DartScore.ukDarts Practice Routines That Actually Help
Last updated 10 November 2026
Throwing darts aimlessly at treble 20 feels like practice, but it rarely leads anywhere. Structured practice is different: a fixed routine, a score at the end and a record of that score. Then you can see whether you are improving, and what to work on.
Three principles
- Every drill has a score. If you can't measure it, you can't tell whether it is working.
- Write the score down. Compare this week's average with last month's, not with your best ever night.
- Practise what loses you games. If you score well but miss doubles, spend most of the session on doubles.
The 20-minute routine
When time is short, cover the two skills that matter most in 501:
- Warm up (5 minutes): throw at the 20 at an easy pace. Don't keep score.
- Scoring (7 minutes): one game of High Score. Divide your total by 10 for your 3-dart average.
- Doubles (8 minutes): one game of Bob's 27. Note your final score.
The 40-minute routine
- Warm up (5 minutes).
- Accuracy (8 minutes): one game of Around the Clock, counting the darts you need.
- Scoring (10 minutes): High Score, alternating between a game at treble 20 and a game at treble 19.
- Checkouts (10 minutes): pick five finishes between 41 and 100 from the checkout chart. Give yourself three turns to take out each one, and count how many you manage.
- Doubles (7 minutes): Bob's 27.
The 60-minute routine
Use the 40-minute routine, then add:
- Legs of 501 (15 minutes): play solo legs and count the darts each one takes. The average calculator turns that into an average.
- Pressure doubles (5 minutes): choose a double and keep throwing until you hit it three times in a row.
Measuring progress
| Drill | What to record | What improvement looks like |
|---|---|---|
| High Score | Total, or total ÷ 10 | Your average creeping up |
| Bob's 27 | Final score | Finishing above zero, then higher each month |
| Around the Clock | Darts needed | Fewer darts |
| Checkouts | Finishes taken out of five | More finishes taken |
| Legs of 501 | Darts per leg | Fewer darts |
The DartScore.uk scoreboard records your averages and results for each game mode automatically, so most of this record-keeping is done for you. Open My Stats in the scoreboard menu to see it.
Common mistakes
- Practising only treble 20. Scoring matters, but legs are won on doubles.
- Never playing under pressure. Drills that you can fail, like Bob's 27, are closer to match conditions.
- Changing everything at once. If you change your grip, stance or darts, change one thing at a time and give it a few sessions before you judge it.