Switch darts, or stick with the "old faithfuls"?

[JohnK]

Warning: this is a long-winded post, so I apologize in advance! Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.

Okay, so I'm suffering from a very frustrating inability to make a decision... and my game is suffering because of it! For the past week or so, I've been switching back and forth between 2 sets of darts over and over again, trying to figure out which one I should go forward with: a new set, and my old set. This indecision doing my head in, and I'm hoping some advice from the community will help set me (and my game) straight.

The old set:
23g gold Hamiltons. These are actually fairly new to me (a few weeks), but I've been throwing Sigmas pretty much my whole darting life and these are almost exactly the same. So let's just call my old set: Sigma-style darts. The Sigma-style is quite comfortable in my hand. With these darts, my game has steadily improved and I'm quite happy with both my current performance and my rate of improvement. The problem is: I can't get the darned things to fly straight! I've been through many different stem/flight combinations, but there must be something in the way I grip or release it. The darts just corkscrew their way to the board like a lame duck. They always land at the same angle (flight slightly up), and they land pretty much where I want 'em, but the flight path is just plain ugly! I've ended up choosing a stem/flight combination that gives me a decent compromise between the ugly flight pattern and grouping (due to deflections because of said lame-duck behavior).

The new set:
22g gold Joe Cullen. Normally, a straight barrel doesn't suit me well. But these are an exception! I love the grip style, and these darts fit in my hand comfortably (if not quite as comfortable as the Sigma's), and the instant I started throwing them, I was shocked by how straight and true these darts flew! All of the corkscrewing behavior that I had with my old set was instantly gone! The problem is, although I love how they fly and how they feel to throw, I just can't score the same as with my old darts. I have some brilliant moments, but for the most part, my game has dropped significantly in the week or so that I have been using them.

My difficulty is deciding whether this inconstency is just an artifact of getting used to a new set of darts, or if the darts just don't suit me? I mean, is this drop in my game just "growing pains" that will eventually vanish I get used to these new darts? If so, then I'd hate my fear of changing darts to keep me from using a set that I can obviously throw better (in a "flight quality" sense), and that could potentially give me a higher potential in the future! At the same time, I don't want to mess my game up by changing darts unnecessarily when I'm scoring fine with my old ones.

In any case, I'd like to make a decision soon, because my game is getting worse even with the old darts due to this constant switching back and forth! Any advice from more experienced players would be appreciated!

[Bigshow]

I experienced the same scenario as yourself not long ago. I was playing with Barney's darts and playing well. I bought a set of Hankey's to put on the surround, basically just for show but when I played with them I loved them. Before long I was switching to them when I wasn't playing well and if they weren't going where I wanted them to then I'd switch back. My head was up my own ass for a while and I didn't know if I was coming or going. Then I started to use some Anderson's and I was done for. My game was up the left.

Things got so bad that I turned up to 4 league nights with a different set of darts each night. Eventually a friend ( team-mate ) took me to the side one night and give me a bollocking for switching around and playing like a numpty. He made me promise him that I would use my Barney's for one solid week and not switch once no matter what. The following week I turned up with the Barney's and won my match. I scored well and finished ok so I thought it would be best if I stuck to my old faithful's.

It took me around a month or so to get my confidence back but I'm glad I did. I go into every game now playing much better darts. I now have to be beaten as suppose to giving away games.

[Jimbo21]

One thing to remember John, the set you have thrown with the most is probably the one to stick with. When things go wrong, it usually isnt the dart that is at fault, it is usually the person throwing it.

I have ups and downs on a regular basis, but I always stick with the same set of darts as I know it is just a temp set back and that I will get over it with a bit of hard work.

Case in point, last Friday night, I was throwing so bad that I was tempted to pull out of the 2nd round of state trials this weekend, but after a solid workout with a mate, I am now back on track and looking forward to the trials this weekend.

Always have faith in yourself to over come these obstacles. If you really want to change darts, then I suggest you wait until you have a break between seasons in league, then do it and hit the practise board hard to get used to the new darts.

[nnj]

one thing to keep in mind...when changing barrels you might need to also change stem length and/or flight size. simply putting your old setup on new barrels 9/10 times results in having to change/alter your throw

[*Saber*]

Try this buddy - open your hand at the end of your throw - your hanging on to the dart just a little too long. Try it and let me know, good luck.

[davidsproull]

As long as you have the flight/stem combo that suits whatever dart you are throwing then who cares which dart you are throwing. Stick with one or change as often as you like. many will say that changing darts is a distraction but I think it is worrying about changing darts being a distraction that is the biggest distraction of all.

Throw a dart that you like and that feels comfortable but at the end of the day I suspect it really is you and not the dart that makes the difference. I'm pretty new to this game so take me with a grain of salt, but that's my two cents...

[Troll]

I am not a player . I can say just one thing if your throw is the same with all darts you have. And all darts fly the same you can change to darts you like the best. If your stroke is off then it is off . And by changing darts you only try to avoid real problem

[1in1out]

I am not a player . I can say just one thing if your throw is the same with all darts you have. And all darts fly the same you can change to darts you like the best. If your stroke is off then it is off . And by changing darts you only try to avoid real problem

mt opinion for what its worth is put in the hours with the new set they fly straight and true and not spirally like the old set and surely a dart that flys straight from ure hand is a solid foundation to build ure game on

[loopdogg]

yep yep...my darts started to fish tail???? don't know why....I went to a shorter shaft, and then went to a longer shaft and the longer shaft worked...not sure why but it did, they have flown straight since

[Troll]

I am not a player . I can say just one thing if your throw is the same with all darts you have. And all darts fly the same you can change to darts you like the best. If your stroke is off then it is off . And by changing darts you only try to avoid real problem

mt opinion for what its worth is put in the hours with the new set they fly straight and true and not spirally like the old set and surely a dart that flys straight from ure hand is a solid foundation to build ure game on

Maybe they are flying straight because of honeymoon period. And after a period they will also go sideways .Been there seen that

[JohnK]

Thanks all for your advice so far... it is really appreciated!

I am of the same opinion that several seem to be: that in the end, it is the player, not the dart. And switching around all the time trying to find the "magic" set can be dangerous. However, I do believe that most people have a "style" of dart (weight, barrel shape, etc.) that will suit their throwing style the best, and getting matched with that style will help a player improve faster - I think 1in1out hit on this with his post.

After a day of thought, I've decided to re-phrase my question a bit.

The crux of my issue is this: the new set of darts seems to actually solve a problem - the corkscrewing dart. Maybe the barrel shape/weight/grip style is more suited to my throw. Or the barrel shape forces a slight change in my grip and release. Whatever it is, the new set flys straight and true, and the old set doesn't.

The downside of the new set is an apparent, significant loss of consistency and scoring power. Now my hope is that this is just a temporary set-back caused by getting used to a new set of darts, and therefore I should just work through the "growing pains," and I will come out the other end throwing better than I did with my old set - I will then be one step closer to finding that "perfect" set of darts for me.

But my fear is that this drop in consistency is an indication that, despite the straighter flight pattern, this set doesn't actually suit me. And that in forcing myself to use these darts for a few weeks, I will need to "re-learn" how to throw my old ones, and therefore will have set my game back a few months.

So I'm curious about your opinions on this, and this is my re-phrased question:
If you were to find a new set of darts that seemed to solve a long-standing problem with the quality of your throw, but caused an immediate loss in consistency, what would you do? Work through the pain hoping for faster gains in the future, or just stick with what mostly works, and a more predictable (but possibly slower) pattern of improvement?

[JohnK]

Maybe they are flying straight because of honeymoon period. And after a period they will also go sideways .Been there seen that

That's one of the things I'm worried about!! :s

[loopdogg]

i kept the dart, try swapping shaft...cheap try

[1in1out]

Thanks all for your advice so far... it is really appreciated!

I am of the same opinion that several seem to be: that in the end, it is the player, not the dart. And switching around all the time trying to find the "magic" set can be dangerous. However, I do believe that most people have a "style" of dart (weight, barrel shape, etc.) that will suit their throwing style the best, and getting matched with that style will help a player improve faster - I think 1in1out hit on this with his post.

After a day of thought, I've decided to re-phrase my question a bit.

The crux of my issue is this: the new set of darts seems to actually solve a problem - the corkscrewing dart. Maybe the barrel shape/weight/grip style is more suited to my throw. Or the barrel shape forces a slight change in my grip and release. Whatever it is, the new set flys straight and true, and the old set doesn't.

The downside of the new set is an apparent, significant loss of consistency and scoring power. Now my hope is that this is just a temporary set-back caused by getting used to a new set of darts, and therefore I should just work through the "growing pains," and I will come out the other end throwing better than I did with my old set - I will then be one step closer to finding that "perfect" set of darts for me.

But my fear is that this drop in consistency is an indication that, despite the straighter flight pattern, this set doesn't actually suit me. And that in forcing myself to use these darts for a few weeks, I will need to "re-learn" how to throw my old ones, and therefore will have set my game back a few months.

So I'm curious about your opinions on this, and this is my re-phrased question:
If you were to find a new set of darts that seemed to solve a long-standing problem with the quality of your throw, but caused an immediate loss in consistency, what would you do? Work through the pain hoping for faster gains in the future, or just stick with what mostly works, and a more predictable (but possibly slower) pattern of improvement?

johnk any chance u could post pics of your old set and new set with the flight and stem setup maybe me or another member could recommend a compromise set for u or just experiment a bit with short medium long shafts also different flights ie standard pear kite slim hope this helps put the pics on

[Troll]

You can allways ask George