World-Class darts; To England and back

By Dave Fatum

Usually I write articles on ideas to help others improve their game, but this month I am going share the great opportunity I was given to improve my own game.

After a successful start to the new steel-tip tournament season, I was invited over to England by JR Darts and Promotions to play in their Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) tournament, called the Vauxhall JR Pro 128 and the Vauxhall Open Singles. It was an honor to be invited and an opportunity I could not pass up; I always say that if you want to improve your game, you always need to find the better players and play with them.

So my journey starts with standing in the Phoenix airport wearing shorts, T-shirt, and sandals, at which time I started to look around and saw everyone else standing there with winter jackets and hats in hand. Hmmm… I had checked the week before and the average temperature was mid-60s so I figured it was okay. That was, of course, until I landed. Ten hours later, with a seven-hour time difference, it was pouring rain and a balmy 42°F, so a quick wardrobe change was in order.

I walked outside to see a whole row of the stereotypical English cabs lined up for what seemed like miles. I wandered over to the pre-determined meeting place and to meet Julie and Anthony Hopkins, my hosts for the next two weeks (a great couple who work for JR Darts, and not bad players in their own right). They proceeded to give me the run-down of my itinerary for the next 10 days.

The next day, we were to head out to Great Yarmouth for the four-day Vauxhall shoot. Monday, a guest spot in the English Super League, Tuesday a county match (on TV), Wednesday an exhibition with David Askew (No. 15 in the world) and Thursday being a night off to go to the “disco.”

Friday was an exhibition with Jimmy Mann, a local player who is fast rising up the ranks after making it into last year’s World Championship. I would finish up my last weekend with a trip to the Budweiser UK Open Qualifier in Manchester and a County Super Singles tournament on Sunday. Whew, it was going to busy but that is why I was here.

So, we made the four-hour journey from London to Great Yarmouth where my first predisposed idea of England changed: there is a lot of open farmland there. I thought it was all houses. Then I noticed two more things: there were no cows, just sheep (must have been that mad cow disease they had here a few years back); and all the vehicles are small. The price of gas is just over $4.25/US a gallon so it explained why there were no SUVs and big 4x4s cruising around.

We arrived in Great Yarmouth and made our way to the “Holiday Park” where the tournament was being held. It seemed more like a huge trailer park, as it has mobile homes for rent for vacations by the ocean. The venue was as big as any Vegas tournament, and was filled with 90 steel-tip boards that were taken down at night so the “disco” could take place. Every night, including Sunday, there was a big party with live music and a comedian to entertain the masses. Man, they do a tournament with flair.

The best players – and I mean the best players in the world – were all there; it was a room full of the game’s biggest giants and all the guys you have seen on TV. The JR Vauxhall Pro Singles had 308 entries, and the format was best of nine with alternating start. It was great day of darts, as it took about eight hours to just get it down to the televised semi-finals on Sunday, with Dennis Preistly taking the title in the end.

I lost in round 64 with a few missed doubles, but that is darts. They had another singles, the Vauxhall Open the next day, which was won by “Hawaii 501” Wayne Martle, followed by the usual events of Doubles and Mixed Doubles the following day with parties every night.

Monday night we went to the English Super League, and I played at a social club that was dedicated to darts. It had 12 steel boards and a wide selection of “proper English Ale” to ensure that appropriate aiming fluid was ingested.

It went off well with the crowds, yes crowds, being very involved in the matches, which made it very fun. I won three of my four matches and was very pleased with the night.

Tuesday was the County League Match, and I will admit I was nervous about that one as soon as I awoke. Not only was I playing in the top national dart league in England, but it was also on TV. They play music, have strobe lights, and have “escorts” to walk you through the crowd to the stage. It was a lot of fun, and I was fortunate to win my match 5-1, which brought me both some cheers and jeers.

The exhibitions went well, but I quickly learned what the difference was between being an aspiring top player and a top WORLD player. I can score with them at that level, but their finishing ability is amazing. Rarely do they miss a single dart on the double, much less ever giving you a second chance.

The final weekend was the highlight of the trip for me. We took the three-hour trip to Manchester in the morning to play in the PDC Budweiser UK Open Qualifier. In my venue was Phil “The Power” Taylor (13-time World Champion) and my fellow Canadian John “Darth Maple” Part (two-time World Champion). The format was best of nine, alternating start, with only two of 80 players advancing to the Finals.

It was a great display of darts, as James Wade (No. 20 in the world) shot a nine-dart game (perfect) and then missed the double for another perfect game two games later, defeating John Part for a spot in the finals along with “The Power”. Mr. Wade’s display was amazing, and I thought I was about to see dart history being made with two perfect games in one match. I finished the weekend by participating the Super League singles tournament held back in Surrey at the Golden Lion Inn. There were 68 players signed up, and only three boards for the best of seven format.

Many, many pints and eight hours later, I found myself in the final against Graham Stoddard, edging him out 4-3 in a match that was pure fun and excitement. The crowd was loud; they chanted and sang a victory song when it was over, which is the highlight of my dart career to this point and I will be remembering it for a long time.

I have many thanks to JR Darts and the Hopkins for allowing me to experience darts at the highest level, and for the lessons I learned to improve my game. So, I recommend a trip to England where, next to soccer, darts is the No. 2 thing on TV for anyone who really wants to see what darts is all about. Cheers, Mate.