That is a good article and it may change the way I look at tournaments. I guess I always underestimate my game and I think "What's the use, I can't beat those guys." and I pass on competing. I heard Johnny Archer say on an Accu-Stats video that Rodny Morris asked him how he could get better when he was first starting out and Johnny replied "Come and play on the tour and compete against other pros and your game will elevate quickly". Those were true words and Rodney answered by winning the US Open not long after Johnny advised him to come to the US and play regularly with other pro players. Of course I wouldn't expect that to happen, but getting out and competing with top players and supporting the Florida tour will help me, the sponsors, and the players.......
James
I'm always amazed at how often players that love pool, will come up with a reason not to compete, when playing in a big open tournament is one of the very bestest things you can do for your game. In this vein, I wrote the following, many moons ago, after playing in a major tournament:
Playing pool in a tournament is a unique experience, in someways unlike playing pool at any other time. The conditions are different, your competitors are unknown, as are their skill levels and strategies. There are distractions, there's pressure, and you must adjust to all of this immediately. It's an interesting test of what you think you know. Ferinstance, you may think you know how to kick three rails. But under tournament conditions, it really is the acid test. Do you really know how to instantly calculate the path the cue ball must take, the right amount of spin, the right speed, and compensate for the new cushions, cloth, and balls? You either know how to do it, or you don't. Whether you do or not is out there for the whole world to see, and there's no hiding what you can and can't do.
At an even more basic level, are the simple shots you think you should be able to make. During this tournament, I learned that there are a whole slew of shots I thought I knew, but couldn't execute consistently. I'm not talking about really tough shots, I'm talking about shots that, in my mind, I thought I could make 10 out of 10. Maybe going to play in a tournament is like getting dressed in the dark and then you go out into the bright sunlight and discover that you've got socks on that don't match. And so, playing in this tournament has alerted me to things I should work on.
A tournament, because of the severity of the test, also let's you see what works and what does not. I went to this tournament after making a few minor adjustments to my pre-shot routine. Right before one match, I made one further tweak. As it turned out, that last adjustment helped me play pretty well. (It's probably a keeper
So in that regard, tournaments provide you with the ultimate "where the rubber meets the road" venue. Kinda like taking your little hot rod that you've lovingly been tinkering with for a spin on the Mercedes-Benz test track in Stuttgart.
A tournament also gives you the opportunity to see a wide variety of approaches to the game. I saw several shots that I don't play regularly. But I saw their effectiveness and believe me, I will practice them and they will quickly become a part of my personal arsenal. That's another great learning opportunity.
Lastly, I think playing in a tournament, imbues you with a sense of confidence you can't get any other way. Stepping "into the arena" and taking on all comers on a level playing field, so to speak, gives you a very accurate sense of where your game -- and you yourself as a competitor -- stand in the universe of pool players.
Soooooooo, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I hope my little tale will inspire all of you to jump into a tournament in the very near future, or at least the next time you have the opportunity. It won't be easy, it might not be cheap, and it will take time, effort, and courage on your part. No, I'm not saying everyone should sign up for the next Open, (though there are some of you that should). I'm saying there are tournaments all over the place that, at some level or another, will let you experience what I did --- both the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. More significantly, it will give you a great way to learn so many different but related things. If you don't compete in a tournament now and again, and test yourself and your game, you're cheating yourself.
Lou Figueroa
