Cue Chalking Crutch

The_JV said:
I also don't look at my shoes when I tie my laces...lol

It's sad that it appears to be a skill needed to be learnt just like any other. However once someone grasps how to chalk effectively then you really shouldn't need to look at your tip to do so.
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You can clearly feel when your laces are tied. If you're not looking at the tip while chalking, how do you know you're getting an even coat? Or if the tip's glazed over or compacted chalk is embedded?
 
Greg M said:
You can clearly feel when your laces are tied. If you're not looking at the tip while chalking, how do you know you're getting an even coat? Or if the tip's glazed over or compacted chalk is embedded?
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So you use some type of depth guage to ensure you have an even amount of chalk on the tip? ...or possibly wipe clean your tip that has a contrasting colour to your chalk everytime you go to apply more just to be sure you've applied it entirely.

Yep, it sounds ridiculous to me as well.

The things people fixate on in this forum never ceases to amaze
 
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The_JV said:
The things people fixate on in this forum never ceases to amaze
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I think it's all mainly an excuse to avoid putting in table time. At the end of the day mental masturbation will not pocket balls.
 
Thanks to everyone for their reasons, however, it seems clear to me that unnecessary chalking is truly a conscious or unconscious crutch. It appears that the shooter lacks confidence to only chalk once before shooting. The shooter does not need to justify standing up to reexamine the situation. The shooter should be confident and brave enough to only chalk at most once per shot. Most shooters seen to have been trapped into slavishly following a mindless pre-shot routine advocated by others rather than thinking for themselves. That's the difference between a leader and a follower. Sorry if this offends most players, but that is how I see it.
 
RicNic said:
Thanks to everyone for their reasons, however, it seems clear to me that unnecessary chalking is truly a conscious or unconscious crutch. It appears that the shooter lacks confidence to only chalk once before shooting. The shooter does not need to justify standing up to reexamine the situation. The shooter should be confident and brave enough to only chalk at most once per shot. Most shooters seen to have been trapped into slavishly following a mindless pre-shot routine advocated by others rather than thinking for themselves. That's the difference between a leader and a follower. Sorry if this offends most players, but that is how I see it.
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Amazing how you think you are the one true holder of the knowledge of a pre-shot routine. I'd recommend you worry about your own game and leave everyone else alone.
 
RicNic said:
Thanks to everyone for their reasons, however, it seems clear to me that unnecessary chalking is truly a conscious or unconscious crutch. It appears that the shooter lacks confidence to only chalk once before shooting. The shooter does not need to justify standing up to reexamine the situation. The shooter should be confident and brave enough to only chalk at most once per shot. Most shooters seen to have been trapped into slavishly following a mindless pre-shot routine advocated by others rather than thinking for themselves. That's the difference between a leader and a follower. Sorry if this offends most players, but that is how I see it.
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So all the pool, and golf, and tennis, etc. instructors who teach that a consistent pre-shot routine is vital to playing well don't know what they are talking about? It is amazing how so many of the best players in the world "lack confidence" and aren't "brave" according to you. What complete malarkey.
 
RicNic said:
Thanks to everyone for their reasons, however, it seems clear to me that unnecessary chalking is truly a conscious or unconscious crutch. It appears that the shooter lacks confidence to only chalk once before shooting. The shooter does not need to justify standing up to reexamine the situation. The shooter should be confident and brave enough to only chalk at most once per shot. Most shooters seen to have been trapped into slavishly following a mindless pre-shot routine advocated by others rather than thinking for themselves. That's the difference between a leader and a follower. Sorry if this offends most players, but that is how I see it.
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I first think about what I'm going to do during my pre-shot routine (analytical part) and then chalk my stick as a trigger to turn off the left side of my brain (the analytical thinking part and word speech part). Then I get down in my stance and do with the right side of my brain.

If words start popping into my head and I start thinking/analyzing/having words pop into my head while I'm shooting, I get up and restart my pre-shot routine over again.

You are welcome to "think for yourself" throughout your shot however you wish. Personally, if I find myself thinking while shooting, it's time to restart, reset and stop any thinking while shooting. There's a time for thinking and a time for doing and I don't like mixing the two.
 
RicNic said:
Thanks to everyone for their reasons, however, it seems clear to me that unnecessary chalking is truly a conscious or unconscious crutch. It appears that the shooter lacks confidence to only chalk once before shooting. The shooter does not need to justify standing up to reexamine the situation. The shooter should be confident and brave enough to only chalk at most once per shot. Most shooters seen to have been trapped into slavishly following a mindless pre-shot routine advocated by others rather than thinking for themselves. That's the difference between a leader and a follower. Sorry if this offends most players, but that is how I see it.
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I'm not sure why you think your being completely nonsensical would offend me or anyone else.

It's part of a pre-shot routine. You are arguing against having a pre-shot routine in some weird quest to associate less chalk with bravery.

Have you been stewing over this since your 2010 thread about the same thing?

Chalking

Can you tell me why so many pros pick up the chalk and set it down more than once before going down before a shot?
forums.azbilliards.com

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RicNic said:
Thanks to everyone for their reasons, however, it seems clear to me that unnecessary chalking is truly a conscious or unconscious crutch. It appears that the shooter lacks confidence to only chalk once before shooting. The shooter does not need to justify standing up to reexamine the situation. The shooter should be confident and brave enough to only chalk at most once per shot. Most shooters seen to have been trapped into slavishly following a mindless pre-shot routine advocated by others rather than thinking for themselves. That's the difference between a leader and a follower. Sorry if this offends most players, but that is how I see it.
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lol... I'll pile on and go full non-PC and say this is flat out retarded. ...No worries though. No one is going to be offended by your remarks. You'd need some level of credibility on the subject matter for that to happen, and you've done a great job ensuring you won't receive any.

Define "unnecessary chalking". If you have a decent stroke and know how to hit the CB. You'd be amazed at how little chalk you need. I don't chalk because I think I need it on the tip at that moment. I chalk because it sets/resets my mental process. Having coverage of chalk on my tip is the byproduct of my PSR.
 
I also chalk my cue before each shot without looking at the tip to be certain it's covered properly.
When I'm having an off session is when I'll hunt out a drilled out cube to use so I'll force myself to slow down to apply the chalk using the corner of the cube which in turn clears my mind on what I need to do next which is pocket the object balls .
 
goettlicher said:
Chalking could be used as a Switch between conscious to unconscious.
This is taught in many lessons.

randyg
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Ah, what do you know? Why would I take the word of a highly respected pool instructor over that of an anonymous internet tosser?
 
Greg M said:
Yeah, I see a lot of American pool players chalking like this without even looking at the tip to see if it's covered. I don't know, always looked strange to me.
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Congrats on breaking the code. That was an easy one though.

Anyone who needs to look at the tip to see if he has appropriately chalked is a pool freshman.

Such high frequency, simple and safe acts can be done correctly without eyes...think tying shoes.

Not that there is any prize for not looking while doing. ..I don't think it strange the player is not focused on the tip while chalking.
 
RicNic said:
Why do most players chalk their cue when they get up when reconsidering a shot? This results in unnecessary chalking. It appears that they use it as a crutch. Do they believe it is important to chalk their cue as a last step in their pre-shot routine?
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If/when I do it, in your example it's strictly out of habit. Standing near the table pondering and chalking has become one thing for me.
Matter of fact I'd say almost all the chalking I do is because it's a habit. Probably like that for many many other players too.
 
claymont said:
I tend to do it when I'm not confident/nervous about the shot I'm about to try. How about the people that chalk after they shoot and miss, and take the chalk with them:rolleyes:
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It feels odd to NOT leave it on the table to me too, but most pro cue sports see each player using his own piece of chalk...which isnt really a bad idea.
 
RicNic said:
Why do most players chalk their cue when they get up when reconsidering a shot? This results in unnecessary chalking. It appears that they use it as a crutch. Do they believe it is important to chalk their cue as a last step in their pre-shot routine?
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Chalking is the start of mine and many players preshot routine. When you’re well in to your preshot routine over the ball, and you get distracted or not fully committed to your plan, you get up and start your whole routine over, including chalking - even though you obviously don’t need to rechalk, but it’s a part of your entire routine.
 
Grimper said:
Jesus Christ. Do some of you really stay up at night worrying about how much people chalk? You all really need to get a life!

I'll chalk whenever I damn well please. And, for me, that's before EVERY shot while I'm looking over the table.
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Calm down. We are deciding how you will chalk in the future.
Lol
 
Black-Balled said:
It feels odd to NOT leave it on the table to me too, but most pro cue sports see each player using his own piece of chalk...which isnt really a bad idea.
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I agree with what you said. I have my own chalk because the bar leagues I play in the quality of the chalk, or absence of can be problematic. I was just making a comment on one of the quirks of some players.
 
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