What is the most neglected aspect in amateur pool?
- Thread starter Ghosst
- Start date
Fundamentals... both with stroke and knowledge of the game. When I first started playing 4 years ago I remember what an eye opening moment it was for me to understand how the cueball reacted differently with roll and stun. The game is so much easier when you can do two things 1. Hit whitey where you are aiming consistently and 2. Know where whitey is going after contact with the OB.
What is the most neglected aspect in amateur pool?
Support.
Encouragement.
Getting non-players to play.
Getting New Players to buy a cue.
Locally Available Pool Lessons.
Startup programs for new players.
Youth programs.
Learning the Fundamentals.
Doing Fundamental Drills.
Practicing the Fundamentals.
Using the Fundamentals.
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Start with the fundamentals.
Study the table.
Find the aim line.
Commit to a shot.
Stop Thinking.
Stance.
Grip.
Bridge.
Stroke.
Sight OB to Pocket Last.
Shoot.
Follow Though.
Remain down.
Observe the action of the balls.
Analyze.
Correct.
Relax.
Have Fun.
***Insert "Relax & Have Fun" between each step.***
Do simple one shot drills to see your faults.
Up and Back to cue tip. Straight Shots. Length of table.
Up and Back with 1 Tip English, Left/Right 1 diamond.
Stroke & Follow through using the rack spot.
Support.
Encouragement.
Getting non-players to play.
Getting New Players to buy a cue.
Locally Available Pool Lessons.
Startup programs for new players.
Youth programs.
Learning the Fundamentals.
Doing Fundamental Drills.
Practicing the Fundamentals.
Using the Fundamentals.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Start with the fundamentals.
Study the table.
Find the aim line.
Commit to a shot.
Stop Thinking.
Stance.
Grip.
Bridge.
Stroke.
Sight OB to Pocket Last.
Shoot.
Follow Though.
Remain down.
Observe the action of the balls.
Analyze.
Correct.
Relax.
Have Fun.
***Insert "Relax & Have Fun" between each step.***
Do simple one shot drills to see your faults.
Up and Back to cue tip. Straight Shots. Length of table.
Up and Back with 1 Tip English, Left/Right 1 diamond.
Stroke & Follow through using the rack spot.
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Focus.... Look at the eyes of most good players... their eyes are glued to the shot... They are like a predator.
Amateur players sometimes aren't focused at all. Jumping up, banging balls, and looking around.. Like prey.
.
Amateur players sometimes aren't focused at all. Jumping up, banging balls, and looking around.. Like prey.
.
position play and basic strategy.
I see many amateurs who are decent shot makers, but they make little effort to leave the CB in shape for the next shot, and have no clue about defense or what I consider basic strategy.....
Over looking the fact that most amateur pool players play pool just to have some fun, and people that PLAY pool want to spoil their fun by insisting they learn to play pool like a pool player, then getting upset when they find out....they really don't care, they are just out with their friends having fun.
"you can make a jackass out of a race horse, but you can't make a race horse out of a jackass" so here's the big question for you. Why does there have to be something wrong with nust playing pool cor fun? And, why does every person who picks up a cue stick, need to learn how to draw the cue ball back 2 feet or it's percieved that they MUST need lessons to learn to play better....so they'll be able to have fun....as pool players?
Deodorant with consistent p.s.r coming in a close second.
See, here's the real deal, if pool don't get fixed so that the top pro's can make a decent living as a PRO, then why worry about the amateurs learning to play pool? I mean, with no possible future to look forward to as a PRO, why worry about bringing in new players....to support pool leagues?
I agree with what you are saying about some people just want to have fun playing Pool, but......
Wouldn't a friendly, welcoming Pool Room with "Free Lessons for Beginners" get those Ball Bangers to feel more comfortable so that they come back to play more often?
First timers want to be shown the ropes of rules, language and pool table etiquette.
They don't have to join a league, just become repeat offenders, I mean customers!
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That's the problem though. Pros need new players and admirers in order to make money. There will only be admirers if they know the game outside of broken bar boxes and dive bars, otherwise they'll think efren isn't good because he never had to make a tough shot, ie, he had the cue ball on a string. When you can sell out Madison square garden on $80+ tickets...that's when ppl like efren will make millions a year
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If that sign said "free golf lessons" the line would be down the street and around the corner!
Sadly, I agree.
We had the same problem in Bowling.
Look where Brunswick Bowling is now.
SOLD
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Hmmmm....and in the mean time, Pro's are dropping out like flys getting sprayed with raid....because they can't make shit for a living unless they're in the top 4 in this country.....not to exciting for the new players if you ask me.
No, cue stick, cloth, chalk, pool ball, pool table.....manufactures ALL need new Pro's to drink the Kool-Aid to replace the pros that are getting sick of the taste of the kool-aid-piss and are quitting playing....because nothings changing, and without NEW Pro's to replace them, how is this industry going to keep prospering....selling it's goods to everyone NOT a Pro!
The question is intended to bring about intelligent debate. I have the answers of a few pro players to this very question that I will post later. People might enjoy their thoughts, especially the lurkers who sit back quietly and read the posts without wanting to answer themselves and instead rely on us. Quite a few of our members are short-stop speed or better so their insight is valuable.
As a group, we can answer the same questions with decreasing patience and forget that people new to the sport may not use the search function at all, only peruse the latest online arguments and believe this is all we are. So now and then, it's worth revisiting questions that might have an impact on their play.
So new players should only be interested and excited about pool if there is a whole bunch of money to be made? Can't it just be because it's fun to play pool? Just as a hobby, as a fun passtime, whatever?
Also: if there's more people loving the game, more people will come to tournaments to watch - that generates money and is interesting for sponsors because now they can reach more people at these events. I realize we wouldn't get great big masses of people to attend, it would never be nearly enough for pool to be considered a 'big viewer sport' or anything - but still. For anything to happen, we need more interested people there.
To answer OP's original question: I think one neglected aspect in amateur pool that hasn't been mentioned yet, is "don't think you're done learning the game once you're consistently winning games against that one buddy or once you think you've seen and made every possible angle on the table".
I've seen that many times: someone gets his own cue and starts playing a lot, and within 6 months or so they made balls in every angle possible, because there aren't that many. They are now King of Pool, must be some talent to be able to do that afte such a short period of time!
The line of reasoning now becomes: "I can make every ball, because I've done it before" and they don't expect to ever miss again. When they do, they soon learn to blame some external aspect: the table is off, the balls... something with the balls, the chalk too and someone was walking in my line of sight.
Guess what I'm saying is: you're never done learning in this game, so be as precise as you can. Always mind all the little details. And know that you and you alone are responsible for failure, as well as success.
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