How are compound archery matches scored?
B · Beginner · Scoring and winning · 4 of 4Checked 14 October 2026
Compound matches use cumulative scoring. Each archer shoots five ends of three arrows, 15 in all, and the higher total wins. There are no set points, so every point on every arrow counts towards the result. A tied total goes to a one-arrow shoot-off.
How it works
- Individual: five ends of three arrows at 50 metres on the 80 cm six-ring face. Highest total wins.
- Team: four ends of six arrows, 24 in all.
- Mixed team: four ends of four arrows, 16 in all.
- Tied totals: a shoot-off.
- In alternate shooting, the archer or team with the lower running total shoots first in the next end.
Tricky cases
What is a perfect score in a compound match?
150: fifteen arrows at 10.
Why is compound scored differently from recurve?
The rules give each division its own system. The usual explanation is the one above: compound scores are too close for sets to separate archers.
Why the rule exists
Compound archers miss the 10 so rarely that a set system would produce a string of tied sets. Counting every point makes each arrow matter.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Archery rules | As above | B3 12.1.4.3, 12.1.4.4; B2 4.5.1.2 |
From the rule book
World Archery Rulebook, Book 3, Articles 11.1.4 and 12.1.4; Book 2, Article 4.5.1.2. Version of 27 January 2026. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Archery Rulebook (PDF).