Are there Really "Hard and Easy Shots" in Pocket Billiards?

[macguy]

Let me ask this question. If I align to every shot the same, and hit every shot prcisely, how can one be harder than another one?

If this is the case, why, in 14 hours did Efren and I only miss less than 15 shots (one ball every two hours) in our gambling match in Seattle? Was it because every shot was easy?

Think about this for a moment, Lassiter said that if a player missed more than one ball an hour he knew he could beat him. He didn't say "if he misses an easy shot once an hour".....he said any shot.

Food for shot.....I mean thought.

Some shots have a margin of error. Shoot a ball down the rail with good speed and you can hit it terrible and probably make it.

Shoot a shot at a big angle into the side pocket and you have almost no margin for error. Speed has to be perfect and If the ball touches the point you miss it.

What you are saying is like, "You can make any shot, all you have to do is hit it in the right place". That is easier said then done and not all shots require such a precise hit to go. A pool table can be very forgiving sometimes.

That is where shot selection come in. You will often see a guy cut a ball down the rail into a far corner pocket rather then into a side pocket that may be like a foot away. One has a margin for error and the other doesn't. So you make the higher percentage choice and shoot the longer shot down the rail.

 

[CJ Wiley]

The cue ball is always the target and in every case we hit the cue ball precisely

Obviously (at least to me), there are shots that require more or less accuracy and precision in alignment, tip placement, and speed control depending on the CB to OB distance, OB to pocket distance, cut angle, angle to the pocket, desired CB path, etc. There are also shots that are easier or harder to visualize depending on their location on the table, relationship of the angle to the rail, need to bank or kick, and so on.

The intent of the mantra, "there are no easy shots," is to teach yourself to take each shot seriously so that you don't dog a relatively easy shot or position by not giving it the proper attention. Anyone who has been playing pool for a while has had occasions where they took an easy shot too casually and missed the shot or missed their leave, much to the surprise of both them and their opponent.

As for hard shots, even the pros pass on shots that are technically possible and play defense instead. If every shot is just as easy as the next, why wouldn't they play the 3-rail kick-bank-combo to make the money ball every time?

Remember an important, and often over-looked fact - the cue ball is always the primary target because it's the only thing we physically contact - we don't effect the object ball, or the pocket directly.

This is true no matter the distance, the speed, the spin, the angle, etc. Another reason "there are no easy shots or hard shots," because the target is actually where the tip connects to the cue ball at impact. If we don't hit the cue ball where we're aiming, it's not possible to hit the object ball as planned.

The object ball acts as a "mirrored" reflection of now we influence the cue ball. When we put left spin on the cue ball, it puts right spin on the object ball, when we put under-spin on the cue ball, it puts over-spin on the object ball etc.

The cue ball is always the target and in every case we have to hit the cue ball precisely where we're aiming. We're really not "aiming" at the object ball, we align to it in such a way that, when we hit the cue ball where we intend, the object ball (as a result) goes where we desire (in the final target which is the pocket or area of the table for a safety).

 

[Matt]

If we don't hit the cue ball where we're aiming, it's not possible to hit the object ball as planned.

Technically, you could, but that would mean you were aiming at the wrong spot. :smile:

Let me try again to describe the difference between a hard shot and an easy shot...

I think we can agree on this much:
1) It is practically impossible to hit exactly where you are aiming.
2) It is also practically impossible to choose exactly the right spot to aim at.

That means that on every shot, there is some error due to how well you have sized up the shot and chosen a direction to aim and point on the cue ball to hit and some error due to your execution. Those errors may be cumulative, or they may cancel each other to some degree, but there will still be some net error between the ideal path and spin of the cue ball and the actual. That error may lead to missing the object ball or missing your leave.

To most pool players, the difference between an easy shot and a hard shot is based on two things:
1) How easy it is to judge the shot, thereby reducing the error in how you align/aim.
2) How much execution error the shot can tolerate before you either miss the object ball or miss your intended leave.

Both of these vary from shot to shot, so if you are claiming that the difficulty of each shot is the same, it is only because you are redefining the conventional use of the terms "easy" and "hard".

 

[CJ Wiley]

This is why I choose to target the same place on the cue ball on the horizontal axis.

Technically, you could, but that would mean you were aiming at the wrong spot. :smile:

Let me try again to describe the difference between a hard shot and an easy shot...

I think we can agree on this much:
1) It is practically impossible to hit exactly where you are aiming.
2) It is also practically impossible to choose exactly the right spot to aim at.

That means that on every shot, there is some error due to how well you have sized up the shot and chosen a direction to aim and point on the cue ball to hit and some error due to your execution. Those errors may be cumulative, or they may cancel each other to some degree, but there will still be some net error between the ideal path and spin of the cue ball and the actual. That error may lead to missing the object ball or missing your leave.

To most pool players, the difference between an easy shot and a hard shot is based on two things:
1) How easy it is to judge the shot, thereby reducing the error in how you align/aim.
2) How much execution error the shot can tolerate before you either miss the object ball or miss your intended leave.

Both of these vary from shot to shot, so if you are claiming that the difficulty of each shot is the same, it is only because you are redefining the conventional use of the terms "easy" and "hard".

This is why I choose to target the same place on the cue ball on the horizontal axis. Mastering one target (shot) makes them seem almost the same to my subconscious mind. And using the inside also matches, rather than mismatches my mind as well.

When I cue the ball to the right, it's better for me to cut the ball to the right. When I cue the ball to the left, it's better to cut the ball to the left. This IS NOT natural, I have to make myself use TOI (at least at first) however, the results are indisputable.

 

[mantis99]

This is why I choose to target the same place on the cue ball on the horizontal axis. Mastering one target (shot) makes them seem almost the same to my subconscious mind. And using the inside also matches, rather than mismatches my mind as well.

When I cue the ball to the right, it's better for me to cut the ball to the right. When I cue the ball to the left, it's better to cut the ball to the left. This IS NOT natural, I have to make myself use TOI (at least at first) however, the results are indisputable.

How does targeting the inside of the ball help you versus targeting the center of the cb? I have been around here for a while, and have seen TOI mentioned many times, but I have not really looked into yet. I don't quite get why playing inside all the time makes a shot easier.

 

[GoldenFlash]

Less is More in many ways.

This is why I choose to target the same place on the cue ball on the horizontal axis. Mastering one target (shot) makes them seem almost the same to my subconscious mind. And using the inside also matches, rather than mismatches my mind as well.
When I cue the ball to the right, it's better for me to cut the ball to the right. When I cue the ball to the left, it's better to cut the ball to the left. This IS NOT natural, I have to make myself use TOI (at least at first) however, the results are indisputable.

Excellent post concerning SIMPLIFYING things and proving that "less is really more"
I wonder why so many skills require that we literally force ourselves to learn to do something that is not natural in a way that makes it appear to work natural?
For example, when learning to cheat at cards that can only be detected with a slow motion camera, a person can expect to sit for at least 4-5 hours a day for maybe a year in front of a 3 panel mirror... hard at work.
He/She will be acquiring, by rote, the necessary un-natural grips in a natural looking way. Then when he/she cannot see himself deal bases or seconds, or greeks, he is then ready (MAYBE) to move into private poker games. Avoiding casinos like the plague.
Of course other sleights are needed as well to make the advantage playing a part of the entire procedure.....glimpses, hole card switches, invisible nail nicking, action reverse shifts, invisible palming. All using cards with a WHITE border...(any dummy knows BEE cards with the all over backs are easier to use in advantage playing.....but at the same time creating some watchful eyes)
Just like shooting pool.......pre-shot routine, stance, grip, some method of CONSISTENT aiming, and finally a smooth stroke and bridge that makes him look totally UNLIKE a real pool player. (In a calm natural looking way.)
Then finally the really tough part..........LEARNING TO KEEP THAT BIG MOUTH SHUT while being civil and polite while doing the business and being comfortable with knowing you're a dishonest cheating bum.
That, of course, opens up another discussion concerning moral relativity. Ex: I know an 83 year old lady in a retirement home who consistently earns (steals) about 70 grand a year cheating at Canasta and Bridge with only 3 moves. She's a crafty old fox. Is she rotten morally?
Drifting way off topic here, gonna' rein it in. Sorry for the babbling. :embarrassed2:
But there are some Interesting parallels there for discussion, I suppose.

 

[CJ Wiley]

There are three {main} calculations you make to be accurate using spin

How does targeting the inside of the ball help you versus targeting the center of the cb? I have been around here for a while, and have seen TOI mentioned many times, but I have not really looked into yet. I don't quite get why playing inside all the time makes a shot easier.

I do use "center ball," on straight in shots and if I'm "slow rolling" the cue ball.

For many pool players it's a natural tendency to want to spin shots in with outside "helping" English. This technique is very useful, especially if you're trying to change the natural angle of the cue ball after contact. There's another way to do this if you want to "master a shot" so you can hit the three parts of the pocket. To do this you must become more accurate and develop a "FEEL" for the pocket. This isn't any more difficult, it just requires you to simplify your Game and reduce calculations.

There are three {main} calculations you make to be accurate using "outside English," 1st) - you must judge the immediate deflection and 2nd) - you must judge how much the spin brings the cue ball "back" to it's original "shot line". 3rd) - you must decide where to hit the cue ball to accomplish the intended shot. (these calculations are related, but not necessarily connected like they are with the TOI Technique)

You will find it's necessary to hit these shots at a variety of speeds and a variety of spins to do what you need with the cue ball. This takes a LOT of different calculations because speed effects deflection AND spin. Where you hit the cue ball and how far over to get your "outside English" also effects deflection AND spin.

Over the course of hours, you will have to make numerous calculations and instinctive judgments to make every shot as planned. With the 'Touch Of Inside' system of play I am showing you how to reduce the amount of calculations and instinctive judgments considerably.

The TOI Technique shows you how to hit one "theme" of speeds, one "theme" of spins, and one "theme" of deflection. I have played many players in my life and the only concern I had was if they would play long enough. Because, even though this edge against other accomplished players may be only 1-2%, it will show up over time.

If you're cutting a ball at a "half ball" angle down the rail to the left and using "outside" (right English") you cue ball is immediately going to deflect into the object ball slightly. To overcome undercutting it you will need to spin the cue ball to make it curve back and the spin will help cut it in. This may "FEEL" like it's helping the cut, but IS IT REALLY?

You are having to hit the speed correctly, the spin correctly, the contact point (shot line) correctly and hit the cue ball precisely to do this. I'm sure you do this very well, but how about under pressure? How do you make all these calculations playing a champion player? This is where your unconscious will start to falter and break down.

You are simply over whelming yourself with these calculations and when you add pressure? I don't know, how does it effect you, do you play better or worse? How about over the course of a 5-10 hour set, do you rely on your game to get better and better or do you have "ups and downs?" With the TOI Technique I teach players how to use (as much as possible, of course there's exceptions, and less that you may think) ONE SPEED - ONE SHOT ANGLE REFERENCE (center or edge) - ONE TIP TARGET (the "Touch" of Inside).

The one thing you guard against {using TOI} is overcutting the ball, however, if you're going to miss a shot would you rather over cut it or under cut it? I don't know about you, but when I under cut a shot I feel like a "dogged it," however, when I over cut a shot I feel like I know what I need to do to correct what I did wrong.

TOI increases consistency, which strengthens confidence and makes your Game strong, reliable, and very intimidating.

 

[GoldenFlash]

How does targeting the inside of the ball help you versus targeting the center of the cb? I have been around here for a while, and have seen TOI mentioned many times, but I have not really looked into yet. I don't quite get why playing inside all the time makes a shot easier.

You will need to FORCE yourself to learn it while FORCING yourself to suspend your disbelief.
That's a tough thing to do. (especially if there is little interest). If you're dumb and slow like me...it will take you about 50 hours on the table in 3 hour sessions for it to start working
But as he says, the results speak for themselves.
Mix it in and out with the CTE method and you're going to start sending some people, who once steamrollered you, right into tap city. (the beauty of that is it will take most quite a while to figure out they made bad bets).......while you're hauling off the loot.
Stay cordial, civil, polite, discuss their work, their families, buy rounds of drinks, let them "clean you out" every now and then and be a "nice guy". You can milk some of them for months....(most pool players are so hard headed and lost in their own little worlds)
It's your world, man, roll with it if you choose.
Regards,
Flash :thumbup:

 

[CJ Wiley]

there's "knockers" that don't believe they exist

Excellent post concerning SIMPLIFYING things and proving that "less is really more"
I wonder why so many skills require that we literally force ourselves to learn to do something that is not natural in a way that makes it appear to work natural?
For example, when learning to cheat at cards that can only be detected with a slow motion camera, a person can expect to sit for at least 4-5 hours a day for maybe a year in front of a 3 panel mirror... hard at work.
He/She will be acquiring, by rote, the necessary un-natural grips in a natural looking way. Then when he/she cannot see himself deal bases or seconds, or greeks, he is then ready (MAYBE) to move into private poker games. Avoiding casinos like the plague.
Of course other sleights are needed as well to make the advantage playing a part of the entire procedure.....glimpses, hole card switches, invisible nail nicking, action reverse shifts, invisible palming. All using cards with a WHITE border...(any dummy knows BEE cards with the all over backs are easier to use in advantage playing.....but at the same time creating some watchful eyes)
Just like shooting pool.......pre-shot routine, stance, grip, some method of CONSISTENT aiming, and finally a smooth stroke and bridge that makes him look totally UNLIKE a real pool player. (In a calm natural looking way.)
Then finally the really tough part..........LEARNING TO KEEP THAT BIG MOUTH SHUT while being civil and polite while doing the business and being comfortable with knowing you're a dishonest cheating bum.
That, of course, opens up another discussion concerning moral relativity. Ex: I know an 83 year old lady in a retirement home who consistently earns (steals) about 70 grand a year cheating at Canasta and Bridge with only 3 moves. She's a crafty old fox. Is she rotten morally?
Drifting way off topic here, gonna' rein it in. Sorry for the babbling. :embarrassed2:
But there are some Interesting parallels there for discussion, I suppose.

Yes, this is a human phenomenon, or should I say part of the human condition.

"We can only recognize what we're familiar with"

I remember traveling with a card shark back in my teenage years. He had some "marked cards" and ask me if I could find the mark. I looked all over, turning them in may hand, and didn't see anything unusual, or different.

Then, he pointed out where the mark was and from that moment on IT WAS ALL I COULD SEE.

This is like the advanced pool techniques, most people can't see them until they're pointed out.....and even then, there's ones that are blinded by their own "condition".

 

[mantis99]

I do use "center ball," on straight in shots and if I'm "slow rolling" the cue ball.

For many pool players it's a natural tendency to want to spin shots in with outside "helping" English. This technique is very useful, especially if you're trying to change the natural angle of the cue ball after contact. There's another way to do this if you want to "master a shot" so you can hit the three parts of the pocket. To do this you must become more accurate and develop a "FEEL" for the pocket. This isn't any more difficult, it just requires you to simplify your Game and reduce calculations.

There are three {main} calculations you make to be accurate using "outside English," 1st) - you must judge the immediate deflection and 2nd) - you must judge how much the spin brings the cue ball "back" to it's original "shot line". 3rd) - you must decide where to hit the cue ball to accomplish the intended shot. (these calculations are related, but not necessarily connected like they are with the TOI Technique)

You will find it's necessary to hit these shots at a variety of speeds and a variety of spins to do what you need with the cue ball. This takes a LOT of different calculations because speed effects deflection AND spin. Where you hit the cue ball and how far over to get your "outside English" also effects deflection AND spin.

Over the course of hours, you will have to make numerous calculations and instinctive judgments to make every shot as planned. With the 'Touch Of Inside' system of play I am showing you how to reduce the amount of calculations and instinctive judgments considerably.

The TOI Technique shows you how to hit one "theme" of speeds, one "theme" of spins, and one "theme" of deflection. I have played many players in my life and the only concern I had was if they would play long enough. Because, even though this edge against other accomplished players may be only 1-2%, it will show up over time.

If you're cutting a ball at a "half ball" angle down the rail to the left and using "outside" (right English") you cue ball is immediately going to deflect into the object ball slightly. To overcome undercutting it you will need to spin the cue ball to make it curve back and the spin will help cut it in. This may "FEEL" like it's helping the cut, but IS IT REALLY?

You are having to hit the speed correctly, the spin correctly, the contact point (shot line) correctly and hit the cue ball precisely to do this. I'm sure you do this very well, but how about under pressure? How do you make all these calculations playing a champion player? This is where your unconscious will start to falter and break down.

You are simply over whelming yourself with these calculations and when you add pressure? I don't know, how does it effect you, do you play better or worse? How about over the course of a 5-10 hour set, do you rely on your game to get better and better or do you have "ups and downs?" With the TOI Technique I teach players how to use (as much as possible, of course there's exceptions, and less that you may think) ONE SPEED - ONE SHOT ANGLE REFERENCE (center or edge) - ONE TIP TARGET (the "Touch" of Inside).

The one thing you guard against {using TOI} is overcutting the ball, however, if you're going to miss a shot would you rather over cut it or under cut it? I don't know about you, but when I under cut a shot I feel like a "dogged it," however, when I over cut a shot I feel like I know what I need to do to correct what I did wrong.

TOI increases consistency, which strengthens confidence and makes your Game strong, reliable, and very intimidating.

Thanks for the explanation. That sounds like it may be worth trying.

 

[CJ Wiley]

Give it a shot, I'll help you work through the toughest parts

Thanks for the explanation. That sounds like it may be worth trying.

It depends what kind of "worth" you're looking for.

Using TOI has compensated me more than I'd be comfortable disclosing over the years. It led to other businesses in the pool industry (CJ's and Carsons) and also is leading now to some really lucrative offers.

Give it a shot, I'll help you work through the toughest parts, and that's getting started. The most challenging things in life are getting motivated to dedicate time and energy to a particular goal. If you want to play better pool I'll be more than happy to help you any way I can......this goes for all pool players, my time is getting limited, so this will be a limited time offer........and it's all complimentary, the game is "footing the bill".

'The Game is the Teacher'.com

 

[BeiberLvr]

Let me ask this question. If I align to every shot the same, and hit every shot prcisely, how can one be harder than another one?

If this is the case, why, in 14 hours did Efren and I only miss less than 15 shots (one ball every two hours) in our gambling match in Seattle? Was it because every shot was easy?

Think about this for a moment, Lassiter said that if a player missed more than one ball an hour he knew he could beat him. He didn't say "if he misses an easy shot once an hour".....he said any shot.

Food for shot.....I mean thought.

The answer is really simple actually.

Pool isn't just a shot making contest. You need to play position as well, and at that time, I'm sure both you and Efren were excellent at controlling the CB. You both controlled the CB so well, that you very rarely come across a difficult shot, and yes difficult shots do exist.

Take a look at the diagram below. Imagine the 10 ball is your object ball, and balls 1-9 are different cue ball locations. Any good player should make the 10 ball from the first few locations over 80% of the time, but as they get to the 5 ball location and beyond, that amount will drop.

That's because as the distance and angle increases, the margin of error decreases. Smaller margin of error means a tougher shot.

 

[lfigueroa]

The fact is all the shots are basically the same.

All we're doing is hitting the cue ball straight with a cue. Once you know how to create the angles, and get your body into the same position realitve to the shot line, they are all very similar. This is all true to a point, however to reach the championship level requires something extra. We must develop and maximize deeper aspects of the game.

For example I don't alter my game for spin, or deflection using the TOI system. Using the inside of the cue ball instead of the center does many things that connects me more to the game. I have written thousands of posts about TOI, made YouTube videos, a 90 minute DVD and still haven't disclosed some of the most advance aspects of 'The Touch of inside'.

Pool has many levels of development, first there's the surface level that everyone can see, then there's the deeper level that requires a lot of table time and experience. Then, the most advance level is the subconscious level, or "the zone," and that's where the TOI is the strongest, it allows a player to connect to the perfection on the game.

When I put myself into the zone, or "dead stoke" we sometime call it, I feel like the game is playing through me, rather than me trying to play the game.

Personally I can't do this without assessing the TOI, some players do it with TOO (Touch of Outside), either way, we aren't just hitting the cue ball straight with a stick, we are creating zones, thus increasing our overall margin of error.

In this state of mind I know there's no shot or situation I can't handle and the longer I play the more absorbed I become into the game. Efren is a master at this, we played for 14 hours in Seattle for large amounts of money and missed less than 15 balls between the two of us. This is a level that he or I could not do if we tried, we must let go and allow the game to perform, we are just along for the ride.
'The Game is our Teacher'

Finally. Took you a while to pass that one.

Lou Figueroa
anyone else noticed every
CJ thread ends up in the same place

 

[CJ Wiley]

The cue ball is usually the same distance from your eyes, so it is a big advantage

The answer is really simple actually.

Pool isn't just a shot making contest. You need to play position as well, and at that time, I'm sure both you and Efren were excellent at controlling the CB. You both controlled the CB so well, that you very rarely come across a difficult shot, and yes difficult shots do exist.

Take a look at the diagram below. Imagine the 10 ball is your object ball, and balls 1-9 are different cue ball locations. Any good player should make the 10 ball from the first few locations over 80% of the time, but as they get to the 5 ball location and beyond, that amount will drop.

That's because as the distance and angle increases, the margin of error decreases. Smaller margin of error means a tougher shot.

That's correct, even with darts or golf the shot get's tougher as the distance increases.

This is why I use the cue ball to aim with and the object ball to align to. The cue ball is usually the same distance from your eyes, so it is a big advantage to use a portion of the cue ball to create the specific angle. This is opposite of what most players do.

I only use the edge or the center of the object ball, so as long as my eyes are good enough to see these two "targets" I can hit any distance shot with approximately the same margin of error.

 

[mantis99]

It depends what kind of "worth" you're looking for.

Using TOI has compensated me more than I'd be comfortable disclosing over the years. It led to other businesses in the pool industry (CJ's and Carsons) and also is leading now to some really lucrative offers.

Give it a shot, I'll help you work through the toughest parts, and that's getting started. The most challenging things in life are getting motivated to dedicate time and energy to a particular goal. If you want to play better pool I'll be more than happy to help you any way I can......this goes for all pool players, my time is getting limited, so this will be a limited time offer........and it's all complimentary, the game is "footing the bill".

'The Game is the Teacher'.com

"Worth" to me is just playing better pool. I don't gamble, but I love competition, and am always looking to improve. I am more than willing to be open minded and try things that have the potential to improve my game. I will start trying to shoot my shots with TOI and see what happens. Ant advice or instruction you are willing to impart will be appreciably accepted.

 

[CJ Wiley]

We call this "The Gathering of the Shot" - players like Buddy Hall do it beautifully

"Worth" to me is just playing better pool. I don't gamble, but I love competition, and am always looking to improve. I am more than willing to be open minded and try things that have the potential to improve my game. I will start trying to shoot my shots with TOI and see what happens. Ant advice or instruction you are willing to impart will be appreciably accepted.

Yes, pursuing the perfection of the game is very worthwhile indeed. When you start out using TOI make sure you pick 3 hours and shoot EVERYTHING by cueing slightly to the inside, and try to play shape as you usually do.

This sounds difficult and it may be relative to how developed your stoke is. If you have trouble it's probably from lack of acceleration due to not properly performing the "transition" at the back-swing.

There is a transition time with every player, it's just a matter of how abbreviated it is. We call this "The Gathering of the Shot"....and players like Buddy Hall do it beautifully - this is one of the reasons he was known to have the best cue ball control in history.

It requires energy to take the cue back and it takes more energy to redirect the cue. Mentally (usually sub consciously) there's a calculation that must take place to equate the forward movement of the cue with the speed and length of the shot.

I like to practice exaggerating this technique so that there's a distinct forward motion of the cue......after all, we never hit the cue ball with our back-swing, it's just used to coil the cue back before the moment of release - or they say "the moment of highest tension".

There is one school of thought that the follow through doesn't matter because the cue ball is already gone. This may be true in one respect, especially if you just look at the stroke mechanically. However, from my experience it's vital to control the after contact movement of the cue ball WITH the length of the follow through.

This is what gives the player that high degree of touch and feel for the game that's essential for top notch performance under pressure......when you are in that "do or die" situation.

When I want the "after contact" movement of the cue ball to be exaggerated I exaggerate the follow through, when I want the "after contact" movement to be compat, then I compact my follow through.....even if I want the cue ball to jump slightly I'll use a "staccato type" follow through that creates that movement.

If I didn't have a very good understanding of how the cue moves FORWARD from the top of the back-swing I would not be able to play at the champion's level of performance. Whether a player is aware of it or not the follow through must connect to the "after contact" reaction of the cue ball....or you'll always be playing a "guessing game," and it really shows up under the pressure of a high dollar match or tournament.

The cue ball's reaction, at the highest level is a reflection of what the cue is doing......the more you can calibrate the cue's motion to coincide with the cue ball's "after contact" reaction the better off you will be.......this is one of the essential "differences that make a difference" in winning or just coming close.

'The Game is the Teacher' com

 

[maldito]

What's your opinion of "easy and hard shots" in pool? Do you find yourself making the hard ones, yet missing the easy ones sometimes? Does this make sense to you?

I had the privilege and great opportunity to study golf under Hank Haney, world renowned golf instructor and personal coach to Tiger Woods (2004-2010).

Hank and I became friends and he started to frequent my club in Dallas that had pool tables. We played and talked one night - he mentioned that "if I was interested" he would be willing to teach me what he knew about golf if I'd help him with his pool game.

This was a start of a two year period that taught me more than just golf, it taught me how to teach. Golf and pool are very similar at the highest levels, pocket billiards, in many ways is a miniature version of golf.

Check out this video of Hank explaining one of my mental philosophies and how it applies to golf, and pool. This is one of the few mental teachings that he was able to pass on to Tiger Woods and helped him that year in some major tournaments.

Hank wrote this story in his book about training Tiger called 'The Big Miss' and I felt honored. Johnny Archer told me this was the only book he read "cover to cover," and was pleasantly surprised to see a fellow pool professional mentioned.

Here's the link, tell me what you think about "hard and easy shots" - do you differentiate between the two, or do you treat them the same......and if so, how?

LINK TO THE HANK HANEY UNIVERSITY OF GOLF - NO EASY SHOTS IN GOLF

Interesting video - I never played golf - the difficulty for me is the high degree of concentration you need to maintain but there are a lot of shots if I just set them up I can make them but when you have to make the shot and have the cue ball do some thing - perhaps follow only a few inches or draw back just a little bit or perhaps try to cheat the pocket - shoot over a ball it is entirely a different story.

I once saw a video of an instructor shooting in fairly long straight in shots - the cue ball and the object were the only balls on the table he looked like he was in his perfect stance but what if the were some balls that might interfere so he would have to alter his stance etc.

BTw - what do you think of using different wgt cue on some shots - suppose you were on a super fast table and were having trouble controlling your speed?

 

[CJ Wiley]

I'll ship you a FREE DVD asap (we're iced in here in Dallas/Ft. Worth today)

Interesting video - I never played golf - the difficulty for me is the high degree of concentration you need to maintain but there are a lot of shots if I just set them up I can make them but when you have to make the shot and have the cue ball do some thing - perhaps follow only a few inches or draw back just a little bit or perhaps try to cheat the pocket - shoot over a ball it is entirely a different story.

I once saw a video of an instructor shooting in fairly long straight in shots - the cue ball and the object were the only balls on the table he looked like he was in his perfect stance but what if the were some balls that might interfere so he would have to alter his stance etc.

BTw - what do you think of using different wgt cue on some shots - suppose you were on a super fast table and were having trouble controlling your speed?

Efren used to warm up with a heavier cue, then switch to his regular playing cue. I have never changed weights to alter cue ball speeds, and if you feel the need, it's probably a sign to work on your fundamentals.

If you want some free help in this area I'll ship you a FREE 'Ultimate Pool Secrets' DVD to get you started in the right direction. PM me your address and I'll ship it out as soon as I can get out of the house (we're iced in here in Dallas/Ft. Worth today).

Play Well, and let the game be your teacher.
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[CJ Wiley]

"you should get down on each shot as if it's already been made"

My opinion:

I believe in routine. Preshot routine is super important for consistency. I also follow the snooker approach in the way I plant my feet and lean into each shot be lowering my cue over the table following the straight line. The closer I get to this routine being exactly the same every time, the more consistent my game gets. The more consistent my game gets the more confidence I have, and, consequently, I spend less energy having to concentrate on small details, or arguing with the voice of doubt.

WE can all see the line that the CB needs to follow in order to pocket an object ball, All shots are that easy. Pulling them off is another matter. The mechanics of potting balls is hard, and can be diminished by repeated practice of the preshot routine.

The pre-shot routine, at the most advanced levels, rehearses every aspect of the upcoming shot. "you should get down on each shot as if it's already been made"

This is much easier said than done, I had to learn it over many years of competition, and just recently have I learned to teach it effectively. Even with that said, it takes about 8 hours to teach and 3 weeks to incorporate.

 

[SJDinPHX]

The pre-shot routine, at the most advanced levels, rehearses every aspect of the upcoming shot. "you should get down on each shot as if it's already been made"<-- Golly...I wish I had known that 40 years ago, I coulda given Efren the seven out !

This is much easier said than done, I had to learn it over many years of competition, and just recently have I learned to teach it effectively. Even with that said, it takes about 8 hours to teach and 3 weeks to incorporate.

Wow, are you sure ?..Thats a week longer than it takes to learn one pocket !.. BTW, Could you please send me an autographed 8 X 10 glossy of yourself ?..I want to hang it on my game room wall..(right below the dart board )

PS..Maybe you'd better send several !