Keeping Archery Notes With My Spots Journal

I’m a bit of a numbers guy and I tend to be a bit competitive. As a result, keeping track of scores and practice sessions is imperative to tracking progress. For the past couple of months, I’ve been using spreadsheets and apps with mixed results.

I recently came across a product called My Spots Journal. It is a spiral-bound archery journal being produced by Robbie Surface from Surface Archery. There is also a companion journal entitled My 3D Journal. The products have an interesting story behind them, so I thought I’d buy the spots journal and put it to use.

My Spots Journal

Pages: 50
Width: 5-1/2
Length: 8-1/2
Cost: $12.00 (Shipped)
Sold By: Surface Archery

First and foremost, the quality of the journal is solid. If has gloss front and back covers. The pages inside are heavy enough for regular use and, at 50 pages thick, it isn’t too bulky to carry around.

I like the layout of information on the top of each page. You note the date, location, and if you are shooting indoors or outdoors. I also like that there is a space to note the make and model of bow used – being as I’m bouncing back and forth between my Elite Pulse and PSE Bowmadness 3G.

I also like that there is a space to note arrows being used. I’m not one to switch arrows often but I know plenty of archers that do. I’m not sure how useful draw weight and length are to me. This is something that I rarely change and, if I did, I would put that information in the notes section of the journal – more on that in a moment.

The section on release type makes a lot of sense. I’ve been bouncing around between a Tru Ball Fulkrum, Tru Ball HT, and a Spott Hogg Whipper Snapper. If I’m being picky, I’d rather have an open space to write down my release instead of a checkbox for a generic type.

My one and only issue with this journal is the score card section. I like that it is versatile enough to cover up to 5 arrows per end but the fact that it tracks 12 ends is strange.

At Stowe Archers, we shoot a 450 League that I participate in. At 15 ends of 3 arrows, it doesn’t quite fit in the journal unless I use it in a way that it wasn’t designed. The second most popular round at my club is a 600 Round – which also doesn’t fit on the scorecard.

Personally, I think it would be ideal if “Release Type” was turned into a write in the answer type question and moved up to replace “Draw Weight and Length”. That would free up some space at the top of the page. If the font size was reduced slightly and the two note sections on the bottom were shifted to the back – you’d have plenty of room to score 20 ends.

The back of each page is ruled, allowing for plenty of notes to be taken down. I tend to do a fair bit of note taking, so I really appreciate having plenty of space to write.

The Bottom Line

I haven’t been using My Spots Journal for very long but I think it is handy way to track practice sessions. I’m a little torn on the price – I’d be more inclined to spend $12 on future copies if I didn’t feel like I had to make them work for me.

If you shoot regular 300 Rounds (for JOAD and such) I think My Spots Journal would make an excellent adition to your bow case or quiver.