Do really think you know how to shoot pool good?

it's not good enough that you gotta have talent....but you gotta have character too..

as the above, talent and character. both fundamentals for good pool that i don't possess.
a buddy of mine won our provincial 8-ball tournament (ran out 5/7 racks on a really tough table under dirty conditions), he has both, he makes it look so easy. he also won the provincial snooker as well. if he wins the 9-ball for a hat trick, i'm quitting.:angry:

its probably more than can be listed in one paragraph but anyone that is a good player probably knows it when they start

good player

productive practice .......................................................
and focus, playing smart
MMike

Lock N Load said:

What does it take to shoot pool good? People shoot different ways and end up where they want to go with their game! What in fact makes a real good pool shooter? How did you get where you are with your pool game? I thank you for your input and stories!!!
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.

Click to expand...

In my experience there are two groups that people fall into when first playing pool.

The first group makes up about 95% plus of the people when learning the game, they can't make a ball, have no idea how to stand or hold a cue, and they have no idea how balls interact when hit by a spinning cue ball.

The second group have the ability to pocket balls and they also have functional stroke. Now they have no idea why they can play better than most others starting out, however, these people in my opinion have what I call natural ability. Now unless a decent player sees this ability in them and helps them understand what they doing their talent in most cases is wasted.

I own a pool room, I watch for the kids that have what I am calling natural ability. I encourage them and if they are interested I teach them so they continue to grow. Currently I have four kids that come into my room three or four days a week, my wish for them is to at some point in time have the opportunity to play in the Junior National Championship.

Oh and by the way the kids I am speaking about above play for free, most do not have the money to get enough practice so a room owner I am trying to give something back to the next generation. It is a shame more room owners do not do something similar, or if they do it is never talked about.

Craig

manwon said:

In my experience there are two groups that people fall into when first playing pool.

The first group makes up about 95% plus of the people when learning the game, they can't make a ball, have no idea how to stand or hold a cue, and they have no idea how balls interact when hit by a spinning cue ball.

The second group have the ability to pocket balls and they also have functional stroke. Now they have no idea why they can play better than most others starting out, however, these people in my opinion have what I call natural ability. Now unless a decent player sees this ability in them and helps them understand what they doing their talent in most cases is wasted.

I own a pool room, I watch for the kids that have what I am calling natural ability. I encourage them and if they are interested I teach them so they continue to grow. Currently I have four kids that come into my room three or four days a week, my wish for them is to at some point in time have the opportunity to play in the Junior National Championship.

Oh and by the way the kids I am speaking about above play for free, most do not have the money to get enough practice so a room owner I am trying to give something back to the next generation. It is a shame more room owners do not do something similar, or if they do it is never talked about.

Craig

Click to expand...

Kudos to you sir,
When I started playing a lot on in the early 60's a room owner such as yourself gave me the same type of benefits that you are providing your young aficionados, albeit with one small caveat. I had to help out around the room. I swept up, filled soft drink machines, racked games for the patrons, etc. In return I got free table time and his instruction and direction. The work was minimal, but the point was, it really made me feel like somebody and with all the attendant pride. As a result I didn't take any of it for granted.
Taking a lesson from you, we can all find ways to give and all find ways to teach at the same time.:thumbup:
Tommy

If I knew exactly what it took to be a very good player, I would be building my trophy room.

I think to be a good player, not the next Shane, or Cory, etc., it takes desire more than
anything. Sure, you need to practice for a long time, but you need that desire to make
yourself put in the time.

I also see pool as very analytical. I think, and I stress think, that people who are analytical
By nature become better players.

The last quality, in my opinion, is to have a very competitive nature. You need to really
Hate to lose in order to learn how to win. I know I am very competive, and always have been. My son is 6, and when we play Wii, I destroy his kindergarten ass! He usually only gets mad when I start taunting him.

Actually, he usually beats me at Wii. Seriously though, I think those three attributes go a long way towards making a good player.


Braden

Catahula said:

Kudos to you sir,
When I started playing a lot on in the early 60's a room owner such as yourself gave me the same type of benefits that you are providing your young aficionados, albeit with one small caveat. I had to help out around the room. I swept up, filled soft drink machines, racked games for the patrons, etc. In return I got free table time and his instruction and direction. The work was minimal, but the point was, it really made me feel like somebody and with all the attendant pride. As a result I didn't take any of it for granted.
Taking a lesson from you, we can all find ways to give and all find ways to teach at the same time.:thumbup:
Tommy

Click to expand...

Thanks Tommy, I also have little jobs for the Kids to do. Also, for a couple of the kids that have stayed with it for a couple of years now I have made them custom sneaky Pete cues with two shafts. The look on thier faces was all I have ever needed to tell me that I was doing the right thing.

Craig

When I read the title, the first thing that really came to mind was patience. I don't think that patience is the most important element in becoming a good or great player, but I think it is often overlooked.

Here's my take on patience:

I have always felt that pool/billiards has always been a sport/game where the person that wins the match at hand isn't ALWAYS going to have been the 'best' or 'most skillfull' player. A higher A players game will always be vulnerable to a B player that's getting the rolls. In other words, the luck factor. I believe it's huge, and I think it takes a really high level of skill to be able to overcome the luck factor in pool.

I believe that luck is a factor in any sport, however I still believe that in most sports, eventually the guy that comes out on top is the best player for the day.

I've won and lost many matches and tournaments and I can't think of a single instance where some form of luck didn't play a large factor in the results of some of my matches. I've rolled over players that I should have never beaten simply because everytime I missed they were hooked, or everytime they missed, I was wide open. And I've lost to much lesser players due to the same circumstances.

So this brings me back to patience. When you've come to the conclusion that you want to be a good or a great player, you have to be prepared to accept that fact that many of your results in the win/loss statistics will have been affected by luck in some form. And you'll need the patience to accept that luck will be a part of your game, good or bad, until you can bring your game up to such a level that luck, good or bad, will hardly matter.

I truly believe that only at the very highest level of pool, is where you'll find results where the most skillfull win every time. (SVB, Appleton, Archer, and so on)

dave

There's people who play pool and there's pool players.

Dale

Pay attention. Commit. Simplify. Keep your head still.

manwon said:

In my experience there are two groups that people fall into when first playing pool.

The first group makes up about 95% plus of the people when learning the game, they can't make a ball, have no idea how to stand or hold a cue, and they have no idea how balls interact when hit by a spinning cue ball.

The second group have the ability to pocket balls and they also have functional stroke. Now they have no idea why they can play better than most others starting out, however, these people in my opinion have what I call natural ability. Now unless a decent player sees this ability in them and helps them understand what they doing their talent in most cases is wasted.

I own a pool room, I watch for the kids that have what I am calling natural ability. I encourage them and if they are interested I teach them so they continue to grow. Currently I have four kids that come into my room three or four days a week, my wish for them is to at some point in time have the opportunity to play in the Junior National Championship.

Oh and by the way the kids I am speaking about above play for free, most do not have the money to get enough practice so a room owner I am trying to give something back to the next generation. It is a shame more room owners do not do something similar, or if they do it is never talked about.

Craig

Click to expand...

Way to go Craig! It's nice to know there are good pool room owners like you out there! This sport needs more people like you in it!! :thumbup:

manwon said:

In my experience there are two groups that people fall into when first playing pool.

The first group makes up about 95% plus of the people when learning the game, they can't make a ball, have no idea how to stand or hold a cue, and they have no idea how balls interact when hit by a spinning cue ball.

The second group have the ability to pocket balls and they also have functional stroke. Now they have no idea why they can play better than most others starting out, however, these people in my opinion have what I call natural ability. Now unless a decent player sees this ability in them and helps them understand what they doing their talent in most cases is wasted.

I own a pool room, I watch for the kids that have what I am calling natural ability. I encourage them and if they are interested I teach them so they continue to grow. Currently I have four kids that come into my room three or four days a week, my wish for them is to at some point in time have the opportunity to play in the Junior National Championship.

Oh and by the way the kids I am speaking about above play for free, most do not have the money to get enough practice so a room owner I am trying to give something back to the next generation. It is a shame more room owners do not do something similar, or if they do it is never talked about.

Craig

Click to expand...

Very comendable manwon. The greatest love I can have for the game is the ability and the willingness to pass on my skills and knowledge to others. After all my time is coming and I can certainly cannot take it with me.

Do really think you know how to shoot pool good?
Yes.

manwon said:

In my experience there are two groups that people fall into when first playing pool.

The first group makes up about 95% plus of the people when learning the game, they can't make a ball, have no idea how to stand or hold a cue, and they have no idea how balls interact when hit by a spinning cue ball.

The second group have the ability to pocket balls and they also have functional stroke. Now they have no idea why they can play better than most others starting out, however, these people in my opinion have what I call natural ability. Now unless a decent player sees this ability in them and helps them understand what they doing their talent in most cases is wasted.

I own a pool room, I watch for the kids that have what I am calling natural ability. I encourage them and if they are interested I teach them so they continue to grow. Currently I have four kids that come into my room three or four days a week, my wish for them is to at some point in time have the opportunity to play in the Junior National Championship.

Oh and by the way the kids I am speaking about above play for free, most do not have the money to get enough practice so a room owner I am trying to give something back to the next generation. It is a shame more room owners do not do something similar, or if they do it is never talked about.

Craig

Click to expand...

Thats really nice. But do they get free water?

manwon said:

Thanks Tommy, I also have little jobs for the Kids to do. Also, for a couple of the kids that have stayed with it for a couple of years now I have made them custom sneaky Pete cues with two shafts. The look on thier faces was all I have ever needed to tell me that I was doing the right thing.

Craig

Click to expand...

You're the kind of guy I look up to.

I know how to play well....Its getting myself to do it consistently that is the issue.

I think some of the necessary tools are the willingness to put in a LOT of directed practice, the willingness to listen, and the ability to let go/emotional control.

Happy L&L DAY To Everyone!!!