Fancher, Gallwey, Capelle : which to read first ?

[DaveK]

Howdy,

Some may get a chuckle out of this, but I won't join you ....

I've been really dogging some games/sets lately, all due to rust, bad thinking, and funny mental goofs ... like running out to the 8 and gassing an easy shot, missing key balls while looking out the window, that kind of sillyness. So, after my latest dissapointing '2-and-out' this Saturday, I logged onto Amazon and ordered three books :

The Pleasures of Small Motions ; by Dr. Bob Fancher
The Inner Game of Tennis ; by Tim Gallwey
Play Your Best Pool ; Phil Capelle

These will all arrive together in the next few days, and I am wondering what book I should start with. Does anyone who's read 2 or more of these books have some sage advice for this semi-basket-case pool player ?

Thanks,

Dave

 

[worriedbeef]

i've read pleasures and the inner game of tennis. both really good. i'd give the edge to pleasures of small motions but obviously as you know reading them all is best.

i'd start with pleasure of small motions because it'll help you quicker i think.

 

[poolplayer2093]

i have to disagree with the post above mine. i'd start with the phil capelle. everything by him is prety solid

 

[worriedbeef]

i have to disagree with the post above mine. i'd start with the phil capelle. everything by him is prety solid

well i did say i hadn't read his book. actually thinking about it i have his mind for pool book and it's a lot simpler than reading pleasures or inner game, so if play your best pool is written similarly then you can read one of the other two and capelle's at the same time. capelle's i think will be more suited to just picking up and flicking through and reading a couple of pages.

 

[Tom In Cincy]

I would trade Francher's book for 'Golf is not a game of Perfect' by Dr. R. Rotella.

Nothing wrong with Francher's book, but Dr. Rotella is a sports psyscologist for the Pro Golfers. Great stuff in his book. Much better than Francher IMO.

 

[Pushout]

1. Inner Game of Tennis.
2. Capelle
3. Pleasures of Small Motions

I haven't read Small Motions a second time yet. Maybe if I had, I would move it up in the list, but that was actually the order I read them in. I found Small Motions the most confusing of the three.

 

[DaveK]

I would trade Francher's book for 'Golf is not a game of Perfect' by Dr. R. Rotella.

Nothing wrong with Francher's book, but Dr. Rotella is a sports psyscologist for the Pro Golfers. Great stuff in his book. Much better than Francher IMO.

If these three don't work I'll get Rotella ... although I may get it anyway, and almost did on the weekend, I love the title (and he is SOOOOO right).

Thanks for the feedback folks, and I'll be sure to watch for your new book Blackjack.

Dave, soon to be a non-chokeartist

 

[Blackjack]

If these three don't work I'll get Rotella ... although I may get it anyway, and almost did on the weekend, I love the title (and he is SOOOOO right).

Thanks for the feedback folks, and I'll be sure to watch for your new book Blackjack.

Dave, soon to be a non-chokeartist

LOL

I love everything Rotella writes about! All of his stuff is great - even if you don't play golf!

I'll keep you posted, Dave! Should be just a few weeks now.

 

[George Fels]

I'd say it depends on how well you can analyze your weaknesses, Dave. The Gallwey book is capable of completely re-doing your point of view, so if you begin with that, I'd suggest you take a modest break from the game. I tend to prefer Fancher to Capelle when it comes to this, but that's just one more opinion. Gallwey-Fancher-Capelle, in that order, will probably do the best job of taking you from the general to the specific. GF

 

[Pushout]

I'd say it depends on how well you can analyze your weaknesses, Dave. The Gallwey book is capable of completely re-doing your point of view, so if you begin with that, I'd suggest you take a modest break from the game. I tend to prefer Fancher to Capelle when it comes to this, but that's just one more opinion. Gallwey-Fancher-Capelle, in that order, will probably do the best job of taking you from the general to the specific. GF

Or Mastering Pool

 

[DaveK]

I'd say it depends on how well you can analyze your weaknesses, Dave. The Gallwey book is capable of completely re-doing your point of view, so if you begin with that, I'd suggest you take a modest break from the game. I tend to prefer Fancher to Capelle when it comes to this, but that's just one more opinion. Gallwey-Fancher-Capelle, in that order, will probably do the best job of taking you from the general to the specific. GF

OK, all three books are sitting on my table at home waiting ... so the journey begins tonight. I cracked them all last night, and reviewed all three very quickly. I'm going to do them in the Fels order of Gallwey-Fancher-Capelle, thanks George and all others who replied. Of course I would start with Advanced Pool but I've already read it, it's one of the very few in our Saskatoon library (734.13 FEL).

I'll ressurect this thread in a few weeks after I've had a chance to read and partially digest these works.

Dave