do I need a measles ball, and do I need a high-end instructor?

michael4

michael4

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
1) I read somewhere that the measles ball was created so the "audience" could see the CB spin? Anyway, should I get a measles ball?, will it help me see my spin and/or are there other advantages? Cant I already "see" my spin just by looking at how the CB reacts?

2) I really want to get some first-time lessons (erratic C player in SoCAL). I would love to use some of the fine instructors on this forum, but a price of (say) $300 is a little steep for me, and my wife would really frown. Should I try to find some kind of small group lesson for about $100? (my preferred budget) Should I bite the bullet and spend $300? At my level what will the difference be? Can I start with a "lessor" instructor and move up to the $300 instructor later? I should say due to my budget I'm really leaning toward the "lessor" instructor, just want to confirm that would not be a waste of time?

Thanks in advance for all the help that is available on this forum!!
 
my 2 cents
pay for some time with a 1 on 1 with an instructor
 
The measles ball is not a substitute for instruction. When you are playing you can see the spin just fine. It just helps for the spectators at the event or on TV.

The measles ball is a very good cue ball. That is the reason you might want to buy one. But it has nothing to do with getting instruction.

BTW, I'm not an instructor so I'm not trying to sell you lessons.

Where in SoCal are you, are you in a league, how long have you been playing and where do you usually play?
 
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I believe most anything you can tell with a measles ball you can likely tell with a stripe just as well, for practice purposes.
 
DogsPlayingPool said:
The measles ball is not a substitute for instruction. When you are playing you can see the spin just fine. It just helps for the spectators at the event or on TV.

Where in SoCal are you, are you in a league, how long have you been playing and where do you usually play?
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Thanks everyone, I'll forget about the measles ball and focus on instruction.

(I'm in central OC. Never in a league, but seriously thinking about it. Play at home mostly, but the closest pool hall is Danny K's, and I met the nice Mr. Danny K when he purchased my house a few months ago. Played off an on over the years until I got my home table 6 months ago, now I practice almost every day (with a purpose), getting better but dont want to burn any bad habits into my muscle memory, thus the lessons)
 
I will be in S. CA next month, after the BCAPL championships in Vegas. If you're interested, PM me regarding coming to work with you.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

michael4 said:
Thanks everyone, I'll forget about the measles ball and focus on instruction.

(I'm in central OC. Never in a league, but seriously thinking about it. Play at home mostly, but the closest pool hall is Danny K's, and I met the nice Mr. Danny K when he purchased my house a few months ago. Played off an on over the years until I got my home table 6 months ago, now I practice almost every day (with a purpose), getting better but dont want to burn any bad habits into my muscle memory, thus the lessons)
Click to expand...
 
Get the Rempe ball and Joe Tucker's third eye stroke trainer and once you know where center is call the instructor......
 
michael4 said:
1) I read somewhere that the measles ball was created so the "audience" could see the CB spin? Anyway, should I get a measles ball?, will it help me see my spin and/or are there other advantages? Cant I already "see" my spin just by looking at how the CB reacts?

2) I really want to get some first-time lessons (erratic C player in SoCAL). I would love to use some of the fine instructors on this forum, but a price of (say) $300 is a little steep for me, and my wife would really frown. Should I try to find some kind of small group lesson for about $100? (my preferred budget) Should I bite the bullet and spend $300? At my level what will the difference be? Can I start with a "lessor" instructor and move up to the $300 instructor later? I should say due to my budget I'm really leaning toward the "lessor" instructor, just want to confirm that would not be a waste of time?

Thanks in advance for all the help that is available on this forum!!
Click to expand...

You don't need a measles ball to know what kind of spin is on the cue ball.

As for an instructor...i would suggest that if you get a "lessor" instructor, you are sacraficing the quality of your instruction. Save your money, and hold out for someone who can actually help your game. Scott would be a great choice. If you are serious about improving, don't short change yourself. If you go with a "lessor" instructor, sooner or later, you will be looking for a better instructor, who may have to help you fix problems you might not have had otherwise. Do it right the first time!
 
michael4 said:
1) I read somewhere that the measles ball was created so the "audience" could see the CB spin? Anyway, should I get a measles ball?, will it help me see my spin and/or are there other advantages? Cant I already "see" my spin just by looking at how the CB reacts?

2) I really want to get some first-time lessons (erratic C player in SoCAL). I would love to use some of the fine instructors on this forum, but a price of (say) $300 is a little steep for me, and my wife would really frown. Should I try to find some kind of small group lesson for about $100? (my preferred budget) Should I bite the bullet and spend $300? At my level what will the difference be? Can I start with a "lessor" instructor and move up to the $300 instructor later? I should say due to my budget I'm really leaning toward the "lessor" instructor, just want to confirm that would not be a waste of time?

Thanks in advance for all the help that is available on this forum!!
Click to expand...


I'm a little confused by your comment about a lesser instructor. How do you know an instructor is 'lesser'? By the price they charge? By reputation? Not all good instructors are high-priced. Some are good teachers who are just willing to help, and don't especially need the money, so they are willing to charge less. They're out there. You just have to find them.

If I were you I'd start with my local billiard room and ask for recommendations. You can also check the PBIA web site (playbetterbilliards.com) for credentialed instructors in your area. You can call them and ask if they would be willing to work with you on the price.
 
...or you could ask for suggestions on a site like this one (oh wait, he did...and got some! :rolleyes:). Some instructors either are better at what they teach, or they teach more often. That's not an arguable point. Are there good less expensive instructors out there? Sure. Are they as good as (or even better than) the higher priced instructors? Maybe. IMO, reputation is a pretty good yardstick on how well someone teaches. Afterall, yours isn't TOO shabby! :D Sometimes...like in many things, you get what you pay for. Perhaps you can work for free...because you stay in one place. Me...I travel the entire country, and do have a living to make. That said, my fee is very reasonable...even cheap, when you factor in $4 gas! Add that nobody has ever gotten a bad deal, and it's a downright bargain (not even figuring in the value of the information gained by the student)! :D

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

FranCrimi said:
I'm a little confused by your comment about a lesser instructor. How do you know an instructor is 'lesser'? By the price they charge? By reputation? Not all good instructors are high-priced. Some are good teachers who are just willing to help, and don't especially need the money, so they are willing to charge less. They're out there. You just have to find them.

If I were you I'd start with my local billiard room and ask for recommendations. You can also check the PBIA web site (playbetterbilliards.com) for credentialed instructors in your area. You can call them and ask if they would be willing to work with you on the price.
Click to expand...
 
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I have a lot to say on the subject of teachers and charging so here goes:

There are truly great teachers out there who do not charge. Ask Jeanette Lee, who attributes her game to Gene Nagy, 400 ball runner, who never charged her a penny for the days, weeks, months and years he worked with her. He never charged me either, and it wasn't because he didn't need the money. On the contrary, it was the opposite, yet that didn't deter him.

Ask C. J. Wiley about Dalton Leong, who he claims as his teacher and mentor, and how much Dalton charged C.J.. The answer is zero.

Johnny Ervolino never charged me and taught me some real jewels. He wasn't rich. He never asked me for a penny, so one day I bought him a plane ticket to Vegas because he needed to get there and he was short. That's how I paid him, but he never asked.

There are people out there who teach for the love of the game, despite their financial situation.

It's a choice we make. I charge people. My rate decreases with that person over time, which is why teaching locally works best for me. My students can also win free lesson time by passing tests I give them based on my lessons with them. This helps to keep them engaged in the material and encourages them to practice. Can I afford to do this? No, but I do it anyway. I can't offer this to players I see once or twice a year.
 
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FranCrimi said:
I'm a little confused by your comment about a lesser instructor. How do you know an instructor is 'lesser'? By the price they charge? By reputation?
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Thank you Fran, my question was a little confusing because I dont know much about how pool instruction works, but I'm learning.

If I go to a car dealer and they say the Toyota is $20K and the Lexus is 40K, I would always ask "whats the difference?". If they say "leather, more power, woodgrain dash and better stereo", then I just have to decide if I need that stuff or not.
As you mention, with pool instructors price is not always an indicator of quality. Choosing by reputation seems to be the way to go.
 
If you're just beginning to get back into pool or just looking for the basics I would start by joining a league.

Every league out there has great players, and almost all teams have a good captain. If you don't meet someone that can teach you a few things they'll atleast know where or who you can get lessons from.

Not only that but it's a good place to meet more players, and you're wife won't mind the 5-10 bucks a week it cost and maybe she'll even come out with you or start playing herself (if that's what you want :D)
 
michael4 said:
1) I read somewhere that the measles ball was created so the "audience" could see the CB spin? Anyway, should I get a measles ball?, will it help me see my spin and/or are there other advantages? Cant I already "see" my spin just by looking at how the CB reacts?

2) I really want to get some first-time lessons (erratic C player in SoCAL). I would love to use some of the fine instructors on this forum, but a price of (say) $300 is a little steep for me, and my wife would really frown. Should I try to find some kind of small group lesson for about $100? (my preferred budget) Should I bite the bullet and spend $300? At my level what will the difference be? Can I start with a "lessor" instructor and move up to the $300 instructor later? I should say due to my budget I'm really leaning toward the "lessor" instructor, just want to confirm that would not be a waste of time?

Thanks in advance for all the help that is available on this forum!!
Click to expand...


Buy a Basic Pool for $29.99 (Pool 101 DVD and Trainer
and the New Pool 202 Principles of Pool DVD) DVD what Mark Otto Sells. Master 90% of the Information, and you would be well qualified to Teach Pool.

****** Save ***** Order Both ***** Save ****
Pool 101 DVD and Trainer
and the New
Pool 202 Principles of Pool DVD

(that is over 3 1/2 Hours of instruction)
For the combined discounted price of
For $29.99
(Combined shipping $2.99)
Plus 6.75% sales tax inside Il.

Use this Buy It Now
 
CocoboloCowboy said:
Buy a Basic Pool for $29.99 (Pool 101 DVD and Trainer
and the New Pool 202 Principles of Pool DVD) DVD what Mark Otto Sells. Master 90% of the Information, and you would be well qualified to Teach Pool.

****** Save ***** Order Both ***** Save ****
Pool 101 DVD and Trainer
and the New
Pool 202 Principles of Pool DVD

(that is over 3 1/2 Hours of instruction)
For the combined discounted price of
For $29.99
(Combined shipping $2.99)
Plus 6.75% sales tax inside Il.

Use this Buy It Now
Click to expand...

Think we will have ton s of qualified instructors outthere when they re finishing their instructional books....... So everyone who can read and understand what he s reading is also able to teach/instruct?

I m really not sure if you re kidding or if you re seriously with your statement. At the moment deciding between lauging or scratching my head...........
 
Ratta said:
Think we will have ton s of qualified instructors outthere when they re finishing their instructional books....... So everyone who can read and understand what he s reading is also able to teach/instruct?

I m really not sure if you re kidding or if you re seriously with your statement. At the moment deciding between lauging or scratching my head...........
Click to expand...

this is from someone who has both dvds and has taken lessons from scott lee
there is TON of information on marks pool 101 and 202 dvds
http://www.teachmepool.com/Products.htm
if you know whats on those 2 dvds you are close to a phd in pool knowledge
i recommend them as strongly as possile

the dvds cannot give you a video analysis and an evaluation thru the eyes of a pool teaching professional
winning pool is a combination of knowledge and execution imho
the foundation of execution is a fundamentally sound stroke and all the various parts thats included in it
ie sighting,allignment,stance,grip,swing,spf etc
it is very difficult to teach yourself and analyze yourself
that is where a qualified instructor is invalualbe
my time with scott was worth the expence and then some since my time with him you can count in hours
my fundamentally sound stroke i will have for a lifetime
i recommend him as strongly as possible
http://www.poolknowledge.com/


so to get back to the ops question
i would pay for the very best qualified instructor that you can especially in the beginning becaause its easier to learn the right way than to unlearn bad habits
just my opinion i am not an instructor
 
Ratta said:
Think we will have ton s of qualified instructors outthere when they re finishing their instructional books....... So everyone who can read and understand what he s reading is also able to teach/instruct?

I m really not sure if you re kidding or if you re seriously with your statement. At the moment deciding between lauging or scratching my head...........
Click to expand...


I am dead serious about the DVD I pointed too. IMHO if you can master the material in those DVD's you will be a better player than 95% of the Pool Players in the World.

DVD's area great tool, but it is not like Medical School Training.

First you watch

Second you do

Third you teach.

With DVD maybe after you watch it the 10th or 12th time watching you might get it. Most people want to watch a DVD ONCE and think they will get it all the first time threw. IMHO total BS.

Most people learning curve goes south after 20 minutes, so an hour lesson is 40 minutes of wasted time IMHO
 
Ratta said:
I m really not sure if you re kidding or if you re seriously with your statement. At the moment deciding between lauging or scratching my head...........
Click to expand...


BTW have you personally seen the DVD's I pointed people too? A boat load of info for the price of a Dinner for Two.....
 
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