If you are new to darts or are just looking for a few pointers to improve your throw you’ve come to the right place. As well as supplying all the darts brands you love, at Double Top Darts we are also avid players and keen to help our customers enjoy the game as much as we do. That’s why we’ve put together some dart throwing tips to help improve your game.
Getting the right grip
The first thing you’ll need to suss out is how you are going to grip your darts. The aim of this is to ensure that the end of the dart is always pointing slightly upwards and aimed at your target to give you the best trajectory once you release the dart.
So, to begin with, you need to relax. It’s amazing how many beginners grip their darts to the point where their fingers turn white and they can’t release the dart. Remember, it’s not a game of force, but one of skill, so you need to grip your dart just tight enough so it doesn’t slip and so that you have control when you release it.
You may choose to hold your dart with 3 fingers, using your index finger and thumb to grip the dart and your middle finger to support it. Or, you could use 4 fingers to hold your dart, also using your ring finger to provide support to the index, middle finger and thumb which are providing the main grip. This is down to choice and barrel preference as longer barrels tend to need more fingers, so if you're new to darts we recommend trying different grip styles and barrel lengths to see what feels most comfortable and gives you the best results! Some players like to use some chalk or wax, to reduce perspiration slip in the heat of a competitive game. If you feel this might help your grip have a look here. 
Where to put your feet
Once you’ve got your grip sorted you’ll need to work out how you are going to stand and position your body at the throwing line, or oche. Remember you can stand before the line or on it but never over it. With this in mind as you approach the line it’s time to think about your footing. The most important thing with stance is to ensure that you are balanced and stable, but you have a few choices about where you stand and how you position your body. For example:
Stand diagonally to the dart board - also known as ‘middle stance’, this is the most common stance as you can easily place more of your weight on your forward foot and use the back foot to keep your balance. It also makes it easy to adjust your position and therefore your aim, but as you’ll probably stand slightly differently each time you approach the line it can take a little practice.
Stand sideways on to the dart board - also known as ‘closed stance’, this positioning sees your front foot placed along the line and your body sideways on to the board. The footing in this stance is easier to keep consistent with each throw, however there’s a risk you can place too much weight on your front foot and therefore lose balance, so again it comes down to what you are most comfortable with.
Stand facing the dart board - also known as ‘open stance’, this is probably the least common stance as it doesn’t really allow you to lean forward so you have to throw from further away.
Alternatively find your perfect position for a consistent throw with Chevron-Sight Technology.
To lean or not to lean?
If you have been looking up how to throw darts then you’ll probably have come across advice on leaning when you throw. Depending on the stance you take, as we have spoken about above, you may want to lean into your throw to get you closer to the dart board and improve your aim. Don’t lean too far however, or you could become unbalanced or suffer from back ache and strain. Not leaning at all will mean that your throw is more physically demanding as it will have to be taken further away from the board.
Preparing your throw
You’ll probably notice that experienced players (who will make it look easy by the way) will have their eye, their dart and their target in line with one another, making it much more likely that when they throw, the dart will be accurately placed. You could watch the professionals all day and still not be able to replicate this, so instead, why not follow these simple principles as you prepare to throw your dart:
Relax your body and release tension
- Turn your face towards the dart board and focus your aim with both eyes
- Fix your elbow in a comfortable position ready to throw the dart
Dart throwing tips
Many people find it useful to align their shoulder, elbow and hand into a 90 degree angle. Of course it all depends on how long your arms are, so you may need to drop this slightly. Once you’ve got this comfortable throwing position, bring your dart to eye level and tilt it slightly upwards, this is known as drawing back the dart. Then line up the tip of the dart with the target on the dart board and aim. When releasing the dart try to release all of your fingers at once and not move your elbow. Don’t forget the follow through, this is where your arm continues on the trajectory, almost as if you are pointing it at where you want the dart to end up!
Through all of this keep your feet firmly on the floor and your body still.
It’s a lot to take in, and with all things darts-related, the more you practice the easier it will become and the more natural and comfortable it will feel.
Finally check out some of our practice equipment such as Simon Whitlock darts practice rings by Winmau and the book Practice Plans by Performance Darts.
For more darts tips read the other articles on our blog and browse our huge product range from all the brands you love, to find darts and accessories to suit your throwing style.