Lawton Axe Throwing hits bull’s-eye in entertainment

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LAWTON – Many are left in anticipation of the resurgence of an age-old competitive pastime in the works for Southwest Oklahoma.The first of its kind for the region, ambassadors with the Lawton-Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce welcomed Lawton Axe Throwing as the newest source of entertainment.

“People say they want something to do here, so that’s what we’re giving them,” said owner Daniel Dittmeyer.Over the past decade, the sport has attracted crowds in many of the larger cities; axe-throwing venues are a growing trend across Australia, New Zealand and the U.S.Competitive axe-throwing is good, fun exercise and could be a great way to help companies build office morale, Dittmeyer says. “If you look at companies today, the ones that do teambuilding events are happier, better companies,” he said. After serving in the Army, Dittmeyer and his wife, Ae, became interested in tactical laser tag and escape rooms.

About two years ago, the couple visited an axe-throwing venue in Oklahoma City and looked for ways to bring the concept to Lawton, he said. With six lanes dedicated to axe throwing, using a points system similar to cornhole, patrons can team up against one another other or practice their own skills. While he doesn’t comment on who is better at axe throwing, Dittmeyer observes that women outnumber men in the sport 6-4, on average. He says men become more competitive but women tend to enjoy the experience more.Located at 1010 W. Gore Blvd., Lawton Axe’s chain-link fenced lanes and individualized safety training coaches help ensure guests enjoy themselves safely. Axe-throwing prices range from $15-$25 per hour per person and the sport is open to anyone 16 or older.Along with the lanes, they have added darts, cornhole, soccer pool, football bowling and virtual reality games that include no-mess paintball.

“We started with this and hopefully we can involve more fun things for everyone,” Dittmeyer said.Aiming ahead, Lawton Axe Throwing may look to host tournaments and possibly help form leagues. Once things are up and running, the Dittmeyers say they would like to open a larger venue to include an arena for tactical-grade laser tag. “If it’s what people want, we’ll give it to them,” he said.Finishing up the final touches for the latest attraction, Lawton Axe Throwing plans to open within the next few days. To reserve lanes or host an event, contact Lawton Axe Throwing at (580) 919-3040 or visit www.lawtonaxethrowing.com.