As in an AGB or legal ruling?
No - if the club hosts a WRS tournament they have to allow all-carbon arrows.
However, if it is a shared sports field all arrows must be found.
If this requires locking the gates/clamping a competitor's car (I jest...) then so be it.
(NB ArcheryGB do technically require all missing arrows to be reported whatever the field last time I checked).
For clubs, they are private groups with published rules/constitutions that you choose to follow when you pay your membership, so can rule what they want (within reason/UK law).
At a club level, increased numbers of less experienced archers, increased shooting meaning an increased chance of accidents, and not being able to police all your members means that the club may decide that a blanket 'no carbons' policy is the easiest way forwards.
Having had my fair share of run-ins across multiple clubs with groundskeepers complaining about unreported arrows/dropped pegs I totally get this. Spare a thought for the volunteers who have to decide, enforce, and deal with these issues! No club wants to lose their field.
It seems this is always a very divisive issue and people often end up very much on one side or another.
Discussions we have had before as a club:
- Allow certain members to shoot carbons. - How do you decide who is/isn't worthy, however? Even the best archer can have an accident.
- Impose rulings on what distances people can shoot? - Not really fair/free, and again, accidents happen to anyone and how do you decide this?
- This ruling pretty much fixes people into the
Easton AC monopoly.
- Difficult if a new member arrives with all carbons and now needs to buy a new set.
- This is a common rule at many UK clubs. Clubs that do accept all carbons should make members aware of it for future.
Sadly with the demise of the
A/C/C the affordable composite end of the arrow market is pretty empty now.
As discussed on the Easaton podcast, the UK was generally the main market for the ACC, so I don't anticipate anyone else looking to fill this anytime soon.
Personally I think pro comps are probably your best option at the moment... Or maybe ACE for
recurve.
It's now a big step/investment to go up from aluminium, and I do wonder if perceptions on pure carbons at these clubs might change as new members start to progress.
I'd say your options are to suck it up and by some acceptable arrows, make your case/join your club committee and campaign for change, or find a different club that will allow pure carbon arrows.