When choosing a club, you should consider the following:
What facilities do they have? Are they borrowed, or do I have 24/7 access? It may be worth travelling further for better facilities.
Do they meet on a regular basis? Can I commit to that?
How much time do I have to devote to this? At the start it's especially important to go on a regular basis.
If you have never done archery before you will have to do a six-week introduction course. This teaches you basic safety and handling of bows, with plenty of hands-on experience early on! These courses are often very popular, and there tends to be a long waiting list.
For the course, I would wear a long-sleeved, well fitted top, and keep jewellery to a minimum. I wouldn't even wear I watch as you will spend the first lesson walloping your inner arm with the string, and could catch the strap. Plus when you wear an arm protector the watch gets in the way.
You'll also probably learn on a recurve bow, don't worry, the same principles work just as well with a longbow.
My first lesson I hit my inner elbow a lot, the bruise was huge, very purple, and painful! I also ended up with sore fingers, as my club insisted that we shoot without a finger guard to get a feel for the bow. But it was worth it, and the pain reminds you that you're doing it wrong...
What Next
Once you complete the course, you're free to join that or any other club in the UK. You should receive a certificate as proof, and will need to keep this.
You then need to choose and buy a bow, and everything that goes with it. You may be able to borrow a bow from the club or fellow member for a while, but this depends on you finding someone to help. Personally I preferred my own equipment as quickly as possible, then I could get used to it.
And Finally...
The last thing is to stick with it. It isn't easy when you've been shooting at 20 yards to suddenly go up to 40 or 50. The first month I had to put up with the gentle sarcasm of my fellow shooters as I shot, the cheers when I hit, and the endless advice! Each archer has their own ways of doing things, listen to everyone, try everything, then work out what you prefer.
In the end you have to remember that you are doing this for FUN! Especially as a longbow archer. Try to relax, laugh at yourself, and practise like crazy.
Oh, and get your handicap in early, no matter how bad. It means that you have something to chart your progress by, and can enter competitions. You might even win... Mine started at 86, and I'm steadily trying to improve.
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