A small fish in a big pond. Part 1.

Ive decided to do a blog, because if anyones like me and got nervous being moved up a grade, I’ll be blogging my season highs and lows. Some laughs and stories. 

 

23rd of june, I got a direct message from the GDL on twitter, I dont get any DMs usually, I wondered what I had done wrong. I panicked. 

Hello mate, hope you are well! Just a quick note to say congratulations on your recent performances in the GDL! 

We think you’re ready for a new challenge and have identified you as one of the players who is too good for the grade they’re in, regularly/consistently playing at 5% or greater than the grade boundary guideline that we set and in some cases much higher and/or reaching the latter stages of tour events whilst averaging over the guideline boundary. 

Because of this, we need to move you up a grade. 

So, starting from Tour 7, you will be in the Platinum Grade (This does not effect the Players Championships). 

As a token of your achievement, we can now guarantee you a place at the GDL World Championships at the end of the year.

We’re confident you can go on and strive in your new grade but as a fall back you will also also be eligible for the GDL World Championships for the grade you’re coming from, should you not continue to progress. More details can be found on the Tour Hub to the exact criteria of qualification for each of those options. We shall also continue to monitor your data to make sure you are maintaining your fantastic level.

Please note that if you wish to play any GDL extra events, you will have to register for the new grade events and any you’ve already registered for will now be void. 

Once again, congratulations on playing some great darts and we look forward to seeing your continued progression! We would appreciate you holding off on social posts about moving for a few days whilst we contact everyone making moves, thanks 😀

All we need you to do is enter Tour 7 if you haven’t done so already 🎯

reat, exciting, progress, then I seen the type of players in the platinum division. I was on a hiding to nothing, I’m a comfy 64-68 average, these guys play on tv, in the pdc. I panicked. I was going to be well out of my depth. 

 

But I reasurred myself. My league would be players around my average, I’d be pushing myself against better players, I’d need to play better to get better. This was a good thing. I joined the tour 7 tournament, got my first game organised, and practised. Hard. 

League division 1. Pool a. 

V Stephen Carr

My first few legs steamed by, I couldn’t get into it and my opponent smashed the treble like precision missile hitting it’d target.

I need to calm down, focus. Play the board, concentrate on me. 

 

I brought it back to 6-3. A 7-3 loss wouldn’t be too bad. Ive nothing to lose. Let’s go for it. 

6-4

6-5. 

 

The last leg was awesome. Was on a finish at 15 darts. Took a double 10. For a 17 darter, I took a draw in my first match, absolutely over the moon,really happy with the performance, how I played sober without drink, how I increased my game against a great player. How I didnt panic even after he smashed 4 180s against me. 

 

Gareth clement 6 – 6 Stephen Carr 

100s

21-16

140s

2-2

180s

0-4 (FOUR)

Average 

70.70-73.16

 

Next game is in the tour 7 tournament on Sunday. Really happy where my game is at the moment, my new £10 phone stand works wonders.