Developing a pool aptitude test

justnum

justnum

Billiards Improvement Research Projects Associate
Silver Member
This is not a joke.

When playing pool some people have a awareness of whats on the table as opposed to what they can do.

I am thinking someone new goes to a pool hall and instead of someone saying join or lets shoot, a player can be given a written test or brochure.

The potential pool player can read it and then become informed of the great sport while being given a spatial awareness test.

Ive been hearing about social media challenges. How about billiard IQ test, pros and amateurs alike can use it to build community?

Sports teams do this, I dont know if there is a standard for pool though.

the main concept is let new people read about pool and get educated on it.

i tried some brain teasers only pool players would know and it feels fun

then the standard ones about physics
 
Cuedup said:
Just ask them what they're BU exam score is.
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that takes too long thats not meant to pickup people visiting a pool room.

the bu exam is too intimidating

main concept teach pool community how to lure people in and having intelligent conversation is fun. being stumped appeals to intelligent people
 
Yeah. Because people always want to take a test when they go out for a leisure activity...

In my experience, most of the people who suck at pool, but play it anyway, do so because they’re having fun. They don’t know, or care, if they suck.
 
David in FL said:
Yeah. Because people always want to take a test when they go out for a leisure activity...

In my experience, most of the people who suck at pool, but play it anyway, do so because they’re having fun. They don’t know, or care, if they suck.
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i was thinking pickup lines for pool players to use on non pool players

my issue was i like pool, but trying to get other people interested, thats marketing. its like being an engineer and wondering why no one is excited in class. my fun doesnt translate to other people without applying a technique

If i knew how to market the sport better maybe i couldve shown people how to have a better time
 
Hope it doesn't come to this, I might have to give up pool, and take up golf or something. Driving by the golf course, and watching the swing of the average golfer, I got to think anybody could play golf and fit right in.
 
justnum said:
instead of someone saying join or lets shoot, a player can be given a written test or brochure.
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Actually shooting pool should be at the center of it. That's what people are there for - and if they don't like shooting pool, they won't stay anyway!

Maybe you could have maps of challenge layouts, of different difficulties. Dr Dave did this recently. If it was in a venue, someone solo practicing might do it, and maybe some groups of people would try it. If you were showing someone the game, giving them an easy layout might let them run a few balls and feel competent early on.
 
Pin said:
Actually shooting pool should be at the center of it. That's what people are there for - and if they don't like shooting pool, they won't stay anyway!

Maybe you could have maps of challenge layouts, of different difficulties. Dr Dave did this recently. If it was in a venue, someone solo practicing might do it, and maybe some groups of people would try it. If you were showing someone the game, giving them an easy layout might let them run a few balls and feel competent early on.
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I am designing a self-directed experience, this way a player can have some general guidelines to follow. When a person can chart and map out their own progress, it has better results, than "Welcome to my world and my rules."

how many strangers have walked into a bar and stood in the wrong place watching the wrong table at the wrong time.

Its unlikely the first pool player you meet is like DrDave.

More likely people will meet someone acting up like Earl during competition.

Signing for pool is like marriage, you don't know how until you try. And not enough people know to try it out or where to go to try it out.

I've made a few posts just name dropping pool rooms and events that attract crowds.
 
justnum said:
Signing for pool is like marriage, you don't know how until you try. And not enough people know to try it out or where to go to try it out.
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I disagree. I think everyone can walk into a bar and pick up a cue and play with bad technique but sufficiently well to enjoy a game of 8-ball. I think most people have tried pool at least once.

Maybe there's a gap between complete novice and local team player, where there's not much to guide someone in improving, unless they happen to have friends who want to make that journey with them.

But on the other hand, people who never make it across that gap, probably don't have enough interest in the game to want to engage in a method of developing their ability.
 
Pin said:
I disagree. I think everyone can walk into a bar and pick up a cue and play with bad technique but sufficiently well to enjoy a game of 8-ball. I think most people have tried pool at least once.

Maybe there's a gap between complete novice and local team player, where there's not much to guide someone in improving, unless they happen to have friends who want to make that journey with them.

But on the other hand, people who never make it across that gap, probably don't have enough interest in the game to want to engage in a method of developing their ability.
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I am from America, people sell all kinds of junk and stuff people get bored of.

Stretching out the phase a pool player tries pool is what I am focusing on.

Some simple guidelines to keep get them to the pool room maybe one or two more times. Specifically the brochure to check out a league or tournament, which also has pool tips on it.
 
Pin said:
Beginners' club / Beginners' night?
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a place i used to work at would have open houses.

another place would have greeters take walkins off the street

and a last place made orientation mandatory. the hope being new people start together and stick together

the vets love the pageantry
 
rexus31 said:
I'm very curious to hear why you think people don't return. I don't think it has anything to do with the game itself.
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they werent given homework to come back

enforcing new habits take time
 
justnum said:
This is not a joke.

When playing pool some people have a awareness of whats on the table as opposed to what they can do.

I am thinking someone new goes to a pool hall and instead of someone saying join or lets shoot, a player can be given a written test or brochure.

The potential pool player can read it and then become informed of the great sport while being given a spatial awareness test.

Ive been hearing about social media challenges. How about billiard IQ test, pros and amateurs alike can use it to build community?

Sports teams do this, I dont know if there is a standard for pool though.

the main concept is let new people read about pool and get educated on it.

i tried some brain teasers only pool players would know and it feels fun

then the standard ones about physics
Click to expand...
PLEASE find some other place to hang out. Your moronic/asinine threads are lame and tiresome. For starters.
 
justnum said:
they werent given homework to come back

enforcing new habits take time
Click to expand...
Did it ever occur to you they did not like the atmosphere in the room/bar they chose to play and were left with an image that was below their standards? Said image resulted in a broad perception of pool which they determined wasn't for them. Why do you think Brunswick launched the Gold Crown blueprint of bright, open, clean, colorful rooms in the '60's? I'll answer: To project a better image of pool for the mainstream. It worked! Pool shot up in popularity for a decade or so but as the rooms aged and the neighborhoods they were in started to erode, pool started the downward spiral again until the 80's and 90's where we saw yet another renaissance of the game with the advent of "upscale" pool halls centered around nightlife. This is where I got hooked as did many of the people I play with today. It's got nothing to do with level of play or people wanting "homework" to improve. The image of pool in the US right now sucks. You want more people interested in the game? It won't happen until the image changes...again.

Statements like "given homework" and "enforcing new habits" will push more people away and not draw them in.
 
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