Beginning players - What to teach first?

[Billy_Bob]

When should *very* beginning players learn which skills of pool playing?

It seems to me that there is too much stuff to learn about playing pool, and that trying to teach a *very* beginning pool player too much too soon will only confuse them and make them play worse.

It never fails that someone will tell a beginning player to use English, to stand a certain way, or exactly how they should form their bridge hand (something which is uncomfortable), then their playing goes down the drain. I should think that good instruction would improve someones playing, not make it worse! (For a bridge, I tell them that the idea is that it should be a firm stable support and however they manage to do that is up to them.)

I'm teaching my neighbor (who has never played pool in her life) to play pool. At this very first stage, I am teaching her to hit the cue ball in the center every time, how to make straight in shots, how to make cut shots, how to make bank shots, and mechanical bridge shots [period]. And it is all she can do to hit the cue ball dead center. Quite difficult for her, but she is slowly learning.

So a friend of mine shows up the day before yesterday, sees her about to shoot a shot, and tells her to hit the cue ball low [for that shot].... Last night we were playing and she was having problems making her balls. She says I'm hitting the cue ball low! Seems she was hitting the cue ball low for every single shot. So I tell her to ignore what other people tell her and to hit each shot with center. She later won her first game playing a stranger (in a bar).

So I got to thinking about what to teach beginning players when. How about the following...
(Don't proceed to the next lesson until they are fairly good at the current lesson.)...

1. Center ball - straight, cut, and bank shots - Mechanical bridge.
2. Speed control - soft, medium, and hard hits.
3. Follow, force follow.
4. Draw.
6. Frozen to rail object ball hits.
7. Carom shots.
8. Cheat the pocket shots.
9. Getting CB position with speed control only.
10. Short (OB close to corner pocket) English shots.
11. Side pocket English shots.
11. Long English shots - cue ball deflection.
12. How to learn more about pool on your own. Books, Internet, drills, etc.

 

[chefjeff]

Sounds like you're on the right track, Billy Bob. She's lucky to have a good instructor, something I wish I'd had when starting, for sure.

One thing I know a player needs first, and that's a clear understanding of WHY she's playing pool. If she knows exactly why she is playing, it becomes a simple matter to know WHAT to do to reach her why. I've heard beginners say they want to be a pro, and then 2 weeks later, they're not even playing anymore. Their "why" lacked something, I'd say.

I'd advise her to write out her motivation for playing (and share it with you so you can help steer her toward that), so when she reaches the top of her ladder, it's not leaning against the wrong wall, so to speak.

The most recent examples here that reinforce my belief in this concept are Mark Tadd's (Tademy?) and RudeDog's predicaments. Both have retreated back to their roots, their "why." It's best to do this first, not later, imho.

Jeff Livingston

 

[Nostroke]

I think the first thing to teach is the stroke. Most beginners want to poke and punch. The sooner you get them out of that, the sooner they can effectively start to learn the rest. Til then you are not accomplishing much.

 

[Billy_Bob]

...One thing I know a player needs first, and that's a clear understanding of WHY she's playing pool...

In her case, she just wants to beat her husband. I told her the easiest way to do that was to remind him that he would be sleeping on the couch if he wins.

But the more and more she plays, the more and more she wants to play! (I think she is getting the bug!) She has started asking about seeing a league tournament, etc., so I don't know where she is headed? Anyway I am flexible. If she just wants to bang a few balls from time to time, that is ok, or if she wants to get more serious, that is ok too.

 

[thebigdog]

Proper fundamentals

The most important thing to teach someone who is brand new to the game is the proper mechanics. Proper stance and bridge I think are key. I had the benefit o my father being a pro caliber player and he made sure the first thing I learned was the correct bridge and stance. I learned good fundamentals from the start and didn't start out with bad habits like most people. Within 6 months I was beating guys who had been playing pool for 20+ years. I think once they get comfotable in their stance proper aiming technique is should be next, so many people don't know what to aim at when they start playing. I often hear people ask, what should I be looking at? Some want to look at the cue ball, some the stick, some back and forth from object to cue ball. I believe if you start em out with the basics they will be far ahead of the learning curve early.

 

[sjm]

When should *very* beginning players learn which skills of pool playing?

Looks like you are going down the right path, Billy Bob. After you teach basic stroke fundamentals for center ball, I think I might prefer:

1. Center ball - straight, cut, and bank shots - Mechanical bridge.
2. Speed control - soft, medium, and hard hits.
3. Center ball follow, force follow, and draw without english.
4. Getting CB position without using any english.

If she's serious about it, this should be enough to bring your student to "C" level in one year.

 

[jjinfla]

Hitting the CB on the center vertical line, no english, is probably the best way to start.

Develop proper stroke by hitting the CB from spot shot to side rail and back to spot (cue tip). And then the length of the table. This will immediately show if any english is being used.

And, I believe, that the most important shot for any beginner to master is the famous stop shot. Practice this by using the side pockets. Place a ball 8-10 inches away from the pocket and take another ball and place it a foot away. Shoot a stop and take another ball and shoot another stop. Use about 10 balls. Then go to the other side of the table and do it again.

Then go to longer straight in shots to the corners using stop shots.

That should keep her busy for the next six months.

Are you sure her husband is okay with your giving her lessons?

Jake

 

[Rackin_Zack]

At this very first stage, I am teaching her to hit the cue ball in the center every time, how to make straight in shots, how to make cut shots, how to make bank shots, and mechanical bridge shots [period]. And it is all she can do to hit the cue ball dead center. Quite difficult for her, but she is slowly learning.

I'll tell you what, I took a couple days of lessons with Mark Wilson last week and as I found out it's not easy for <b>anyone</b> to hit the exact center of the cueball (especially with a power stroke!).

 

[strikeout]

My step daugher age nine was trying to learn pool had a beginner stroke, but ok , and same for her stance, but did not have a bridge that worked so that is what we worked on and easy straight in shots. This helped her to see that she could learn to play. Later on she learned a better stroke. If someone had, at that time, worked a lot on her stroke, it would have overwhelmed her and she would have quit pool. Nothing succeeds like success and it was confidence and little successes she needed.

Unless a beginner is serious and has confidence, I think too many details are confusing. When one wants help,pick the one thing that will help them the most. For some of them, just seeing that they can make a few easy shots gives them enough confidence and desire to learn the other parts like to stroke better, etc.

One came to talk to me (beginning sl2) and was so frustrated- but she had a goal to become good enough to become an sl3, and i taught her to keep the head down, and a couple of other simple things. She started making more balls, gained confidence, and then her captain taught her a better stroke. That girl today, can shoot very well, even long shots, considering where she was. She has confidence and keeps getting better because she was taught in baby steps and not over whelmed.

Those who have played a long time forget how much is involved in a good stroke if the person does not have it naturally. a beginner may poke the ball at first but can make a few balls. With success comes confidence and desire to learn all of the rest of the fundamentals.

I think that this is where many are lost. people teach 'cookie cutter' pool, instead of taking them where they are, instead of always teaching things in a pre ordained order.

JMO

Laura

 

[SplicedPoints]

To be honest, I wouldn't teach a beginner how to bank until he/she can make shots with some sort of consistency. You can teach them the straight basics of banking a natural angle shot, but there are so many things that can affect banking that it would be hard to learn without some additonal knowledge of the effect of cb spin and speed on the bank anglees.

I've tried to teach some new players on how to play. The first thing to teach IMO is always the bridge, stance, and the proper stroke. Get them to hit straight balls until they can almost make short straight in shots almost every time. Then move them on to the slightly longer straight in shots. Incrase the distance accordingly as they get more and more comfortable. During the straight in shot exercises, you can ask her to do something with the cue ball. You can ask her to make 10 balls and stopping the cue ball, 10 balls with the cue ball going forward after the hit, and 10 balls with the cue ball drawing after the hit. That way she can sort of get feel of cue ball control. You can then begin to ask for different objectives. Also I feel like mixing different things keep the game more interesting. Just asking her to do straight in shots over and over can get a bit boring and might even turn her off.

 

[Billy_Bob]

1. Center ball - straight, cut, and bank shots - Mechanical bridge.
2. Speed control - soft, medium, and hard hits.
3. Center ball follow, force follow, and draw without english.
4. Getting CB position without using any english.

I like it! This is simple, yet powerful....

 

[Billy_Bob]

To be honest, I wouldn't teach a beginner how to bank until he/she can make shots with some sort of consistency...

Actually I am being "sneaky" in my teaching of bank shots. It is actually a "single ball banking drill" which I am having her practice. Just take object balls and place one at each long rail diamond about a ball away from the rail, then bank in just the single ball using the diamond system.

The only way the ball will make it is with a center ball hit *and* correct aim at the diamond or half diamond, so this is just a sneaky way of teaching her the importance of a center ball hit. But she is also learning natural bank angles at the same time. She also practices hitting the cue ball straight down the table and getting it to come straight back.

 

[poolguy123]

I'm not a teacher but I would think that full immersion fundamentals is the best way to give a person a good start playing pool. Stance, bridge, grip, stroke- simple shots. Stance, bridge, grip, stroke- simple shots. Stance, bridge, grip, stroke- simple shots. Over and over the first few sessions.

There is nothing worse than having an sl2 or sl3 ask you how to shoot a simple follow shot, simple stop or draw shot, a simple kick shot or bank- knowing that they are not able to shoot straight(center ball) with enough force (stroke) in the right direction (stance and bridge) to have a chance in hell of executing such a shot.

On the other hand I have seen sl2 and 3's with awesome fundamentals- you could advise them on even an advanced shot and they could with confidence make a good attempt at it. These players will go farther faster than anyone else learning pool in bits and pieces.

Yes, it's awkward, confusing and overwhelming-INITIALLY, but for any improvement to occur you have to understand that this is the nature of change. We don't like it at first but we recognize that our game will suffer some as we adjust to new ways- but with an eye on our goal to get better-we accept and embrace the new methods. When you work through the frustration you will have a solid base to begin learning the game of pool.

Once you have the fundamentals down pat- THEN the game of pool is learned in a million bits and pieces- it goes on forever- the game is infinitely different every time and something new comes up nearly every game. This is when the fun begins!

Just MHO- Jim

When should *very* beginning players learn which skills of pool playing?

It seems to me that there is too much stuff to learn about playing pool, and that trying to teach a *very* beginning pool player too much too soon will only confuse them and make them play worse.

It never fails that someone will tell a beginning player to use English, to stand a certain way, or exactly how they should form their bridge hand (something which is uncomfortable), then their playing goes down the drain. I should think that good instruction would improve someones playing, not make it worse! (For a bridge, I tell them that the idea is that it should be a firm stable support and however they manage to do that is up to them.)

I'm teaching my neighbor (who has never played pool in her life) to play pool. At this very first stage, I am teaching her to hit the cue ball in the center every time, how to make straight in shots, how to make cut shots, how to make bank shots, and mechanical bridge shots [period]. And it is all she can do to hit the cue ball dead center. Quite difficult for her, but she is slowly learning.

So a friend of mine shows up the day before yesterday, sees her about to shoot a shot, and tells her to hit the cue ball low [for that shot].... Last night we were playing and she was having problems making her balls. She says I'm hitting the cue ball low! Seems she was hitting the cue ball low for every single shot. So I tell her to ignore what other people tell her and to hit each shot with center. She later won her first game playing a stranger (in a bar).

So I got to thinking about what to teach beginning players when. How about the following...
(Don't proceed to the next lesson until they are fairly good at the current lesson.)...

1. Center ball - straight, cut, and bank shots - Mechanical bridge.
2. Speed control - soft, medium, and hard hits.
3. Follow, force follow.
4. Draw.
6. Frozen to rail object ball hits.
7. Carom shots.
8. Cheat the pocket shots.
9. Getting CB position with speed control only.
10. Short (OB close to corner pocket) English shots.
11. Side pocket English shots.
11. Long English shots - cue ball deflection.
12. How to learn more about pool on your own. Books, Internet, drills, etc.

 

[Bob Jewett]

When should *very* beginning players learn which skills of pool playing?

You seem to have left out cue selection and chalk but the list looks pretty good otherwise.

The english shots may not be useable for a few months.

The (free) SFBA Basics Clinic handout at http://www.sfbilliards.com/basics.pdf has an outline of items to discuss as well as very basic stroke drills that should help your student.

 

[woody_968]

Billy Bob, I didnt read all the other posts so this may have already been said.

I agree with what you are saying, but I would try to get her into the proper stance as soon as possible, yes it will be strange at first, but I just had to re-learn my stance after playing for several years and I think its even harder now LOL.

Starting on center ball hits is important, but IMO you have to stress accuracy of center ball hits, not just around the center but get her in the habbit of striking the cueball where she means to. If she learns to control the tip learning to cut balls and everything else will come much easier for her in the future.