Frustrated At Pool

[nobcitypool]

Practicing doesn't necessarily mean good practice. Find a professional instructor in your area to check and help with your fundamentals. Ask them to help outline an efficient practice routine for you. Be patient and get a reasonable set if expectations. 1 1/2 months is nothing in this game. It takes a long time to develop a game to be an A player.

 

[Cardigan Kid]

Just finished going through the thread. A lot of good advice. Just remember when playing a better player, many times you might be just having to work with a three ball run because of a missed 7, or an open table in 8 ball, because your opponent ran six balls and missed. But when you play your friends, you might be dealing with a whole new style of play as in having to run more balls to get to nine, or navigating a full table to make your eight, etc.

Also, in order to get better in pool, you have to get worse. incorporating English and more advanced shots, especially in competition, creates more risk and missed shots at first, so you might get frustrated at losing games you used to win, but after a few years the payoff is grand.

The more you practice fundamentals, the more you will see in long matches, you will rise to the top. Your practice will give you the "legs" to finish the night out, when the guy who doesn't practice will end up weaker as the night goes on.

Best of luck.

 

[Kris_b1104]

Can't believe Kris is not taking Geno up on his offer. Guess he's going for the 100,000 shot memory routine that, I did 50 years ago.

I am actually, after I created this thread I had to work a few days and was trying to take a break as advised, so I couldn't call him since he requires you to be next to a table. But I'm off today and will try to call him, hopefully he is available. I've heard nothing but good things about him.

 

[Kris_b1104]

It's good to see your game came back (which never really left btw). Now you have some new considerations & know how to better cope if you should ever again find yourself in the same predicament. Well done, good luck & many good rolls! :thumbup:

Thank you good sir!

I'm inclined to agree. The last set it seemed like my friend lost hope and wasn't shooting nearly as good as when he stepped in the pool hall, but on the other hand I was shooting good even after the 4 hours we've been playing, mainly because my practice sessions are usually 4-5 hours. That's the only reason I was able to beat him 5-0. I kept checking my fundamentals and PSR.

check your fundamentals thouroughly,video yourself if possible and then you may be able to see the difference from when you are playing good and bad,

1. make sure your head is lined up over the shot
2. stay down thru the shot until its over
3, loosen your grip on the cue
4. Use as little side english as possible,stay centerball

number 3 gets me a lot you get nervous or know you are on a key shot in the rack and tighten your grip without realizing it and flinch and miss the shot,seen Efren do it and practically every good player at one time or another

I actually have recorded myself but it's on my phone and I had to place the phone on another table so you can't really get a good view of the angles and layout of the table, but it does show if I drop my elbow or raise my head a little during a shot.

 

[Pii]

Welcome to pool my friend

 

[Jodacus]

There is lots of very good advice here, especially about
not reverting back to the old ways of playing your
friends.

Check your pms.

Joe

 

[fastone371]

Someone mention that your practice time needs to be quality & to quit for the day if you start to just start banging balls around. If I find myself getting a little bored of practice I will work on my speed drills, its a great personal challenge and its kinda of fun, above all it is extremely important and useful in your game. I just wish the lag was used more than a coin flip for tournaments. Why is it that everyone determines the break with a coin flip rather than a lag anyway?

 

[naji]

So I've been practicing vigorously in the past month and a half, putting in quality time on the table. Usually 4-5 hours, 4 days a week.

Most of the time I'm practicing by myself and haven't been going out with friends as much because I'm trying to get better and they mostly go for the social aspect when we play, which is fine by me but I feel much more passionate about the game.

I've also been sparring with an A player a couple times a week and I feel as though my game has increased tremendously and I can see the results.

But this past week has been frustrating, I've played with my friend again for the first time since I started practicing religiously, and it seems all my training has gone out the window. I would consider my friend an equal ranked player with me or even slightly a ball under me, but I just can't seem to figure it out. I'm missing balls I'm not supposed to and giving away games like crazy, like I haven't been practicing at all.

I know it's not nerves because I feel more confident since I've been playing real tight sets with the A player in my local pool room, and that has made me less nervous because I know he's way better than me but I'm still able to give him a hard time. So what's going on? Anyone else have a similar experience? Why are the results of my practice not showing?

To be great pool player you have to know the real things that makes you miss and remember it. So many times we think it is aim, or throw, or squirt or....so many things, when it is in reality your stroke. One day you would be right on the money, your stance, elbow, hand all in 100% line during back and forward swing of shaft.
My advise, hire a good instructor and have him watch your back swing, most likely you are applying inside english without knowing, and you tend to over cut right angle cuts, and under cut left hand cuts. Watch your pause, it could be that at times you pause before your fire and at times you shoot without pausing critical thing, you have to know what happen to your stroke in both cases.
Good luck.

.

 

[genomachino]

He did call me and the results were...........

Can't believe Kris is not taking Geno up on his offer. Guess he's going for the 100,000 shot memory routine that, I did 50 years ago.

SWISH>>>>>>>>>>>>>.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,..................................

It was allot of fun getting him on his journey a little faster than he could ever imagine.

Hope your game just keeps on going there Kris......