I got interested in archery kind of by accident. When I was in middle school, we had a…read moreShakespearean festival, which included archery among other things. The bows they had were these cheap compounds (with the wheels) intended for children... which in fairness, we were. Well that, and one step up is five times the cost.
At some point many years after, I found this place. I was excited to try my hands at archery once again. Even though this place is a little out of the way, I still venture out here when I want to have a go of being a sort of Robin Hood, only one who is not nearly as good of a shot.
I. Cost - Their rates are extremely reasonable for what you get. Shooting on the range is $12/hour if you bring your own equipment, and only $14 to borrow theirs. This cost includes instruction too! This is not a private lesson, but they will help you along the way with stance, aim, draw, and other such basics.
II. Staff - their staff are some of the nicest, most patient people I have met! Whether they are telling you the 1st time or 101st time to bring your hand to your ear, they are just as patient and calm. Also, during my time shooting, adjusting the draw weight (on the compound) as well as the sight to my ideal levels was a non issue.
III. Range - The range is pretty nice! It is well lit, fairly spacious, and they have targets at two different distances, although, I couldn't tell you what they are. I can however tell that the shorter distance is great for beginners... not so far that it becomes discouraging, but close enough that it is fairly challenging. When you are shooting, do be careful of obstacles like pipes or columns... but if you stay in your lane, you should be fine.
IV. Equipment - Out of the bows you are able to rent there are recurves (think Robin Hood) and Compound bows (with wheels). I am fond of the latter, but must say the Genesis bow (make of compound) is not my favorite thing in the world. The reason for this is (don't quote me on this) compounds have a let off in weight when fully drawn. The Genesis bows do not (at least not a very significant one). I will not penalize this place for that because these are fairly cheap (~$100), durable, easily adjustable, and according to online markets a great entry level bow for people of all ages.
When it comes to equipment, think of it in parallel with bowling . If you are just there to bowl for a bit of fun, you have entry level equipment (balls, shoes) that are durable, and good for those who don't take the sport too seriously. Same thing here, the bows and arm-guards aren't spectacular, and there is no mechanical release provided. If you come to shoot for an hour for fun, you probably don't care that much.
As for me, I'd like to keep it casual for now... but even if I end up taking archery more seriously, I will not hesitate at returning to this place to practice!