Darts:

Practice really is the key. Concentrate on your follow through each time

The problem is the top guys make it look so unbelievably effortless that it makes you think you should be able to. Incredibly hard to get good at
Yeah, follow through, particularly on my third dart is a weakness. Thank you.
 
Uncle played for many years, he taught me a few things...

Dart weight - I found mine was 23g after playing with a 24g dart for a year or so
Stance - always relaxed, too tense and you snatch the dart at the end of the throw
Find a throw that is also relaxed and smooth, easy to replicate and doesn't tire your arm after a practice session
Practice, practice, practice as long and as often as possible and vary the game if playing alone

I was never as good as him but could regularly get trebles and doubles of numbers along with 25's and bulls so it worked up to a point
 
I’ve played in the leagues for a few years now. I originally started as a pool / snooker player but used to play a bit of darts for a bit of fun.

As time went on, I much preferred playing darts - also easier to practise at home as don’t have room for the pool table.

In Lockdown I worked quite hard on my game. I watched a number YouTube tutorials to give me some ideas and identify where I was going wrong.

People laugh as he’s a bit marmite, but I found the Wayne Mardle tutorials very helpful. He certainly helped with the technical side of my action. One linked below, but there’s 6-7 in the series.

The main things that have helped me, is learning to stay still at the oche / release earlier / follow through to the target with my arm. It’s easier said than done if you don’t do that already, but the more you practise it, the easier it becomes.

There’s a load of drills to help with finishing too. I tend to do round the board on doubles, finishing on bull.

121 is also a good game. 9 darts to finish 121. Each time you achieve it, go up to 122,123 etc. and if you miss go back down by 1.

I find it really helps with finishing combinations and gets you throwing at different targets around the board.

Most of all, practise does most certainly help. In recent months I’ve been practising for at least 1 hour most days. My game is the best it’s ever been. Repition and muscle memory eventually start playing a big part as well. So if you can iron out your action, things become more second nature with practise.

Another thing to add is that Darts is also as much in the head as it is technique. I know lads who are great on the practise board but completely go to pieces in match situations.

Missing the 180 chances is more in the brain. You’re overthinking it. If you’ve hit 2 x 60’s, just try repeat the previous 2 darts and don’t think about it. Easier said than done of course, especially on the elusive first one 😆

Good luck anyway mate. I love the challenge of darts but it can be hugely frustrating at the same time as it can be a game of very fine margins.

Thank you. I like Wayne Mardle. (Amuses me when he corrects people who pronounce it 'Mardell'). I've watch his series.

In fact I've watched more YouTube darts videos than any middle aged man ought to! :oops:
 
Last edited:
Agree with getting the right weight. The dart should hit the board parallel to the ground. If the flights are higher than the point then the darts are too light and vice-versa.
That’s what I was told anyway!
I think they land in the board alright actually. My grouping is better too. Still miles worse than I should be though! (Which then takes us back to the just being sh*t comment).

What's that expression... if you take enough time you can even polish a tu*d?
 
I haven’t played for a long time but I found practicing with someone else focused me, I always wanted to win. Apart from finding the right weight and stance, I found rhythm a big factor. I found very slow players hard to play against, it was like you never got warmed up.

Biggest thing is practice though. To perfect something apparently takes 10,000 hours, being pretty good must take a good chunk of that.
 
Subscribe to godartspro. Loads of games/drills aimed (pun intended) at improving you. 19 halve it is a favourite of mine. I've been playing 2 years now and thrown well over a hundred 180s now, It's all about practice.
 
When I do play the odd game of darts my most consistent score is 26! Usually the same sequence too - 20 (yes), 1 (bloody hell) then 5 ( I give up).
 
Subscribe to godartspro. Loads of games/drills aimed (pun intended) at improving you. 19 halve it is a favourite of mine. I've been playing 2 years now and thrown well over a hundred 180s now, It's all about practice.
If you've only been playing 2 years and have that many 180s, then you've clearly got a LOAD more talent for it than I have!! Nice.

I was playing round the clock doubles with a friend yesterday. (We play that if you get three in a row (eg. 4, 5, 6) you stay on). Twice I pinged the first two, but missed the third... so I'd say I'm not awful awful, but that's the exception. Probably more pertinent are the times when I get stuck on a double for 5-10 visits!!
 
Back
Top