What is the more skillful player: better potter, or better cue ball control?

What defines the more skillful player: potting ability or cue ball control?

  • potting ability

    Votes: 4 12.5%

  • cue ball control (pattern play/touch, speed, etc)

    Votes: 21 65.6%

  • no preference, hold 'em both in about the same esteem

    Votes: 7 21.9%
  • Total voters
    32
jalapus logan

jalapus logan

be all. and supports it to
Silver Member
It seems to me that many ( maybe even most) here put more emphasis on potting ability rather than cue ball control and pattern play when determining skill. I’m curious as to where in the spectrum the opinions really are.

So, here’s the question:

Do you think that the more skillful player is the better ball potter, the player with better cue ball control and pattern play (i.e. the one who’s got the cue on a string), or roughly a mix between the two?
Have at it…
 
You obviously need both but I would say having better cue ball control will lead to more success.
 
You can run the table with no position....
...you can not run the table without making a ball.

Accuracy is a player's foundation....with accuracy comes cue-ball control.
 
Control clearly takes more skill.

Any idiot can knock a ball into a pocket.....skill level mininal.

Carefully and precisely controlling the CB after that is whole other level.
 
No doubt, between two equally matched players I would bet on the one who has better CB control.
At some point even a very great shoorter will miss due to the extreme shots they a forced into due to poor control.
If you have CB control you put yourself in a great position always for the next shot.
 
twal said:
No doubt, between two equally matched players I would bet on the one who has better CB control.
At some point even a very great shoorter will miss due to the extreme shots they a forced into due to poor control.
If you have CB control you put yourself in a great position always for the next shot.
Click to expand...

correct.....
 
twal said:
No doubt, between two equally matched players I would bet on the one who has better CB control.
At some point even a very great shoorter will miss due to the extreme shots they a forced into due to poor control.
If you have CB control you put yourself in a great position always for the next shot.
Click to expand...

If one has better CB control......are they actually even matched???
 
Didn't we just have this question the other week? :)
This is one of those debates that can go on endlessly.
Maybe I should call you Jalapus Banks! (just kidding. I take it back.)

But seriously, needs more info.
"Better potter"... better than who? The cue ball guy? Efren? A small but brave child?
And how do you even measure "better cue ball control"? What if I leave myself longer shots, which is technically not as good as close shots... but due to my superior shotmaking I know I'll make them anyway, so I'm only doing the minimum position play needed to keep my run going?

I don't know how you'd measure "more skillful" but I think ballmaking comes pretty naturally and automatically, just by playing a lot. Cue ball control requires conscious effort and practice and will not happen all by itself. So I guess if I had to pick one, cue ball. You can put an APA 2 on any tough thin cut all day and eventually they will probably make it without any help. But give them an 8 foot table length draw shot... they can try that shot for a week and never pull it off.
 
CreeDo said:
Didn't we just have this question the other week? :)
This is one of those debates that can go on endlessly.
Maybe I should call you Jalapus Banks! (just kidding. I take it back.)

But seriously, needs more info.
"Better potter"... better than who? The cue ball guy? Efren? A small but brave child?
And how do you even measure "better cue ball control"? What if I leave myself longer shots, which is technically not as good as close shots... but due to my superior shotmaking I know I'll make them anyway, so I'm only doing the minimum position play needed to keep my run going?

I don't know how you'd measure "more skillful" but I think ballmaking comes pretty naturally and automatically, just by playing a lot. Cue ball control requires conscious effort and practice and will not happen all by itself. So I guess if I had to pick one, cue ball. You can put an APA 2 on any tough thin cut all day and eventually they will probably make it without any help. But give them an 8 foot table length draw shot... they can try that shot for a week and never pull it off.
Click to expand...

Alright, that's it, I'm banning myself! But maybe you could riddle me this before I do:

Is it ethical to steal a nun's purse, intentionally cause an open sea oil spill of epic proportions, and then intentionally foul the cue ball and then keep on shooting???
 
jalapus logan said:
It seems to me that many ( maybe even most) here put more emphasis on potting ability rather than cue ball control and pattern play when determining skill. I’m curious as to where in the spectrum the opinions really are.

So, here’s the question:

Do you think that the more skillful player is the better ball potter, the player with better cue ball control and pattern play (i.e. the one who’s got the cue on a string), or roughly a mix between the two?
Have at it…
Click to expand...

They had best become one of the same. In all games you have to make the ball to win. in order to win you had best learn to make the ball and get the correct angle to get on the next and the one after that etc.
Making the ball and getting position is all one shot! That is what made Buddy so great!
 
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