Progress Isn't Always Measured by Averages

 One thing I've learned over the last few months is that progress in darts isn't always reflected in your average.

If I look purely at the numbers, I'm probably still around the same mark I was a few months ago. The averages aren't suddenly jumping off the page and making headlines. However, when I look a little deeper, I can see signs that things are moving in the right direction.

I'm finding myself going deeper into tournaments more often. I'm also hitting under-21 dart legs more regularly than before. Those are the sort of things that tell me I'm improving, even if the headline average hasn't changed much.

The biggest challenge remains consistency. I can play some really good darts, but then follow them up with a frustrating spell where things don't quite click. That's probably the difference between where I am now and where I want to be.

One thing I've been working hard on is staying relaxed. In the past I've often become obsessed with focus, mechanics and trying too hard. Recently I've made a conscious effort to relax as much as possible at the oche.

It feels like it's helping.

The darts are coming out of my hand nicely and the game feels more natural. It's still a work in progress and there are plenty of days where I drift back into old habits, but I'm sticking with it because the signs are encouraging.

At the moment I'm not too worried about averages. My feeling is that if I keep working on relaxation, confidence and consistency, the averages will eventually look after themselves.

The first half of the year has been about laying foundations. Hopefully the second half of the year is where we start to see those improvements show up on the scoreboard as well.

As always, the journey continues

Is It Time For A "True Average" In Darts?

 

After chatting with a few of my darts friends recently, we ended up discussing one of the most common statistics in the game – the average.

The more I think about it, the more I believe averages can sometimes be misleading.

Don't get me wrong, I still use averages and think they are useful as a rough guide. But I don't believe they always tell the full story.

Take a match where both players get stuck on double one for several visits. The average can suddenly collapse, even though neither player was actually throwing badly for most of the leg. Once you've had several turns at a stubborn double, it's almost impossible to recover to a respectable average.

On the other hand, if you're playing a professional-level player, there's a good chance your average will naturally rise. Why? Because they tend to leave cleaner finishes and finish legs more efficiently, meaning there are fewer low-scoring visits around the doubles.

So here's an idea I've been thinking about: a "True Average".

The concept is simple.

Take all of your match averages from a tournament.

Split them into three equal groups:

- Lowest third

- Middle third

- Highest third

Then remove the highest third and the lowest third.

The remaining middle third becomes your True Average.

The theory is that this removes both the exceptionally good performances and the exceptionally bad performances, leaving a figure that better represents your normal standard.

For example, imagine a player records the following nine match averages in a tournament:

41.2, 48.5, 52.0, 55.1, 57.8, 59.4, 62.3, 70.5, 81.7

The standard tournament average would be:

58.7

Now split them into thirds:

Lowest third:

41.2, 48.5, 52.0

Middle third:

55.1, 57.8, 59.4

Highest third:

62.3, 70.5, 81.7

Discard the highest and lowest thirds.

Average the middle three numbers:

55.1 + 57.8 + 59.4 = 172.3

172.3 ÷ 3 = 57.4

So:

Tournament Average: 58.7

True Average: 57.4

In this example, the player had one very strong performance (81.7) which inflated the normal average slightly. The True Average gives a figure that may be closer to their typical level.

Would it replace traditional averages? Probably not.

But as an additional statistic, I think it could be a really useful way of measuring consistency and identifying a player's genuine standard over time.

I'd be interested to hear what other players think. Is there room in darts for a True Average?

Tonight's Preview Game 29th May 2026

 

Princess Royal Open – Taunton Preview

The Princess Royal Open has attracted a strong local field, with several players arriving in excellent form and plenty of recent pedigree in Taunton events.

Steve Boundy heads into the tournament full of confidence after recent title-winning performances in Portishead and Winscombe. His recent 8W-2L form line makes him one of the players to beat.

Kieran Spurdle is another contender carrying winning form, having recently won the Pegasus Friday Round Robin and reached the final of Jack's Birthday Bash. He has also recorded notable victories over Darren Herbert and Bailey White.

C-Jay Pipe has been one of the most consistent performers in the area. Recent victories at the Ring of Bells and Railway Inn, plus another final appearance at the Queens Arms, make him a genuine title threat tonight.

Darren Herbert arrives after lifting a Vault 17 title at Pegasus 68 Club and boasts one of the strongest averages in the field. His recent 8W-2L form suggests he could go deep again.

Keep an eye on Steve Donohue, who has made recent semi-finals in Taunton events, and Brooklyn Anthony, whose Super Series performances continue to improve. Both are capable of causing an upset if they find their best darts.

Yesterday's Grassroots Darts Results Roundup (28 May 2026)

 Another busy night on the grassroots darts scene with strong performances recorded across Bristol, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Somerset. 🎯

• Abbeymeads Under 70s Average: Lee Carroll defeated Russell Read 3-0 in the final. Highest recorded average: Russell Read (88.41).
• Deers Leap Under 70 Average Round Robin: Seb Sorrenti defeated Morgan Fowler 4-3 in the final. Highest recorded average: Wayne Barrett (88.41).
• JDC VOLTS Series 6 – The Treddy, Gloucester: Rory Pearce defeated Cody Kibble 3-1 in the final. Highest recorded average: Rory Pearce (81.24).
• Thursday Night Under 55 Average Competition – Highridge United Football Club: Luke Adams defeated Jack Buchanan 2-0 in the final. Highest recorded average: Luke Adams (73.32).
• Thursday Night Round Robin – DartAsylum HQ: Charlie Grabham defeated Dan Cornes 3-1 in the final. Highest recorded average: Dan Cornes (73.13).
• Thursday Night Round Robin – Hangar61: Martyn Freeman defeated Mark Jennings 3-0 in the final. Highest recorded average: Chris Williams (88.41).
• Vault 17 @ DD's Snooker & Pool Club, Tewkesbury: Rich Griffee defeated Joe Quiney 3-1 in the final. Highest recorded average: Lee Andrews (88.41).
• Vault 17 @ The Bankers Draught, Minehead: David Farmer defeated Charlie Mossman 3-1 in the final. Highest recorded average: David Farmer (81.98).
• Vault 17 @ Yeovil Labour Club, Yeovil: Mike Harper defeated Daren Field 3-1 in the final. Geoff James produced the performance of the night with a superb 100.20 average.

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Top Individual Averages From Yesterday

1. Geoff James – 100.20 (Vault 17 @ Yeovil Labour Club, Yeovil)
2. Nick Eggbeer – 90.46 (Vault 17 @ Yeovil Labour Club, Yeovil)
3. Mike Harper – 90.18 (Vault 17 @ Yeovil Labour Club, Yeovil)
4. Russell Read – 88.41 (Abbeymeads Under 70s Average)
5. Chris Williams – 88.41 (Thursday Night Round Robin – Hangar61)
6. Lee Andrews – 88.41 (Vault 17 @ DD's Snooker & Pool Club, Tewkesbury)
7. Martyn Freeman – 85.89 (Thursday Night Round Robin – Hangar61)
8. Glenn Pearce – 85.89 (Thursday Night Round Robin – Hangar61)
9. Shaun Vernall – 85.79 (Vault 17 @ DD's Snooker & Pool Club, Tewkesbury)
10. David Farmer – 81.98 (Vault 17 @ The Bankers Draught, Minehead)

Q4QS Baltic Sea Darts Open Preview 29th-31st May 2026

 While Quest for Q School mainly focuses on grassroots darts around Bristol and the South West, the database itself also contains a mix of PDC, Challenge Tour, Development Tour and international federation data.

With the Baltic Sea Darts Open taking place this weekend, I thought it would be interesting to run the current field through the Q4QS database and share some of the outputs ahead of the tournament.

Wessel Nijman currently heads the latest Q4QS rankings, with Chris Dobey and Kevin Doets also rating strongly based on recent performances across multiple events in the database. Mike De Decker and Gian van Veen also continue to impress with strong recent form heading into the weekend.

Sebastian Bialecki and Niko Springer appear among the most interesting rising names in the field, while experienced players such as Danny Noppert, Damon Heta and Jermaine Wattimena remain firmly in the mix.

As always, these previews are intended as a fun data-based look at the event, and it will be interesting to see how the current rankings perform over the course of the weekend. 🎯

Tonight's Preview 28th May

 PLaying at my home veune, I was looking at some stats, so thought I'd post about a competition I'm actually playing in. Tonight’s Thursday Night Round Robin at DartAsylum HQ features a mix of established regulars, recent finalists and several players carrying strong recent form into the event. Owen Smith heads the Q4QS rankings after another impressive run at Hangar61, while Joe Sellick continues to look dangerous following recent semi-final and finalist appearances across Bristol events.

Dan Cornes and Tommy Sperring both arrive with strong recent records at DartAsylum competitions, while Charlie Grabham continues to improve rapidly after recent JDC success and multiple deep runs in adult events. Tamas Soltesz remains one of the most experienced players in the field and is always capable of long runs despite mixed recent results.

Several familiar rivalries could also be renewed tonight, particularly involving players who regularly meet at DartAsylum and Hangar61 events. With recent winners, finalists and improving players all in the same draw, another competitive Thursday night looks likely. 🎯

Yesterday’s Grassroots Darts Results Roundup (27 May 2026)

Another busy night on the grassroots darts scene with strong performances recorded across Bristol, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Somerset. 🎯

• Devizes Town Round Robin: Steve Perkins defeated Freddie Scratchley 4-0 in the final. Highest recorded average: Steven House (85.89).
• Pob Round Robin U55 Average: Mitchell Clifton defeated James Edwards 2-1 in the final. Highest recorded average: Oakley Newman (69.91).
• Purton Red House Under 70 Average Round Robin: Samuel King defeated Dave Taylor 4-3 in the final. Highest recorded average: Dave Taylor (93.94).
• Under 60’s Competition: Jamie Roberts defeated William McNeilly 3-1 in the final. Highest recorded average: Tim Day (69.91).
• Vault 17 @ Hangar61, Patchway: Richie Hunt defeated Liam Moore 3-1 in the final. Highest recorded average: Liam Moore (91.75).
• Vault 17 @ Magpies Social Club, Stonehouse: Kieran Smith defeated Shaun Vernall 3-2 in the final. Joe Quiney produced the standout performance of the night with a superb 100.20 average.
• Vault 17 @ Stratford Social Club, Salisbury: Danny Humphries defeated Jose Bruno Sousa 3-0 in the final. Highest recorded average: Danny Humphries (88.41).
• Vault 17 @ The Sartan Club, Bishopsworth: Geoff James defeated Matty Rogers 3-0 in the final. Highest recorded average: Mervyn Adams (91.09).
• WADC Vault @ Stratford Social Club, Salisbury: Natalie Baxter defeated Claire Spencer 3-2 in the final. Highest recorded average: Claire Spencer (54.65).
• Wednesday Night Under 55 Average Competition – DartAsylum HQ: Chris Britton defeated Jack Kempster 2-0 in the final. Highest recorded average: Chris Britton (69.91).

Top Individual Averages From Yesterday

1. Joe Quiney – 100.20 (Vault 17 @ Magpies Social Club, Stonehouse)
2. Dave Taylor – 93.94 (Purton Red House Under 70 Average Round Robin)
3. Shaun Vernall – 92.92 (Vault 17 @ Magpies Social Club, Stonehouse)
4. Liam Moore – 91.75 (Vault 17 @ Hangar61, Patchway)
5. Robbie Long – 91.09 (Vault 17 @ Hangar61, Patchway)
6. Mervyn Adams – 91.09 (Vault 17 @ The Sartan Club, Bishopsworth)
7. Ellis Radford – 91.09 (Vault 17 @ The Sartan Club, Bishopsworth)
8. Danny Humphries – 88.41 (Vault 17 @ Stratford Social Club, Salisbury)
9. Steven House – 85.89 (Devizes Town Round Robin)