NSW Clubs Hit a Bullseye

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Australia is now the fourth most popular darts playing nation — behind the UK, The Netherlands and Germany — which is resulting in a surge of players competing in the sport at NSW clubs.

At the Riverstone Schofields Memorial Club, the sport is so popular that dart boards outnumber pool tables by four to one.

The popularity of the sport was recently highlighted on Channel 9’s A Current Affair, with the program reporting that the Club is one of many seeing in influx of players.

Greg Taylor, Director at Darts Australia, told A Current Affair that he puts the surge in popularity down to English darts sensation Luke Littler, who won the prestigious World Darts Championship earlier this year at just 17 years of age.

“The Luke Littler effect is what I believe it is, I think it’s the thought that ‘well if he can do it, and he’s that young, then, you know, I can do it’,” said Greg.

Riverstone Memorial Darts Club President Andrew Wheeler said patrons who see the weekly competition take place in the Club can’t help but join.

“We were coming down here on a Friday afternoon just throwing darts, where there was only one board,” he said.

“People started coming across playing, we then got a team, from that one team in a men’s competition on a Monday night which was eight players, we’ve now developed into five teams.”

The surge in popularity has also had a flow-on effect to the Club, with the venue well utilised on competition days.

“When the Darts Club is active, everyone benefits,” explains Riverstone Schofields Memorial Club General Manager Cathy Bassick.

“They utilise all the facilities here at the Club, they all have dinner here, they all have a beverage and the camaraderie between the darts players is lovely to watch.

“It also has generational benefits; a lot of these families start playing at home and then when their children turn 18, they come to the darts at the Club and you see the interaction between all age groups and the banter as well.

“It’s an environment that you want to walk in and see, it’s very engaging and adds to the atmosphere of the Club.”

Darts Australia estimates that there are approximately 5000 amateur darts players across the country, which has increased fairly significantly over the past few years.

The popularity has been put down to various factors, including international players coming out to Australia for exhibition matches and professional darts matches being televised.

Has darts had a resurgence at your club? Is your club offering another unique sport or activity for patrons? Let us know at [email protected]!