On the oche

"Game shot!" the crowd go wild and Phil 'The Power' Taylor allows himself a wry smile as he heads to yet another world title. Or perhaps it was just me nonchalantly slotting a double sixteen, albeit at my 4th attempt (not to mention the countless darts it took me to get my score to 32. I always prefer to miss outside rather than needing to readjust aim and go for double 8, double 4, double 2...


I haven't played a lot of darts recently, primarily because of my golf obsession and that every time I venture into the garage my putting mat has to be rolled away to play. I feel guilty enough to think that I should have just a few putts. Then one of two things happens:

1. I get on a hot streak and can't stop because I want to beat my previous best, or 
2. I get on a cold streak and can't stop until I get on a hot streak!

Normally, it is a call from upstairs that breaks whatever experience I am having, but the last two putts have to go in. Yesterday, I bucked the trend and beat my best straight off so I thought I'd chuck a few arrows. Amidst the daydreaming of winning a fictitious grand masters world title disposing of Taylor, Barneveld, Bristow and co en route I realised something.

I am missing the golfing equivalent of a checkout. It used to be a half swing with my pitching wedge. Nice, smooth, relaxed and controlled 100 yards job done. All I needed to do was get the ball 100 yards from the flag. However, recently my distances have gone beserk. I hit a 9 iron 164 yards at Brett Vale the other day, not a thin, a proper golf shot. I'd have thought I'd hit the wrong club if I didn't still have it in my hand when I reached it. Any form of decent connection is travelling much further now and at some point I will need to check my distances, at least in my scoring clubs.

But that doesn't answer my checkout question and I guess I'm still searching for that answer, but once I find a reliable go to approach shot, I'm hoping my course management will go to another level.