It’s not the league

[Jimmorrison]

There has to be a middle ground, and a way to move on from there. If your criteria for instruction, is the ability to group your iron shots within 5-7 yards, only 100 people in the world are worthy.

 

[Jimmorrison]

Also very true. I know that exact feeling. It’s because there was no one better to help you figure it out. But even if you can’t get better, you better pick up a cue from time to time and practice something or you’ll get worse. I have a good story on this very thing but trying to cut down on really lengthy posts.

Sounds like you learn from someone explaining what to do or what needs to be done in certain situations then practicing it. I learn from playing better players occasionally and figuring out what to practice by what I’m missing when in a competitive game. Some get better by just practicing drills. Others can learn what to practice by watching others play. Then there is YouTube. But whatever helps you get better is still going to involve practice time by yourself to maximize your potential in the shortest amount of time or maybe ever. Unless maybe you are in some small percentage of people that only gets better playing others and practice makes you worse.

This is a very intelligent and insightful post. People do learn differently. Some people don’t learn from the written word, they need the information visually, or spoken. Some people are just the opposite. I read your post several times, and have come to a decision. Despite all my efforts so far, I’m not getting better. I will change that, by changing what I am doing. There is a college campus, an hour away. They have a dozen GC IVs. Cloth is school colors and the lighting is horrible, but the tables play great. I am going to find a qualified person, willing to meet me there, one hour a week. I will ask them to look at my game, assign me one thing to work on. When improvement is gained, move on to next task. This will mirror my path with golf. Thanks for the insight. I’ve always known this is the way for me, but it’s so damned inconvenient. I tried doing it myself, on my table. That’s not working, at least for me. Time to get real, and move on to something that does.

 

[couldnthinkof01]

Yes, very true, if you can practice productively. Do you know how to practice pool? Do you know what to practice? I don’t. I know how to practice golf. I can take instruction and apply it. I can make my way around a golf course better than the vast majority of the population. I can’t get past 520. I joined a league. Quickly became one of the top players. Bought a table, took a nice jump. That was it, completely plateaued. No idea what to practice. Practice serves no purpose, if you’re just treading water.

Video yourself in competition. Watch back in horror. Get to fixin' one piece at a time.

 

[Jimmorrison]

Video yourself in competition. Watch back in horror. Get to fixin' one piece at a time.

The first time I saw my golf swing on video, I wanted to throw up. I got down to a four, and stayed there a long time. I’m going to repeat that process. I’m not expecting greatness, I didn’t start playing until after 50, but I don’t think I should accept my current Fargo as my ceiling.

 

[couldnthinkof01]

The first time I saw my golf swing on video, I wanted to throw up. I got down to a four, and stayed there a long time. I’m going to repeat that process. I’m not expecting greatness, I didn’t start playing until after 50, but I don’t think I should accept my current Fargo as my ceiling.

Agreed. Hand eye coordination won't be a problem. I would do the same process as golf. No need to accept anything less than 600-650

 

[Willowbrook Wolfy]

This is a very intelligent and insightful post. People do learn differently. Some people don’t learn from the written word, they need the information visually, or spoken. Some people are just the opposite. I read your post several times, and have come to a decision. Despite all my efforts so far, I’m not getting better. I will change that, by changing what I am doing. There is a college campus, an hour away. They have a dozen GC IVs. Cloth is school colors and the lighting is horrible, but the tables play great. I am going to find a qualified person, willing to meet me there, one hour a week. I will ask them to look at my game, assign me one thing to work on. When improvement is gained, move on to next task. This will mirror my path with golf. Thanks for the insight. I’ve always known this is the way for me, but it’s so damned inconvenient. I tried doing it myself, on my table. That’s not working, at least for me. Time to get real, and move on to something that does.

Glad I could help. In all honesty though, you answered it for yourself. You said you can take instruction and apply it.

I plateaued bad once and started practicing trick shots then quit altogether. The thing I didn’t realize until 20yrs later. Those “trick” shots actually have come in handy more than a few times.

 

[Willowbrook Wolfy]

The first time I saw my golf swing on video, I wanted to throw up. I got down to a four, and stayed there a long time. I’m going to repeat that process. I’m not expecting greatness, I didn’t start playing until after 50, but I don’t think I should accept my current Fargo as my ceiling.

it matters how you approach things too. In regards to Fargorate. Fargorate means next to nothing to me anymore. I’m on an upward climb of 3 points a tournament and don’t even feel right walking into a handicapped one anymore. In action, I give most of the 500-550’s at least a game in a race to 5, 2 in a race to 7, and I’m sitting at a 490 FR right now. I just go off the APA ratings in the area and they are more accurate 90% of the time here when comparing others to myself. I’m a 7(8)/8(9) and all the 500-550’s are 6/7 or 7/7. All the 7/8’s are 580+. Except me. It’s not my style to destroy opponents. I just play as good as I need to to win. Therefore no matter the opponent, they usually get games.

The weird part about all this is-I don’t try very hard in league. See. Now I have to thank you Mr. Morrison. This post just made me realize that not trying hard is a lot more consistent than fluctuating my game to the opponent that I’m playing against. Revelations are good. Thanks!

 

[jalapus logan]

I used to enjoy leagues even the APA which I consider the least enjoyable by far. The one thing leagues can do is get people more accustomed to playing competitively.

For me that was the big plus about leagues. It definitely helped me get ready for weekend tournaments.

The ACS I played in in the Chicago burbs was the best league ever. You play lots of pool, five matches per night, compared to one or two in TAP and APA. Met RJ there and introduced him to Magic Chalk!!

RJ is now playing in my local BCA league. Seems like a nice fella.

 

[justadub]

Fully agree that's how to develop most effectively. However, I end up taking a different approach. It's important to know whether someone wants to "be the best they can be" or are they mostly ok with being on a long slow crawl to being a lifetime SL-5.

Assuming the APA 3 drives themselves to the pool hall after work and orders a beer, at their age their lifetime skill cap (as is mine), is to maybe be a decent SL-7 who can have fun at a local tournament every once in a while. But even this is up to how much spare capacity the player has to practice.

If a person's allowable pool time consists of 1x league night and 1 hour per week of table access, no one is realistically going to just shoot straight balls for 2 years every chance they get at a pool table to get their 100 hours in. They'll quit leagues before doing that, and their cap is just going to be a slow crawl to SL-5 no matter what.

However, basic pattern play and kick/bank principles can help newer players understand what they see watching pool on their phone or TV, and that has its own benefits. It will also help them win some racks as their stroke comes into line - even if the stroke takes much longer to get in line than working on stroke alone.

If your first 100 times at the table you did nothing but stroke drills until you had it perfect, you'd quit pool right there as that is just not a reasonable expectation of (most) humans. It took most of us learning something more advanced just to get us interested in the game to begin with, whether it was learning that you can apply draw to a cue ball or learning basic patterns.

"slow crawl to lifetime SL5"....

Love it.

Living it.

 

[jalapus logan]

It all depends on your skill and your definition of getting better. If you're a 650 or higher player, playing league, especially APA, isn't gonna do much for you beyond keeping a cue in your hand some. You're not likely to find many (if any) your ability to match up with, so the best you'll get out of it is working on the pressure of staying ahead of the spot.

This is true. I started playing in the BCA league again this year. 87% win rate currently, record 26-4 for the 6 nights I've played. I'll tell you what league is really good for.... getting one's mind off of pending divorce.

There is one 700+ player in our league, I was hoping to get to play him last week, but he was not on the roster that night. Next time...

 

[jalapus logan]

Also, in the case of BCA...your only playing 5 games of 8 ball a night. A lot of sitting around for that little table time.

But it does beat sitting around at you parents house at age 46 wondering where it all went wrong and trying to figure out just exactly what resources will be available post divorce and just exactly what amount of spousal "maintenance" one might be having to pay out over an indeterminate time frame....

 

[Hirsty]

There is no perfect league or league format and APA is by no means perfect. However, there would be very few opportunities for your average person to play so many different players of varying styles and standards.

 

[shooter_Hans]

There is no perfect league or league format and APA is by no means perfect. However, there would be very few opportunities for your average person to play so many different players of varying styles and standards.

They have not played the 9 foot guys.

 

[Quesports]

RJ is now playing in my local BCA league. Seems like a nice fella.

U in Kentucky? Next time you see him say hello for me. Tell him I hope he is well.. Not surprised he’s playing BCA it’s way better than TAP and APA which is Ike the little league of pool. Unless you play masters which has its own set of issues!!!

 

[jalapus logan]

U in Kentucky? Next time you see him say hello for me. Tell him I hope he is well.. Not surprised he’s playing BCA it’s way better than TAP and APA which is Ike the little league of pool. Unless you play masters which has its own set of issues!!!

Yessir...in Lexington KY. The Cue Club here is pretty sweet. RJ invited me over for some onepocket a couple of weekends ago, but I had camping and hiking on the schedule for that weekend. I actually play his team in league next Thursday matter of fact. I'll be sure to tell him Quesports from Chicago says hi and wishes him well.

Cheers,

Neil

 

[Hirsty]

They have not played the 9 foot guys.

Not sure what your point is.

 

[Quesports]

Yessir...in Lexington KY. The Cue Club here is pretty sweet. RJ invited me over for some onepocket a couple of weekends ago, but I had camping and hiking on the schedule for that weekend. I actually play his team in league next Thursday matter of fact. I'll be sure to tell him Quesports from Chicago says hi and wishes him well.

Cheers,

Neil

Name is Dan but RJ will know who it is by my username here.
He plays pretty well, no surprise really his family owned a pool room in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. We both got out of that dumpster!!

 

[jalapus logan]

Nice

Name is Dan but RJ will know who it is by my username here.
He plays pretty well, no surprise really his family owned a pool room in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. We both got out of that dumpster!!

To meet you Dan. I don't visit Chicago much, but my buddy and I visited Joel Hercek's shop a few years back, great, great cue maker. Be well my friend...

 

[Quesports]

Nice

To meet you Dan. I don't visit Chicago much, but my buddy and I visited Joel Hercek's shop a few years back, great, great cue maker. Be well my friend...

I owned a cue that Joe Gold made the butt for and Joel made the three shafts for. The two of them are thick as thieves been friends forever. Joe is about the only thing outside of Chris’s that I miss from Chicago. The food is great though!!!

Be well!

 

[soyale]

You are the player APA is built around. Find a pool hall or bowling alley that hosts a league, and watch. You can spot the better players easily enough, but watch closely for coaching.

The best coach is the guy you ask if his team will have a spot for you.

The thing that makes APA a better choice for a learner is coaching in game, which BCA does not allow.

Good luck

i have zero desire to be on a pool team, or play by those goofy rules, or use the goofy handicaps.

im just not terribly extroverted and have a hard time approaching strangers to find a game. i’m working on it though.