This Is The Way To Do Instructor-led Training

Review of Aim Country Sports, Pembrokeshire, UK

As a general rule, I like to be shown the boards and left to get on with axe throwing with minimal supervision. Aim Country Sports was not like that at all – it being essentially a one hour instructor-led session, and yet I really enjoyed myself.

Aim is run by Jon Keens, a former tennis coach, who relocated out to 12 acre smallholding in the Pembrokeshire countryside to start his “country sports” business. He provides instruction in archery and clay pigeon shooting, in addition to axe/knife throwing. We booked in for the one hour axe throwing session.

The location is fairly remote, but not so much that I couldn’t navigate my 5 tonnne motorhome down the single track country lanes. Once there, the axe throwing was located in a barn off a short track leading to the main house. The barn was set out with boards all along one wall, with bespoke targets painted in “lanes” (there were no dividers between lanes, as the throwing was range style, ie with everyone throwing and then retrieving at the same time).

There were enough boards for a group of up to 15 people. Booking is by appointment only, for one group at a time, so you won’t share the session. The charge is on a sliding scale, so it is cheaper with more people, but even for two people, the price is comparable with other UK axe throwing experiences. It is literally a barn, so no bar or facilities. It would be a different kind of work social or celebration, but all the more memorable for that. The option to combine with other activities may suit groups too.

Jon met us at the barn, and was very welcoming and helpful throughout. The session was well-structured. Jon showed us how to throw, in turn, a knife, a small metal ‘angel’ axe, and a hatchet. My knife throwing, in particular, improved tremendously, under Jon’s guidance.

There was plenty of time to try each implement out, and then, once we’d got to grips with then, there followed plenty of friendly competition. Throughout, Jon was more than happy to chat about his business and the UK throwing scene, in addition to offering useful tips.

Not everyone will like the structured approach, but beginners in particular should find it very helpful. As someone who normally doesn’t like being on the receiving end of instruction, I found Jon’s easygoing coaching style easy to take (otherwise I think a one hour instructional session would have been rather overbearing). There was plenty of time for throwing, rather than any lecturing on theory.

It might have been an instructor-led session, but we didn’t feel restricted in throwing and overall it was a very enjoyable experience.

Disclaimer: “The Axe Inspector” receives no payment or benefit of any kind from either TheAxeThrower.com or from the venue, for this review. The review is the subjective opinion of one person (albeit as objective as possible) and we encourage throwers to try out the venue to make their own mind up.