Anyone can toss an axe. And with a little training, anyone can toss an axe quite well, says Jonathan Polakow.
Polakow opened Bullseye Axe Throwing Newmarket as a cutting-edge experience that redefines traditional axe throwing.
Axe throwing finds its roots in medieval combat. Axes were thrown as enemies approached in hand-to-hand fighting. The Vikings were also known to throw axes. The Algonquin threw similar devices known as tomahawks.
Today, it has grown into a modern sport that is largely a social activity that also includes competition.
At Bullseye, says Polakow, it hits the mark for social interaction.
“It keeps conversations moving and flowing nicely,” he says. “I like the social aspect, it just has a way to bring people together.”
Polakow, who runs a second Bullseye facility in Barrie, explains that the sport allows tournament-like events that become very social. It’s the perfect way, he says, to hang out with friends or colleagues.
And although throwing around sharp objects is, inherently, a risky proposition, the activity is considered safe. There is even a bar at the facility.
Key, says Polakow, is designing courts of proper size and spacing.
When they arrive, groups are assigned a coach who lays out the safety procedures, as well as the technique and how the activity is scored. Before long, individuals are throwing axes at a wood target in a round-robin style tournament, playoffs and then a championship match.
The person with the highest score wins a Bullseye t-shirt and the glory of knowing they’re the best in their crew. Their pictures also go onto the wall of champions.
A projector is used to cast games onto the surface of the wood target, allowing group members to choose what they would like to play. And the target is created with fresh-cut wood that better absorbs the axe, reducing the chances of it bouncing.
“We go for the absolute best end-grain target… because it grabs the axe,” says Polakow. “The axe actually lands so much better.
“It’s (axe throwing) not about strength or power but it’s about technique…. It allows them to compete with the big muscular strong guy.”
A mat on the floor absorbs the axe so that if it doesn’t land on the wood target, it won’t bounce up when it hits the floor. After a decade, with millions of axes thrown, the worst injury Polakow reports are slivers.
Axe throwing is often used as a team-building exercise among corporate groups or just as a fun evening with friends.
League play over eight consecutive weeks is also available at the facility. Each evening features four matches consisting of three rounds of five axes. A double elimination tournament is held on the last week. ($44.25 per person, minimum eight people, for two hours.)
“The leagues are an absolutely outrageously fun night,” says Polakow. “It’s become a fun social gathering. People come in, they don’t know anyone maybe.
“It’s survival of the fittest.”
Bullseye has a mobile trailer to take the show on the road for those wanting to host gatherings. The trailer, says Polakow, has gone all over Ontario.
And while the facility is licensed, no food is available for sale, so customers are encouraged to bring in their own or order in. But it’s not a walk-in facility. Users must book online, in advance. ($30.97 per person for 75 minutes.)
