Darts without Booze

damo180

Hi all,

First time poster,
Just curious on any opinions and advice on playing without having a pint for the nerves.
Off the booze for a while and considering quitting (got too fond of it).
Playing for the last 15 yrs ish, 75 ish average.
Practsing really well since I took a break from the beer, averages shooting up, but havent ventured down to the local yet.

I have often stopped boozing on occasions when on a health buzz.
But havent played darts competitively on the dry but remember on occasions being put in first on my team unexpectedly(no pints had) and shaking like a leaf and playing ****e.

Am tempted to enter a few comps without the dutch courage and see how i get on. Any tips on overcoming nerves from the non drinking players ? or anyone who doent need a pint beforehand

Slainte

Jay.cymru

im ****e with nerves before a match so i always have to have a few but i suppose its all in the head/confidence

Daffy501

For anyone who has played darts for a number of years they know that a couple of drinks calm the nerves and allow you to relax and throw steady , but from past expierence i know how hard it is to travel somewhere and try and throw darts without a bit of dutch courage. It can be soul destroying getting up there and throwing muck cos your nervous .

However if ,like me who has to drive nearly everywhere, you end up playing without a beer the best advice is to try and relax and throw a normal as possible game. Dont think of playing in a competition just think of a game at home or in the local. Its all about keeeping the head right. Alcohol does this without you even knowing it and eventually you end up saying" gotta have a couple or i will play s**t"

Relax and focus on your darts and try not getting to stressed out if you throw a bad score or miss a double. Over time it will come natural to throw decent darts without the beer

Carrickman

I've tried it a few times without drink or only 1 or 2 pints and just cant get over the nerves, I need 5 or 6 pints at least before a match tend to drink a lot quicker playing also, any young player starting out should be aware of this and not get into the habbit of depending on drink to calm the nerves.

HITMANHEALY

Great Post to be debating on.

All my league matches and even cup matches I have played better darts when i dont drink and win more than i lose.

Its all down to relaxing and beliving in your darts, i always compose myslef before i go to the oche, then as soon as im ready im off, great example is Double Top, he might want to give advice, the lad doesnt drink at all so might have a few pointers..Over to you D.T

paulcorr

I DONT drink never have dont get nervous . In my opinion you dont need drink if your nervous then you need to sort out your nerves. but people love playing darts and having a few drinks so up to the individual i cant see how drink would improve your darts . just as drink impairs driving your vision your speech how can it make you improve your darts doesnt make sense to me. Why i dont get nerves is that i get up to the oche and dont even look at the player im playing i dont look at him trowing i dont look at his score and every time i step up to the oche i think im going to win . even if im playing rubbish i still think im going to win you only get nerves if your scared you going to make an ass of yourself. if you get up wit the attitude that your better than the player your playing you wont be nervous and just think he could be even more nervous than you.

jamesbere

paulcorr wrote: »

I DONT drink never have dont get nervous . In my opinion you dont need drink if your nervous then you need to sort out your nerves. but people love playing darts and having a few drinks so up to the individual i cant see how drink would improve your darts . just as drink impairs driving your vision your speech how can it make you improve your darts doesnt make sense to me. Why i dont get nerves is that i get up to the oche and dont even look at the player im playing i dont look at him trowing i dont look at his score and every time i step up to the oche i think im going to win . even if im playing rubbish i still think im going to win you only get nerves if your scared you going to make an ass of yourself. if you get up wit the attitude that your better than the player your playing you wont be nervous and just think he could be even more nervous than you.

I agree with you there, i dont play any better with a few pints on me, i need a drink to stop the shake in my hand but thats from the drink anyway not from been nervous. if you enjoy your darts you should not be nervous.

Lazarus2.0

I agree that you shouldnt feel nervous but there's a hell of a difference between throwing at home where you'll be totally relaxed and throwing in front of a crowd . Alcohol is a relaxant so it works so long as you dont overdo it ... and some of us old-timers grew up with the Indoor League ethic , not the SkySports one . Old habits die hard

damo180 , If I were to kick the booze and carry on playing competitively I'd be inclined to move up in stages . Start by playing down the pub to get used to winning without a pint . Move up to small/local tourneys when you feel you are ready and onwards and upwards from there .



Remember , kids . Just say no

Evolution Enter

I never drink while practicing, but I enjoy having a few drinks when I'm out playing a league match. One thing I never let myself do now though is have more than two pints before throwing. I practice sober so I always think it's best to throw the same way.

Always like to go in and throw in the first four matches, then I can have my few beers and relax. And really you should embrace the nerves, they make you sharper

damo180

Cheers Lads, thanks for the replies, all sound advice and am going to stick with keeping off the booze (feel great, and practise really improving).

ciarraibhoy

Played in the Midland Open last Sunday and never had any alcohol at all. Put in a much better performance as well. :D

Evolution Enter

Ah, Guinness, two pints and back to back 140's!!

Gives you strength you know

Lazarus2.0

Evolution Enter wrote: »

Ah, Guinness, two pints and back to back 140's!!

Gives you strength you know

My Goodness , My Guinness

Evolution Enter

Funny, spent the night jamming with a few of my mates tonight and sinking back a few pints of Guinness, then after everything was done I got up to the board and played a game with my missus! I was on a double in 16 darts and ended up throwing a 19 dart leg, best leg I've thrown in a long time.

Only my second leg I'd thrown all night, but my arm was much looser and the darts just went exactly where I threw 'em

Food for thought on the booze angle

Incidently, did anyone here King's interview after his matchplay first round match

"This is me without booze and on antibiotics" - clearly King believes in having a few before his game. As is Wade and Lewis - most players prefer to throw with a few drinks

MaxPower89

was just talking about this last night. do many of the top players have a few? barney, taylor, wade etc?

would the younger guys? klassen and co?

i play at home, so i dont really drink when playing, so dont know if it helps or not really.

Kingp35

I know that Klaasen and MvG don't take a drink but most of the others do. manly still lashed about ten pints into him, Lewis likes good and so does Lloyd. He was visably tipsy in the interview after his first round win.

I don't see any harm in it as long as the drinks are taken behind stage.

I never take a drink when I play because it effects my hand eye co-ordination. I tend to get very nervous though so maybe I should have a pint!

ciarraibhoy

I used to always drink while playing, I remember when you were allowed to drink and smoke on stage in county matches & competitions, but after getting to so many 1/4 and semi-finals and missing out because I'd had too many beers I decided to start playing without any alcohol and have to admit I'm enjoying it. The one time that sticks in my mind was the final of the Edmonton Open Pairs in London when myself and my partner (Ian Robertson, NOTW runner up in 1984) played Denis Ovens & Clve Pearce. We had about an hour to wait to play as they played the womens, juniors and plate finals before the main event and as we knew we were guaranteed £1000 for getting to the final we had a bit of a session. Needless to say we were beaten 5-2 and we didn't play well at all.

A few times now I've seen an opponent slightly worse for wear and it gives me confidence knowing I am stone cold sober. Having said that there are some players who can just drink and drink and still play exceptionally well.

D_murph

I have tried playing without drink in a few pub matches in the past and always ended up throwing $hite so I do reckon a few pints does help me keep my hand steady.

Sometimes, I will play very well when getting steamed but it goes downhill from there pretty quick and that has killed me in tournaments in the past .

If you need drink to play well, then keeping the head and not overdoing it will stand to you big time. There's loads of time to get sloshed after you lose if you cant control yourself .