Here it is, another month gone by, and since I have spent a fair amount of time in dart tournaments as both a participant (at the beginning) and a spectator (after the 2nd round), I have taken notice of some of the mannerisms of different dart players. I don't mean to be poking fun at people, I certainly have my own rituals, but some of these styles make you sit up and take notice. If anyone watches baseball, they have surely noticed the shortstop for the Boston Red Sox, Nomar Garciaparra, tug on his gloves, pull on his hat bill, and tap his toes while waiting for the pitcher to deliver the ball.


Here are some of the dart styles I have picked up on...

The 3rd dart lunge:  This is the one where the person at the line times the third dart leaving their hand so it coincides with their lunge from the throwline in the direction of the board. I have a problem hitting the number I am throwing at if I stand still and take aim. If I lunged, I'm pretty sure I'd put someone's eye out.

The stand backwards with your heels on the throw line, turn your head 90 degrees and throw over your shoulder style:  I would have to drive home sitting backwards in the seat after 15 games of this. Of course if I dribbled beer while imbibing, it would be on the back of my shirt.

The get ready, set, take aim, then rotate your arm like you are shifting a 4-speed through the gears before making the final release:  Looks cool, but I am unsure what it accomplishes, unless they are trying to conceal what they are shooting at, and the happy darts look like they were aimed.

The walk up to the line, take 3 steps to the side, which almost puts you on the throw line of the neighboring board:   Raise your left side until all your weight is on your right foot. Take aim, and throw. If you are on this player's team, you have no problem seeing the entire board while they are shooting. One of my favorite players uses this pose, and it works well for him. You go, Larry!

Then, there is the player that won't change their tips:  I watched a guy throw three darts that had tips resembling corkscrews more than tips. All three darts hit the board and bounced right off. He walked up, cursed the board, picked up his darts off the floor, went back to the table, straightened the tips with his teeth, drank some beer then did it all over again. I guess if his back will handle that for an entire match, that's okay, but I sure hate being on the board next to him. Seeing his darts bouncing in my direction or him picking them up, becomes somewhat distracting.

Then, there is the player that gets to the line, goes into a half crouch, left leg extended behind him, right leg bent at the knee. Get set, then throw a 120mph dart that whistles like an incoming mortar round:  When these darts hit home, I swear the board groans. I have often wondered if he has an accomplice outside hammering the darts back through the wall.

Finally, the rapid-fire player who has the ability to throw three darts so fast you don't even see his hands move:  I really think the third dart has left his hand before the first dart hits the board. I am truly amazed when they hit what he needs to close or take out a number. I never tire of watching this guy throw.