Hal Houle

JoeyA

Efren's Mini-Tourn BACKER
Silver Member
Like him or not, Hal Houle has been one of AZ Billiards most famous posters. Hal's contribution to the pool discussions on aiming is unequaled in any forum. He has influenced pool players for decades with his many aiming systems, including CTE (Center-to-edge) for which he has essentially built a lasting legacy.

Instructors teach various forms of his aiming systems throughout the world.

Hal Houle (rhymes with pool) gave his knowledge free of charge and welcomed anyone to call him at any time to learn more about his aiming systems. He also enjoyed keeping tabs on the various players and the members of AzBilliards. I personally enjoyed his stories of his own personal life the most and called him many times just to have him open one of the windows of his life.

Yes, I believe Hal deserves to be in the AzB Hall of Fame.

Thank you Hal for sharing your life's stories with me. I am honored to have known you and you will never be forgotten.

JoeyA
 

Scott Lee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hal Houle was certainly a character, and very knowledgeable about pool in general, and aiming in particular. I enjoyed meeting him personally in 2007, and he helped influence how I teach aiming. RIP Mr. Houle! :grin:

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
 

eezbank

Silver Surfer
Silver Member
Thanks for posting this Joey.

Hal Houle was a great man that changed the way I see the game of pool. Hal helped so many people over the years never asking for a dime for his time. The man genuinely wanted to share his knowledge with as many people as he could and did it for free.

Hal certainly has earned his place in the Hall of Fame.
 

JB Cases

www.jbcases.com
Silver Member
I bought www.halhoule.com and it is intended to be a tribute to the man who generated more interest in how to aim at pool than any other person ever.

Hal spent the latter part of his life helping players learn to see the shot better all for free. And there can be no denying the amount of traffic the discussion of Hal's methdos brought to AZB so for those two reasons he deserves to be in the AZB Hall of Fame. And in the BCA Hall of Fame as well IMO.
 

GaryB

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hal's legacy will continue to grow as he generously affected so many players. I relish the time I was able to spend with him prior to CTE and envy those of you who able to spend so much time with him after he moved back East. In future years I suspect he will assume almost legendary status.

He was a genuine gentleman so unlike his many detractors.
 

fan-tum

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think I remember him..not sure. Was he about 5'4", looked like maybe Italian or Greek?
When I was stationed in Alameda,Ca. in the 60's, I played at a pool hall near the base that was run by the guy I described above. Friendly,outgoing, good shooter. RIP if this was he.
 

JoeyA

Efren's Mini-Tourn BACKER
Silver Member
I think I remember him..not sure. Was he about 5'4", looked like maybe Italian or Greek?
When I was stationed in Alameda,Ca. in the 60's, I played at a pool hall near the base that was run by the guy I described above. Friendly,outgoing, good shooter. RIP if this was he.

I believe Hal was rather tall if I am not mistaken, based upon what Smorgass Bored told me years ago.

JoeyA
 

ShootingArts

Smorg is giving St Peter the 7!
Gold Member
Silver Member
Hal was special

The first time I called Hal he had an unusual case of lockjaw about his systems. People on the net had aggravated him enough he decided he couldn't teach his methods over the phone. This decision didn't last long but I didn't really mind. With technical talk out of the way Hal started talking old times. He had the dirt on everyone from Ralph Greenleaf on. I think I spent a couple three hours on the phone that day and did the same one or two more times. I was more interested in his tales of bygone days than his aiming systems although with his passing we lost a lot of pool playing knowledge as well as more lore than could have fit in a shelf of books.

I hope Hal is back in his prime in heaven free of all of the sufferings of age. One of the more interesting men in pool and a loss for us all. He has been gone a long while now but he certainly isn't forgotten. I miss him and his flawless delivery of story after story. Aiming systems may come and go but there will never be another Hal Houle! I would say rest in peace but I suspect he is in some pool hall in heaven stirring the poop and enjoying every minute of it.

Hu
 

JoeyA

Efren's Mini-Tourn BACKER
Silver Member
Hal would be especially proud of the fact that Tyler Styer/Mosconi Cup Player was recently bragged on by Europeans and Americans for his superb fundamentals. I didn't realize that Tyler was a CTE aiming system advocate and that he had trained with Stan and Landon Shuffett.
Recently I read on Facebook where Tyler stated that he was very proud of his CTE experience and that even Johan Ruysink was especially impressed with Tyler's fundamentals and alignment.

After Stan Shuffett publishes his book on CTE, I suppose there will be a great thunder and lightning storm in the heavens as Hal bellow, "I told you so."

JoeyA

The first time I called Hal he had an unusual case of lockjaw about his systems. People on the net had aggravated him enough he decided he couldn't teach his methods over the phone. This decision didn't last long but I didn't really mind. With technical talk out of the way Hal started talking old times. He had the dirt on everyone from Ralph Greenleaf on. I think I spent a couple three hours on the phone that day and did the same one or two more times. I was more interested in his tales of bygone days than his aiming systems although with his passing we lost a lot of pool playing knowledge as well as more lore than could have fit in a shelf of books.

I hope Hal is back in his prime in heaven free of all of the sufferings of age. One of the more interesting men in pool and a loss for us all. He has been gone a long while now but he certainly isn't forgotten. I miss him and his flawless delivery of story after story. Aiming systems may come and go but there will never be another Hal Houle! I would say rest in peace but I suspect he is in some pool hall in heaven stirring the poop and enjoying every minute of it.

Hu
 

jazznpool

Superior Cues--Unchalked!
Gold Member
Silver Member
Hats off to the man for trying to help others at no cost. I had about a 10 minute phone call with Hal right when I joined AZB about 14 years ago. I sent him my number and he called me. He described his CTE system to me over the phone. Although not super useful to me at the time, there are many shots that occur today that are half-ball cuts or "split ferrule" shots that I recognize as such. Hal was only trying to be helpful.


Like him or not, Hal Houle has been one of AZ Billiards most famous posters. Hal's contribution to the pool discussions on aiming is unequaled in any forum. He has influenced pool players for decades with his many aiming systems, including CTE (Center-to-edge) for which he has essentially built a lasting legacy.

Instructors teach various forms of his aiming systems throughout the world.

Hal Houle (rhymes with pool) gave his knowledge free of charge and welcomed anyone to call him at any time to learn more about his aiming systems. He also enjoyed keeping tabs on the various players and the members of AzBilliards. I personally enjoyed his stories of his own personal life the most and called him many times just to have him open one of the windows of his life.

Yes, I believe Hal deserves to be in the AzB Hall of Fame.

Thank you Hal for sharing your life's stories with me. I am honored to have known you and you will never be forgotten.

JoeyA
 
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