Where To Focus Your Eyes: Target Lock vs Soft Focus

Ask ten professional dart players where they look when throwing, you'll get ten different answers.

"I stare at the exact wire I want to hit."

"I look at the general area but don't focus hard."

"I use my peripheral vision and don't focus on anything specific."

"I look at the target until setup, then I don't see anything - it's all feel."

They're all right. And they're all wrong for someone else.

The Three Focus Strategies

Strategy 1: Hard Target Focus

What it is: Stare directly at the exact point you want to hit (specific wire, specific segment intersection, exact bullseye center)

What it feels like:

Eyes locked on target
Sharp, clear focus on that one point
Everything else is blurry/ignored
Intensity - you're "burning a hole" in the target with your eyes

Who uses it:

Players who need precision reference points
Visual learners
Players who throw better with external focus

Pros:

Clear aim point
Easy to know exactly what you're aiming at
Works well for precision shots (doubles, bulls)

Cons:

Can create tension (staring too hard)
Conscious mind stays engaged (harder to let subconscious throw)
Can lead to "target fixation" (trying to guide the dart instead of trusting throw)

Strategy 2: Soft Focus

What it is: Look at the general target area without hard focus on any specific point

What it feels like:

Eyes are on the board but relaxed
Aware of the target but not staring intensely
Defocused, almost like looking "through" the board
Calm, no visual tension

Who uses it:

Players who overthink with hard focus
Players who throw better when relaxed
Players who rely on feel/subconscious more than visual aim

Pros:

Reduces tension
Allows subconscious to take over
Less likely to "try too hard"
More consistent across different targets

Cons:

Can feel vague/uncertain (no precise aim point)
Harder to verify alignment
Takes practice to trust

Strategy 3: Shift Focus (Target → Feel)

What it is: Look at target during setup, then shift focus away (to dart, to nothing, eyes unfocus) during throw

What it feels like:

Hard focus on target during raise/setup
At pause or during throw, focus shifts to internal (feel the throw, not see the target)
Some players eyes actually unfocus/blur during release

Who uses it:

Advanced players
Players transitioning from conscious to subconscious execution
Players who separate "aim phase" from "execute phase"

Pros:

Best of both worlds (precise aim, then subconscious execution)
Reinforces that aiming happens during setup, not during throw
Natural progression to Stage 4 competence

Cons:

More complex (requires managing focus shift)
Easy to mess up timing (shift too early or too late)
Takes practice to develop

What The Pros Actually Do

Michael van Gerwen: Hard target focus. Stares at the exact segment. Visual intensity.

Phil Taylor: Soft focus during throw. Looks at target during setup, but at release his eyes are almost unfocused - pure feel.

Peter Wright: Shifts between hard and soft depending on the shot. Bulls = hard focus. Treble 20 = softer.

Gary Anderson: Soft focus. Described it as "looking at the area, not the point."

The pattern: There is no pattern. Every top player found what works for them.

How To Find Your Strategy

Test 1: Hard Focus

Throw 20 darts at treble 20.

Focus strategy: Stare at the exact top wire of treble 20. Lock eyes on it. Don't look away.

During throw: Keep eyes locked on that wire through entire motion.

Results:

Grouping tight? → Hard focus might be your style
Feeling tense? → Probably not your style
Darts going where you looked? → Good sign
Overthinking each throw? → Try soft focus instead

Test 2: Soft Focus

Throw 20 darts at treble 20.

Focus strategy: Look at the treble 20 area generally. Don't stare at any specific point. Let your eyes relax, almost like looking "through" the board.

During throw: Maintain relaxed focus, don't try to see the exact landing point.

Results:

Grouping still good? → Soft focus works for you
Feeling more relaxed? → Good sign
Darts feel more automatic? → This might be your style
Feeling lost without aim point? → Go back to hard focus

Test 3: Shift Focus

Throw 20 darts at treble 20.

Focus strategy:

During raise: Hard focus on treble 20
At pause: Maintain focus
During throw: Let focus shift to feel (stop trying to see the target, trust the throw)

Results:

Execution smoother? → Shift focus might be your style
Hard to manage shift timing? → Stick with one strategy (hard or soft)
Feel more consistent? → This is advanced technique, worth developing

The Mistake Most Players Make

Switching strategies mid-session or mid-game.

What happens:

Dart 1: Hard focus (stare at wire)
Dart 2: Soft focus (relax eyes)
Dart 3: Hard focus again (trying to "aim better")

Result: Inconsistent execution. Your brain doesn't know which strategy you're using.

Fix: Pick one strategy per session. Stick with it for at least 50 throws.

Where To Look During Each Phase

Regardless of which focus strategy you use, here's the sequence:

Phase 1: Before The Raise

Look at: Your target (treble 20, double 16, bull, whatever)

Focus level: Soft to medium (identifying what you're aiming at)

Purpose: Orienting yourself, selecting target

Don't: Stare intensely yet, you're not ready to throw

Phase 2: During The Raise

Look at: Your target (same as phase 1)

Focus level: This is where your strategy kicks in

Hard focus: Lock on now
Soft focus: Stay relaxed
Shift focus: Start with medium-hard

Purpose: Body alignment (aiming happens here)

Don't: Look at your dart, look at your hand, look at your elbow

Phase 3: At Pause (Setup Position)

Look at: Still your target

Focus level:

Hard focus: Maintain lock
Soft focus: Maintain relaxed gaze
Shift focus: This is where some players start the shift (eyes stay on target but focus begins to internalize)

Purpose: Confirmation that body is aligned

Don't: Start looking at where you think the dart will land, don't adjust based on visual alignment

Phase 4: During Throw

Look at: Target (but this is where strategies differ most)

Focus level:

Hard focus: Eyes still locked on target through release
Soft focus: Maintain relaxed gaze
Shift focus: Focus has shifted to feel, eyes may still be pointed at target but you're not actively "seeing" it

Purpose: Execute (not aim anymore)

Don't: Try to "guide" the dart with your eyes

Phase 5: After Release

Look at: Where the dart lands (natural)

Focus level: Doesn't matter, throw is over

Purpose: Feedback (but don't adjust based on this if you're doing wall drill)

Common Problems

Problem 1: Staring Too Hard (Eye Strain)

Symptoms:

Eyes hurt after 30 minutes
Headaches
Blinking a lot
Vision gets blurry

Cause: Hard focus with too much tension

Fix:

Soften your focus slightly
Blink between throws (don't hold eyes open)
Look away from board between turns

Problem 2: Can't Find The Target

Symptoms:

Looking at general board area
Not sure exactly what you're aiming at
Darts scatter

Cause: Too soft focus, no aim point selected

Fix:

Pick a specific segment or wire
Start with hard focus until you develop better proprioception
Use hard focus for precision shots (doubles), soft focus for scoring

Problem 3: Eyes Follow Your Hand

Symptoms:

Looking at your dart during setup
Looking at your hand during throw
Not looking at target

Cause: Internal focus instead of external target focus

Fix:

Consciously keep eyes on board during entire throw
Put a piece of tape on the target to give eyes something to lock onto
Practice with "eyes on target" as your only cue

Problem 4: Focus Shift Happens Too Early

Symptoms:

Eyes unfocus during setup
Feel lost before throw starts
Inconsistent alignment

Cause: Shifting from target focus to feel focus before you're ready

Fix:

Maintain target focus through pause
Only shift during throw motion (if at all)
Might need to stick with one strategy instead of shifting

Advanced: Peripheral Awareness

Some players use peripheral vision instead of direct focus.

What this means:

Eyes are pointed at target
But awareness is wider (can see dart hand, board edges, etc. in periphery)
Not focusing hard on any one point

Who uses it:

Very advanced players (Stage 4)
Players with strong proprioception
Players who throw on pure feel

How to develop:

Start with soft focus
Gradually expand awareness to include peripheral vision
Takes months/years to develop

This is not for beginners. Build consistent mechanics first.

The Target Focus Drill

Purpose: Find your natural focus strategy

Setup: Throw at treble 20 for 5 rounds (15 darts each round = 75 total)

Round 1: Hard focus (stare at top wire) Round 2: Soft focus (relaxed gaze at area) Round 3: Shift focus (target during setup, feel during throw) Round 4: Repeat best strategy from rounds 1-3 Round 5: Repeat best strategy again

Track: Score and how it felt (tense, relaxed, natural, forced)

Winner: Whatever strategy gave you best grouping AND felt most natural

What About Looking At Your Darts In The Board?

Between throws, should you look at the darts already in the board?

Two schools of thought:

School 1: Don't Look

Logic: Looking at darts in board can mess up your alignment for next dart

Method:

Throw dart 1, stay focused on target
Throw dart 2, stay focused on target
Throw dart 3, now you can look at group

Pros: Maintains consistent body position and focus

Cons: Might miss useful information (where darts actually landed vs where you aimed)

School 2: Quick Glance Is Fine

Logic: Your brain uses previous dart positions to adjust (subconsciously)

Method:

Throw dart 1, quick glance at where it landed, back to target
Throw dart 2, quick glance, back to target
Throw dart 3

Pros: Natural, uses feedback

Cons: Can create body position drift if you look too long

My take: Don't look at your grouping mid-throw sequence. Stay on target. Look after all 3 darts are thrown.

The Bottom Line

There is no "correct" focus strategy that works for everyone.

Hard target focus: Stare at exact point. Works for visual learners and precision shots.

Soft focus: Relaxed gaze at general area. Works for players who overthink or need to let subconscious execute.

Shift focus: Target during setup, feel during throw. Advanced technique, best of both worlds.

Find your strategy:

Test all three (20 darts each)
Pick the one that feels natural AND produces good grouping
Stick with it for at least a month
Don't switch mid-session

During raise: Look at target (body aligns toward what you're looking at)

During pause: Maintain your focus strategy

During throw: Execute, don't try to aim with your eyes anymore

Key insight: Aiming happens during the raise (body alignment). Your eyes just give your body a target to point at. The focus strategy is about managing mental state (tension vs relaxation, conscious vs subconscious), not about precision aiming.

Related Guides

Before you can focus effectively, optimize for eye dominance:

Eye Dominance In Darts: Does It Matter? - Cross-dominant? Learn how to adjust your setup

Understanding when aiming happens:

Aim Before You Setup: The Pool Player's Secret - Aiming during the raise, not from setup position

If overthinking is your problem:

Stop Aiming, Start Throwing - Let your subconscious execute