I miss most balls because I did not leave my eye on the ball long enough. Once over that hump, then it's mental errors.
Reasons for missed shots.
- Thread starter Big C
- Start date
I miss most balls because I did not leave my eye on the ball long enough. Once over that hump, then it's mental errors.
i usually miss because I'm blind missing one arm and both legs
Nice poll Big C. Interesting that deflection and swerve came in dead last, with even less votes than "the pocket moved." Its also like a double category. You can miss on a misjudgment in the amount of english needed before taking a shot. But wait, is that a deflection error, or mental error?
Or you can miss by not hitting center ball(if thats what you were going for). Or, should that be considered a stroke error? I dunno, maybe thats why deflection /swerve is last. I voted for mental too, but I think that deflection and/or swerve error comes into play a bit more than the poll indicates(especially with guys who like to spin).
Or you can miss by not hitting center ball(if thats what you were going for). Or, should that be considered a stroke error? I dunno, maybe thats why deflection /swerve is last. I voted for mental too, but I think that deflection and/or swerve error comes into play a bit more than the poll indicates(especially with guys who like to spin).
I find that when I miss it is usually because I did not pay attention to the right things at the right time.
When I into my stance I make shots more consistently (regardless of difficulty) if I look at the cue ball as I do so. This way I know that I am lining my body up correctly to the cue ball which is the only input I have on the results of the shot. If I am looking at the object ball when I get down I usually do not get as well aligned and don't have the discipline to get back up and start over; I compensate in other ways which leads to a bad stroke and missed shot.
The final stage of my shooting routine is that after I take a few practice strokes to make sure it is straight I look at the object ball and concentrate on the contact point before hitting the shot. If I feel that I aligned incorrectly then I will get up and start over. I see a lot of the pros tend to have a pause right before they take their final stroke and wonder if they are doing the same thing.
I consider all of this to fall under setup and routine.
When I into my stance I make shots more consistently (regardless of difficulty) if I look at the cue ball as I do so. This way I know that I am lining my body up correctly to the cue ball which is the only input I have on the results of the shot. If I am looking at the object ball when I get down I usually do not get as well aligned and don't have the discipline to get back up and start over; I compensate in other ways which leads to a bad stroke and missed shot.
The final stage of my shooting routine is that after I take a few practice strokes to make sure it is straight I look at the object ball and concentrate on the contact point before hitting the shot. If I feel that I aligned incorrectly then I will get up and start over. I see a lot of the pros tend to have a pause right before they take their final stroke and wonder if they are doing the same thing.
I consider all of this to fall under setup and routine.
Thanks for the comments Bambu. I too find it interesting that not many people blamed deflection/swerve. Could it be that most people do not notice, or account for it? Or, are most people using a low-deflection shaft? Poor mental focus seems to be the catch all category here. I wonder how many people are aware of their setup, routine, delivery and finish position. These are all important issues to account for in order to diagnose why you missed the shot.
I think the #1 reason is the shot is rushed.
It can also be said that too much time taken to decide can make you miss. Paralysis by analysis.
That's why we need to develop a cadence in our routines to ingrain a subconscious shot clock.
I miss 90% of my shots due to
It is by far my biggest mistake when I am playing "lazy pool", not standing back properly from the shot visualizing the stroke I need to put on the ball with the proper spin and speed before stepping into the shot with the plan already laid out. Getting down on the ball quickly without doing it and then tweaking the stuff and deciding on the exact aspects of the shot while down on the ball is my nemesis when I am playing under not enough pressure to force me into taking the proper amount of time to do things right.
It is by far my biggest mistake when I am playing "lazy pool", not standing back properly from the shot visualizing the stroke I need to put on the ball with the proper spin and speed before stepping into the shot with the plan already laid out. Getting down on the ball quickly without doing it and then tweaking the stuff and deciding on the exact aspects of the shot while down on the ball is my nemesis when I am playing under not enough pressure to force me into taking the proper amount of time to do things right.
Do you have a key? Something you do, or think about just before you bend over to shoot. Every part of your routine should be planned, practiced enough times so that it keeps you from getting lazy. It should be 2nd nature to perform this routine before, during and after every shot. The first thing I do after I miss a shot that I should have made is to lighten my grip pressure. If it happens again, I will go through each step in my pre-shot routine, execute the shot and freeze the finish position so I can see what is happening with the tip. If my stroke has broken down I perform the slow-motion drill and gradually speed up to a hard shot.
Not enough pockets on the table.:grin:
Lack of confidence, too much confidence, miscued, lost concetration,
intimidated by the opponent, stick didn't feel right ,my arm didn't feel right,
I didn't feel right, too tired, not enough sleep, too much sleep ,hungry,ate
too much, car alarm kept on ,didn't like the song on the radio ,music too
loud, too many people in the room, I had to pee, stomach ache, too humid,
raining outside, pocket too small, table play funny, blinded by the sun,
balls were dirty, table cloth too old....... This is only the tip of an iceberg.
intimidated by the opponent, stick didn't feel right ,my arm didn't feel right,
I didn't feel right, too tired, not enough sleep, too much sleep ,hungry,ate
too much, car alarm kept on ,didn't like the song on the radio ,music too
loud, too many people in the room, I had to pee, stomach ache, too humid,
raining outside, pocket too small, table play funny, blinded by the sun,
balls were dirty, table cloth too old....... This is only the tip of an iceberg.
Last edited:
Are those issues you are currently dealing with?
I wish, these are only some of them.
I miss shots because...
100% of my misses I blame on the equipment or conditions (the alternative, it being my fault, is never the reason):
bad cloth (too slow or fast, too clean or dirty, bad color)
bad table bed (too crooked, or worse, too straight)
bad room (too noisy or too quiet, too full or empty)
distractions (too many fine women, or lack of same)
weather (too moist or dry, hot or cold, inside or out)
bad chalk, the balls were too round, cue ball was drunk again, the sun got in my eye, the moon got in my eye, my glass eye was dirty...
100% of my misses I blame on the equipment or conditions (the alternative, it being my fault, is never the reason):
bad cloth (too slow or fast, too clean or dirty, bad color)
bad table bed (too crooked, or worse, too straight)
bad room (too noisy or too quiet, too full or empty)
distractions (too many fine women, or lack of same)
weather (too moist or dry, hot or cold, inside or out)
bad chalk, the balls were too round, cue ball was drunk again, the sun got in my eye, the moon got in my eye, my glass eye was dirty...