This relates to the Books & Video vs. lessons thread that turned into something, if not ugly, then unseemly. I thought we might start fresh here.
Before I talk about the lesson, I'd like to give my 2 cents on the original subject. I started playing pool over a year ago. I got some “instruction” from a friend who played way better then the rest of us who played on the little bar box that we played on. I got a table of my own and then I got into the books and tapes (or DVD’s). I have to say that my first resource was the Dave Alciatore (Dr. Dave) book “The Illustrated Principals of Pool and Billiards”. The best thing about that book was that he has online streaming videos of the different principals on his omnipresent website. Real meat and potatos for me and my wife. It started the ball rolling... Since then I like the 99 shots, 8 ball bible, but most of all I am getting the most out of the Byrne books and DVD’s. Byrne’s “Standard Book of Pool and Billiards” will keep me reading for years. Mostly because of my fascination with three cushion billiards, which is the second half of the book. I can't recommend the Byrne DVD's enough to beginners (like me)!
Having said that - onto the subtext... I made an appointment to have a lesson (my first lesson with anyone) with Scott Lee next month in the NJ/NY area. The reason I picked Scott was because, after reading this and a couple of “other” pool/billiard message boards, I found that he is what I wanted from my game... consistent. He seems a rational voice of reason to the technical questions that come up on the boards. He is also not afraid to voice an opinion. Sometimes he’s not afraid to ruffle a feather or two. (I am leery of those that ruffle feathers on the web, but it’s my instinct that Scott does it sparingly and for good reason.) AND – contrary to what Jessiedoll seemed to be intimating on the earlier thread - I never felt he was a shameless self-promoter. (I know she didn't say that, but, let's face it, that was the inference.)
Time will tell what my lesson with Scott will bring. An awareness of my natural stroke is what I'm hoping for, but there's no guarantee. I know from my golf experience that lessons are a funny thing... At my best, I had a 4 handicap, but the biggest improvement came when I got a really good instructor to nail "my" stroke - not just give me "his" stroke. Oh, go to the putting green more and the driving range less helps too... From reading Scott's posts over the past year, he sounds like my kind of instructor.
Tim
PS... I gather from his posts and my brief conversation with him on the phone - that he wouldn't promote himself in this way. So, allow me... Anyone can PM me if they are interested in when and where Scott will be in the middle of March. You are welcome to his instruction... AFTER I'm done!
Before I talk about the lesson, I'd like to give my 2 cents on the original subject. I started playing pool over a year ago. I got some “instruction” from a friend who played way better then the rest of us who played on the little bar box that we played on. I got a table of my own and then I got into the books and tapes (or DVD’s). I have to say that my first resource was the Dave Alciatore (Dr. Dave) book “The Illustrated Principals of Pool and Billiards”. The best thing about that book was that he has online streaming videos of the different principals on his omnipresent website. Real meat and potatos for me and my wife. It started the ball rolling... Since then I like the 99 shots, 8 ball bible, but most of all I am getting the most out of the Byrne books and DVD’s. Byrne’s “Standard Book of Pool and Billiards” will keep me reading for years. Mostly because of my fascination with three cushion billiards, which is the second half of the book. I can't recommend the Byrne DVD's enough to beginners (like me)!
Having said that - onto the subtext... I made an appointment to have a lesson (my first lesson with anyone) with Scott Lee next month in the NJ/NY area. The reason I picked Scott was because, after reading this and a couple of “other” pool/billiard message boards, I found that he is what I wanted from my game... consistent. He seems a rational voice of reason to the technical questions that come up on the boards. He is also not afraid to voice an opinion. Sometimes he’s not afraid to ruffle a feather or two. (I am leery of those that ruffle feathers on the web, but it’s my instinct that Scott does it sparingly and for good reason.) AND – contrary to what Jessiedoll seemed to be intimating on the earlier thread - I never felt he was a shameless self-promoter. (I know she didn't say that, but, let's face it, that was the inference.)
Time will tell what my lesson with Scott will bring. An awareness of my natural stroke is what I'm hoping for, but there's no guarantee. I know from my golf experience that lessons are a funny thing... At my best, I had a 4 handicap, but the biggest improvement came when I got a really good instructor to nail "my" stroke - not just give me "his" stroke. Oh, go to the putting green more and the driving range less helps too... From reading Scott's posts over the past year, he sounds like my kind of instructor.
Tim
PS... I gather from his posts and my brief conversation with him on the phone - that he wouldn't promote himself in this way. So, allow me... Anyone can PM me if they are interested in when and where Scott will be in the middle of March. You are welcome to his instruction... AFTER I'm done!
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(at our place)!?
See you next month!