A printed oche sets the throw at the regulation 2.37 metres permanently, so the distance is right every session and settled for anyone new who steps up.

The other half of the job is the floor. A dropped dart lands point first, and a mat absorbs that rather than the timber taking the mark and the point taking the damage.

Rubber is the hardest wearing and grips a hard floor so it does not creep forward underfoot. Carpet is quieter and kinder to points. Soft-feel fibre is the most comfortable to stand on through a long session. Several carry a full checkout table printed into the surface, which shortcuts the part of the game that takes longest to learn.