Darts is a great pastime and as you learn more about this game, you probably want to become increasingly better at it. It’s up to you to decide how good you want to get at darts, depending on how much time you’ve got on your hands for practice. If your ambition is to join the ranks of professionals, then this post is for you. Learn what these people do to throw those darts so accurately – here are 10 darts tips from pros.
1. When you grip your darts, especially if you’re a newbie, try to do it with three fingers – your thumb and two fingers. This type of grip ensures optimum control. Feel the dart in your hand, and gain control of it without gripping it too tight or let your fingers too loose.
2. If you are using shorter darts, you can also experiment with the two-finger grip. This grip is ideal for short darts because, due to their reduced size, you can still control them with no problems just by using your thumb and index.
3. No matter what type of dart grip you choose to go for (because, in the end, you will find the optimum grip for your style and stick to it), always hold the dart by its center. Don’t place your fingers too close to the tip or the end of your dart because this will affect the flight trajectory.
4. Before you can start competing at a higher level, you must be very well aware of the rules of the game. Learn the scoring system and general darts game rules from day 1. This way, when you’ll compete with more advanced players, you won’t lose your focus or time in calculating your score.
5. Improve your hand-eye coordination! This is a must if you want to excel at darts. You don’t have to spend hours each day stuck at home in the company of your dartboard to do this, especially on a beautiful sunny day. Any sport that involves balls can help you improve this skill and aim better at darts.
6. Learn what your play style is! In any sport or game, dart included, it’s important to know your strengths and weaknesses. This helps you leverage your skills and avoid the circumstances that make you lose points. For example, if you’re typically throwing your darts to the right, adjust your target by aiming a bit to the left, so that your dart lands in the right spot.
7. Analyze your posture and throws. Professional dart players pay close attention to their throwing style. They either rely on friends or a coach to help them figure out what their style is in order to improve it. Do the same, scrutinize your pose, grip, aim, and how you release the dart. If you don’t have someone who can help you out with this, use your smartphone to make a video recording. This way, you will be able to analyze your moves and compare them with those of professional players.
8. Don’t forget to position the dart correctly when you aim! The ideal position is one in which the tip of the dart is positioned a bit upward. If the tip is facing the ground, this is where your darts will go, instead of reaching the board. If the tip is straight, the result can be the same.
9. Don’t move too much when you release the dart. Keep in mind that you shouldn’t be moving your entire arm when you throw darts. Your shoulder should remain put. You are only using your wrist and your hand when you throw darts. Pull the dart slightly backward and then, accelerate from the elbow to throw it.
10. Practice regularly! It goes without saying that you need to work a lot on your throwing skills if, one day, you want to compete in an official darts tournament. To do this, you will either need to go regularly to a pub or bar, or anywhere else where you can have a dartboard at your disposal or, ideally, you can buy a dartboard. By having one at home, you’ll be able to practice daily, whenever it suits you.
There are plenty more things you can learn from professionals while striving to become like them. Another useful tip is to watch them at play. You can follow these people on social media, watch videos from official tournaments or watch these competitions live. Seeing the best in action will give you a broader perspective on how darts is played at a professional level.
We wish you luck if you aim to become a pro darter one day and we want to remind you that we're always here to support you with quality, innovative darts gear such as our state-of-the-art laser toe line and versatile darts holder.
*updated September 2022
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