Ron Swanson
Banned
Sooner or later it's inevitable; you must learn pocket speed. It's boring. It takes the fun out of the game, but it must be done.
Question is, how?
Question is, how?
Sooner or later it's inevitable; you must learn pocket speed. It's boring. It takes the fun out of the game, but it must be done.
Question is, how?
Experience.
Pocket speed doesn't matter much on a triple shimmed table. You either hit it right or you didn't.
A factor, of course, but that is not all.
That is when it matters most.
For me, a D level player, I was hitting every shot with pretty much the same speed. I started practicing making shallow angle shots into the side pocket. If you're hitting too hard then the pocket rejects it.
A couple of seasons of straight pool also help develop a sense for slower speeds.
Experience is everything.
If you walk up to a brand new table, that was made by some unknown manufacturer, how to do you know what pocket speed is? You don't. You hit a ball and see what happens. If you hit it hard and it doesn't work, you hit it softer.
The term pocket speed is as broad of a term as saying "Hit the ball well, so it goes in the pocket without rattling."
Edit-
I'd also like to add, that you questioned us, but you are trying to tell us we are wrong... THAT is what is wrong with these forums.
I play one pocket on a triple shim and that ball has to drop soooo impossibly slow if your not dead center. Have you played on triple shimmed? The edges are very sharp.
A fun drill that helps to learn speed control is taking all 15 balls and shooting all of them from one short rail to the other. Don't let any balls hit one another. Master this drill and you'll understand pocket speed.
Experience is everything.
If you walk up to a brand new table, that was made by some unknown manufacturer, how to do you know what pocket speed is? You don't. You hit a ball and see what happens. If you hit it hard and it doesn't work, you hit it softer.
The term pocket speed is as broad of a term as saying "Hit the ball well, so it goes in the pocket without rattling."
Edit-
I'd also like to add, that you questioned us, but you are trying to tell us we are wrong... THAT is what is wrong with these forums.
Of course, which is why you have to play pocket speed.
Some years ago I realized that you hardly ever see a ball come up short of the pocket. So, during practice, I tried to hit softer and softer, to the point where the object ball would stop a little short of the pocket. That is how I learned "pocket speed".
Dave
Somebody needs a nap!