How to get better? Well, you're in a singles league that is stats driven, so let's use some stats :)

Play 6-7 practice games (from SEWA Darts) each and every week and add up your weekly totals from each one and compare against yourself with charts and graphs, but the key part is to compare your stats in each game to set number from a known skill level player.

Maybe you think your scoring needs improving, but really it's your setup shots, or your doubles (I think we ALL need to get better there!!), but if you focus on the areas where you are furthest away from the better player, then that brings you closer in skill level overall. Not saying to focus only on one thing, but less emphasis and more emphasis on certain parts.

Now, you're not to do these sorts of things while you're playing, but during practice and just track things and then do the analysis afterwards.

There are all sorts of drills you can do away from the tracking games that can help improve the specific items you're trying to work on: Grouping, Dart Math, Singles Accuracy, consistent release, Focus, etc. Then you apply those with the practice games. Then when you're playing in an actual match, the skills you've been practicing should manifest themselves.

Warmup, some people need more some need less. I have found that if I warm up decently, my self criticism tends to be less when playing. Try this as a warmup:

Play these games at least once a week and track the stats/progress.

Bob's 27:

100 darts at 20's.

50 darts at Bulls:

aRound The World (RTW).

Blackhorse RTW.

Cricket Count Up

Catch 40

Now, just playing these games will improve your game as each one focuses on a various aspect of the game: scoring, doubles, setups, moving around the board, outs, etc. NOTE: I cannot take credit for these games, these come from the forums at www.sewa-darts.com

Did you notice that playing legs of 501 wasn't in there?? That's applied practice, just like playing a casual round in golf, but that's not range time practice working on specifics.

Here are some targets for a semi-decent player and for a World Class player you can use to determine where abouts you are.
Game Division 1 player World Class player
Bob's 27 481 874
100 at 20's 143 201
50 at Bulls 45 65
RTW 86 129
CCU 37 46
BlackHorse RTW 40 60
Catch 40 38 72


A different way of looking at the dartboard can also help when calculating outs.

A percentage shot version of the outchart can also help. Learn the math as opposed to always needing to look at an outchart

Outchart from 231-409 for those particular setup shots that are a little different.


Other practice routines/games

121
  • Out practice game, taking the outs 121+
  • Must take "out" out in 9 darts or less.
  • This can be a multi-player game as well, just take turns on the same "out"
  • If you hit the "out" you are on, add 1 to the "out" you were on and start again, 9 darts to take it out
  • If you fail to take the out "out" in 9 darts, subtract 1 from the out you were on and start again.
  • This game is used a lot as warmup before a tournament, but is a solid game to work on these bigger checkouts
  • The game ends whenn you decide to stop playing, it's an open ended game
  • NOTE: Yes, you try and take 159, 162, 163, 165, 166, 168, 169, etc out, you have 9 darts to do it.

    Brian's Triples RTW

  • Play it like BlackHorse RTW, except with the triples from 7->20
  • 3 points if you hit the triple before anything else
  • 1 point if you hit the triple after hitting another scoring wedge
  • Game is over after 42 darts
  • Max Score: 126

    Three in a a bed (Bound to be many variations of this out there, but here's mine)

  • Go around the board from 1->20
  • Must hit all 3 darts in the singles of a number before you move on to the next number
  • Game ends when you finish all 3 darts in the single 20 bed.
  • Count the number of turns it takes to go around the world.
  • Lower the score the better.
  • Best Score: 20

    Blackbelt Doubles

  • around the world doubles from 1->20 (can add the bull if you want)
  • must hit 2 of each double before moving onto the next double
  • lower the score the better

    Golf

  • Outs practice from 40->2
  • Count the number of darts to take every "out" out
  • lower the score the better
  • Perfect Score: 39

    For advanced players, give this one a try.
    Frustration or Murder

  • Round the world doubles (1->20) with a twist... (you can add the bull in there if you want)
  • First two (2) darts must be at a scoring wedge (60, 57) AND you MUST hit one triple before shooting your 3rd dart at the double you are on.
  • If you DO NOT hit a triple in your first two darts, your 3rd dart is a free dart, throw at whatever you want or retrieve your darts
  • If you hit the double on your 3rd dart, it's back to the triples and if you hit one of the triples, you move onto the next double in order
  • This is a timed event, can also count the number of turns (lower the better)