The Darts Forum

Hiya everyone. I was wondering if anyone could help me out. I am an experienced dart player of 20 odd years and would class myself as a very good pub player. Around 3 years ago I decided my current darts needed replacing so I got a different set as I couldn't get the same darts. I opened the new set up and tried to throw them and my grip wasn't there although they were grippy darts. I then tried to throw my old set and the same result. I just can't hold a dart now. They are so loose in my hand they sometimes hit the wall or flop onto the floor. Could it be dattitus. I've tried different shaped darts and different grips. Nothing works. Please can anyone help. Thank you for reading this. Cheers.

Doesn't sound like any definition I've ever heard of.
You can grip other things I assume?

Hiya. Yes I can hold a pen no problem. It's the strangest thing not to be able to hold a dart properly. No one's ever heard of it. I sort of wish I had normal dartitus where you can't let go of it. I'm considering just totally stopping playing for a few months. I dont know if coaching would help.

Just your throwing hand?
How strange.

It absolutely is. Can hold it ok with my left hand but can't aim. When I hold with my right I have no grip and no control of the dart. Sometimes they just fall from my hand then others hit wall. The annoying thing is if I can hold it half decent I can score well

Beats me.
Thicker barrels, chalk, roughing up the barrel etc worth trying but it does sound psychosomatic.

Tried most of them. Got some really thick barrels but still couldn't grip them. It must be a kind of dartitus I think. I need a psychologist. It's the most frustrating thing.

Put in some ear phones and focus on the music to district your mind maybe.
I find I play better pool etc when I'm not actually thinking about it.

Daztom wrote: ↑Mon Jan 07, 2019 8:44 pm It absolutely is. Can hold it ok with my left hand but can't aim. When I hold with my right I have no grip and no control of the dart. Sometimes they just fall from my hand then others hit wall. The annoying thing is if I can hold it half decent I can score well

Welcome to my world, had this problem for the last seven years. Beer helps

Hiya M H. Have you no grip at all

That's not a bad shout Randall. If I could pick up a dart and throw it wirhout thinking I'd be flying again. Everytime I throw now I'm thinking of my grip. Cheers

I don't grip the barrel, never have. Was ok till I did my back seven years ago and tried to adjust to continue playing. Problem is it fucked my natural throw and now I haven't a clue what it was

Daztom wrote: ↑Mon Jan 07, 2019 9:06 pm That's not a bad shout Randall. If I could pick up a dart and throw it wirhout thinking I'd be flying again. Everytime I throw now I'm thinking of my grip. Cheers

Do you practice alone?

Yes in my garage. It's a breezeblock wall which comes in handy when the dart slips

Daztom wrote: ↑Mon Jan 07, 2019 9:12 pm Yes in my garage. It's a breezeblock wall which comes in handy when the dart slips

Again, it's isolation, add a social element, take your mind away from it.

I used to play for a team but I've sort of given up because of the embarrassment. I wouldn't mind so much but a few weeks before I got this I got in the final of a singles knockout and played brilliant darts

Daztom wrote: ↑Mon Jan 07, 2019 9:20 pm I used to play for a team but I've sort of given up because of the embarrassment. I wouldn't mind so much but a few weeks before I got this I got in the final of a singles knockout and played brilliant darts

Doesnt have to be a team or competative environment.

How old are you Daztom? Do you have numbness in your hand or feet frequently or even occasionally? Have you been checked for Diabetes? Have you ever had a serious injury to your hand that you throw with?

I have heard of this before not as common as what is termed dartitis. I had a bout of dartitis several years ago found a method to overcome it that worked for many people that I talked with. Gone and has yet to return and that has been over 6 years now. Might come back who the fuck knows but I am actually not worried about it because if it does I know I can get over it again. In your case if it is not a physical thing I think I might have a solution or two for you.

Ok if your serious I have a few other questions about your throw,
1. would you say before you had this problem would you consider your grip pressure wise was a hard pinchy grip like Phil Taylor or soft cradle grip like John Part, or maybe somewhere in between?
2. Do you hold the dart with 2 fingers like say a pencil, with one of your fingers or more used in support i.e. touching or under the barrel for e.g.? Or strictly 2 fingers only with no support from other fingers? or 3 fingers or more on the barrel doing the gripping work? A picture of your grip would be extremely beneficial if not I can work with out it.
3. Your arm in the set up position approaching the shot: is it at 90 degrees? 45 degrees i.e. your hand is close to your face? Or greater than 90 i.e. further from your face?
4. Do you consider yourself someone who aims, like gary anderson who looks down the barrel of his dart thru to the target? or a thrower like MvG who just looks at his target and throws at?

Hiya. Thanks for your response. I know it sounds a strange thing to happen but it is absolutely true. I know I havn't got diabetes because i had a medical at work. It's a mental thing. I used to hold a dart a bit like a pencil I suppose. I held it with 3 fingers wirh my thumb holding it in the middle crease and my middle finger holding the dart straight with my index finger resting in the top but not doung much. Now when I try it I seem to lose my thumb grip. I hold the dart close to my right eye with my arm around 45 degrees