Raised oche for home practice?

[Regulatori]

Right now I throw in my garage....my "oche" is a strip of 3" wide blue painter's tape.

I was thinking about adding a 2x4 or a 1x4 in front of the blue strip to simulate a raised oche.

What got me thinking is noticing many pros putting weight against the raised oche almost as a support. I've never used one so I'm unaware if they're actually leaning against the oche and using it for support....or simply used as foot stop that allows you to get close as possible/improve consistency since your front foot will always be in the same place.

I see an advantage and disadvantage to a raised oche for home use.

Advantage..
-Have a consistent front foot position every time. Instead of focusing on the exact spot of your front foot every time you approach the oche, you can now put more energy into focusing on the board itself. Plus it gives you a physical barrier to rest against...you're be shooting in the exact same position every time.


Disadvantage..
-Since none of the bars I play at have raised oche's, I don't want to get in the habit of leaning against the oche (players like Barney seem to do this) and have it becoming a part of my throw....and the moment I no longer have a raised oche, I realize how it became a part of my throw. I just don't want to that to affect me when I play in bar matches/leagues with a flat oche again.


So people that have put up raised oches for your practice board, have you found the benefits outweigh the negatives. Was it odd to spend hours practicing/using one and then heading to a league match with a flat oche?
Thanks.

[Banned]

I think the big advantage of a raised oche is that you don't have to spend time looking down anymore. Have a close look at some of the videos of top pro's on Youtube. Phil, MvG, Lewis, Anderson, Barney, etc... none of them look down. They're focused on the board as they approach the oche.

This topic was brought up recently on last weeks Dart Talk show. Steve was talking about Scott Kirchner and said the phantom throw didn't bother him nearly as much as all the looking down that Scott did. He said it was obvious that Scott didn't practice with a raised oche in preparation to play on stage because of 'how' he played with all the looking at his feet. The funny thing is, I didn't even notice it because it's something I do every single time i throw. It seemed normal to me because I have to look down at my oche to make sure I'm behind the oche line.

I'm in the same boat as you Regulatori. When I go to my local pubs to play darts there's no raised oche. So I really don't feel the need to practice with one. But I do happen to have 3 large tournaments right in the area White Mountain Open, Port City Open and the Sunday River Open. When those get close I will add a raised oche to my practice so I'm used to it when I go to the tourney. Probably a week or 2 before.

After hearing discussion last week on Dart Talk about a raised oche I got thinking about it and I do believe it can make you a better player as you don't have to look down anymore. All focus is on the board and at top level darts you need every little advantage you can get.

I'm undecided if we need one at home though. I'm leaning towards yes though. The only thing holding me back is I need to find a way to have a raised oche that folds out of the way or is removable. My oche is kind of in the middle of a doorway. So a permanent one just wouldn't work.

[gumbo2176]

I had 2 raised Oches in my man cave prior to Hurricane Katrina flooding my ground floor and ruining them. I made them like the platforms you are seeing at the World Championships. They were cut to the specified length out of 7/16 OSB (oriented strand board), much like plywood, covered with indoor/outdoor carpet and the edges were trimmed with metal "L" shaped material. I also put 1 x 4's along the bottom edges and across the middle to raise it a bit higher. All total, they were about 1.5 inches high when complete.

As for noticing any difference, not really, but it did make some of my friends stay strictly in regulation as they would often cheat a bit on those tape oches. My biggest issue with them was when cleaning up and needing to move them around as they weighed in the 80 lb. range and were fairly awkward. I don't have any now, just a toe line I got from a dart supply house locally and a piece of indoor/outdoor carpet double taped to the floor now.

[*Saber*]

hey Cy maybe thats me problem looking down instead of looking at the board
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.

[Adams]

None of the bars where I’ve ever shot either steel tip or soft tip darts ever had a raised oche. My practice shooting at home is preparation for competition at those places, so the old tape-on-the-floor oche is the right way for me to go. It provides the most realistic preparation for league competition. A raised oche would IMO be superior, but it’d be an unrealistic crutch that I’d have to do without in competition, so I don’t see any sense in using one at home.

[Dartbuggy]

Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.

My solution.

My setup is in a carpeted room. Definitely not competition standard, but great for points that bounce out. At first I used a strip of painters tape, but when I vacuumed over it, it ran up into the vacuum. I considered those laser oches, (neat idea there) but the expense and delivery wait time... I wanted to throw and right away. So I nailed two pieces of board together and sanded the corners round. The nails extend through about a 1/8" and help hold the place, but don't hurt the carpet. The 15lb dumb bells anchor it very solid. A week ago or so, I used acrylics and hand painted it. Gave it a few sprays of clear coat to make it shiny and durable.

I like it a lot. I use it for support, but I have very good balance, and don't really miss that when I step up to a taped line. Really, not that big of a deal. True I have to take more time positioning my feet at the bar, but I do that even with the raised oche, because I am careful to mark my heel at my target. That is why I painted a center line to line up with the bull. I move depending on number being shot. That and making sure I don't start to twist my upper body towards the target have been a help to me.

The only real downside is tripping over it and stubbing naked toes. I have to warn people to be careful not to trip over the weights or board. I did that a few late nights drinking, but have become used to it and have stopped. Yes, I know the dangers of playing barefoot and drunk. I guess I am just a wild one.

[Ni518079]

I like using one but you get used to it and when you play out (at least where I play) there are no raised oches. I don't use it all the time but not looking down and looking at the board when you step up I think really sets you up better for a shot.
Here's one I made for my linoleum floor.

https://www.dartsnutz.net/showthread.php?tid=7271

Would like a legit permanent one one day.

[Dartbuggy]

I like using one but you get used to it and when you play out (at least where I play) there are no raised oches. I don't use it all the time but not looking down and looking at the board when you step up I think really sets you up better for a shot.
Here's one I made for my linoleum floor.

https://www.dartsnutz.net/showthread.php?tid=7271

Would like a legit permanent one one day.

Thanks for the link. I had not seen that thread. Really neat idea. Good job with that.

[Crusher17]

I love a raised oche because i like ramming my foot into it and you dont have to look down, my local legion that i play at has the carpet to tile peace which is the oche line it's not big but i wear skateboard shoes when i play so i can slide my foot up and into it, Ni thats a cool idea for an oche and cheap price to do

[Cankles of Fury]

I'm glad nick posted his link as it's ingenious. I put my area rug right at the oche line so there just enough of a lip to give me a bearing.

[brenthahn]

I can't imagine a bar having a raised oche because it's something to trip over.  Besides, that's a fair amount of space that can be used for something else if the occasion warrants.  Like yesterday in LA at 4pm (UK New Year's).  The person who snapped this was right in front of a dartboard.  I'm on the far right.

Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.

[nky225]

i like playing with a raised oche but it does certainly make it harder when you play without one

[6God]

i like playing with a raised oche but it does certainly make it harder when you play without one

Seems conditions are never perfect! Ahaha I would agree