Are there Really "Hard and Easy Shots" in Pocket Billiards?

CJ Wiley

ESPN WORLD OPEN CHAMPION
Gold Member
Silver Member
What's your opinion of "easy and hard shots" in pool? Do you find yourself making the hard ones, yet missing the easy ones sometimes? Does this make sense to you?

I had the privilege and great opportunity to study golf under Hank Haney, world renowned golf instructor and personal coach to Tiger Woods (2004-2010).

Hank and I became friends and he started to frequent my club in Dallas that had pool tables. We played and talked one night - he mentioned that "if I was interested" he would be willing to teach me what he knew about golf if I'd help him with his pool game.

This was a start of a two year period that taught me more than just golf, it taught me how to teach. Golf and pool are very similar at the highest levels, pocket billiards, in many ways is a miniature version of golf.

Check out this video of Hank explaining one of my mental philosophies and how it applies to golf, and pool. This is one of the few mental teachings that he was able to pass on to Tiger Woods and helped him that year in some major tournaments.

Hank wrote this story in his book about training Tiger called 'The Big Miss' and I felt honored. Johnny Archer told me this was the only book he read "cover to cover," and was pleasantly surprised to see a fellow pool professional mentioned.

Here's the link, tell me what you think about "hard and easy shots" - do you differentiate between the two, or do you treat them the same......and if so, how?

LINK TO THE HANK HANEY UNIVERSITY OF GOLF - NO EASY SHOTS IN GOLF
 

rexus31

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
IMO, there is no such thing as an "easy" shot. All shots are multi-faceted and require concentration, attention to detail and visualization. Missed shots are often accompanied by a lack of one or more of these requirements. Pool is hard; nothing easy about it.
 

KRJ

Support UKRAINE
Silver Member
I'd have to say absolutely there are. A hangar is just that, a hangar. Do I want a ball 5 inches in front of the pocket, and the cb dead straight one diamond away from the ob for the game winning shot ? Oh yeah ;)

The difference is the concentration, approach, PSR needs to be the same on all shots.... Pro's miss easy shots too, they just miss far fewer than us. You just cannot take them for granted, something we ALL know, but for some reason refuse to abide by ;)
 

CJ Wiley

ESPN WORLD OPEN CHAMPION
Gold Member
Silver Member
the opportunity for growth, new consistency, and confidence

There is no shot so easy, that it can't be missed.

Actually there are shots that can be made every time, although this is not the point.

Did you see the video, it's not about judging the shots as "easy and hard," it has a deeper meaning that creates the opportunity for growth, new consistency, and confidence.
 

HurdyGurdy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
My opinion:

I believe in routine. Preshot routine is super important for consistency. I also follow the snooker approach in the way I plant my feet and lean into each shot be lowering my cue over the table following the straight line. The closer I get to this routine being exactly the same every time, the more consistent my game gets. The more consistent my game gets the more confidence I have, and, consequently, I spend less energy having to concentrate on small details, or arguing with the voice of doubt.

WE can all see the line that the CB needs to follow in order to pocket an object ball, All shots are that easy. Pulling them off is another matter. The mechanics of potting balls is hard, and can be diminished by repeated practice of the preshot routine.
 

MitchAlsup

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
To me the issue is respect, not degree of difficulty. The easy ones are not easy to give proper respect, go through the whole PSR, and execute as if the tournament is one the line.
 

gatorchad

Registered
Of course there are shots (in both pool and golf) that take more precision to execute, but I completely agree with the underlying idea. No matter how "easy" or "hard" the shot appears, there must be a consistency in the focus and execution. It is the primary thing I have been working on since I started playing again close to 2 years ago. I had a tremendously hard time finishing racks. Not because I didn't have the skills to get out, but because once I got to the point in the rack where it was supposed to be "easy", I lost focus and made silly mistakes.
 

Inaction

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Maybe for you...

I have missed, and have seen very easy shots (even hangers) missed due to a miscue.

I agree that the concentration is extremely important, no matter what the margin of error is. Some shots have no margin for error, and some have a lot. Game ball in the pocket with the cue ball very close would be classified as easy with not as much concern about where the cue ball ends up.

No, I did not watch the video. Maybe tomorrow night, when I have some time.

IMO, the majority of the degree of difficulty on most shots is due to where the cue ball is to end up.
 

CJ Wiley

ESPN WORLD OPEN CHAMPION
Gold Member
Silver Member
Click here to see more of hank haney's students and accomplishments

That explains a lot!

Hank Haney Quote: "just call the number on the screen and start watching your videos now and I'll shave 3, 4, 5, up to 10 strokes off your score the very first time you go out and play". lol.

After working with Hank for a few months I shot "one under par" at the LakeWood cc in Dallas. This is one of the most demanding courses and one that Ben Hogan played many years ago. Hank's ability to break down the golf swing and teach the components is legendary.

There are many great teachers, and it's a matter of opinion who's "best," I just give my own experience with "one of the best" and how it influenced my golf, pool and teaching ability in ways that could only be learned through this opportunity.

Hank's pool game went up too, we played several days over Christmas with Mark O'Meara (Masters and British Open Champion) at Deer Valley (Utah) who is a close friend of Hanks and one of his other star students of the game.

Hank is one of the nicest guys I've ever met and always willing to help players enjoy the game more, by playing better. There's a lot of golfers that enjoy pool and usually they have a natural ability to cross over to the other game.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE OF HANK HANEY'S STUDENTS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
 

CJ Wiley

ESPN WORLD OPEN CHAMPION
Gold Member
Silver Member
when I finally understood the deeper meaning enabled me to reach my full potential.

Of course there are shots (in both pool and golf) that take more precision to execute, but I completely agree with the underlying idea. No matter how "easy" or "hard" the shot appears, there must be a consistency in the focus and execution. It is the primary thing I have been working on since I started playing again close to 2 years ago. I had a tremendously hard time finishing racks. Not because I didn't have the skills to get out, but because once I got to the point in the rack where it was supposed to be "easy", I lost focus and made silly mistakes.

It's even deeper than this, it's more about understanding how our mind operates. Once we separate and judge shots to be "easy and hard," we make them different. The key to playing great pool is to make the shot similar in speed, cue target, and angle creation.

When I'm playing well I get the distinct feeling that I'm hitting all the shots the same. This isn't literally true, however it goes with Napoleon Hill's teaching that whatever the mind can conceive and believe it can also achieve...when we believe this to by true, it is, if you can't conceive it, it's not.....either way, it's up to the person's belief system.

Those of you that are struggling to get through to the next level will be helped by this. Don't take this for granted, there's a deeper level of knowledge than what's first apparent.....when I finally understood the deeper meaning enabled me to reach my full potential.
 

PoolBoy1

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Well you took the mental strenghtening class from Haney. If you're missing short shots and making hard shot you musta missed a class. All shots are created equal until the last and winning shot is pocketed.

I see easy shots missed in all streamed tournaments I've seen lately. It's a fact of life. It's what's between the ears that separate the Champs from Chumps.
 

(((Satori)))

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It's even deeper than this, it's more about understanding how our mind operates. Once we separate and judge shots to be "easy and hard," we make them different. The key to playing great pool is to make the shot similar in speed, cue target, and angle creation.

When I'm playing well I get the distinct feeling that I'm hitting all the shots the same. This isn't literally true, however it goes with Napoleon Hill's teaching that whatever the mind can conceive and believe it can also achieve...when we believe this to by true, it is, if you can't conceive it, it's not.....either way, it's up to the person's belief system.

Those of you that are struggling to get through to the next level will be helped by this. Don't take this for granted, there's a deeper level of knowledge than what's first apparent.....when I finally understood the deeper meaning enabled me to reach my full potential.

Would this be a thought we can control?:)
 

CJ Wiley

ESPN WORLD OPEN CHAMPION
Gold Member
Silver Member
the "attitude of gratitude" is the greatest of them all

Would this be a thought we can control?:)

It's not a fleeting "thought," it's an attitude.

We can't totally control feelings and emotions, we can control our overall attitude......and the "attitude of gratitude" is the greatest of them all. :thumbup:

I'm grateful to be able to play, enjoy and teach others to appreciate the deeper levels of pool......what more could a person ask for?

4176684f9dfe6c7fb2fa155d30c1fd10.jpg
 

(((Satori)))

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It's not a fleeting "thought," it's an attitude.

We can't totally control feelings and emotions, we can control our overall attitude......and the "attitude of gratitude" is the greatest of them all. :thumbup:

I'm grateful to be able to play, enjoy and teach others to appreciate the deeper levels of pool......what more could a person ask for?

4176684f9dfe6c7fb2fa155d30c1fd10.jpg

I hear you! And thanks for the lessons.

The attitude of gratitude is a great lesson and one I can use in more areas than you know. But back on point to pool. Keep in mind that a thought doesnt have to be fleeting in order to be a thought. Attitude starts with beliefs which create thoughts wich creat emotions which create attitudes and behaviors. Ask yourself... What is "shots are neither easy or hard"? Is it a belief? Is it a way that you like to think about each shot? Or is it an attitude of gratitude?

These discussions are good. Thanks again CJ.
 
Last edited:

Chip Roberson

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Had this happen at a big game once , for the money. 8 ball on the spot ,,ball in hand for me and the nine sitting as a hanger in the oppesite corner. I jarred the 8 and left it hanging...I couldn't believe That I was made to run those 2 balls out. He came up dry on his break,,After that miss..I made the sucker pay..he went broke on waiting for me to miss..8 racks latter ,,he had , had enough. But it could have been the other way, that ball could have made me pay..all I could think about,,and that I thought about..was the hell I was getting ready to unleash.
 
Top