Equipment to improve your game

DaveM

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
I once asked my father what the best home gym was. He answered: "the one that you use". There are a ton of instructional aids and training devices. It then comes down to doing the work.
 

ronscuba

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If you shoot your cue so deep into the bottle opening that you touch the bottom wouldnt you have to drop your shoulder to keep the tip from not dropping on a natural follow thru???


You can use 2 paperback books. The gap is adjustable, works with a pendulum stroke and no worries about smashing a glass bottle if you are off.



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7forlife

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Some are going to foo foo the LD shaft thing.

I played for over 40 years with regular maple.

No one is saying that anyone NEEDS an LD shaft.

But if a rifle sight is off by 12 inches & you need to adjust for that every time you shoot & you can get a rifle that requires an adjustment of only ONE inch...

I think it is rather foolish to be stubborn & stick to the old rifle.

That said, some have spent so much time that they think that old rifle sight is not off at all...

And that's fine too as they have no NEED to switch.

We are ALL individuals & should make our own determinations.

While this is true I have my own views about it as you can see in my signature. Most players don't have a clue what deflection is and can't tell the difference from one shelf to the next.

I feel that only two people benefit from it, someone who knows and the person who has always had a problem judging throw spin and deflection and the LD Shaft nostril lay fits into their playing style. Everyone else kind of just adjust on the fly and get accustom to what ever it is they are using.
 

cardit

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I, too, started playing again about 5 yrs ago after a 40-year layoff. Decided to take some lessons (my stroke had left town without a forwarding address) and the first string the instructor suggested to me was to buy a Predator cue. And I did, no looking back.

Mike
 

Kevin3824

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I know I am not the best person to advise on this subject as I have bought a lot of things lately to learn pool. That may be just the reason though that you will listen to me. In reality all you need to improve your game and cue control is a lot of practice with a straight cue stick on a level table. If you really want a learning aid then I would highly suggest getting watching and practicing the videos by Tor on Zero-X. Someone once told me something I feel I should share with you as well. They told me no matter how much you spend on something to learn better pool you will make your money back if you simply keep practicing and don't quit. I hope this helps.
 

ENGLISH!

Banned
Silver Member
While this is true I have my own views about it as you can see in my signature. Most players don't have a clue what deflection is and can't tell the difference from one shelf to the next.

I feel that only two people benefit from it, someone who knows and the person who has always had a problem judging throw spin and deflection and the LD Shaft nostril lay fits into their playing style. Everyone else kind of just adjust on the fly and get accustom to what ever it is they are using.

I played for more then 4 decades with never a conscious thought to cue ball squirt & I hit with some form of english on nearly every shot.

So yes, one can certainly just adjust & get use to it...

But...

It's easier when the difference is not so much of a difference.

There is still squirt in LD shafts.

Why should one, especially a beginner or newbie have to get use to so much of a difference when they can get use to a much smaller difference?

One can usually get a used LD shaft for not too much money. Naturally if one can not afford one then one can still play very well as they just get use to what they have.

Best Wishes,
Rick
 

M.G.

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Best equipment ever: a glove.
No more sweating, no more rubbing on your skin that feels funny after 2hrs, no more hard cleaning of your shafts and most importantly: absolutely consistent sliding resistance.

Cheers!
 

Bank it

Uh Huh, Sounds Legit
Silver Member
get accustom to what ever it is they are using.


^^^^^^^ I believe these words are the key to it all. One of the things I always found amusing about those that CONTINUALLY purchase every new device, tip, gadget, aiming system, cue, shaft, etc on & on ad infitum is they never stay with anything long enough to adjust to it.

They play with one kind of tip, then change it to 4 other brands over the course of the year & during that process they read, see or hear about the new Turbo XZR 2.5 shaft guaranteed to never miss a ball & then a month later the new butt by another manufacturer with a weight bolt system kit for quick change outs & extension kit or that fabulous new chalk that goes on like cold cream or that new glove & on & on.

They don't play enough as it is, sporadically once or twice, maybe 3 times a week & if truth be told they spend more time shopping for & buying new gear than playing.

Add all of this together & it equals:
1. You don't spend your $ & time where it can best be spent, on table time with focused practice.
2. You never spend enough time getting used to gear & what you can do with it combined with focused practice time.

By all means every player has to find what fits them best, so do it, then stick with it & spend $ & time playing instead of looking at every new "thing" as a possible panacea for an undernourished stroke. Almost all the greats to a man played with what they had for a long time. Once skilled, make a few adjustments & stick. Once great, you can play with anything, hence the old "Indian, not the arrow" adage. The one common thing all the greats of the past & today had in common was "time" spent playing the game, not a magical shaft, tip or any other piece of equipment. Just a thought.
 

K2Kraze

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The Brak Rack can really help training on the break and firm straight shot aim. Worth every penny I spent...

Agree 100%

The one SIMPLE skill it can teach you and develop anyone's "break stroke" is Charley's BreakRAK for sure. Worth every dollar. I won't loan mine out unless it's on an expensive rental contract 😁

And his book the Great Break Shot is invaluable as well. More tools for the tool box.

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fastone371

Certifiable
Silver Member
You can use 2 paperback books. The gap is adjustable, works with a pendulum stroke and no worries about smashing a glass bottle if you are off.



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Thank you, I was more or less just curious how someone could stroke a cue so deep into a Coke bottle opening that the cue touches the bottom without catching the inside of the neck. I wonder if it is even possible?
 

fastone371

Certifiable
Silver Member
Agree 100%

The one SIMPLE skill it can teach you and develop anyone's "break stroke" is Charley's BreakRAK for sure. Worth every dollar. I won't loan mine out unless it's on an expensive rental contract 😁

And his book the Great Break Shot is invaluable as well. More tools for the tool box.

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The BreakRAK is a great tool, probably one of the best. I have had mine a little more than a year, I recommend everyone gets one who wants to improve their break. It has done wonders for me, now whenever if feel my break starts slipping I practice with my BreakRAK a couple of nights for about 20-30 minutes a night, it doesnt take long to start paying big dividends.
 

ceebee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I know that it's the Indian, not the arrow, but is there any equipment that a person needs to have to improve their shot making ability or cue ball control. I've always preferred soft tips and never played with an LD shaft, which are 2 things that I might need to change. Those things came to mind-anything else that I should consider. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Good question... In the case of the Indian's performance with just any old arrow. Would the Indian not be better off with a PERFECT Arrow.

Nuff said...

Good Luck...
 

KRJ

Support UKRAINE
Silver Member
Good question... In the case of the Indian's performance with just any old arrow. Would the Indian not be better off with a PERFECT Arrow.

Nuff said...

Good Luck...

no such thing as a perfect arrow. I'd say a straight arrow, with a good tip is a good start. I'd much rather be a lights out Indian with avg arrow, than be an avg Indian with the so called "best" arrow in the world.
 
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Pushout

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Not having seen you play, it's pretty hard to recommend anything in particular, at least equipment wise. Rather than that, I would suggest you download George Fels' "101 Tips to Improve Your Game" in my signature.
Good luck!
 
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