How Far Is 20 Yards in Archery? Beginner’s Guide
How Far Is 20 Yards in Archery? Beginner’s Guide
If you’ve been looking into how far is 20 yards in archery and whether it’s a distance you should be nervous about, we’ve got good news. Twenty yards is the sweet spot for beginner archers — close enough to see your arrow land, far enough to feel like the real thing. Here’s what that distance actually looks like, how it compares to other ranges, and how quickly you can expect to hit the gold from 60 feet away.
What 20 Yards Actually Looks Like
Twenty yards equals 60 feet — exactly the length of a regulation bowling lane from the foul line to the headpin. If you’ve ever bowled a frame, you’ve stood at the very distance most indoor archery ranges use as their standard lane length. It’s also roughly 4 mid-size sedans parked bumper to bumper, or about one-fifth of a football field.
In metric terms, 20 yards is 18.29 metres — closely matching the World Archery indoor competition distance of 18 metres (19.7 yards). That’s not a coincidence. Indoor ranges around the world, including ours at OnPoint Archery in Scarborough, build their lanes to this standard because it balances challenge with accessibility. A target face at 20 yards is plenty big enough for a beginner to land arrows on the paper every time, and just small enough that hitting the 10-ring still takes real skill.
For context, Olympic outdoor recurve archers shoot at 70 metres (77 yards) — nearly four times the distance of an indoor lane. Compound archers outdoors shoot at 50 metres (55 yards). So when you’re standing at 20 yards, you’re at a legitimate competition distance for indoor events, not some watered-down beginner range. The NFAA runs entire indoor tournaments at this distance, and the Vegas Shoot — one of the biggest indoor archery tournaments in the world — uses 20-yard lanes for its championship rounds.
The moment a new archer sees their arrow in the red ring at 20 yards for the first time, the look on their face makes every coaching hour worth it.
From the range floor
Beginners almost always grip the bow too tightly — it’s the number one accuracy killer at 20 yards. Your bow hand should be relaxed, with the knuckles at a 45-degree angle and only the fleshy pad below your thumb making contact with the grip. A white-knuckle squeeze torques the bow on release and sends arrows left (for right-handed shooters). Think “rest the bow, don’t hold it.” Your finger sling or wrist sling will catch it.
How to Build Confidence at 20 Yards
Nobody starts at 20 yards. Every archer — even Olympians — works their way out from shorter distances. The key is building consistent form before adding range, because a 2-millimetre release error at 10 yards becomes a 4-millimetre miss at 20. Here’s the progression that gets most of our beginners hitting tight groups within 2 to 3 sessions at OnPoint Archery.
- Start at 5 to 8 metres with a blank baleNo target face, just a backstop. Focus entirely on anchor point consistency, release smoothness, and follow-through. Do this for your first 30–40 arrows. Your brain learns the shot cycle without the distraction of scoring.
- Add a target face at 10 metresAim for the gold, but don’t obsess over score. Your goal is grouping — all arrows landing within a 12-inch circle. If your group is tight but off-centre, your sight or aim point just needs a small adjustment. If your group is scattered, you have a form inconsistency to fix first.
- Move back to 15 metres when you can group inside 8 inchesThe extra 5 metres will reveal any flaws in your release. If your groups open up, go back to 10 metres for another round — it’s not a step backward, it’s tuning. Most beginners spend 1–2 sessions at this distance before stepping up.
- Step up to the full 20-yard laneBy now you’ve got a repeatable anchor, a relaxed bow hand, and the confidence of seeing your groups tighten at closer ranges. That first gold at 20 yards? It lands faster than you think.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How far is 20 yards in archery in metres?
- Twenty yards is exactly 18.29 metres. This is nearly identical to the World Archery indoor standard of 18 metres (19.7 yards), which is why most indoor archery ranges — including OnPoint Archery — build their lanes to this length.
- Is 20 yards a good distance for a beginner archer?
- Yes — 20 yards is the ideal indoor distance for beginners who have mastered the basics at closer range. Most first-time archers at OnPoint Archery start at 10 metres and work their way back to the full 20-yard lane within their first 2–3 visits.
- How long does it take to hit the target consistently at 20 yards?
- With proper coaching, most beginners land consistent groups at 20 yards within 2–3 sessions. The timeline depends on how quickly you develop a repeatable anchor point and a relaxed release. Taking a structured lesson package speeds this up dramatically compared to self-teaching.
- What’s the difference between 10 yards and 20 yards in archery?
- The main difference is form amplification — small errors in release, grip, or anchor that are barely visible at 10 yards become obvious at 20 yards. An arrow that lands 3 inches off-centre at 10 yards will miss by 6 inches at 20 yards. This is why coaches use 20-yard lanes to diagnose and correct technique.
About the Author
Coach Sam is an NCCP-certified beginner archery coach at OnPoint Archery in Scarborough, Toronto. With over 6 years of experience introducing first-time archers to the sport, Coach Sam has guided hundreds of students through their first 20-yard lane — from blank-bale drills to their first gold-ring shot. He believes that archery isn’t about being strong, it’s about being consistent — and that any beginner can shoot tight groups at 20 yards with the right foundation.
Book Your First Lane
Archery in Scarborough at OnPoint Archery — all equipment provided, NCCP-certified coaches, no experience needed. Your first 20-yard gold is closer than you think.