300 round targets pictured above may have been changed for demonstration purposes only

300 rounds are broken down into 3 games per round with 100 points possible each game. This is true for tournaments as well as leagues. On the 5-spot target you shoot one arrow into each target having 5-X's to aim at.

If you choose the single spot target you will have a single X to aim at and a chance to shoot 5 arrows at the same X. The ideal shot is placed into the center of the X on each target. This is where the advantage and disadvantages for each target comes into play.

Placing one arrow into 5 X's is hard to do: placing 5 arrows into 1-X is also hard.

Single-spot disadvantage - on the single-spot target you may hit your arrows already placed into the X-ring, this can cause your arrow to ricochet into another scoring ring of the target and may also damage your arrow. Single-spot advantage - aiming at one X and having scoring rings of 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 & 1. Anything outside the 5 scoring rings is a zero (0).

5-spot advantage - you have 5 X's to aim at on the 5-spot target so you do not have the problem of an arrow ricocheting from hitting another arrow. 5-spot disadvantage -  having scoring rings of 5 & 4. Anything outside of these two rings will be a 0 (zero) score.

It is possible to get a perfect 300 points on either target but achieving a perfect X-count is harder on the single-spot target. A perfect X count is 60-X's per round. Size of arrow shafts is an important factor on X-count. Thinner shafts take up less space and may group into a single-X nicer but the larger shafts take up more space and may cut a line for the higher score or X .

When an arrow is placed within the black ring circling the X without touching the line the term "inside out  X" is used. Meaning the arrow is totally inside the X ring without touching the line. Very few archers are capable of accomplishing this.

As shown by the photo above X's are counted in the case of a tie in competitors scores. In this case the person with the highest number of X's wins. If each competitor has the same number of X's one of two things can happen;

• 1st  - there could be a shoot-off. The person who drops the first X is lowered to the next position.
• 2nd - by using the score card you view who was the first person to drop an X on their score card. This person is lowered to the next position.

There are ties of scores and X's very often in 300 tournaments. It takes a steady hand, nerves of steel and practice to be in the championship levels of target archery today - you must also enjoy the sport.

When placing a target up at the beginning of  the round, usually you have a choice of which row to place your target on; the top or bottom row.  The competitors for the bottom row of targets are the first line up to shoot. with the competitors for the top row of targets the 2nd line to shoot. With 300 rounds you switch your target after the 6th end, this is the same for leagues and tournaments. You will never tire of aiming at the same position. This creates a bit more of a challenge to the sport and everyone has the same advantage or disadvantage to where his or her target was placed during the round.