Darts Where to start?!

deadpet

I have always been a huge darts fan and only in the last 2 months set up a board and begun playing.

You hear "practice" "practice" "practice" is the way forward but I am sure there is other advice I need.

I had cheap light "Lidl" darts and got a present of titan. 25g darts the difference is huge I could hit or target with the cheap darts but the pro ones I am off the board and my aim is all over the shop?!

I am lucky to be self employed and I have got too much time to practice where do I actually start?!?!?!

HELP!>

Double Top

first of all change your board they are terrible boards and you'll be bouncing out more then keeping them in the board there selling pro eclipse and blade 3 boards in argos for 20-25 quid.

if your playing better with the other darts then go back to them it doesn't matter if there pro or not it's all about feel and how comfortable they are.

best place to start it just going for 20,20,20 not treble 20 all the time just trying to get your eye in..but the most important thing is doubles find a double that suits you and just keep at it but don't forget the others but pick a fave and try and leave yourself on it every game (my advice 16's all the way).

few games that will help you get started round the board singles,doubles,trebles thats prob the best one. pick a checkout and give yourself 9 darts to hit it.

i'm not the best at giving advice to other players but the biggest thing i would say is enjoy yourself don't beat yourself up if you miss a double or a checkout just have fun and you'll see your game shoot up,also get down the pub and play people you can practice alone at much as you want but it will be for nothing if you don't play other players on a regular basis.

hope some of this helped and best of luck with the darts:D

Flem11

I was the exact same a few months ago. I put up a board at home and started throwing darts for the first time since I was 10.

After 2/3 months throwing at home, over christmas/New year, there was a marked improvement and I felt confident enough to start trying to play against 'proper' darts players. I've now been playing regular league darts for few months and loving it .... competetive but good craic in the pub leagues.

As DoubleTop said ... get a good board!!! The Eclipse board resulted in me getting only 10% of the number of bounce-outs that I had been getting with the old fashioned wired Striker board. A lot of Darts is about confidence and if you keep bouncing out of the treble 20 area it does you no good.

1- Check some of the previous threads here for different practice routines as it helps to keep your practice 'fresh'
2- Download a programme called N01 (just google it)to use when practicing 501/301. You play against a computerised opponent and it keeps track of your averages which is a good way to track your progression.
3- Find the nearest pub to you that plays darts - Just go down and introduce yourself ... my experience was that they will be glad to welcome someone keen to play. Playing against people is always better practice and playing against better players is the best practice

Good luck!

stylie

Study the checkout charts. Know what to leave and why to leave it down from 200. I know your starting out but learning the finishes even from an early stage is a great boost for latter in your career and also on the rare occusion you pull off a nice little three darter, great boost in confidence.

fonda

2- Download a programme called N01 (just google it)to use when practicing 501/301. You play against a computerised opponent and it keeps track of your averages which is a good way to track your progression.

+1

I use this as well, very good program as not a lot of my friends play darts and it is hard to practice 301/501 on your own, has a load of different skill levels so one should suit yours.

I like to warm up by doing round the world singles doubles trebles, so you throw 1 dart at all singles then doubles then trebles, its great for making yourself more comfortable at throwing at all areas of the board and also for switching mid shot between different numbers, its just a warm up so wouldnt worry too much about how many you hit.

Oliver1985

Yeah O.P i was a long time viewer to! I got a unicorn board and a set of 26g darts just before christmas have to say after the few months i can really see the improvment!!
Its a great feeling when you get a big score I have got 1 180 and biggest checkout was 110!!!
Having a few mates that are into darts is a big plus!!
I must download this program that yous are all on about!!!

Jake The Fat Ma

The way I warm up is just keep aiming for double top, and I would say if can you hit D20 consistantly you can hit anything.

stylie

^^
How nice of you to join us Mr Whitlock

Oliver1985

stylie wrote: »

^^
How nice of you to join us Mr Whitlock

Hahahaha!! Your dead right!!!

deadpet

Thanks for all that advice.

First up - OMG the amount of bounce outs is nuts I thought It was my angle of throw with the pro darts. The board is being replaced!!!!!

I went back to old darts and defo much better okay 26 is common but I am doing the 20's only and I see your point. Double 16 I am targeting as well clearly the double part is as important and I have not worried about only double 20 which I had a great knack for.

There is a chance a local pub will be setting up a club they only need someone to organise and I have no problem offering my services if it goes ahead -

Will down load that prog - At present my 9 year old plays against me and stands closer but we do doubles to finish and he has even beat me with a good double.

Practice practice practice!!!!! Cheers lads

thewizzzzzzard

My advice is that PRACTICE does make perfect but playing 01 games i.e 501 301 will not improve your game as during a leg you will only be aiming at about three different trebles and hopefully only a couple of doubles.

What i do is go round the clock on the doubles i.e start on D1 and dont move to D2 until you hit D1 then finish on D20 then do the same with trbles and singles after a month or so your AVG. will go up 10 points at least

always remember trebles for show DOUBLES for dough

thewizzzzzzard

and as for the darts, if you feel more confident with cheap brass ones then tungsten ones then use the brass ones.

Just an example i think it was Peter Ebdon the snooker player who won the world chapionship with a cue he bought for 20 pound in Argos

chalkie 501

All good advice there.......i'll just add my 2 cents:)
dont be afraid to experiment with how you hold or grip the dart,the grip is often overlooked,just like golf its really important...try holding the barrel in different places,try holding it between thumb and 1 finger or 2 fingers etc until you find something that feels solid,natural and not too loose.you will find the darts will start to fly straighter and more consistent...of course as everyone has said practice, practice,practice is the most important thing.....hope this helps,enjoy:D

ps. try out different lengths of stems and flights

Temp Barry

thewizzzzzzard wrote: »

and as for the darts, if you feel more confident with cheap brass ones then tungsten ones then use the brass ones.

Just an example i think it was Peter Ebdon the snooker player who won the world chapionship with a cue he bought for 20 pound in Argos

Ken Doherty is the same, but I think its different with darts! My advice for anyone would be to go tungsten.

deadpet

From all the advice above followed a lot of points - I have been playing from zero (never played) to getting board in my house and work and practiced a lot - Changed darts grips and styles - still no 180 but I have played in a pub and 1st attempt scary to finally winning 2 matches.

Its great game - and I was only told recent - I should lean in to the board I have been playing standing straight!!!!!!!!!! Feel Stupid as sin now but finding triple 17 easiest treble and at least can hit the board

Kingp35

Fair play, keep practicing and you will only get better.

gramar

I got the Blade 4 board about 6 months ago. Hardly ever a bounce out. I'd say I've had about 5 in the time I've had it and I throw on average 2-3 hours a week. There is a bit of wear and tear, nothing major but if the board was in a darts pub I don't think I'd last that long.

My advice for practice is to concentrate on each dart. Once you find yourself becoming distracted or your mind wandering you're only flinging the darts at the board and not really shooting properly.
There are plenty of ways to practice. I do around the board looking to leave at least two darts in each single bed and preferably three. Then I'll go round the board on the doubles and not move on until each one is hit and then the same on triples. Practice checking out - I choose a number between 41 and about 120 and try to finish it in no more than 6 darts.

Then I'll play games of 501 and keep note of the number of darts I'm throwing. Overtime it'll give you an idea of your progress and it helps to give you a target.

I've taken up throwing again having not played for years and I'm definitely making some progress. A few months ago I was needing 40+ darts to finish 501. At the moment on average I need 28-30 darts to finish 501 - I've thrown sub 20 legs and in the high forties but generally about 30 are needed. My target is to be able to finish 501 consistently in 25 darts which is a 60 3-dart avg. Even better would be 24 which is 8 visits to the board. 25 darts is one more visit than can too often be the difference to letting your opponent in the to win and winning yourself before but as anyone will tell you no-one cares about the average once you're winning.

I think the lads gave good advice when they said to choose a favourite check out. Mine is D20 and then D10 and then D5. They are all doubles that I like and that I can hit consistently. Personally I don't fancy D16 or D8 as I don't like the doubles in that corner of the board but practice them all as you don't know when you'll need what double to finish.