Best pool-shooting advice you've ever gotten from this site

Maniac

Maniac

2manyQ's
Silver Member
Over the past few years I've somewhat "elevated" my game (I still pretty much suck at pool though). When I started league play in 2006, I was for the most part a "banger" (I'm now an APA SL6 in both 8 and 9-ball). In the last few years I've tried to become a student of the game. I watch as much pool on television as I possibly can, read many books on the subject, learned from the better players in my leagues, and have even taken classes in the Pool School taught by our very own Randy G. Needless to say, there has been a plethora of good, solid information and advice on this forum. Many people here, too many to individually name, have over the years been instrumental with the development of my game.

I had always had a problem of scattering the balls well on the break without actually pocketing any, thus leaving my opponent a very nice table to work with. Then not too long ago there was a thread posted by genomachino concerning the dominant eye and it's relationship to pool. In it there was a tip on how to break the rack by aiming the tip of your cue 1/4" to the left of the cueball (for right-eye dominant people) and simply going through your usual breaking routine. Well, since this thread came out I have been breaking (and pocketing) the balls so much better it got me to wondering: What is the best tip/advice about pool-shooting that you have ever gotten off of this forum???

Maniac
 
Not everything that glitters is gold. Use a filter on all information.

Practicing bad info is worse than not practicing at all......SPF=randyg
 
"I teach that you get squared up with the shot while standing looking at all the lines, what not, making your decisions, then when you get down, look at the exact spot that you are going to hit when getting down on the object ball.

I tell them that your body naturally gets in line that way, versus getting down looking at the cue ball. I even tell them not to dart their eyes back and forth while getting down, that all focus in on the exact spot.

I tell them that it is nonnegotiable, meaning there is not two ways about it." -girlwon1 (Tina Pawloski)
 
Honestly, every discussion/argument I seem to get into about a shot helps my game. Even though my opinion may go unchanged, it forces me to evaluate and explain myself.
 
dkrager said:
"I teach that you get squared up with the shot while standing looking at all the lines, what not, making your decisions, then when you get down,

look at the exact spot that you are going to hit when getting down on the object ball.

I tell them that your body naturally gets in line that way, versus getting down looking at the cue ball. I even tell them not to dart their eyes back and forth while getting down, that all focus in on the exact spot.

I tell them that it is nonnegotiable, meaning there is not two ways about it." -girlwon1 (Tina Pawloski)
Click to expand...



How exactly does this work???? SPF=randyg
 
Maniac said:
Over the past few years I've somewhat "elevated" my game (I still pretty much suck at pool though). When I started league play in 2006, I was for the most part a "banger" (I'm now an APA SL6 in both 8 and 9-ball). In the last few years I've tried to become a student of the game. I watch as much pool on television as I possibly can, read many books on the subject, learned from the better players in my leagues, and have even taken classes in the Pool School taught by our very own Randy G. Needless to say, there has been a plethora of good, solid information and advice on this forum. Many people here, too many to individually name, have over the years been instrumental with the development of my game.

I had always had a problem of scattering the balls well on the break without actually pocketing any, thus leaving my opponent a very nice table to work with. Then not too long ago there was a thread posted by genomachino concerning the dominant eye and it's relationship to pool. In it there was a tip on how to break the rack by aiming the tip of your cue 1/4" to the left of the cueball (for right-eye dominant people) and simply going through your usual breaking routine. Well, since this thread came out I have been breaking (and pocketing) the balls so much better it got me to wondering: What is the best tip/advice about pool-shooting that you have ever gotten off of this forum???

Maniac
Click to expand...
A regular AZB'er whose name I forget has this advice as part of his signature (paraphrasing here):

Once you have decided how and where to strike the cue ball, put your entire focus on pocketing the object ball.

This has helped me more than any other single tip I've picked up on this site. I, like a lot of players I think, am often guilty of thinking about where I want the cue ball to go as I'm stroking the shot. This results in many misses, and is probably the flaw I most need to correct.
 
Neil said:
For me, there have been way too many tips to be able to single just one out.
Click to expand...

I'm with you there! If I was to single out anything learned through the forum, it would be CTE aiming from Hal Houle. But, I've printed out a whole lot of stuff from here, way too numerous to mention.
 
its just a basic fundamental that not many people know...and its silly simple

Neil said:
I noticed you are new here. Maybe you have been lurking, maybe not. While your quote is good info, if that is the best you have read, you really need to take the time and go back over the last two or three years on here. There is a LOT of great info, both physical and mental and strategic. you can usually tell by the title of the post if it will contain some info.

For me, there have been way too many tips to be able to single just one out.
Click to expand...

I agree its not anywhere near the strongest thing on this site. but for being so simple a thing thats so easy a cave man can do it, and that it can keep a new player from developing bad habits, or an old dog from fighting himself anymore...promoting correct mechanics, its a basic fundamental. It's one of them pound for pound things...it can really help you to have the consistency you need to progress at the table.

Im like you tho I can't pick anything out as specific that I like the most, but if I had to pick all the tid bit everyone posts about the mental side of the game is what I would have to choose. Your attitude and head can make you or break you...

Whats great about the forum is if you really want to get knee deep and become a student of the game, it gives you a wonderful alley to do so.

keep posting everybody,
Grey Ghost
 
Best advice? Don't believe everything you read!
Prove it or disprove it for yourself before you decide.

Steve
 
randyg said:
How exactly does this work???? SPF=randyg
Click to expand...

What she is referring to is the portion of the PSR from the time you plant your back foot to the time when your bridge hand finally hits the table.

By locking on to your contact point as you go through your pivot you naturally come down in proper alignment with amazing accuracy, which drastically cuts down the need to make adjustments once you are down on the table. Another benefit is that it eliminates the need to re-acquire the target once you are down on the table and you start out with an accurate "image" when you go into your personal eye patterns.

I actually learned that from an old timer much earlier. Unfortunately like a lot of people he knew what he was trying to say but just did not know how to express himself well. He referred to it as loosing "it". Tina just put things into terms I could better understand and the light bulb turned on.

BTW I am not trying to suggest this is the "best" tip I have picked up from AZ since there are many, I just posted one that has always been a stand out for me.

Cheers,

Dave
 
As someone who had no instruction over the 60 years he played I have found many, many good tips on AZ. A lot of the things (tips) I was doing but didn't know why or what made it/them work. Some set me back as they were wrong, but a lot have helped a lot.

I think when I was younger I just had a lot of natural talent. I could take a cue off the rack, take it outside and scrape the tip on the sidewalk and be good to go. Now that the natural talent has evaporated I need all the little tips I can get. Thank you AZ. Johnnyt Does humidity (60- 80%) really affect regular tips such as LePro? I'm not talking about layered tips. If it does, how does it make the tip play? Thank you. Johnnyt
 
the "v" grip on the back hand. helped my game immediately. thanks to lee brett and the other poster who kindly posted a video link.

brian
 
"The reason that you missed that shot, is that there was no pocket where you hit the ball."

All of a sudden .... I UNDERSTOOD!
 
dkrager said:
What she is referring to is the portion of the PSR from the time you plant your back foot to the time when your bridge hand finally hits the table.

By locking on to your contact point as you go through your pivot you naturally come down in proper alignment with amazing accuracy, which drastically cuts down the need to make adjustments once you are down on the table. Another benefit is that it eliminates the need to re-acquire the target once you are down on the table and you start out with an accurate "image" when you go into your personal eye patterns.

I actually learned that from an old timer much earlier. Unfortunately like a lot of people he knew what he was trying to say but just did not know how to express himself well. He referred to it as loosing "it". Tina just put things into terms I could better understand and the light bulb turned on.

BTW I am not trying to suggest this is the "best" tip I have picked up from AZ since there are many, I just posted one that has always been a stand out for me.

Cheers,

Dave
Click to expand...



The point I'm getting to is: Unless all your shots are straight in it would be impossible to hit where you are aiming. By locking your eyes onto the contact point we still must adjust our stick/cue ball alignment.

I'm just confused on your statement.....SPF=randyg
 
The best tips I ever got period . . .

was from my uncle (who taught me the game and was a road player for awhile) . . .

1. PRACTICE - and then PRACTICE some more. Hand/eye coordination games (golf, pool, etc.) will (improve) with repetition. Find some fun drills . . . or practice shots you miss in matches . . . over and over and over. Tiger can hit 500 - 600 balls a day when he feels he needs it . . . pool pros in many cases play 8 - 10 - 12 hours most days of the week. We can't (because we have real jobs), but every hour we do get is precious. There are tons of resources available here and on other sites.

2. PLAY FOR MONEY . . . $2 bucks a game or drinks or whatever. You'd be amazed what that will do for concentration and focus. This game is also about confidence . . . a little wager will help you learn how to get it, or that you've gone about as far as you can without some other form of help.

And from my dad's best friend when I was young . . .

3. ALWAYS try to play someone BETTER then you . . . whenever you get the opportunity . . . . you need to get your ass beat down to begin to see that watching what they do helps you LEARN how to get better. If you truly want to improve, you will develop your ability to be humble, and (watch-listen-learn) what those that have already learned can pass on. If HE/SHE always beats you by four balls, then your goal is to get to three . . . and so on . . . most better players will help you improve if you ask - they were probably where you're at at some point.

4. REPEAT steps one through three . . . if that stalls, then buy some time from a REAL instructor cause that pretty new cue you want ain't gonna change much. (i.e. you can't buy your game)
 
pocketspeed said:
the "v" grip on the back hand. helped my game immediately. thanks to lee brett and the other poster who kindly posted a video link.

brian
Click to expand...

Thank you pocketspeed, glad it helped you, i have showed numerous people this now and they are amazed at how well it helps them.

my "V" tour will be out next year.

greens for you
 
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