Plaid, bearded men, sharp axes, and bullseyes – if that makes you think “Squad Goals,” you’re not alone; Toronto has become the axe throwing capital of the world (just don’t ask any of the lumberjack competitions in Rockies). Axe throwing in Toronto has taken off as an alternative sport that’s inspiring adult birthdays, bachelorette parties, and staff parties for companies ranging from restaurants to startups to video game studios. If you’ve heard the call of the axe, rest assured that there are plenty of places in Toronto where you can learn the tricks of an axe champion and sharpen your own skills.
Thanks to a number of new leagues and venues like the Backyard Axe Throwing League (BATL), which pioneered the growth of the sport in Toronto, axe throwing has become a sport you can finally play without having to get out of the city. Having originated in someone’s actual backyard, the league grew popular enough to rent out a warehouse space, and eventually long-time players were brought on to teach private groups how to throw so that they could compete against each other.
One of the better ways to explore this exciting new activity is with a group of all your friends or colleagues and it can be a great way to spice up the regular routine for a special occasion. Whether it’s just a Friday night or your best friend’s bachelorette, you can shake up your usual cocktail bar routine by warming up with a casual competition on the pitch. However, at least one venue, BATL has introduced walk in hours at all its locations, and they have 3 in Toronto, in the Port Lands, Yorkdale, and in the west end’s Galleria Mall. If you’re going on your own or with just a couple of friends, walk-ins can be a great way to try it out and test your skills.
Among alternative sports, axe throwing is one of the most remarkably accessible, relying more on aim than strength, despite the appearance of power behind an axe hurtling through the air. It’s more about patience, aiming, and pacing, making sure that you release at the right time (when your elbow is level with your eye) and that you’re the right distance from the target so that your hatchet makes only one complete rotation before it lands, edge-first, into the wood. If you can master the art of the follow through, you’re bound to be a pro on the pitch when you go axe throwing.
Patient and skilled instructors will teach you all of these things and more when you go BATL axe throwing in Toronto, from how the scoring works to getting your posture perfect, and how you break a tie (HINT: it involves the two-handed long axe). It’s a bachelorette party idea like no other that will go down in your friends’ book (or at least their blogs) for years to come. Next time you have something special to celebrate, have a blast going axe throwing in Toronto.