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Practicing darts alone might not sound as exciting as a night at the pub with friends, but it’s one of the best ways to develop consistency and confidence. Knowing how to practice darts alone will help you improve as a player.
Whether you’re just starting out or already a solid player, solo practice gives you the time and focus to refine every aspect of your throw without distractions.
If you’ve ever wondered how to get better at darts when you don’t have anyone to play with, this guide will walk you through exactly how to structure productive, enjoyable solo practice sessions.
Why Practicing Alone Works
When you play alone, there’s no pressure, no competition, and no one rushing you between throws. Playing with friends often makes you think more casually, but if you’re looking to follow our tips and tutorials, in a bid to get better, than being alone is the best way to do that.
You can focus entirely on your own technique and rhythm, which is exactly how you build muscle memory and confidence.
Practicing solo also lets you work on specific weaknesses. Maybe you struggle on doubles or need to tighten up your grouping, but to get the most from this, you do need to understand how to practice darts alone.
When you’re on your own, you can design sessions focused purely on improving those areas. Over time, this leads to more consistent scoring and better match performance when you’re back in competition.
Creating the Right Practice Environment
To get the most from solo darts practice, start by setting up a proper playing environment, your darts setup has to be correct, no ifs or buts, vital to your understanding of how to practice darts alone.
Make sure your dartboard is mounted at the correct height (5ft 8in from the floor to the bullseye) and that your oche or throw line is 7ft 9¼in away.
Good lighting is crucial, if you can, use a ring light or darts lighting system to avoid shadows, if not make the board as bright as possible using other lighting, for example, playing underneath or next to a light in the room. Lighting plays a big role, and we’ve got plenty of options in our buying guides section if you don’t have a dedicated lighting system for your dartboard.
Remove distractions from your practice area. Playing music or having the TV on in the background might seem harmless, but it can interrupt your rhythm. Focused practice is far more effective than long, unfocused sessions.
If you feel you need something then try with music for your warm up and cool down, but turn it off during the middle part of your practice session.
Finally, track your progress. Use a notebook, spreadsheet, or darts scoring app to record your averages, finishes, and checkout percentages.
Seeing your improvement written down will motivate you to keep going. It’s pointless learning how to practice darts alone, if you’re not going to reap the rewards and realise just how well you’re doing!
Structuring Your Practice Sessions
A great solo darts session has structure, and the good news is that here at Throw For 180, we’re going to give away our secrets and help you structure a session correctly.
Throwing for an hour straight without a plan isn’t as useful as 30 minutes of focused drills. Here’s a good starting framework you can adapt when working out how to practice darts alone:
1. Warm-up (10 minutes)
Start by throwing casually to loosen up. Focus on finding your rhythm rather than scoring. Aim around the board to get comfortable.
2. Scoring Practice (15–20 minutes)
Work on consistency by focusing on your most used trebles, especially 20s, 19s, and 18s. Track your averages across sets of 100 throws or by using the “100 darts at 20s” drill.
3. Finishing Practice (15 minutes)
Pick out common finishes like 40, 32, and 24, and practice hitting doubles. This is key for match play, where finishing often decides the result.
4. Checkout Routines (10–15 minutes)
Set yourself combinations like 121 or 101 and see how many you can take out in three darts. It’s great for sharpening your mental math and finishing under pressure.
5. Cool Down (5 minutes)
End with some relaxed throwing. Review what went well and what needs more attention next time.
Aim for three to five sessions per week, even if some are only 30 minutes long. The goal is consistency over time, not marathon sessions. How to practice darts alone is that simple and easy, the tricky part is sticking to it!
Practice Games to Try on Your Own
Solo practice doesn’t have to be repetitive. There are plenty of fun practice games you can play by yourself to keep things fresh. When learning how to practice darts alone, it’s key to make it as fun as possible for yourself.
Try classics like Around the Clock (hitting each number on the board in order) or Bob’s 27, which focuses on doubles accuracy.
Another great one is the 121 Checkout Challenge, where you try to finish from 121 within three darts, if you miss, reduce the total by one next round. This may be too difficult for newer players, it’s actually a game that many pro players use to help their checkout ability, so leave this one if you are struggling for now.
These games are excellent for sharpening specific skills while keeping practice sessions interesting. You’ll soon find solo darts much more engaging than you expected.
Staying Motivated When Practicing Alone
One of the toughest parts of practicing alone is staying motivated, especially when progress feels slow. The best way to keep going is to set clear, measurable goals as part of learning how to practice darts alone.
Record your averages, doubles percentage, and number of 180s per session. Small improvements, even just hitting one more treble 20 per leg, are signs of progress.
Vary your practice routines to stay interested. One day focus on scoring, the next on doubles or checkouts. Mix in fun games or time challenges to break things up.
You can also film your throw occasionally. Watching yourself back helps spot issues with balance, release, or rhythm that you might not notice while playing.
Above all, remember that progress in darts comes slowly. Every quiet hour spent on the board builds muscle memory and confidence that will show when it matters.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
A few habits can hold back your solo practice:
- Throwing too quickly – rushing through throws leads to bad habits.
- Over-practicing – long, tiring sessions can damage your form. Short, focused practice is better.
- Ignoring weaknesses – don’t just practice what you’re already good at; work on the tough areas too.
- Skipping rest – take regular breaks and stretch your arm to avoid strain.
How to Practice Darts Alone: Our Conclusion
Practicing darts alone is one of the best ways to build consistency, confidence, and control over your game.
With a structured routine, the right environment, and clear goals, you’ll make noticeable progress even without a practice partner.
Solo darts isn’t just about repetition, it’s about focused improvement. Stick with it, track your progress, and you’ll soon find yourself throwing with more precision than ever before.