Should I even bother practicing anymore? It's such a disappointment to play well when practicing and then can not put anything together during match play. Should I just play match play to lessen my expectations and work it out from there. I understand that practicing weak spots will help make it automatic but what's the point if I can not perform during match play. Frustrating to say the least.
Practice - play my speed/ Match play - play horrible
- Thread starter poolnut7879
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When you're under pressure, old habits will come back to haunt you. You wrote some months ago that you had some problems staying down on your shots. If you haven't completely 100% resolved that issue, it will rear it's ugly head in competition.
Even if you think you resolved the issue, do this: Next time you compete, make sure you stay down longer than you think you need to on every shot. You can start by training yourself to do it ahead of time. You will definitely see an improvement in your performance if you do that.
Even if you think you resolved the issue, do this: Next time you compete, make sure you stay down longer than you think you need to on every shot. You can start by training yourself to do it ahead of time. You will definitely see an improvement in your performance if you do that.
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And if you're not sure what you're doing wrong, you could record a match or two. There's nothing like seeing your own mistakes.
This was my problem, still is to some extent. I never popped directly up on the shot so I never noticed it in competition. The problem was more of a flinch or excess movement in anticipation of hitting the ball, which would spoil the shot.
It takes practice to learn how to break these habits in competition, but my main focus right now is first to stay still and second if I'm still not playing well to get any tension out of my body.
I think a significant disparity between standard between play in competition and practice is likely going to be related to performance anxiety. Breathing techniques and a change in your thinking will be very helpful, but it is also useful to identify how it manifests itself physically (tension, jumping up, shallow breathing) so you can address that.
I'm no instructor but your title has a bit of a twist that I felt should be pointed out. You assume that by hitting better shots while practicing means that this establishes your "speed", as you said. And then you are let down because you don't execute the same in actual matches. I believe this is backwards. In other words, match play is your true speed, and so if you want to improve on it, then absolutely, keep practicing. Beyond that, determining what to practice is the biggest challenge.
There is a difference between practicing shot making and practicing the concentration required for match play.
I'm happy to share some good techniques with you. Send me a PM.
I'm happy to share some good techniques with you. Send me a PM.
From your statement, the first thing that comes to mind is that you do not have sound fundamentals or a good foundation to build on. So what you consider practice could be nothing more than reinforcing bad habits.
Even the top pros work constantly on maintaining the fundamentals.
This series by Lee Brett is a place to start if you do not have a qualified instructor available to work with you. Video tape yourself while working on building the foundation. Do not try to go too fast. Each Lesson deserves a week of practice to build for the next.
There will be differences of opinion as to the minor details. The overall concept is very sound and that is a good place to start.
Every golfer thinks they hit the ball better on the driving range than in a game. The same is true in pool. I am not an instructor but I do practice a lot and have had a lot of professional instruction.
Here is my take. Progress is very slow so it is easy to get frustrated. I have a practice "game" that puts game type stress on you. All instructors teach a version. I rack balls 7,8,9 and shoot them in rotation. Spot any balls made on the break and start with ball in hand. I put two dimes on the head rail and move one to the left if I win and the other to the right if I lose. The first one to get around the table to the opposite side wins the match. If I win consistently I add the 6 ball then the 5 ball, etc. I started at 3 balls and went to 4 pretty quick. It took a couple of months to get to 5 balls but my playing partner comments "Remember how hard it was to do 4, now it is so easy it is a joke". I am close to moving to 6 balls and making many fewer mistakes in my league play. It is clear that I am improving. But again it is slow.
The reason this drill applies pressure is you don't want to lose to the "ghost" or as we call it "the old lady". You may even find that you choke playing this game. You get down to the nine and miss an easy shot when you are on the hill because you worked so hard to win the previous 8 games.
The real strength of this game is to set up shots you miss and re-shoot them until you get them nailed. Best wishes to you and I would say don't give up, it is just harder than you want it to be.
Where do you practice? Home table with the same conditions and equipment. Then we go somewhere and play with different equipment. If you have a home table. Maybe try and get different cue balls to practice with. Each can play differently which will make you adjust some. I play leagues and every night conditions and equipment are different. When I do find time to practice at home. I use a different cue ball.
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There is an old saying that has a lot of merit to it. Play like you practice, and practice like you play. That means that you should take the same focus and thought patterns in play that you do in practice, and vice versa.
To many practice with no care if they miss because they can just set the shot up again. Then, when they get in a match, they get all nervous about missing and start thinking wrong and then do exactly what they feared- they miss.
You may also be suffering from performance anxiety. Google that. There are some great articles on here about it, and other places on the net.