Beginner Programme

Your 12-Week
Path to the Oche

A structured, progressive training plan taking you from your very first throw to confident league-standard play. Three phases. Twelve weeks. One goal.

12
Weeks
3
Phases
5×
Sessions / week
30m
Per session
Phase 1 — Foundation (Weeks 1–4)
Phase 2 — Consistency (Weeks 5–8)
Phase 3 — Pressure Play (Weeks 9–12)
Your progress — Week 1 of 12
1
🏗️
Phase 1 — Building Your Foundation
Weeks 1–4 · Establishing a solid stance, consistent grip, fundamental throwing mechanics, and basic target acquisition. Consistency over perfection.
Week 1
Stance & Balance
Finding your stable throwing position
▲
This week's drills
🚶
Shadow Throwing
10 minutes each day practising your stance and throwing motion without darts. Focus on smooth, repeatable movements — no board needed.
⚖️
Balance Drill
Stand in your throwing position for 1 minute at a time, concentrating on maintaining perfect stability without swaying or shifting weight.
Week 1 Goal
Develop a consistent, balanced stance that feels natural and repeatable every single time you step up to the oche.
Week 2
Grip & Release
Eliminating wobble, building a clean release
▼
This week's drills
✋
Grip Practice
Throw 50 darts daily. Primary focus is a relaxed, consistent grip and a clean release — don't chase accuracy yet, just feel.
🍽️
Paper Plate Test
Attach a paper plate to your dartboard and aim for it. The larger target lets you focus entirely on releasing the dart smoothly, reducing wobble on release.
Week 2 Goal
Eliminate dart wobbling in flight and achieve a smooth, consistent release with every throw.
Week 3
Targeting Single Numbers
Aiming for specific segments on the board
▼
This week's drills
🔢
20-to-1 Drill
Throw one dart at each number, starting from 20 and working down to 1. The goal is to hit each number's wedge in sequence — don't move on until you hit it.
🎯
Bullseye Challenge
Throw 30 darts at the bullseye. Award yourself 5 points for inner bull and 3 for outer bull. Track your score each session and try to beat it.
Week 3 Goal
Consistently hit your target number's wedge with at least 50% of your shots by end of week.
Week 4
Scoring Basics
Introduction to game formats and high-value areas
▼
This week's drills
🎮
101 Solo Game
Play solo 101 with double-in, double-out format. For now focus on just getting to zero — the double pressure will come later. Log every result.
🏆
T20 Focus
Throw 10 sets of 3 darts at the Triple 20. Record your total score for each set. You're building the muscle memory that every competitive player relies on.
Week 4 Goal
Consistently average 30 or more points per round when playing 101 solo.
2
🎯
Phase 2 — Consistency, Accuracy & Finishes
Weeks 5–8 · Tightening your dart groupings, improving doubles and triples, and learning fundamental checkout strategies.
Week 5
Grouping Your Darts
Tighter clusters = higher scores
▼
This week's drills
📍
Cluster Challenge
Throw 3 darts at Triple 20. After each set, measure the spread between the darts. Aim to get all three within 2 inches of each other consistently.
🔁
Repeat Throws
Practice hitting the same single number three times in a row (e.g. Single 16 × 3). Move to the next number only when you achieve three consecutive hits.
Week 5 Goal
Significantly tighten your dart groupings — aim for a 25% improvement in spread consistency compared to Week 4.
Week 6
Doubles Practice
The most important skill in competitive darts
▼
This week's drills
⭕
Double Trouble
Rotate through D16, D8, D4, D2 and D1 — throwing 3 darts at each. These are the most common finishing doubles in competitive play. Log your hit rate.
🎮
Double-Out 301
Play solo 301, focusing only on hitting a double to finish. Don't worry about the route in — just learn the pressure of standing on that final double.
Week 6 Goal
Successfully hit three doubles in a row at least once by end of the week.
Week 7
Triples & Combinations
Expanding your scoring range
▼
This week's drills
↔️
T19/T20 Alternator
Alternate throwing 10 rounds between Triple 19 and Triple 20. This improves your ability to switch targets accurately — essential for when T20 is blocked.
🏏
Cricket Practice
Focus on "closing" numbers 15–20 and the bullseye in a game of Cricket. Closing means hitting a number 3 times — treble counts as 3 in one dart.
Week 7 Goal
Successfully close three numbers in Cricket within 12 darts or fewer.
Week 8
Checkout Basics
Learning two-dart finishes
▼
This week's drills
✌️
Two-Dart Finishes
Practise specific checkouts: 32 (D16), 40 (D20), and 36 (D18). These are the most common 2-dart finishes in 501 — commit them to muscle memory.
🕐
Around the Clock Doubles
Hit each double from D1 to D10 in order, moving on only when you land it. Use our Random Checkout Generator on Level 1 for extra reps.
Week 8 Goal
Be able to check out scores of 40 or more within 3 darts reliably.
3
🔥
Phase 3 — Advanced Techniques & Pressure Play
Weeks 9–12 · Mastering checkout strategies, developing mental focus, and preparing for competitive match scenarios.
Week 9
High-Volume Scoring
Building stamina on the treble 20
▼
This week's drills
💯
100 Darts at T20
Throw 100 darts solely at the Triple 20. Track your total score and aim for 1,000 points or more. This builds the muscle memory that elite players spend years forming.
🤖
Cricket vs. Bot
Play 10 games of Cricket against a dart bot. Focus on consistently scoring and closing numbers quickly — don't let the bot settle into a rhythm.
Week 9 Goal
Consistently average 45 points or more per dart when practising on the Triple 20.
Week 10
Checkout Mastery
Refining complex finishes under pressure
▼
This week's drills
🎯
121 Game
Start at 121 and aim to check out in 9 darts or fewer. This forces you to plan multiple routes to the finish — the mark of a thinking darts player.
🔀
Random Checkouts
Use our Checkout Generator set to Level 2 (Intermediate) to generate 60–100 random finishes per session. Broaden your checkout vocabulary.
Week 10 Goal
Consistently check out scores of 70 or more within 3 darts.
Week 11
Pressure Scenarios
Mental toughness and performing under stress
▼
This week's drills
💀
Sudden Death
Simulate "must-hit" doubles. Stand on D16 and tell yourself you must hit it to win the match. Throw until you hit it — focus on breathing and routine, not the outcome.
📉
Progressive Challenge
Start a game of 301. After each leg, reduce the starting score by 50 (301 → 251 → 201 etc.). Each leg gets harder and shorter — forces decisive finishing.
🔥
Checkout Generator Level 3
Use our Checkout Generator at Hard difficulty. Complex and varied finishes simulate real match situations where the score is never clean.
Week 11 Goal
Successfully win 5 out of 10 sudden death double scenarios.
Week 12
Mock Competition
Full match simulation — everything on the line
▼
This week's drills
🏆
Best of 5 Sets
Play full matches — 501 double-in/double-out — against a friend or high-level bot. Treat every leg like it matters. Keep score. Track your 3-dart average.
👁️
Peer Review
Have a friend or experienced player watch your throw and give honest feedback on mechanics, pre-throw routine, and decision-making at the oche.
🎮
Career Mode Season
Start a full season in Dart Starter Career Mode. Use everything you've learned across 12 weeks to compete in the pub league.
Week 12 Goal
Consistently average 60 points or more per dart in a full match simulation. You're ready for league play.

Daily Template

Your Daily Routine

Step 01
🌡️
Warm Up

5 minutes of light shadow throws to prime your muscles and lock in your stance before touching the board.

Step 02
🎯
Focused Drills

20–30 minutes on this week's specific drills. Quality beats quantity — full concentration every single throw.

Step 03
🎮
Cool Down Game

Finish with a fun, relaxed game like Around the Clock. Remove the pressure and let your body absorb the session.

Step 04
😴
Rest Days

Take 2 full rest days per week — Wednesdays and Sundays work well. Recovery is when consistency is built.

Pro Tips

For Sustainable Progress

📓
Track Your Progress

Keep a notebook or use a scoring app to log every drill score. Seeing improvement over weeks is one of the most powerful motivators in darts.

📱
Film Your Throw

Record your throwing motion from the side and front. Reviewing footage reveals inconsistencies you simply cannot feel in the moment.

⚙️
Adjust Difficulty

If a drill feels too easy, add constraints. If it's too hard, break it into smaller steps. The plan is a framework — adapt it to your pace.

Ready to Begin
Your Journey?

Start Week 1 today — or jump straight into a training game to warm up first.

Start Week 1 → Browse Training Games