Most players plateau not because of their darts, but because of how they practice, or the fact that they don’t really practice at all, they just play. There’s a difference. Aimless throwing keeps you where you are; structured practice moves the needle. Here’s how to actually get better, drawn from decades of watching players improve since 1978.
Fix the Foundation First
Before any drill, make sure the basics are solid, because practicing on a broken foundation just ingrains bad habits faster.
- Consistent stance: Plant your feet the same way every time. Your body should be a stable platform; only your throwing arm moves.
- Repeatable grip: Grip the barrel the same way on every throw. Inconsistent grip is a hidden source of scattered darts.
- Smooth release: A relaxed, unforced motion beats a hard, muscled throw. Let the dart flow rather than punching it.
- Right equipment: If your darts are fighting you, wrong weight, wrong grip, practice can’t fix that. Sort the gear first.
Practice With Purpose, Not Just Play
Playing games is fun but it’s not the fastest way to improve, because you only throw at whatever the game demands. Deliberate practice targets your weaknesses directly. The players who improve fastest spend part of every session on drills, not just matches.
Drills That Build Real Skill
Here are proven practice routines used by players at every level. Pick a couple and do them consistently.
- Around the Clock: Hit every number 1 through 20 in order. Simple, but it forces you to aim all over the board and exposes your weak spots.
- Treble 20 repetition: Throw at the treble 20 over and over, tracking how many you hit per hundred darts. This is the scoring engine of the game, and the number you track shows real progress over weeks.
- Doubles practice: Most games end on a double, and doubles are where matches are won or lost. Drill the common finishing doubles (double 16, double 20, double 8) until they’re reliable.
- Bob’s 27: A classic doubles drill that pressures you around the whole board and punishes misses, great for building finishing skill under pressure.
- Count-up: Throw a set number of darts and total your score, then try to beat it. A simple way to make solo practice competitive.
Track Your Progress
What gets measured gets better. Keep a simple log, trebles hit per hundred darts, doubles hit per hundred attempts, or your count-up scores. Numbers cut through the feeling that you’re “not improving” and show you the slow, real progress that’s easy to miss day to day. They also tell you which drill to focus on: whichever number is weakest.
Practice the Right Way
- Short and frequent beats long and rare. Twenty focused minutes daily builds more skill than one three-hour marathon a week.
- Warm up first. Throw a few relaxed rounds before drilling so you’re not practicing a cold, stiff throw.
- Practice at regulation setup. Drill on a board hung at the correct height and distance so your practice transfers to match play.
- Stop when you’re tired. Fatigue breeds sloppy throws, and sloppy throws practiced become habits. Quit while your form is still good.
Don’t Overlook Your Equipment and Board
Practice only pays off on gear that isn’t holding you back. A worn dartboard with open holes and constant bounce-outs sabotages your consistency and your confidence. Darts that don’t suit your throw make every drill harder. And torn flights or bent shafts change how the dart flies mid-session, keep spare flights and shafts on hand so your equipment stays consistent. If you suspect your darts are the problem, our guides on weight and dart parts can help you diagnose it.
The Mental Side
Darts is as mental as it is physical. Consistency comes from a calm, repeatable routine, the same stance, the same grip, the same rhythm, every throw. When you’re struggling, don’t change everything at once; slow down and return to your routine. The best players look almost boring in their consistency. That’s the goal: a throw so repeatable you stop thinking about it.
We’re Here to Help You Improve
Whether it’s dialing in the right darts, replacing a worn board, or just talking through your game, we’ve helped players at every level get better for over four decades. Call us at 602-279-1917 or stop by the shop. Sometimes the fastest improvement is fixing something you didn’t know was holding you back.