Dogging the 9 Ball--How do you prevent it....

S

SharpPT

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I was playing great.....I was making every ball on a triple shimmed GC. I was getting out from everywhere and playing perfect position. My opponent had the look of a beaten man. He knew that he had no chance if I continued to play at this level. I was in "the zone".....that elusive place that we all seek. Then it happened......on the game which would put me on the hill. I knew if I won this game, the match would most certainly be mine.

You know what happened next.....I don't have to tell you. I think there was a slight twitch on my follow through, maybe I jumped a bit. What ever it was, it wasn't the first time that it has happened to me. I went on to lose the match double hill.

The pressure of making an important, match deciding shot......how do you control it?? What can you do? I wish I could trick my mind into thinking that I'm shooting the 3 ball... I never miss the 3.

I've been playing pool for 40 years. I've played in tournaments all over the country. A couple years ago, I beat Corey Deuel 9-5 in a Florida Tour event. So I can play a little......I just wish I could solve this little problem which jumps up and grabs me by the throat when I least expect it.

Thanks for listening......
 
SharpPT said:
I was playing great.....I was making every ball on a triple shimmed GC. I was getting out from everywhere and playing perfect position. My opponent had the look of a beaten man. He knew that he had no chance if I continued to play at this level. I was in "the zone".....that elusive place that we all seek. Then it happened......on the game which would put me on the hill. I knew if I won this game, the match would most certainly be mine.

You know what happened next.....I don't have to tell you. I think there was a slight twitch on my follow through, maybe I jumped a bit. What ever it was, it wasn't the first time that it has happened to me. I went on to lose the match double hill.

The pressure of making an important, match deciding shot......how do you control it?? What can you do? I wish I could trick my mind into thinking that I'm shooting the 3 ball... I never miss the 3.

I've been playing pool for 40 years. I've played in tournaments all over the country. A couple years ago, I beat Corey Deuel 9-5 in a Florida Tour event. So I can play a little......I just wish I could solve this little problem which jumps up and grabs me by the throat when I least expect it.

Thanks for listening......
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I know one guy who thought it was the stripe that messed up his aim and whenever he could he would gather up as many nine balls as the owner would allow him to and throw them out on the table and shoot nothing but nineballs for a couple of hours. Even if it isnt the stripe, it might be worth a try.
 
SharpPT said:
I've been playing pool for 40 years. I've played in tournaments all over the country. A couple years ago, I beat Corey Deuel 9-5 in a Florida Tour event. So I can play a little......I just wish I could solve this little problem which jumps up and grabs me by the throat when I least expect it.

Thanks for listening......
Click to expand...

You can play a little? Unless Corey was dumping or having a horrible day, I would say you play pretty sporty! :thumbup:

Maybe you can get a lesson on the mental side of the game? Perhaps from BlackJack?
 
Of course it's in your head. :)

Your already thinking about winning far too soon . . . then , whether you realized it your not , you thought about blowing it.

Different people will tell you different things , some will say you need to take your time and/or be sure to focus on the last shot. That never worked for me.

When I get to the 'big' shot I try not to change anything about the way I appraoch it. I don't spend any extra time , I don't think it about it very much.

I just walk up , line it up and shoot like it it's any other ball in the middle of the rack.

The trick to it , the real trick , is you have to really believe it.

That's my approach anyway.
 
The pressure of making an important, match deciding shot......how do you control it?? What can you do? I wish I could trick my mind into thinking that I'm shooting the 3 ball... I never miss the 3.

I've been playing pool for 40 years. I've played in tournaments all over the country. A couple years ago, I beat Corey Deuel 9-5 in a Florida Tour event. So I can play a little......I just wish I could solve this little problem which jumps up and grabs me by the throat when I least expect it.

Thanks for listening......[/QUOTE]

I don't think your doggin it, doggin' it expression is just an excuse to not think about the real answer.
Here's how to fix it...within that shot...lies the answer...analyze it...may take a few weeks...remember...whitey never...NEVER...lies...instead of complaining...go over & over that shot in your mind till the light goes off in your head as to what didn't feel right and what was wrong...good luck.
 
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On final shots, I like to release the cue. That way, if I miss it's because I aimed poorly - not because I turned my wrist.
 
play shape with the white

I make sure that I play the cue ball to a certain spot, You play position on all other shots! Kinda seems to me if you dont pick a spot for whitey to go you are not completing the entire shot
 
RRfireblade said:
Of course it's in your head. :)

Your already thinking about winning far too soon . . . then , whether you realized it your not , you thought about blowing it.

Different people will tell you different things , some will say you need to take your time and/or be sure to focus on the last shot. That never worked for me.

When I get to the 'big' shot I try not to change anything about the way I appraoch it. I don't spend any extra time , I don't think it about it very much.

I just walk up , line it up and shoot like it it's any other ball in the middle of the rack.

The trick to it , the real trick , is you have to really believe it.

That's my approach anyway.
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You should have the same "pre shot" routine on EVERY shot !!!
 
SharpPT said:
I was playing great.....I was making every ball on a triple shimmed GC. I was getting out from everywhere and playing perfect position. My opponent had the look of a beaten man. He knew that he had no chance if I continued to play at this level. I was in "the zone".....that elusive place that we all seek. Then it happened......on the game which would put me on the hill. I knew if I won this game, the match would most certainly be mine.

You know what happened next.....I don't have to tell you. I think there was a slight twitch on my follow through, maybe I jumped a bit. What ever it was, it wasn't the first time that it has happened to me. I went on to lose the match double hill.

The pressure of making an important, match deciding shot......how do you control it?? What can you do? I wish I could trick my mind into thinking that I'm shooting the 3 ball... I never miss the 3.

I've been playing pool for 40 years. I've played in tournaments all over the country. A couple years ago, I beat Corey Deuel 9-5 in a Florida Tour event. So I can play a little......I just wish I could solve this little problem which jumps up and grabs me by the throat when I least expect it.

Thanks for listening......
Click to expand...

Literally, taking a few deep breaths can help immensely to relax your muscles and regain focus. The power of imagination cannot be overestimated. For instance, a golfer facing a putt to win the match can imagine that he's on the practice green and has already made several such putts. One suggestion might be to play for position (as if you have another ball to play beyond the 9). Sometimes we can become unfocused on complacent when playing the final ball. As a psychologist, I often work with athletes on the mental side of the game. You might want to look at The Pleasure of Small Motions
 
Deal with it.

SharpPT said:
The pressure of making an important, match deciding shot......how do you control it?? What can you do? I wish I could trick my mind into thinking that I'm shooting the 3 ball... I never miss the 3.
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It is natural for negative thoughts to come into your head when shooting an important shot. You can't pretend they are not there you must deal with them. Most people, including myself, rush once the nerves kick in because they want to get the shot over with. You almost don't care if you make it or not,(self sabotage) your body just wants to get rid of the uncomfortable feeling you are going through at that point in time.

My best suggestion to you is: if you feel the nerves coming up and your face is starting to get warm (which usually means you aren't breathing properly) you must STOP and deal with them. Do not pretend they are not there and you will be OK. You have to address them before you get down on the shot.

Remember nerves are natural and so are negative thoughts. Thoughts are just that thoughts, they come and go you can't let them consume you. Let the negative thoughts pass and readdress the shot with a nice deep breath.

Look at the shot and remember how many times you have pocketed this ball and remember how you did it and just repeat that process. Pocketing a ball is a process and if you have a successful process as I believe you do just follow the process and the results will follow. Good Luck.
 
What???

You beat cory 9-5, and you have to ask that question??? wow man. get a grip!!!!:confused: :confused: :confused:
 
9 ballitis.......

SharpPT said:
I was playing great.....I was making every ball on a triple shimmed GC. I was getting out from everywhere and playing perfect position. My opponent had the look of a beaten man. He knew that he had no chance if I continued to play at this level. I was in "the zone".....that elusive place that we all seek. Then it happened......on the game which would put me on the hill. I knew if I won this game, the match would most certainly be mine.

You know what happened next.....I don't have to tell you. I think there was a slight twitch on my follow through, maybe I jumped a bit. What ever it was, it wasn't the first time that it has happened to me. I went on to lose the match double hill.

The pressure of making an important, match deciding shot......how do you control it?? What can you do? I wish I could trick my mind into thinking that I'm shooting the 3 ball... I never miss the 3.

I've been playing pool for 40 years. I've played in tournaments all over the country. A couple years ago, I beat Corey Deuel 9-5 in a Florida Tour event. So I can play a little......I just wish I could solve this little problem which jumps up and grabs me by the throat when I least expect it.

Thanks for listening......
Click to expand...
Sounds like you have been around and probably know the answer already. Just keep on strokin! Obviously you didn't miss the 9 against Corey. Sometimes you eat the dog, sometimes the dog eats you.
 
stick8 said:
You beat cory 9-5, and you have to ask that question??? wow man. get a grip!!!!:confused: :confused: :confused:
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Why not, who ain't done it. Remember the crazt draw shot Corey made a couple of years ago which almost brought the house down. Who on here hasn't tried that shot?

He's human becasue it was only a few minutes later he missed a 9 ball that was harder to miss than to make.

Who ain't don it?
 
I have never actually dogged a money ball before, but I have seen it done by others, and it looks quite frustrating.:p
 
That is awesome advice.

Another trick: Sometimes after running several balls and getting to the money ball I find that I'm kinda out of breath. When I'm so into what I'm doing I sometimes forget to breathe...works OK for a couple balls but after 6-7 the short breaths catch up. Bottom line...pause before the money ball and take a few breaths to catch up.
 
ososlow said:
I make sure that I play the cue ball to a certain spot, You play position on all other shots! Kinda seems to me if you dont pick a spot for whitey to go you are not completing the entire shot
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oops, this is the advice that I thought was so awesome!!
 
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