Drills or games?

CurleyMP

New member
I am trying my best to improve my game. Some people will say run drills, play games, or play better opponents. My question is for the pros out there, it is not possible for me to put in the time that you do. However, I am trying to shoot anywhere from 1-3 hours a day. Give or take (probably take) due to family, work and life. What is your suggestion on how to improve? Is the right answer drills, play straight, or just to shoot shots over and over?
 
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Korsakoff

AzB Gold Member
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I am trying my best to improve my game. Some people will say run drills, play games, or play better opponents. My question is for the pros out there, it is not possible for me to put in the time that you do. However, I am trying to shoot anywhere from 1-3 hours a day. Give or take (probably take) due to family, work and life. What is your suggestion on how to improve? Is the right answer drills, play straight, or just to shoot shots over and over?

Well, I’m a pro at a few things, but pool is not one of them.

I grew up in an age with no internet. Watched a few of the top players in my area warm up with some drills. (Or catch them at the down, quiet times working on their game,) I did my best to understand and replicate. While my attempts looked like crap compared to what they were doing, I still learned a lot with my efforts.

Personal trouble with pocketing a shot? By all means, shoot it a bunch of times.

Get to the pool hall? Then match up. Do that enough and have a reasonable personality, then the players might even give you a tip or two.

BUT, by all means, have fun. All pro athletes talk about this. You have 45 mins one day? Hit some balls! You have 4 hours? Well, divide that up between structure and having fun.

That’s what I think.
 

sifu

Registered
I'm a fargo 300 player, at the moment (just starting back up after 20 years not playing), so I'm definitely not who you want to hear from. However, I'm in the same boat as you and my current outlook is this: I will get better with time, so long as I spend that time hitting balls with intent. I try to never just bang balls around. Drill, playing someone else, or just playing ghost ball, I try to hit every shot like it matters. The moment my focus is not on my shots, I let myself go do something else. My reasoning is that I don't want to burn myself out so that it feels like work, and, so long as I am focused, I'm improving.

Now, like yourself, I would like to know the "optimal" way to improve. I'll be following your thread.
 

Texas Carom Club

9ball did to billiards what hiphop did to america
Silver Member
I improved alot by playing competitive pool only
No practice just played competition for 6 days a week for the last several months before the shutdown

Now that I can do this for the time being I'm going to be doing drills on my tight pocket table
 

Tin Man

AzB Gold Member
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I believe the best answer depends completely on your current level of ability. Could you tell us more about your current level of play?

How is your draw accuracy?
Your comfort with the stun line?
Side spin positional routes?
What level ghost can you break even with?

Fill us in and we'll try to help.
 

Scott Lee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Remember Richard, you spent a lot of time (and money) improving your stroke first. That allowed you to play competitively every day! :thumbup:

Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour

I improved alot by playing competitive pool only
No practice just played competition for 6 days a week for the last several months before the shutdown

Now that I can do this for the time being I'm going to be doing drills on my tight pocket table
 

Texas Carom Club

9ball did to billiards what hiphop did to america
Silver Member
Remember Richard, you spent a lot of time (and money) improving your stroke first. That allowed you to play competitively every day! :thumbup:

Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour

and still putting in time on the stroke scott
 

CurleyMP

New member
I believe the best answer depends completely on your current level of ability. Could you tell us more about your current level of play?

How is your draw accuracy?
Your comfort with the stun line?
Side spin positional routes?
What level ghost can you break even with?

Fill us in and we'll try to help.

I can draw pretty well, spin, and follow. Accuracy needs work for sure but not as much as consistency. I'm not sure what you mean by "level ghost. I have played the ghost by breaking and running out with ball in hand on the first ball. I am currently leveled as a 6 in 8-ball and a 7 in 9-ball currently in the APA.
 

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've won more games than travis trotter and I only play games, never drills.

If there is a particular shot that has angered me, I migh do it a few times in a row, but that is as close as I get to a 'drill'.
 

Tin Man

AzB Gold Member
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drills or games

I can draw pretty well, spin, and follow. Accuracy needs work for sure but not as much as consistency. I'm not sure what you mean by "level ghost. I have played the ghost by breaking and running out with ball in hand on the first ball. I am currently leveled as a 6 in 8-ball and a 7 in 9-ball currently in the APA.

I think competing with better players is and always will be the best option. If you have better players around that you can spar with or square off against in tournaments, that will be your best option.

Watching top players on YouTube is important. Pick players that have a similar style to you and watch how they make it work. This is important and I believe that my study of top players when I was young is one of the reasons I play better than the majority of my competition.

Drills can be good if you have the right drills. This would depend on your understanding of where you are and where you need to improve. If you're not sure then it could be a waste of time. If you have a clear picture of what's missing from your game and are excited to drill those areas because you can almost taste getting to the next level by doing them then they are great. If not they aren't a great avenue.

Finally, if you are seeing good progress with your game then keep doing what you're doing. If you see a year or two go by without improvement then it's time to reevaluate. The answer is almost never "I'm on the right path but don't have the time/talent". That is what everyone thinks. The truth is if you're on the right path you will progress. If you aren't making progress you're doing it wrong and need to change it. Most players don't really know what's holding them back and stubbornly cling to their views and this 'not enough time' narrative. I can't complain. That is my competition. But if you want to reach your potential you have to be accountable.
 

td873

C is for Cookie
Silver Member
I am trying my best to improve my game. Some people will say run drills, play games, or play better opponents. My question is for the pros out there, it is not possible for me to put in the time that you do. However, I am trying to shoot anywhere from 1-3 hours a day. Give or take (probably take) due to family, work and life. What is your suggestion on how to improve? Is the right answer drills, play straight, or just to shoot shots over and over?
You need all of those. Drills to get you mechanics down. But you also need to play games for strategy and navigating patterns. And you need to play better opponents to find out where you are lacking and also to test your concentration and nerves.

Sometimes you can focus on one more than the other depending on where your overall game falters. Practice where you need to improve - and try to figure out where you can maximize your limited time.

Don't get bound up in getting your stroke perfect or getting beating the ghost at whatever level. You can be competitive in your peer group by knowing your limitations and staying within your toolbox.

-td
 

Poolmanis

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am trying my best to improve my game. Some people will say run drills, play games, or play better opponents. My question is for the pros out there, it is not possible for me to put in the time that you do. However, I am trying to shoot anywhere from 1-3 hours a day. Give or take (probably take) due to family, work and life. What is your suggestion on how to improve? Is the right answer drills, play straight, or just to shoot shots over and over?

first analyze your game and try be objective. Where is your weaknesses and fortes?
Speed control, pattern play,safety, stroke, break etc..
Then search helpful info from internet probably best sources are Dr Daves videos. He have covered in great detail almost all aspects.
Then find or create drills that point towards those skills that are weak. IMO Bert Kinister have best drills and videos about them.
You will find that even short time working with those skills that you lack will make huge improvement. It is because it is easy to get better on areas that one sucks. It is hard to improve skills that are already good or high level.
Try use little bit of time to maintain your fortes.
Then play and try attach those new skills you gain trough practice to be part of you game. (This is hardest part.)
Rinse and repeat.
 

Jimmorrison

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Curleymp

There have been several threads on the topic of your original post. What do you think of them? Any conclusions on how to maintain continued progress?
 

Geosnooker

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've won more games than travis trotter and I only play games, never drills.

If there is a particular shot that has angered me, I migh do it a few times in a row, but that is as close as I get to a 'drill'.

The same.

I will repeat a shot a few times now and then but not more than 5 or 10 minutes max. Often it’s more ‘can this be done within reason’. More of a personal challenge.

I’ve taught guitar over the years. Way to turn off enthusiasm is to practice scales, etc. Great to claim it’s a way to improve, but 95% will end up with a dusty guitar under the bed. In contrast, Teach an easy rock song, crank up the amp, and playing becomes a fun addiction.

In theory drills are good, however in the real world, they are rarely kept up. The way to improve is to have fun. You aren’t going to be an NHLstar, be on the PGA circuit or play Ronnie OSullivan in the World Snooker Championship.
 

Fore Rail

AzB Silver Member
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In golf terms - some people like to play to practice, some like to hit the range. Some hit the range after playing to work out the kinks.

This all transfers to the pool table.
 

dardusm

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think it's a combination of both. Use drills to work on weak areas of your game that you see crop up during competition. Hitting shots over and over again can help you learn faster vs. just seeing them when they pop up during competition. Keep your practice sessions short when doing drills (20 minutes) so that you can maintain focus.
 

cue4me

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think it's a combination of both. Use drills to work on weak areas of your game that you see crop up during competition. Hitting shots over and over again can help you learn faster vs. just seeing them when they pop up during competition. Keep your practice sessions short when doing drills (20 minutes) so that you can maintain focus.

Great advice. Take a break in between drills if you are going to go beyond the 20 minutes.
 

one pocket guy

Registered
I am trying my best to improve my game. Some people will say run drills, play games, or play better opponents. My question is for the pros out there, it is not possible for me to put in the time that you do. However, I am trying to shoot anywhere from 1-3 hours a day. Give or take (probably take) due to family, work and life. What is your suggestion on how to improve? Is the right answer drills, play straight, or just to shoot shots over and over?

The bad news is, it is not enough. A few hours a day is only enough to maintain not move a level. It takes competitive play and lots of well designed practice. Even top players if they lay off for any period of time will see their skills drop off. It just does not seem to be a skill that can be retained without constant work.

There is also no substitute for being around good players. No matter how much you practice by yourself you can only get so good playing in a vacuum. In other words, in your basement by yourself.
 

Tin Man

AzB Gold Member
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Silver Member
agree/disagree

The bad news is, it is not enough. A few hours a day is only enough to maintain not move a level. It takes competitive play and lots of well designed practice. Even top players if they lay off for any period of time will see their skills drop off. It just does not seem to be a skill that can be retained without constant work.

There is also no substitute for being around good players. No matter how much you practice by yourself you can only get so good playing in a vacuum. In other words, in your basement by yourself.

I believe you are correct when it comes to getting to a professional level of pool. To play 700+ Fargo Rate I think there will need to be years of your life that are spent mostly obsessed with pool, including regional or national competition.

10-15 hours a week is plenty of time, however, to become proficient at this game. 600-640 Fargo Rate. You will need to play some weekly tournaments and spar with some players in that range. You will need to watch top players on YouTube and do so interactively (not just watching disengaged but wearing out the pause and rewind buttons). And you will need to have a clear picture of what skills to develop and how to assemble them into a smooth run out game.

Yes, that is what I do, and I am confident I can coach anyone to break 600 FR that is willing to put in 1-2 hours most days and one good session a week. 700 requires a lot of competition. 600s can be done as a hobby.
 
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