Throwing even the best steel tip darts can be very dangerous, but it can also be fun and exciting. When it comes to playing with the pros, the goal will be focused on winning the game, but in order to win you need to learn how to consistently hit the bullseye in darts. There are many throwing styles you can try out, different products that can have an impact on your performance and how well you play, but in the end, learning how to shoot in darts will all boil down to your commitment to the game and your desire to master it. But can you learn how to hit the mark each time? Are you playing the game correctly to begin with? Are there other areas of the game you’re struggling in? So, what can you do to improve your aiming skills? Let’s find out.
Techniques
You may be feeling overwhelmed if you’ve been searching online for ways to improve your shooting skills, or listened to different friends concerning how to throw, how to stand, or even how to hold the dart. But playing darts well is all about focusing and practicing and finding a way to shoot that will work specifically for you. There are many techniques you can try that can help you with hitting the bull consistently. These are the techniques that have been perfected over the years to ensure a player cleanly hits the bull. However, you can also mold these techniques to fit your playing style or come up with your own throwing technique that can ensure that dart is landing on the bull, each and every time.
Proper Throwing Style
How you hold the dart is one of the most important parts of the proper throwing technique. The way you hold the dart can have a big impact on control and aim. When you place your thumb and first finger on the back of a dart as you rest your middle finger on the point, you can easily maintain the control of the shot. Some pros recommend also utilizing fewer fingers in order to prevent any throwing errors.
Where you point your toes can also have an impact on your throwing precision. Be sure that your hand follows a straight line from eye to toe, as your forearm remains perpendicular, while the biceps are kept in a horizontal position.
When you’re leaning over the throwing line, the arm should be kept straight, so you can accelerate easily until you’re ready to release the dart.
The dart should be released approximately 2/3s of the way into a throw. The hand must finish pointing directly at the target in order to hit the bull. With this technique, many pros claim you’re guaranteed to hit the bull every time.
Board Type
There are many different types of dartboards to choose from these days from portable, light-up models, to traditional. The type of board you use may have an impact on your success, or it may even be hindering it. If you find yourself constantly dealing with bounce out when you’re practicing, or that you don’t seem to hit the mark on your board at home as well as you do on the board at your local bar or club, then there may be a problem with the type of board you own. If you’re using the wrong size of dartboard, this can also be an issue and one that can prevent you from throwing as well as you should.
According to dart rules, the type of board used must be at least eighteen inches in diameter. If you want to prepare for an upcoming tournament, then make sure you use a regulation size board. A high-quality dartboard will come with thin wires that are designed to prevent a bounce out. When you’re playing for fun with friends at a local bar, you may come across lower quality boards that come equipped with thick round wires. But if you want a pro-quality throwing experience and you want to increase your chances of landing a hit on the bull every time, make sure you avoid using boards with these thicker wires, since perfecting your throwing style using a board with thinner wires can have a big impact on your results and overall shot quality.
Practice Daily
This may seem like a no-brainer, but some beginners mistakenly believe that practicing once a week at their local pub is all that’s needed in order to work on their throw.
Practicing your bull shots is the only way you’re going to improve your throwing skills. While you can watch videos online of players who use different techniques to ensure a bull hit, the only way you’re going to develop this skill is by practicing. Playing darts regularly, you’ll quickly notice that your skills improve dramatically over a period of two to three weeks.
Darts
If you talk to a pro or a more experienced player, they’ll tell you the type of steel tip dart they swear by, which often involves some type of tungsten dart. These darts come with a slimmer barrel and knurled bands, which help when it comes to improving your grip and providing a nicely balanced flight path.
The tungsten material used is designed to offer a longer dart lifespan compared to models made out of other materials. If you want to get the most bang for your buck, and ensure you’re throwing more accurately, then choose a dart that’s made out of tungsten.
Dart Grip
As I mentioned earlier, how you hold the dart can have an impact on your control and aim. Some players will use a two-finger grip, while others will use a five-finger grip. These grips are named after the number of fingers that are used to throw the dart. You don’t have to use any specific type of grip to land a bull shot, just make sure the grip you use feels comfortable to you. Improving your shot accuracy is all about finding what works well for you. So, be sure to try out different grips to determine which one feels the most comfortable.
Footwork
There are also some variations when it comes to how you place your feet. You can try one foot facing sideways, with the other toe pointed straight ahead, place both feet sideways, or place both toes pointing forward.
Aiming
If you’re an experienced dart thrower and you’re trying to up your bull game, then when you aim, always go for the treble twenty or the nineteen. As a beginner, start off practicing by aiming for the eight or sixteen. The border of these numbers happens to be the bull. If you want to hit the bull every throw, aiming for these numbers is a great place to start.
Mental Focus
Where your mind is at can also have an impact on your performance. In the game of darts, a player’s mental aspect can play a major role when it comes to hitting the mark or not. Some people even believe that the mental side of throwing darts is more important than their grip, the board that’s used, and their stance. But others feel that the position of the hand at release and timing is everything.
But perfecting your timing will have a lot to do with mental focus and remaining calm throughout the shot. You need to have confidence in your ability to make the shot and keep your negativity at bay, even if you don’t make a bull during your next set of dart drills.
Final Thoughts
Learning how to consistently hit a bullseye in darts is possible, but for most people, they’ll have to learn how to do this by experimenting with different types of shooting techniques until they find a technique that works for them. Practicing consistently, daily, will also have an impact on their dart game. Even a seasoned player that has a history of consistently hitting the bullseye may find it difficult to do if they take time off or decide they don’t need to practice as often as they used to. Unfortunately, there’s no secret trick that you can use that will allow you to hit the mark every time. When it comes to mastering darts, there are no shortcuts.
The techniques and tips I’ve included here will work as a foundation to improve your aim and throwing accuracy while helping you on your path to hitting a bull consistently. Since you’re new to the game, learning how to properly grip the dart and position yourself will all have an impact on your overall performance. If you’ve been gripping the dart incorrectly or using poor form, then by making these changes you may notice a significant improvement in how you play and your shooting accuracy. In the end, through hard work and practice, you’ll be able to achieve your goal and hit the mark each and every time.
