How do you cope?

Cuebuddy

Cuebuddy

Mini cues
Silver Member
Well I must say that I am normally an up-beat positive person. Having stated that it sucks watching these players play at the Ultimate 10 ball championship play so well and seeing my own game slowly slide down hill.

I am lucky I have great equipment and a life style that lets me practice several times a week but it is not enough to increase my skill level.
I realize that with out competitive play my game will continue to deteriorate with age. I am a busy person and usually don't think much about it but it hit me tonight.... compared to these guys, well I don't stand a chance.

My main concern is there is no body close who plays much and I need to be challenged to improve.

Anyone else in this boat?
 
Oh yeah

I have been in this spot for about two years I got just good enough to beat everybody local now they won't play and anybody better than me is over an hour away and I work full time.

It sucks
 
Same thing here,the guys that are better "ALWAYS" wanna play for more than I'm willing to lose,and everyone else are just ball bangers that could give a care less about the game!!Thinkin bout moving to somewhere I can get on some serious leagues or a better class of players.
 
Well guys the best thing you can do at this point is try to promote the game and create stronger players in your area. You can teach some of the younger players to get better very quickly, and in no time you will have a stronger field in your area. If you instruct a 15 yr old that loves pool, and in one years time he is not trouble, then you failed as a teacher.

So I guess that is how I cope...I make the field better!
 
YES SIR, between building cues (which i thought would get me out more) 4 kids a wife and being in the army my game has droped maybe 30% or more in thae last couple couple years and maybe 50% since i was 18.

its real tough but all i can do is get the most out of the time i do practice.
 
Cuebuddy said:
Well I must say that I am normally an up-beat positive person. Having stated that it sucks watching these players play at the Ultimate 10 ball championship play so well and seeing my own game slowly slide down hill.

I am lucky I have great equipment and a life style that lets me practice several times a week but it is not enough to increase my skill level.
I realize that with out competitive play my game will continue to deteriorate with age. I am a busy person and usually don't think much about it but it hit me tonight.... compared to these guys, well I don't stand a chance.

My main concern is there is no body close who plays much and I need to be challenged to improve.

Anyone else in this boat?
Click to expand...

Count me in. But I slave away anyway, and there are days when everything comes together and I feel like I can actually play.

You're welcome to practice with me on my home table in Golden. I'd love the competition.
 
ehn9 said:
I have been in this spot for about two years I got just good enough to beat everybody local now they won't play and anybody better than me is over an hour away and I work full time.

It sucks
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I think there is seven tables in the four towns around me, all bar boxs.I have not gone out in years.

NineballBEN said:
Same thing here,the guys that are better "ALWAYS" wanna play for more than I'm willing to lose,and everyone else are just ball bangers that could give a care less about the game!!Thinkin bout moving to somewhere I can get on some serious leagues or a better class of players.
Click to expand...

I think about "relocating for the game" many times but in reality that would be crazy. As for leagues I have never lived in an area with them, I here good and bad about the different leagues in cities but they at least give players options.

JamisonNeu said:
Well guys the best thing you can do at this point is try to promote the game and create stronger players in your area. You can teach some of the younger players to get better very quickly, and in no time you will have a stronger field in your area. If you instruct a 15 yr old that loves pool, and in one years time he is not trouble, then you failed as a teacher.

So I guess that is how I cope...I make the field better!
Click to expand...

I have taught many kids (including my own) to play over the years and there is great satisfaction in sharing knowledge. Someday I will get certified.

Trent said:
YES SIR, between building cues (which i thought would get me out more) 4 kids a wife and being in the army my game has droped maybe 30% or more in thae last couple couple years and maybe 50% since i was 18.

its real tough but all i can do is get the most out of the time i do practice.
Click to expand...

I also build a few cues and have four kids LOL and yes building the cue both large and small is cool but it keeps me off the table more;).
 
9BallPaul said:
Count me in. But I slave away anyway, and there are days when everything comes together and I feel like I can actually play.

You're welcome to practice with me on my home table in Golden. I'd love the competition.
Click to expand...

Thanks Paul when I get to the front range it is usally short notice but it would be cool to drop by now and then.
Did you ever sell that Predator Hoppe?
 
back about 20 years ago i played very very well.....now at this age, as hard as i try, it just won't come back. played 11 hours yesterday and the games went well until 10 pm or so. i decided to keep playing until i got better and figure out what the heck happened....it came back around midnight so i decided to play a couple of more hours while it was good! i just love the game too much to quit! i keep practicing and playing daily. i have started giving helpful hints to others as i know what i am supposed to do with form etc, it is just that my old body does not want to conform. let's all hang in there! :thumbup:
 
Hey there cuebuddy. I do know what you mean. Over the last year or year and a half, I have been able to step up my game a meaningful amount, and this is without regular competition.

My solution, was competition with myself during practice included playing the ghost in rotation based games and I have also taken up practicing straight pool a bit as well. Both of these have allowed me to keep my interest up in the game, which is critical. If you are bored or do not feel compelled to push yourself or to take each shot seriously, well, we all know the outcome of that.

Also, remember, pool is fun. It is supposed to be that way. I have been gardening more, as it is spring (I probably owe you a photo of that, btw) and playing pool a bit less. However, when I play competitively, no one has noticed that my game is suffering. Quite the opposite, as they are by and large complimenting the way I am playing.

So, in a nut shell, compete with yourself and have fun. You'll find that you can be your own most formidable opponent and you will likely enjoy the game more, as I have.

Cheers and good luck!
 
I think, Cuebuddy, when we see those 10 Ball players work their magic it tends to strike a hidden, and unhappy cord with us mere mortals.
Recrimination sets in. We begin castigating ourselves for not practicing as much as we could, or should have.
Self-doubt sets in. We begin to wonder if we ever had what it takes to perform at such a high level in the first place. Knowing that we probably didn't.
Disgust and self-loathing sets in. We see that our lack of dedication to practice and obvious lack of innate talent has precluded us from ever attaining that which others make look so easy.
Alcohol and drug abuse set in. In our world the only escape from the woes we have created is to walk a path of self-distruction through chemicals.
Suicide sets in. To us it is our only salvation. A final solution to our never ending shame and disgust in ourselves.

Or, we could buy a new motorcycle like I did. Cool, huh? :)
 
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Happy Easter!

First a Happy Easter to you Jim and the other folks reading this thread. About getting certified, I've been expecting that to happen to me pretty much any time for years, I'm not really looking forward to it! :D

I have to admit the pool fire has went out. I no longer even desire to be the best. I was able to push myself with no real local competition for years just by placing ever greater demands on my play. An old song for those that have known me as long as you have but I spent years on cue ball control. Sometimes I snuck the cue ball into slots that would have been measured with a mike, thousandths of an inch. With apologies to the person that wrote the golf book, pool can be a game of perfect. Work on "perfect" or really work on the longest perfect runs you can put together a few times a week. When nobody else is around to push you, you have to push yourself to keep your interest up.

Good luck with your pool game and I hope you and your family are having a wonderful Easter!

Hu
 
oldplayer said:
back about 20 years ago i played very very well.....now at this age, as hard as i try, it just won't come back. played 11 hours yesterday and the games went well until 10 pm or so. i decided to keep playing until i got better and figure out what the heck happened....it came back around midnight so i decided to play a couple of more hours while it was good! i just love the game too much to quit! i keep practicing and playing daily. i have started giving helpful hints to others as i know what i am supposed to do with form etc, it is just that my old body does not want to conform. let's all hang in there! :thumbup:
Click to expand...

oldplayer that's cool that you played a marathon. I love long matchs if it weren't for obligations I would play all night:grin:

jalapus logan said:
Hey there cuebuddy. I do know what you mean. Over the last year or year and a half, I have been able to step up my game a meaningful amount, and this is without regular competition.

My solution, was competition with myself during practice included playing the ghost in rotation based games and I have also taken up practicing straight pool a bit as well. Both of these have allowed me to keep my interest up in the game, which is critical. If you are bored or do not feel compelled to push yourself or to take each shot seriously, well, we all know the outcome of that.

Also, remember, pool is fun. It is supposed to be that way. I have been gardening more, as it is spring (I probably owe you a photo of that, btw) and playing pool a bit less. However, when I play competitively, no one has noticed that my game is suffering. Quite the opposite, as they are by and large complimenting the way I am playing.

So, in a nut shell, compete with yourself and have fun. You'll find that you can be your own most formidable opponent and you will likely enjoy the game more, as I have.

Cheers and good luck!
Click to expand...
Yes competing with myself is where it's at now, some nights its there and wow it feels like days of old. As far as gardening and pictures...the tomatoes are happy at six inch's high in the green house but needing sun. It is still snowing here with no sign of it letting up. 530 inch's at mid mountain this year and we set a new single season record:cool:.

Tramp Steamer said:
I think, Cuebuddy, when we see those 10 Ball players work their magic it tends to strike a hidden, and unhappy cord with us mere mortals.
Recrimination sets in. We begin castigating ourselves for not practicing as much as we could, or should have.
Self-doubt sets in. We begin to wonder if we ever had what it takes to perform at such a high level in the first place. Knowing that we probably didn't.
Disgust and self-loathing sets in. We see that our lack of dedication to practice and obvious lack of innate talent has precluded us from ever attaining that which others make look so easy.
Alcohol and drug abuse set in. In our world the only escape from the woes we have created is to walk a path of self-distruction through chemicals.
Suicide sets in. To us it is our only salvation. A final solution to our never ending shame and disgust in ourselves.

Or, we could buy a new motorcycle like I did. Cool, huh? :)
Click to expand...

Tramp....well that is some deep thinking. If you play like you think you must of been a killer on the slate. Thanks for bringing it down to my level with the motorcycle idea. I have an old 53 Harley I can dig out. :embarrassed2:
 
ShootingArts said:
First a Happy Easter to you Jim and the other folks reading this thread. About getting certified, I've been expecting that to happen to me pretty much any time for years, I'm not really looking forward to it! :D

I have to admit the pool fire has went out. I no longer even desire to be the best. I was able to push myself with no real local competition for years just by placing ever greater demands on my play. An old song for those that have known me as long as you have but I spent years on cue ball control. Sometimes I snuck the cue ball into slots that would have been measured with a mike, thousandths of an inch. With apologies to the person that wrote the golf book, pool can be a game of perfect. Work on "perfect" or really work on the longest perfect runs you can put together a few times a week. When nobody else is around to push you, you have to push yourself to keep your interest up.

Good luck with your pool game and I hope you and your family are having a wonderful Easter!

Hu
Click to expand...

Happy Easter to you also Hu. I think we have a mutual friend in Scott Lee, he travels through from time to time and someday I will use him for the instructor training.

I hear what your saying if I think it and visualize it I can usally do it on the table. Practicing the game in a nonchalant manner is the kiss of death for an old guys game.

I know I am not in this "getten old" thing by myself and I am out of the funk I was in yesterday thanks in part to the stories and suggestions you all have offered up.

I think I will go practice now;).
 
At 70 i'm playing just about as good as I ever did. It took me a good year of playing every day to do it. I really can't risk going out now to match up or go to tournaments for health reasons. They really don't let you take a two hour nap in the middle of a set or tournament because your B/P has spiked or your having problems breathing. I have hit a wall as far as improving more w/o the compitition. I truely believe you need that to get to the the pro level. I find I don't have that fire in me to practice for hours and hours by myself anymore. It's very hard to just walk away from something that's been a big part of your life for 60 years. Johnnyt
 
I am 61. The nearest real pool room is at least an hour away from me. There are a couple of oversize 8's at the senior center which is about a 20 minute ride away. I also practice straight pool and play the ghost in rotation games. Yesterday I had a Kamui tip put on my 1st gen pred shaft. Tomorrow I'm going to see how it plays. Once in a while, one of the younger guys will go to the senior center with me as a guest. That's always fun and good practice. I also spend more time than I should on this forum.

There are a lot of bar table 8 ball tournaments I could go to that are not that far away, but the atmosphere in those places is pretty rough, and at my age that gets old pretty fast. I have a couple of friends around my age, one is 59 and the other 67 who play and cash in the bar tournaments often. I have less than a year to go to retire from my present job. Hopefully, I will get to play more then.

I like motorcycles too. Rode for over 30 years. Never had a bad accident. Lately there's been a rash of older guys getting hurt bad or killed out riding in my area. Decided to give it up before my luck ran out.
 
Well I was already thinking about moving..:p not just because of pool though..and JohnnyT from your post I'd have said you were a lot younger(compliment)...and as HU said....."HAPPY EASTER ALL".
 
You have to keep in mind that the guys you are watching play pool for a living. Most don't work, and if they do as often as not it is in a pool hall where they practice and are immersed into the game every day. They play 20+ hours a week at the minimum, and often alot more then that when prepping for a match/tourney. They play weekly local tournaments, they play regional events and major events all over the world. They are on the road constantly, doing nothing but playing pool.

When you are totally immersed into the game and playing it that much you are going to shoot good. And anyone not living that lifestyle is at a huge disadvantage trying to compare themselves to these pros who lead that life.

A few times in my life I have gone to Vegas for the BCA and VNEA combined and stayed down in the USA for the week in between. I normally practice alot before the trip and usually have competed in the team event to win the trip less then a month before. By the time I have been in Vegas for a couple weeks doing nothing but shoot pool and have been immersed in the game to that degree I am shooting at a far higher level then my normal state. My game rises alot in that short period of time, and it would rise alot higher if I were to go from Vegas after those events and hit the road and actually live the life of a pro, off to the Philipines next, then Japan for a event, then the MiddleEast for a World Championship, then back to the USA for 2 regional tournaments, then off to Europe to play in an event, then a big race to 100 challenge match, and gambling all of the time in between the events.

You cannot compare your game to people doing that. It is simply not realistic to think you are going to shoot as good as Jason Klatt if you are not living the life of Jason Klatt, he has been all over the USA and has been traveling the world gambling and playing tournaments. He is a pool professional, it is all he does. If a person has alot of natural talent and they decide to live that life then they are going to get good, but that is where you need to ask yourself, do you want job security? Can you live on $20k a year unless you are in the top 10? Do you mind renting your house and not owning it, not having any finacial security, savings, net worth beyond your gambling stake in your bank account?

You cannot have your cake and eat it too. The people who become pro pool players give up alot to get that good, they are living life on the edge and everything they have invested in their life is wrapped up in how well they can play this game. If you are not at that stage in the game then no, you are not even going to come close to comparing to these guys.
 
Johnnyt said:
At 70 i'm playing just about as good as I ever did. It took me a good year of playing every day to do it. I really can't risk going out now to match up or go to tournaments for health reasons. They really don't let you take a two hour nap in the middle of a set or tournament because your B/P has spiked or your having problems breathing. I have hit a wall as far as improving more w/o the compitition. I truely believe you need that to get to the the pro level. I find I don't have that fire in me to practice for hours and hours by myself anymore. It's very hard to just walk away from something that's been a big part of your life for 60 years. Johnnyt
Click to expand...

Hey, Johnny. I had a fire in my belly yesterday morning but it turns out it was only the Mexican food I had eaten the night before.
Say! You want to know what one of the best things to do after eating a whole bunch of really hot Mexican food is? Eat some ice cream.
Then the next morning while you're sitting on the stool you can holler. "Come on ice cream...". :)
 
Cuebuddy said:
Well I must say that I am normally an up-beat positive person. Having stated that it sucks watching these players play at the Ultimate 10 ball championship play so well and seeing my own game slowly slide down hill.

I am lucky I have great equipment and a life style that lets me practice several times a week but it is not enough to increase my skill level.
I realize that with out competitive play my game will continue to deteriorate with age. I am a busy person and usually don't think much about it but it hit me tonight.... compared to these guys, well I don't stand a chance.

My main concern is there is no body close who plays much and I need to be challenged to improve.

Anyone else in this boat?
Click to expand...



i was in that boat for years

the only way out is knowlege, hanging out with some of the people I do in pool has taught me more in the past 2-3 years than i learned in the previous 20something years. Then I take what I have learned and go find action, i stay in action as much as possibe.

I had a GC4 at my home with a perfect room and played in it for 7 years, i didnt get 1/2 ball better, I didnt lose any speed either so it wasnt a total loss.

being in the right places with the right people is a big pieve of the puzzle, i just never mentioned it befor. I'm playing better than ever(most days) I have awalys been a choppy player.
 
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