7 Throwing Mistakes You're Making Right Now
Dart two leaves your hand a beat too fast, chasing the miss dart one just made. It buries itself in the 1 — and now you're throwing dart three angry.
Almost every wild scatter of darts traces back to a short list of mechanical faults. Here are the seven most common, how to recognize each one in your misses, and what actually fixes it.
Gripping Too Tight
The white-knuckle grip is mistake number one, and it gets worse under pressure. A strangled dart releases late, dives low, and leaves your whole forearm tense.
The fix: hold the dart just firmly enough that it won't slip — no more. Before each turn, consciously drop your shoulders and loosen your fingers; a proper dart grip should feel almost casual.
Letting the Elbow Move
Your elbow is the hinge of the throw, and it should stay nearly fixed in space while the forearm swings. An elbow that drops or swings sideways sends darts low or sprays them left and right.
The fix: set the elbow up and pointed at the board, then throw with the forearm only. Have a friend hold a hand lightly under your elbow during practice throws — you'll feel every drop instantly.
Throwing With Your Whole Body
Lunging at the board feels powerful and ruins everything, because a moving head and shoulder mean a moving release point. Darts need touch, not muscle.
The fix: plant your stance, freeze your torso, and let the arm do all the work. If your head travels toward the board during the throw, you're lunging.
Changing Rhythm Between Darts
Rushing dart two after a bad dart one is how single bad darts become bad turns. A throw with changing tempo is a different throw every time.
The fix: build a countable routine — settle, aim, one smooth pull-back, throw. Same beat for the first dart of the night and the match dart.
Cutting the Follow-Through Short
Snatching your hand back at release decelerates the arm before the dart is gone. The result is darts drifting low and a stabby, cramped motion.
The fix: finish every throw with your hand extended toward the target, and hold it until the dart lands. Our guide to the follow-through covers building that finish for good.
Chasing the Last Miss
Aiming where the previous dart went wrong — instead of rebuilding your aim — turns one miss into three. Overcorrecting is still correcting blind.
The fix: treat each dart as its own throw with a fresh sight line. Adjust your aim only on clear patterns across many darts, never on one stray.
Blaming (or Ignoring) Your Equipment
Some players buy new darts monthly instead of fixing their throw; others battle darts that genuinely fight their grip. Both stall progress.
The fix: pick one reasonable setup and stick with it long enough to see patterns. If you're truly unsure where to start, settle what weight dart suits you once, then leave it alone.
- Solid brass barrels give a full, balanced feel at the throw line
- Knurled and grooved grip sections help keep your release consistent
- A dependable steel tip set for bristle boards at home, the office, or the bar
Quick Diagnostic: Read Your Misses
- Darts low: late release, dropped elbow, or no follow-through.
- Darts high: early release or a flicked wrist.
- Darts consistently left or right: alignment or sight-line problem — move your feet first.
- Darts scattered randomly: grip tension and rhythm — slow everything down.
- Wobbling flight: fingers dragging on the barrel at release.
Should I fix all of these at once?
No — change exactly one thing per practice session. Stacking fixes means you'll never know which one worked.
How long does a fix take to stick?
Expect it to feel worse before it feels normal, often for a week or two of sessions. Grooved habits fight back; boring repetition wins.
When should I get my throw looked at?
If you've plateaued for months, one session with a strong local player — or a slow-motion phone video — beats another hundred solo games. You can't see your own elbow.
Film one turn from the side tonight, pick the single ugliest fault, and give the fix a full week before you judge it.