguard their arrows by shooting 1 arrow into each face. Scoring these faces is no different to normal 10-zone scoring but anything outside the 6 ring is a miss.
Shooting too many arrows:- If you happen to shoot too many arrows in one end, i.e. 7 instead of 6, you will lose the highest scoring arrow; so you will only score the lowest scoring 6 arrows. This is the case even if one of them is a miss.