The Journey From Beginner to Pro: What To Expect At Every Stage

Remember the first time you threw a dart and it actually stuck in the board? Felt good, right? If you're reading this, you've probably caught the bug and you're wondering: "How far can I take this? What does the path from beginner to pro actually look like?"

Here's the real journey - not the sanitized "practice and believe in yourself" version, but what actually happens at each stage, how long it takes, and what separates players who progress from those who plateau.

Stage 0: "I Just Play At The Bar" (Casual)

Average: 20-30 (steel tip), 1.5-2.0 MPR (soft tip) Time investment: Whenever you're at the bar Defining characteristics:

You own darts but don't have a board at home
You play when drinking with friends
You know the rules of Cricket and 501 but not much else
Your setup changes every throw
You have no idea why some throws work and others don't

What you can do:

Hit the board most of the time
Occasionally hit what you're aiming at
Finish easy checkouts like double 16
Beat other casual players

What you can't do:

Consistently hit specific targets
Explain your mechanics
Maintain accuracy after a few beers
Compete with serious players

The breakthrough to next stage: You buy a dartboard and start practicing at home. This is the difference between casual and committed.

Stage 1: "I'm Getting Serious" (Novice)

Average: 35-45 (steel tip), 2.0-2.5 MPR (soft tip) Time to reach: 3-6 months of regular practice Time investment: 3-5 hours per week

What's happening:

You bought a board and practice at home
You're watching YouTube tutorials and learning proper mechanics
You've developed some consistency in your setup
You're starting to understand why you miss, not just that you missed
You've probably joined an online league or casual local league

What you can do:

Hit treble 20 semi-consistently (30-40% of darts in the segment)
Finish common checkouts (40-80 range) reliably
String together decent scoring rounds (45+)
Beat casual players consistently

What you can't do:

Hit treble 20 under pressure
Consistently finish 100+ checkouts
Maintain accuracy in competitive matches
Compete with intermediate players

Common struggles:

Your practice performance doesn't translate to matches
You have "good days" and "bad days" with no idea why
You know what good mechanics look like but can't always execute them
You get nervous during doubles and miss easy checkouts

The breakthrough to next stage: You develop a consistent setup ritual and start tracking your practice statistics. You move from "I'm trying to get better" to "I'm deliberately practicing specific weaknesses."

Stage 2: "I'm Actually Pretty Good" (Intermediate)

Average: 50-60 (steel tip), 2.5-3.5 MPR (soft tip) Time to reach: 1-2 years of focused practice Time investment: 5-10 hours per week

What's happening:

You have consistent mechanics that work when you focus
You've joined a competitive league and hold your own
You understand the mental game and know when you're autopiloting
You practice with purpose - specific drills targeting weaknesses
You've developed your "style" - your setup, grip, and throw feel natural

What you can do:

Hit treble 20 regularly (50%+ of darts in scoring zone)
Finish most checkouts under 120 first try
String together multiple high-scoring rounds (60-80)
Average 2+ marks per round in Cricket
Compete with most league players

What you can't do:

Hit 180s consistently (maybe one every few games)
Maintain your average under serious pressure
Compete with advanced/pro players
Execute your process when mentally fatigued
Hit high-pressure checkouts reliably

Common struggles:

You plateau around 55 average and can't break through
You throw well in practice but worse in matches
You have the yips on certain checkouts (bull, double 12, etc.)
You know how to throw well but can't make it automatic
You get frustrated watching worse players beat you with lucky throws

The breakthrough to next stage: You transition from "I can do it when I focus" to "I can do it automatically." This requires massive volume - you're moving from conscious competence to unconscious competence. Most players never make this jump.

Stage 3: "I'm A Serious Competitive Player" (Advanced)

Average: 65-75 (steel tip), 3.5-4.5 MPR (soft tip) Time to reach: 3-5 years of dedicated practice Time investment: 10-20 hours per week

What's happening:

Your mechanics are automatic - you don't think, you just throw
You practice 1-2 hours daily
You compete in tournaments and cash semi-regularly
Your mental game is solid - you handle pressure well
You might be coaching or helping intermediate players
You've hit multiple 180s and have thrown perfect legs

What you can do:

Hit treble 20 at a high rate (60-70% in scoring zone)
Hit 180s regularly (one every 2-3 games)
Finish any checkout under 140 with confidence
Average 3+ marks per round in Cricket
Maintain your average across multiple hours of play
Compete at regional tournament level

What you can't do:

Consistently compete with professional-level players
Maintain 70+ average across a full tournament
Hit 170+ checkouts reliably
Make a living from darts (yet)

Common struggles:

Breaking through to 70+ average feels impossible
You're "good" but not elite, and the gap feels massive
Tournament nerves still affect you on big checkouts
You wonder if you have the ceiling to go pro
The time investment is huge and life/work makes it hard to maintain

The breakthrough to next stage: You commit to treating darts like a profession even if you're not paid yet. This means structured practice, physical fitness, mental coaching, and probably sacrificing other hobbies/social time. Very few players make this leap.

Stage 4: "I Could Go Pro" (Semi-Pro)

Average: 75-85 (steel tip), 4.5-5.5 MPR (soft tip) Time to reach: 5-10 years of dedicated practice Time investment: 20-30 hours per week

What's happening:

You're winning local tournaments regularly
You're competing in national-level events
You might be sponsored or winning enough to offset costs
Your entire life is structured around darts practice and competition
You've thrown multiple 9-darters
People in your region know your name

What you can do:

Hit treble 20 at elite rates (70%+ in scoring zone)
Average 70+ across multiple games consistently
Finish any checkout under 150 reliably
Hit 180s multiple times per match
Perform under massive pressure
Compete with professional players (though not consistently beating them)

What you can't do:

Make a full-time living from darts alone (most semi-pros work part-time or have sponsors)
Compete consistently at PDC/international level
Guarantee 80+ averages every match

Common struggles:

The gap between semi-pro and full professional is massive
Tournament travel costs are high, winnings are inconsistent
Maintaining peak practice volume while working/having a life
Knowing you're elite locally but unknown nationally/internationally
Seeing players just slightly better than you making good money while you're breaking even

The breakthrough to next stage: You need a combination of peak performance, networking, sponsorship deals, and honestly some luck. You're competing for a tiny number of professional tour cards against hundreds of other semi-pros.

Stage 5: "I'm A Professional" (Pro)

Average: 85-95+ (steel tip), 5.5-6.5+ MPR (soft tip) Time to reach: 10-20+ years of dedicated practice Time investment: Full-time job (40+ hours per week)

What's happening:

You hold a tour card (PDC, PDC Challenge Tour, or equivalent)
You make your living from darts (prize money, sponsorships, exhibitions)
You compete against the best players in the world
Your practice is structured and professional
You have a team (coach, nutritionist, mental coach, manager)

What you can do:

Everything. You're one of the best dart players on the planet.
Average 80-90+ in major tournaments
Hit 180s multiple times per game
Finish any checkout with confidence
Handle pressure that would crush 99.9% of players

What you can't do:

Beat everyone (even pros lose to other pros)
Guarantee your tour card every year (competition is brutal)
Relax (the pressure and competition never stops)

Common struggles:

Maintaining peak performance year-round
Dealing with the mental pressure of darts being your only income
One bad season can end your career
The elite of the elite (MVG, Price, Wright, etc.) are still a tier above

The Harsh Realities

Time Investment

Casual → Novice: 100-200 hours
Novice → Intermediate: 500-1000 hours
Intermediate → Advanced: 2000-5000 hours
Advanced → Semi-Pro: 5000-10000 hours
Semi-Pro → Pro: 10000-20000+ hours

That's over 10 years at 5 hours per day to go from beginner to pro level. Most people massively underestimate the time required.

The Plateau Wall

Most players plateau at intermediate (55 average) and never break through. Why?

Volume: They don't practice enough to make mechanics automatic
Structure: They practice results instead of process
Mental game: They never develop pressure management skills
Life: Work, family, other hobbies take priority (which is fine!)

The Financial Reality

Casual → Advanced: You're spending money on darts (equipment, league fees, online play)

Semi-Pro: You might break even if you win local tournaments, but travel costs eat winnings

Pro: You can make a living, but only the top 100-200 players in the world make serious money. The rest are grinding.

The Talent Question

"Do I have what it takes to go pro?"

Honest answer: Maybe. But talent matters less than you think.

Hand-eye coordination helps - if you were good at baseball, pool, golf, you have an advantage
Practice volume matters more - a "talented" player who practices 5 hours/week will lose to an "untalented" player practicing 20 hours/week
Mental game separates elites - most pros have similar mechanics; mental toughness is the differentiator

If you can reach 65+ average, you have the ceiling for pro if you're willing to put in the volume. The question is: do you want it bad enough to sacrifice everything else?

What Stage Should You Aim For?

Be honest with yourself:

If You Want To Have Fun And Compete Casually:

Aim for intermediate (50-60 average)
Practice 3-5 hours per week
Join a local league
Enjoy the social aspect and competition without pressure

If You Want To Be "Really Good":

Aim for advanced (65-75 average)
Practice 10-15 hours per week
Compete in tournaments
Accept that this is a serious hobby requiring sacrifice

If You Want To Go Pro:

Commit to full-time practice schedule
Structure your life around darts
Be prepared for years of financial sacrifice
Accept that even with maximum effort, you might not make it

There's no shame in any of these goals. Most players are casual or intermediate and having a blast. You don't need to go pro to love darts.

The Bottom Line

The journey from beginner to pro takes 10-20 years of dedicated, structured practice at high volume. Most players plateau at intermediate because they don't practice enough, don't practice deliberately, or choose to prioritize other things in life (which is totally valid).

The good news: Every stage of improvement feels rewarding. Hitting your first 180, winning your first league match, breaking your average record - these are all incredible milestones regardless of whether you go pro.

The reality: Going pro requires talent, but more importantly it requires obsessive dedication for a decade or more. If you're not willing to practice 20+ hours per week for years, you probably won't make it - and that's okay.

The question: Where do you want to go, and what are you willing to sacrifice to get there?

Want to accelerate your journey? Check out our guides on deliberate practice, mental game development, and the four stages of learning.