I did a search and saw some previous threads here discussing pool's equivalent of "the yips". We've all strangely badly missed fairly easy shots - often on the 9-ball, and for me often when the CB is close to the rail, that seem unexplainable how such an easy shot could be missed so badly.
However, no one seemed to mention in those threads the act of actually accidentally double hitting the CB - not on a shot when the CB is close to the OB, but a shot in which there is plenty of room between the two. I occasionally more recently have had a problem with this, and curious if anyone else here has as well?
I know for a fact that it is related to pressure - as whenever it happens is when I'm really struggling with my confidence in a match and feeling uneasy over what often should be an easy shot. Sometimes the shooter who commits it is the only one who knows he's done it, as it can be hard for the opponent to pick it up unless they are really paying attention. It's quite embarrassing to call it on yourself, but I almost always do, as I know it's a foul.
I assume it is pretty much the exact same physiological cause as double hitting a short putt in golf, as I used to play golf and I may have done it a time or two in golf as well, and seen it done many times - often with senior players. I assume it results from an involuntary muscle contraction - causing you to decelerate just when you're making or about to make contact with the CB (or golf ball), followed immediately by a involuntary fast acceleration, causing your cue tip (or putter) to strike the ball a second time. It almost always results in a missed shot - often very badly missed on what may seem as a shot that it would be impossible for a good player to miss that badly.
I usually manage to work through it and get to playing good again, but when it happens, it is absolutely one of the worst feelings you can have as a pool player, as it really can do a number on your confidence, as you wonder what the heck is going on and when/if it's going to happen again in the match?
Just curious if others here have experienced this, and if so, how did you overcome it?
However, no one seemed to mention in those threads the act of actually accidentally double hitting the CB - not on a shot when the CB is close to the OB, but a shot in which there is plenty of room between the two. I occasionally more recently have had a problem with this, and curious if anyone else here has as well?
I know for a fact that it is related to pressure - as whenever it happens is when I'm really struggling with my confidence in a match and feeling uneasy over what often should be an easy shot. Sometimes the shooter who commits it is the only one who knows he's done it, as it can be hard for the opponent to pick it up unless they are really paying attention. It's quite embarrassing to call it on yourself, but I almost always do, as I know it's a foul.
I assume it is pretty much the exact same physiological cause as double hitting a short putt in golf, as I used to play golf and I may have done it a time or two in golf as well, and seen it done many times - often with senior players. I assume it results from an involuntary muscle contraction - causing you to decelerate just when you're making or about to make contact with the CB (or golf ball), followed immediately by a involuntary fast acceleration, causing your cue tip (or putter) to strike the ball a second time. It almost always results in a missed shot - often very badly missed on what may seem as a shot that it would be impossible for a good player to miss that badly.
I usually manage to work through it and get to playing good again, but when it happens, it is absolutely one of the worst feelings you can have as a pool player, as it really can do a number on your confidence, as you wonder what the heck is going on and when/if it's going to happen again in the match?
Just curious if others here have experienced this, and if so, how did you overcome it?
