Forget endlessly trying to mimic professional darts players or constantly changing your technique. Darts legend Wayne Mardle’s new series, “Fix My Throw,” offers a refreshing and highly effective alternative: understanding and refining your *own* unique throw. Instead of grand overhauls, Mardle focuses on tiny, impactful adjustments and emphasizes the crucial role of natural rhythm and self-awareness, helping players improve significantly by working with their existing style, not against it.
The Problem with Copying the Pros
Many amateur darts players find themselves in a constant cycle: one week convinced their throw is the problem, the next trying to copy the latest professional’s technique – be it Luke Littler’s rhythm or Gary Anderson’s follow-through. This endless search for a “perfect” throw often leads to more frustration than improvement.
Wayne Mardle’s “Fix My Throw” series takes a radically different stance. Instead of dismantling players’ actions or insisting on a single “correct” way to throw, the former World Championship semi-finalist analyzes submissions from players globally. His practical advice centers on one overriding principle: understand your own throw before attempting to change it.
Mardle clarifies, “Darts is coachable,” but adds a crucial point: “I wouldn’t say everyone needs coaching. They just need the odd tip here and there.” His method focuses on finding the smallest adjustments that can yield the biggest improvements. Whether it’s a slight pause, an overly complicated grip, or a follow-through lacking conviction, his emphasis is always on refinement, not reinvention.
Why Imitating Stars Like Littler and Anderson Won’t Work for You
Perhaps the most liberating aspect of Mardle’s series is his direct challenge to a common misconception in amateur darts: the belief that successful players should imitate professionals.
Mardle uses examples like James Wade and Nathan Aspinall to illustrate that even some of the world’s best players possess technical quirks or “flaws.” The key difference, he argues, is that their natural ability allows them to repeat these actions consistently. As Mardle puts it, “We all want to throw like Adrian Lewis, Gary Anderson, Michael Smith, Luke Littler or Luke Humphries. But we can’t because that’s not us.”
This simple yet profound message is vital. Every player develops their own natural rhythm and style. Forcing yourself to copy someone else’s action often creates more problems than it solves, disrupting your innate flow.
The Unsung Hero: Your Natural Rhythm
The emphasis on rhythm emerges as a defining theme throughout Mardle’s coaching. When asked what is hardest to coach, his answer isn’t grip, stance, or follow-through – it’s rhythm.
From Dennis Priestley’s measured approach to Justin Pipe’s famously deliberate routine, Mardle highlights that every successful player possesses a natural fluency, regardless of how unconventional it might appear. The objective isn’t to speed players up or slow them down; it’s to help them find a routine that feels repeatable and comfortable, especially under pressure.
He explains, “Whilst it has to be natural, if it’s not, you are swimming against the tide.” This observation underpins every submission he reviews.
Practical Advice: Small Changes, Big Impact
Mardle’s approach is refreshingly encouraging. When reviewing submissions, he almost always begins by highlighting what the player already does well before suggesting one or two manageable improvements. For instance, one young player might be praised for his posture and effortless rhythm, while another is advised to relax to counter unnecessary tension.
There’s no attempt to overwhelm viewers with technical jargon or push for wholesale changes. Instead, Mardle clearly explains *why* a particular movement might become inconsistent over time, helping players understand the direct relationship between cause and effect within their own throw. This empowers players to make informed adjustments rather than blind imitations.
The Power of Self-Awareness in Darts
One of the most thought-provoking moments in the series comes when Mardle discusses awareness. He challenges players to truly understand their throw with this insight: “If you’re hitting a treble 20, then a treble 12 felt the same, you’re not getting your throw. You don’t understand it.”
For elite players, Mardle explains, every dart has a subtly different feel as it leaves the hand. Understanding these precise sensations allows them to identify mistakes even before the dart reaches the board. This level of self-awareness is something many amateurs never consciously develop, yet it’s crucial for consistent improvement.
This insight perfectly encapsulates what “Fix My Throw” aims to achieve. Rather than just providing a list of mechanical changes, Mardle is encouraging players to become active students of their own unique technique and feel.
Education Meets Enjoyment: The Mardle Way
When a submitted throw goes spectacularly wrong, Mardle’s reaction isn’t criticism but laughter, a gentle reminder that “darts is meant to be fun.” This sentiment feels increasingly important in an era where online coaching and social media advice can sometimes overcomplicate the game.
This balance between education and enjoyment is what makes “Fix My Throw” so effective. Mardle’s decades of experience as a professional player and commentator lend undeniable authority to his observations. However, it’s his ability to communicate these complex ideas in a clear, relatable, and entertaining way that makes his advice truly accessible and impactful for darts players of all levels.
Source: Based on an article from Darts World Magazine.
