Serious Dart Problem - All Help and Advice Appreciated

SwdDub

Alright lads I don't know what to say. I seem to have developed some form of dartitis out of nowhere It is incredibly frustrating and barring the obvious I don't know what to do.

Last month I was playing the best darts of my life arguably. Now I was never that good to begin with but I averaged 67 for December on DartPro. Good steady scoring, not much drift into the 1 or 5 bed. Picking off trebles for outshots well enough. Doubling very well.

I was fine until 3 days ago. Had a disaster, was shanking and yanking the dart all around the board. I just put them down and said 'sure it's only one day, you're a bit off'. I've come back and tried to throw the last few days and it's worse not better.

I've tried to break it down and make sure I've got my grip and stance right before every dart. I've slowed my throw but it's still not helped.

It's a pretty bad problem. I can still score okay to a certain degree. I hit the odd treble but there is no consistency to my throw. For example I went T20, 20,9. Also (throwing at T20) T13, 5, 20.

I'm hooking and dropping darts all over the board. Into the 18 and 12 bed aiming at 20. The odd dart flying out into 13, 6 etc.. As for doubles forget about it. It's pot luck. I hit D1 about a millimetre inside the wire beside the D20. However I was aiming at D18. I've even stuck a couple in the door aiming at T20. I hit the f**king doorhandle with one!!!

I'm at my wits end. If I was just losing the dart into the 1 and 5 bed I wouldn't give a monkeys because I'd would just be a case of adjusting back towards the T20. As it is I'm completely all over the shop.

If anyone can offer me any advice on how to deal with this I'd greatly appreciate it lads. As I said I was never that flash to begin with but this is incredibly frustrating and disheartening. Its like I have no control over the darts

HITMANHEALY

SwdDub wrote: »

Alright lads I don't know what to say. I seem to have developed some form of dartitis out of nowhere It is incredibly frustrating and barring the obvious I don't know what to do.

Last month I was playing the best darts of my life arguably. Now I was never that good to begin with but I averaged 67 for December on DartPro. Good steady scoring, not much drift into the 1 or 5 bed. Picking off trebles for outshots well enough. Doubling very well.

I was fine until 3 days ago. Had a disaster, was shanking and yanking the dart all around the board. I just put them down and said 'sure it's only one day, you're a bit off'. I've come back and tried to throw the last few days and it's worse not better.

I've tried to break it down and make sure I've got my grip and stance right before every dart. I've slowed my throw but it's still not helped.

It's a pretty bad problem. I can still score okay to a certain degree. I hit the odd treble but there is no consistency to my throw. For example I went T20, 20,9. Also (throwing at T20) T13, 5, 20.

I'm hooking and dropping darts all over the board. Into the 18 and 12 bed aiming at 20. The odd dart flying out into 13, 6 etc.. As for doubles forget about it. It's pot luck. I hit D1 about a millimetre inside the wire beside the D20. However I was aiming at D18. I've even stuck a couple in the door aiming at T20. I hit the f**king doorhandle with one!!!

I'm at my wits end. If I was just losing the dart into the 1 and 5 bed I wouldn't give a monkeys because I'd would just be a case of adjusting back towards the T20. As it is I'm completely all over the shop.

If anyone can offer me any advice on how to deal with this I'd greatly appreciate it lads. As I said I was never that flash to begin with but this is incredibly frustrating and disheartening. Its like I have no control over the darts

Gary Anderson told me before, get a cup put it in front of the tv and try and throw matches into while watching tv, the mind wont be thinking he said

Rob113

HITMANHEALY wrote: »

Gary Anderson told me before, get a cup put it in front of the tv and try and throw matches into while watching tv, the mind wont be thinking he said

What would ths do for your game? Seems a strange technique

Lemegeton

Rob113 wrote: »

What would ths do for your game? Seems a strange technique

makes perfect sense to me. by doing this exercise while watching tv it will get your arm comfortable to the motions of throwing the dart while your mind is engaged on the tv. its so hard to correct a glitch in your throw cos you get frustrated and over think every little thing.

statto25

I am in the same boat. Threw well up until christmas and then a coupe of days later I literally cant throw the dart. I try to throw but the dart wont leave my hand. The board feels like its 10ft away and my hand just doesnt release. I have statrted leaning forward to the point im nearly jumping over the throw line. Its so frustrating. I feel your pain OP.

Rob113

Lemegeton wrote: »

makes perfect sense to me. by doing this exercise while watching tv it will get your arm comfortable to the motions of throwing the dart while your mind is engaged on the tv. its so hard to correct a glitch in your throw cos you get frustrated and over think every little thing.

I'll give it a go. Should the cup be any particular distance away or at a certain height?

Nozebleed

it all about timing/rythum..if your really determined to break dartitis.. buy yourself a metronome..set it to a comfortable speed..and play like normal keeping a steady rhythmic pattern.

Lemegeton

Rob113 wrote: »

I'll give it a go. Should the cup be any particular distance away or at a certain height?

never had to do it myself but the distance, height etc.. are not that critical. its more getting the muscle memory back. i would have the cup at eye level and be a few feet away at least.

TanG411

When I had what I imagine was dartitis, what I did was to throw, and purposely hold onto the dart.

I'd line myself up as normal, except when I was aiming, I slowly pulled my arm back to a comfortable position, then thrusted forward as I would, without releasing the dart. I'd get a comfortable rhythm going of aiming, slow drawback, normal thrust. I must have repeated it about 10-20 times, then decided to release the dart. I would aim for the bull, and about half the shots must have been the 25, or just a clip of the wire. I then practised this for T20, T19. . . the common targets.

It took about two weeks to get a proper natural throw again. It helped to get a flow back into my arm. Now when I snatch a dart, I just focus on that slow, comfortable drawback.

minty16

I say get a new set of darts. If your average was 67ish your pretty useful but not at the level where dartitis should affect you to the point of no return!

MBC

I've had this on and off for a couple of years now......the best I found was to turn off the lights and throw at the board but dont aim at anything......this needs to be done regularly for a couple of hours a week (or as much as you can).

Basicly u need to get your arm back in flowing action.

This is what Mark Walsh (the pro) done anyho....and he came back better than ever.

Best of luck.

stylie

I cured my dartsitis by mentally have a trigger to release the dart. When I bring my throwing arm back and start the forward motion of the throw I slightly clench the fist of my other hand. As I'm thinking of something else for a split second the release occurs smoothly. Do this for awhile and don't concern your self with aiming to hard, just get the rhythm back into your swing and later on when you feel comfortable go for common targets around the board never staying to long on any particular one.
I have seen other players with this release triggers, moving your non standing leg is another but prefer the squeezing of the fist as it doesn't throw my balance.

chalkie 501

SwdDub wrote: »

Alright lads I don't know what to say. I seem to have developed some form of dartitis out of nowhere It is incredibly frustrating and barring the obvious I don't know what to do.
hows the going,only just joined and spotted your problem,i hope a month later your back throwing well,i read one time phil taylor spent a few hours throwing heavy blocks around his back yard when he got a dose of it,not sure what the reason for it was but it obviously worked!(he's a decent player in fairness)i suppose after throwing a weight around you will lose your feel for the dart for a while and you'll end up concentrating on other things and forgetting about how your not releasing the dart properly...

leevanclee

im not saying it'll cure dartitis if thats what u have, but if ur throwing bad and thinking like that stop playing for about 2 weeks and when u start back throwing dont worry bout what ur hiting just get ur throw flowing before u start aiming and dont play darts pro for at least another month till ur confidence is well back no matter how well ur playing and want to know ur averages, it will just make u try too hard which is something u dont want to be doing at this stage, anyways good luck

chalkie 501

when i thought i was starting to get it,i packed them in for a few weeks and changed my grip slightly,also try shortening your backswing.as we all know its a completely mental problem,just focus on the odd good dart that hits the target and the confidence should gradually start to come back;)

bayliner

stylie wrote: »

I cured my dartsitis by mentally have a trigger to release the dart. When I bring my throwing arm back and start the forward motion of the throw I slightly clench the fist of my other hand. As I'm thinking of something else for a split second the release occurs smoothly. Do this for awhile and don't concern your self with aiming to hard, just get the rhythm back into your swing and later on when you feel comfortable go for common targets around the board never staying to long on any particular one.
I have seen other players with this release triggers, moving your non standing leg is another but prefer the squeezing of the fist as it doesn't throw my balance.

sounds like a good idea! i had it bad on 2 occasions and still some times snatching and holding on to the dart for far too long! i just stopped throwing the 1st time for a few months but it came back, then i stopped for about 8 months and it hasnt returned since(6yrs ago), however...i have recently changed my grip and not willingly might i add!!! it was getting to the point where i was nearly throwing the dart over my shoulder at the end of the backswing, dropping it several times a night, i started twirling the dart as i brought it back and this led to me dropping the dart time and time again, i am currently trying to change the grip in order to hold on to the dart but it is a real struggle at the mo to get any sort of rythem(gone slightly off topic i know)but i feel your frustration believe me:)