single best thing i can do to improve my game (C+)

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alwayzcocacola0

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I know make every ball, get perfect shape etc. etc. I just have always been told play people better than you and watch what they do. Well that only does so much. I just feel like playing 9 ball will not improve my game the way I want it to. I want to be an A+ eventually. Just looking for help as to which direction to go. I know basic english. I know and understand squirt and throw. I can kick and make a lot of the kicks when i am hooked. I just am looking to get serious about being better. if it matters I usually play on a custom barbox with simonis 860. Would i be better off to move to the 9 foot table? im open to any and all suggestions.
 
Nothing replaces proper mechanics and work work work. Read books, watch accustats videos and study, pay attention. You gotta want it.
 
Single biggest thing for lots of folks IMO is to stop adjusting for what you believe is poor aiming and start to realize that your aiming is just fine, instead understand that the PRIMARY reason you miss shots is the DELIVERY.


People struggle with believing they don't see the shot when they miss when in fact they see it fine, they just don't hit what they see, or they hit it with unwanted english on the CB.

Play straight pool, it will develop your touch. Play some one pocket also, it well develop your CB control.

Here are three drills that will help you determine your delivery.

1, Get two balls and the cue ball and freeze them to each other along the bottom short rail with the cue ball in the middle. Now move each object ball about an 1/8th inch away from the CB leaving them all on the short rail.

Now shoot the CB to the other short rail and have it come back to hit the short rail again between your two object balls.

2. Place an OB in the center of the table, place the CB near a corner pocket about a foot away from its center. Now shoot the OB into the far corner and follow it in with the CB.

3. Throw the balls all over the table. Pick any ball and simply try to shoot the CB at it and make the CB stop completely dead. Do not try to pocket balls. You can shoot them into the rails. Pocketing is not a part of this drill. Hitting the CB dead head on to any of the balls on the table is the object so that you can stop the CB dead. No drift at all.
 
This is the best advice...although, I'll take it a step further, and suggest finding a qualified instructor to help iron out those delivery problems (qualified means they use video analysis, as part of the lesson)! I've said this many times...people who come to me with perceived aiming problems, cannot deliver the cue in a straight line. Once we correct stroke flaws, aiming problems go away for most people!

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

3andstop said:
Single biggest thing for lots of folks IMO is to stop adjusting for what you believe is poor aiming and start to realize that your aiming is just fine, instead understand that the PRIMARY reason you miss shots is the DELIVERY.

People struggle with believing they don't see the shot when they miss when in fact they see it fine, they just don't hit what they see, or they hit it with unwanted english on the CB.
Click to expand...
 
I don't know of any other way to improve other than keep putting more and more competitive pressure on that stroke for longer and longer periods of time against tougher and tougher opposition.

Cheers. :)
 
1) Instructor
2) Repeatable stroke
3) Knowledge (exactly where the cue ball will go after contact, where and with which angle the cue ball will come off the rail and how you can effect that)
4) Speed Control
5) Playing under pressure.


3andstop said:
Single biggest thing for lots of folks IMO is to stop adjusting for what you believe is poor aiming and start to realize that your aiming is just fine, instead understand that the PRIMARY reason you miss shots is the DELIVERY.


People struggle with believing they don't see the shot when they miss when in fact they see it fine, they just don't hit what they see, or they hit it with unwanted english on the CB.

Play straight pool, it will develop your touch. Play some one pocket also, it well develop your CB control.

Here are three drills that will help you determine your delivery.

1, Get two balls and the cue ball and freeze them to each other along the bottom short rail with the cue ball in the middle. Now move each object ball about an 1/8th inch away from the CB leaving them all on the short rail.

Now shoot the CB to the other short rail and have it come back to hit the short rail again between your two object balls.

2. Place an OB in the center of the table, place the CB near a corner pocket about a foot away from its center. Now shoot the OB into the far corner and follow it in with the CB.

3. Throw the balls all over the table. Pick any ball and simply try to shoot the CB at it and make the CB stop completely dead. Do not try to pocket balls. You can shoot them into the rails. Pocketing is not a part of this drill. Hitting the CB dead head on to any of the balls on the table is the object so that you can stop the CB dead. No drift at all.
Click to expand...

great and interesting drills.
 
Start hitting most everything at medium speed. Average players think that hitting hard will help the cue ball go straighter when in fact speed is what causes someone to put unwanted English on the cue which makes the cue curve offline. The more jacked up your cue is the more your shot will curve.

I'm teaching someone who is making everything simply because I've never stopped telling her she's hitting too hard.
 
I find it incredible that to the Europeans like Thorsten Hohman Ralf Souquet and Jasmin (love of my life) ouschan that having a coach comes so natural where in American it is far less common.
 
I know its prob not the absolute top of the list but I love watching dvd's of the pros, not to mimic a stroke but to see what routes and patterns they play to get out of racks. See if i would play it the same way. If i was right i get a cookie. If not I get NADA.
 
First, I am no way the person to look to for major advice, just going to tell you what has helped me the most.

I used to be a really good player, for the most part, then stopped playing for years. Got back into and sucked!

Well was told three basic things to do..

1: Relax. Can not focus and execute if your upset, or over thinking.
2: Slow down. I was hitting and moving way to fast, in turn causing to hit to hard. Slowing my stroke down was so far the greatest help.
3: Follow through with the stroke, and don't take your eyes off untill the end of the stroke..

These have improved my game dramatically.
 
in fellini's classic "la dolce vida" an actress was asked, "what are your three favorite things?"

she replied "love, love and love."

well, in that vain, i will reply to you, "cue ball, cue ball, and cue ball"
 
3andstop said:
Single biggest thing for lots of folks IMO is to stop adjusting for what you believe is poor aiming and start to realize that your aiming is just fine, instead understand that the PRIMARY reason you miss shots is the DELIVERY.


People struggle with believing they don't see the shot when they miss when in fact they see it fine, they just don't hit what they see, or they hit it with unwanted english on the CB.

Play straight pool, it will develop your touch. Play some one pocket also, it well develop your CB control.

Here are three drills that will help you determine your delivery.

1, Get two balls and the cue ball and freeze them to each other along the bottom short rail with the cue ball in the middle. Now move each object ball about an 1/8th inch away from the CB leaving them all on the short rail.

Now shoot the CB to the other short rail and have it come back to hit the short rail again between your two object balls.

2. Place an OB in the center of the table, place the CB near a corner pocket about a foot away from its center. Now shoot the OB into the far corner and follow it in with the CB.

3. Throw the balls all over the table. Pick any ball and simply try to shoot the CB at it and make the CB stop completely dead. Do not try to pocket balls. You can shoot them into the rails. Pocketing is not a part of this drill. Hitting the CB dead head on to any of the balls on the table is the object so that you can stop the CB dead. No drift at all.
Click to expand...
This and what the other gentleman said about mechanics. The stroke comes naturally if your stance is correct. It also allows you to shoot straight. If you are missing or inconsistent, you are probably not standing correctly. Go back to the basics always. Know how to find the line from the object ball to the point of contact & be able to line up straight on it with a good stance. Look for pros that have a similar build to you & watch what they do.

People have all of these training methods for teaching someone to stroke straight such as stroking the cue into a bottle. If you line up correctly stance-wise, this will happen without having to manipulate your arm uncomfortably.

Good luck!
 
A funny thing happened.....

Everyone that mentioned focusing on the deliver is dead on. Two things I am working on that really hellped my game

1) Delivery- I now make sure that I look at the object ball last and use a slow diliberate back stroke and focus on follow through. It is becoming habbit now. This is exciting because when I started focusing on those things I thought they would never be habbit. --- I NOW POCKET MORE BALLS.

2) Knowledge- knowing how to work the patterns and move the CB around the table has helped. I struggle less with position play, my shots are easier, and I am more confident to execute (see number1). My runs are longer....
 
I am guessing he knows about instructors. He is asking people here for tips on improving skill not finding instructors.

Tips, practice with mirrors, cameras etc. Keep track of progress. To judge progress play the ghost.

Areas to improve, stop missing easy shots and pick a spot for shap (dont' hit and hope) Pattern play is big to make tables easy. Try watching pro's guess where they are going to play the CB. Use the Cuetable challenge and try it.
 
here's a few idea's

1- the 60min workout, which is a awesome to work on.

2- Play 8ball on a barbox and then 9ft table, BCA rules!

3- practice your break, and CB control

4- playing straight pool and 1-hole on a 9ft table.

I say those things besides what everyone else said about getting a coach.

i've never once been completely coached, i've gotten tips and help from guys, but never had someone just coach me consistently. Alot of my knowledge is from trial and error and finding what works for you.

I'm sure if i had gotten a coach years ago or went to see Scott Lee, i'd probably be light years ahead of where I am now.....
 
A couple of things that REALLY helped me turn the corner.

Stay relaxed ALL the time! Don't shoot unless you are relaxed. Make the weight of the cue work for you.

Also, account for deflection. Find your spot on the object ball then move that spot over to the exact tip location on the cue ball. Ex. if you are using a tip of left english on the cue, move your contact spot on the object ball over a tip to the left.
 
alwayzcocacola0 said:
I know make every ball, get perfect shape etc. etc. I just have always been told play people better than you and watch what they do. Well that only does so much. I just feel like playing 9 ball will not improve my game the way I want it to. I want to be an A+ eventually. Just looking for help as to which direction to go. I know basic english. I know and understand squirt and throw. I can kick and make a lot of the kicks when i am hooked. I just am looking to get serious about being better. if it matters I usually play on a custom barbox with simonis 860. Would i be better off to move to the 9 foot table? im open to any and all suggestions.
Click to expand...

i think playing on a 9 footer would help your game. the only reason my barbox game seems good is because all i used to play on was 9 footers.

don't worry so much about quantity. work on the quality of your practice sessions. really focus when you practice. make the ball and get the cueball where you intend. unlike women, when it comes to pool, quality is what counts. not quality.
 
Work on your stroke first, which includes stance, keeping your head down, rhythm (1,2,3, pause, shoot), grip, etc.

For starters, put balls on the head string and from about 8 inches or so away, shoot them into the far corner pockets softly. Do this over and over until you own the shot. You should feel your cue coming straight back and straight through. This is the time to experiment with the stance, grip etc. to see what you like best. Then own the stop shot. Then practice 85% cut shots over an over and over to get used to using the ghost ball. Regular shots will become so easy after you do this.
 
only thing about 9 footers is that I primarily play on the custom barbox mentioned earlier. I was told by a guy at the room that if I practice on 9 footer and go back to barbox there will be lots of scratching? true?
 
alwayzcocacola0 said:
I was told by a guy at the room that if I practice on 9 footer and go back to barbox there will be lots of scratching? true?
Click to expand...

After playing on a big table and going back to a bar box it could seem like you are scratching more. A big table is 4 1/2 X 9, a bar box is 3 1/2 X 7. So a big table has 27 ft of rails and the bar box has 21 ft (minus the pockets). With 4 1/2 inch pockets they would BOTH have 2'3" of pockets.

So a big table is .833% pocket and a bar table is .107% pockets.

Thats the theory on scratching more on a bar table, but if you learn to play correct patterns and control the cueball you will be fine.

Dont worry about it, playing on a big table wont make you scratch more on a bar table than you do now, it would just seem like it. If you really want to get better, play on the big table. When you go back to bar boxes is feels like cheating.

Woody
 
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