Do yu take as much time to play a safe shot as you do an easy shot?

L

Lock N Load

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
A safe shot can make or break you in a close match for your bucks! When you shoot an easy shot it does not require a lot of time looking at the shot and thinking about where the cue is going to be after the shot! Do you put the same amount of time and effort into a safe shot? Or do you put more time into a safe shot effort? Thanks for your input.
Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
dedstroke38

dedstroke38

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I personally believe the only variable that changes the time per shot is in the shot deciding and planning stage. Other than that, no matter what the shot is, once I know what shot I'm hitting my pre-shot routine and executing is the same time wise.
 
L

Lock N Load

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Very good, Dedstroke38.

dedstroke38 said:
I personally believe the only variable that changes the time per shot is in the shot deciding and planning stage. Other than that, no matter what the shot is, once I know what shot I'm hitting my pre-shot routine and executing is the same time wise.
Click to expand...

This is what I want to hear from you. Thanks for your input.
Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
The Renfro

The Renfro

Outsville.com
Silver Member
As a zonal position rotation player I have to take more time with safety play.

In running out most instances allow you to stay on the right side of the ball and have a few inches of leeway on precise cueball placement... Safeties on the other hand come down to millimeters between executing properly and selling out the farm.

I have maybe a half dozen ROTE safeties that I can walk up and fire at will.. I have many times that amount of ROTE offensive shots....... I keep waiting on a good defensive drills offering to add more to my measly half dozen......
 
genomachino

genomachino

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I aim it just as much if not harder...........

Lock N Load said:
A safe shot can make or break you in a close match for your bucks! When you shoot an easy shot it does not require a lot of time looking at the shot and thinking about where the cue is going to be after the shot! Do you put the same amount of time and effort into a safe shot? Or do you put more time into a safe shot effort? Thanks for your input.
Regards,
Lock N Load.
Click to expand...

One thing that is overlooked by alot of players is the easy safe or shot. We need to hit these shots perfect to make the rest of the shots that much better.

Especially on the safety you need to always pick out the spot where you want the cue ball to be exactly and you need to know exactly how much of the object ball the cue ball is going to hit.

When you put these two together the shot becomes a little more complex. So the simple looking shot is actually not that simple. But by assuming it is simple and not putting forth the full effort we might be sabataging a simple win that just got harder. And it might not show up on the next shot or shape but the next one or the next one.

That simple little shot or safe could become the most important shot in the whole match real quick.

Never ever let up your mind or your effort in any pool game.

Great post. gets you thinking.
 
ShootingArts

ShootingArts

Smorg is giving St Peter the 7!
Gold Member
Silver Member
my answer is obvious

My answer is obvious since I am an advocate of putting the vast majority of effort in almost every shot into cue ball control. The safety shot gets the same effort but only because every shot is primarily about cue ball control. Control the cue ball and the object balls almost take care of themselves.

Hu
 
billy bones

billy bones

billy bones
Silver Member
relatively speaking

Lock N Load said:
A safe shot can make or break you in a close match for your bucks! When you shoot an easy shot it does not require a lot of time looking at the shot and thinking about where the cue is going to be after the shot! Do you put the same amount of time and effort into a safe shot? Or do you put more time into a safe shot effort? Thanks for your input.
Regards,
Lock N Load.
Click to expand...

It is relative to me. Just as offensive shots come in various degrees of difficulity, so do safe shots. Some are relatively easy, others more difficult. Still others are very difficult and require time to assess the variables & then execute. As was pointed out by Renfro safeties often require more precise excution.

If you are accustomed to playing what is reffered to as "zonal positon" & playing at a fast pace or rhythm as I do & then are faced with a safety shot with any degree of difficulity, then it is likely you will take more time to consider all the implications.

In the end it is all relative. I take slightly more time with a reasonably difficult offensive shot & of course I take more time with a difficult safety. The amount of time dedicated to a shot, offensive or defensive is due to familiarity, difficulity & confidence. Once I have determined what course of action to take & how to execute it I have only to address the ball with confidence with my normal routine & execute the shot. I may then evaluate the outcome & move on.

Good luck & good pool folks ,

Billy Bones :thumbup:
 
victorl

victorl

Where'd my stroke go?
Silver Member
The amount of time I spend on a safety depends on whether I'm trying to control just one ball, such as a hit-an-stick safety, which is a lot easier than playing a finesse safety controlling both the CB and OB.
 
manwon

manwon

"WARLOCK 1"
Silver Member
Lock N Load said:
A safe shot can make or break you in a close match for your bucks! When you shoot an easy shot it does not require a lot of time looking at the shot and thinking about where the cue is going to be after the shot! Do you put the same amount of time and effort into a safe shot? Or do you put more time into a safe shot effort? Thanks for your input.
Regards,
Lock N Load.
Click to expand...



For me there are few things I consider:

First when ever I consider shooting a safety I first decide which shot is more difficult, the safety or making the ball. While safeties are necessary you are giving the table to other player and taking away your chance to win. So you have to not only consider the cue ball control you need to play safe, but you also have to consider what you opponents action will be after you leave them safe.

This can be very complicated unless you know your opponents ability, I understand that there are lockup safeties but in most cases a decent player can kick or jump out of a safety shot. So yes I think that before you consider playing safe you give the above information I have offered some thought, and if you do this many times you may find that playing safe is NOT better than shooting the shot Especially For The Game Ball

Second as far as putting your effort into to thinking about playing safe or the actual mechanics of playing the safe in my opinion there is not much difference. I have found at least with myself that in most cases if I can not visualize the shot when considering it, I am not going to make that shot. I do not know about others, but when I am shooting any shot I actually picture the shot in my mind while stroking it. This statement includes not only the ball traveling into the portion of the pocket I am aiming at, but also the entire path the cue ball will take until it stops. This is how I gage my speed, the English or lack of that I am going to use, and the type of stroke I think is necessary to accomplish all of the above.

Hope this helps.
 
L

Lock N Load

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Manwon, I like what you said!

manwon said:
For me there are few things I consider:

First when ever I consider shooting a safety I first decide which shot is more difficult, the safety or making the ball. While safeties are necessary you are giving the table to other player and taking away your chance to win. So you have to not only consider the cue ball control you need to play safe, but you also have to consider what you opponents action will be after you leave them safe.

This can be very complicated unless you know your opponents ability, I understand that there are lockup safeties but in most cases a decent player can kick or jump out of a safety shot. So yes I think that before you consider playing safe you give the above information I have offered some thought, and if you do this many times you may find that playing safe is NOT better than shooting the shot Especially For The Game Ball

Second as far as putting your effort into to thinking about playing safe or the actual mechanics of playing the safe in my opinion there is not much difference. I have found at least with myself that in most cases if I can not visualize the shot when considering it, I am not going to make that shot. I do not know about others, but when I am shooting any shot I actually picture the shot in my mind while stroking it. This statement includes not only the ball traveling into the portion of the pocket I am aiming at, but also the entire path the cue ball will take until it stops. This is how I gage my speed, the English or lack of that I am going to use, and the type of stroke I think is necessary to accomplish all of the above.

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

Very good post to my thread!!!! Thanks for your input.
Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
catscradle

catscradle

<< 2 all-time greats
Silver Member
Lock N Load said:
A safe shot can make or break you in a close match for your bucks! When you shoot an easy shot it does not require a lot of time looking at the shot and thinking about where the cue is going to be after the shot! Do you put the same amount of time and effort into a safe shot? Or do you put more time into a safe shot effort? Thanks for your input.
Regards,
Lock N Load.
Click to expand...

I put more time into safes, just don't have enough experience with them to free wheel it.
 
L

Lock N Load

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hey Hu, I thank you for your input.

ShootingArts said:
My answer is obvious since I am an advocate of putting the vast majority of effort in almost every shot into cue ball control. The safety shot gets the same effort but only because every shot is primarily about cue ball control. Control the cue ball and the object balls almost take care of themselves.

Hu
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You are the Man! Thanks again.
Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
L

Lock N Load

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thank you very much, Catscradle!

catscradle said:
I put more time into safes, just don't have enough experience with them to free wheel it.
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Keep shooting pool and you will be on top with everything...Thanks again for your input.
Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
S

scottjen26

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Agree with deadstroke and Renfro, I may spend more time planning a difficult shot or non-standard safe, but once I visualize and plan the shot the execution time is very similar.

Renfro, right there with you. Seems like we practice offensive shots all the time, especially for rotation games, and there are many drills to practice the common 1-rail and 2-rail routes straight across, back to center, up to the opposite end rail, etc. Think Earl just 2 stroking everything toward the next shot effortlessly.

Like you, I only have a few safes I can play with the same confidence, usually they require more precision. I try to simplify them somewhat by making a definite decision on which ball I'm going to control, CB or OB. That seems to free my mind and stroke somewhat and I tend to execute better. When I try and overcomplicate the shot and get too exact on the speed or english just seems like one or the other leaks out and leaves an opening for my opponent.

I have it on my list to work on more "standard" safes and add more standards to my repertoire, but unfortunately my list of things to work on is long and my time is short, so one day...

Scott
 
Donny Lutz

Donny Lutz

Ferrule Cat
Silver Member
Time on safety shots

dedstroke38 said:
I personally believe the only variable that changes the time per shot is in the shot deciding and planning stage. Other than that, no matter what the shot is, once I know what shot I'm hitting my pre-shot routine and executing is the same time wise.
Click to expand...

Ah, the perfect answer! If only everyone could be so accurate and succinct!
I would add that as much time needs to be put into practicing safeties as all other shots. Most folks, even those who play some defense, don't seriously practice their safe shots.
Donny L
BCA/ACS Instructor
Gainesville, Fl
 
O

onepocketron

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
All my thinking about angle, speed, and so forth is done standing and chalking. Once down on the table, it is just another shot that requires execution. Of course some safes, just like some shots are harder than others. If it comes to a hard safe, or hard shot, I'm going down swinging every time unless the hard shot has no reward or if a safety is the only way I can actually win the game.
 
Island Drive

Island Drive

Otto/Dads College Roommate/Cleveland Browns
Silver Member
Lock N Load said:
A safe shot can make or break you in a close match for your bucks! When you shoot an easy shot it does not require a lot of time looking at the shot and thinking about where the cue is going to be after the shot! Do you put the same amount of time and effort into a safe shot? Or do you put more time into a safe shot effort? Thanks for your input.
Regards,
Lock N Load.
Click to expand...

Nope...............same effort tho....
 
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