Quick background. I am new, and in the past when i occasionally played i bridged with the right hand. Now i just bought a table and can play often. So i want to get good. I figure that i should switch and make left hand bridge, i talked abou it on here and that was the consesus, since i wasnt real good the other way switch would help. I do the single ball drill down the table and back, and for the love of God i cant get that thing to come straight back to me. It is really frustrating. Maybe i need lessons. Anyone have ideas??? Lessons??? i live near Cinci. Thanks fellas, i am so down right now, i just cant get better.
Getting very frustrated..cant improve
- Thread starter ramw5p
- Start date
First off, lose the "I cant" attitude. Yes lessons would be the best way to get started. And as far as which hand is on the table, if you are right handed, your left hand should be making the bridge on the table with your right stroking the cue and vice versa for the left hand.
Check into getting some instructional books and videos if there are no instructors in your immediate area, then start playing with other people. Chances are players in your local pool room would give some pointers..... just dont gamble with them........
Chuck
Check into getting some instructional books and videos if there are no instructors in your immediate area, then start playing with other people. Chances are players in your local pool room would give some pointers..... just dont gamble with them........
Chuck
First of all: Don't even think about quitting!!!!
If you have enough cash for lessons take them, here is a link:
http://www.bca-pool.com/play/instruction/BCA_Instructors_Active.htm
If I am not mistaken there is a pool school in Ohio. You might search the APA's webpage for it.
If you can not swing lessons this is what you should do:
1. Get Byrne's book and videos standard videos 1, 2, and 5. Buy 99 critical shots of pool and capelles book play your best pool.
2. Do not play the ghost when you practice. Playing the ghost is a waste especially for beginners. You should set up a system of drills and concentrate on what you are weak on. You should also keep records of how you do with the drills.
3. Always make technique the central focus in your practice time. You should always spend most of your time perfecting your technique.
4. Watch film. Watch the pros play, film yourself and watch yourself play. When you watch yourself look for problems in your technique.
5. Use the bottle drill. A beverage bottle or stroke trainer is good practice.
I could go on for a while but hopefully this will get you started.
Cheers,
Marcus
If you have enough cash for lessons take them, here is a link:
http://www.bca-pool.com/play/instruction/BCA_Instructors_Active.htm
If I am not mistaken there is a pool school in Ohio. You might search the APA's webpage for it.
If you can not swing lessons this is what you should do:
1. Get Byrne's book and videos standard videos 1, 2, and 5. Buy 99 critical shots of pool and capelles book play your best pool.
2. Do not play the ghost when you practice. Playing the ghost is a waste especially for beginners. You should set up a system of drills and concentrate on what you are weak on. You should also keep records of how you do with the drills.
3. Always make technique the central focus in your practice time. You should always spend most of your time perfecting your technique.
4. Watch film. Watch the pros play, film yourself and watch yourself play. When you watch yourself look for problems in your technique.
5. Use the bottle drill. A beverage bottle or stroke trainer is good practice.
I could go on for a while but hopefully this will get you started.
Cheers,
Marcus
ramw5p said:
You said you are new to pool, well you haven't had enough time to decide that you are not improving. Practice, practice, practice and only practice will get you to where you want to be. Get lessons if you can, find some good instructional books, preferably ones with healthy sections on the fundamantals.
I always tell new players to focus on the cue ball on their follow through, so they can learn to hit the CB where they want to. I think that will help in creating a repeatable stroke.
Try to get in about an hour or more of practice everyday, that is very important. One hour every day is better than seven hours once a week.
PoolSleuth
Banned
Lessons are a good idea if you have the money for them.
Try this too ...
go to Easy Pool Tutor Website
Which is located in Cincinnati. Their are free Pool lessons downloadable in PDF format. They have an EPT tour there in Cinci, and they would probably be able to tell you where you can find an instructor locally.
ramw5p said:
go to Easy Pool Tutor Website
Which is located in Cincinnati. Their are free Pool lessons downloadable in PDF format. They have an EPT tour there in Cinci, and they would probably be able to tell you where you can find an instructor locally.
Just relax. It takes a little time.
Ramw, it's important to ensure that your basics (stroke, grip and stance) are correct. At least one lesson would be highly recommended.ramw5p said:
Take a step back. You can't get the cueball to come straight back because your stroke is out of wack and your not hitting the center of the cueball. Put all the balls including the cueball in the pockets and leave them there. Get down in your preferred stance and start stroking back and forth untill your arm falls off. Place a ring or something similer on the table and stroke your cue inside the ring without touching the ring. Do this untill you master it. Then place an object ball about 3 feet away from the ring and stroke through it while focusing on the object ball. Once you get good you will be able to stroke through the ring with your eyes closed. If you can do this then that means you are stroking straight and your ready for the cueball back and forth drill. Good luck.
Ram,
I'm also in Cinci. and thinking about lessons. Tom Simpson is in Columbus. (see www.PoolClinics.com). I sent you a PM as well.
I'm also in Cinci. and thinking about lessons. Tom Simpson is in Columbus. (see www.PoolClinics.com). I sent you a PM as well.
Harvywallbanger said:
Yo Harvey: With instructions like this, I think you should stick to shooting potatoes with your broomstick!
PoolSharkAllen said:Yo Harvey: With instructions like this, I think you should stick to shooting potatoes with your broomstick!
Why is that? This is the first thing a beginner needs to focus on. Many instructers will tell him the same thing.
The problem for most people is that they can't tell when they're not doing something correctly. An instructor can make sure the student has the correct fundamentals (stance, stroke and grip), which should be the starting point for every new student of the game.Harvywallbanger said:Why is that? This is the first thing a beginner needs to focus on. Many instructers will tell him the same thing.
PoolSharkAllen said:The problem for most people is that they can't tell when they're not doing something correctly. An instructor can make sure the student has the correct fundamentals (stance, stroke and grip), which should be the starting point for every new student of the game.
I tend to disagree with this. Your stance, and grip should be whatever feels comfortable to you. Bodies are built different plain and simple. What feels like the perfect stance to one could be uncomfortable for the other due to hip structure, leg lengths or what have you. The only thing that matters is the point of contact on the cueball. Thats it. Whatever you do before or after has absolutely no baring on the outcome of the shot. A good stroke will certainly make life easier though and the drill I suggested will help him find it. But yeah an Instructer is a great idea. I was just commenting on him saying he can't get the cueball to come straight back off the rail.
Harvywallbanger said:
Respectfullly, I disagree with this statement. Basically what you're saying is that it makes no difference whether or not I know how to use the bow and arrow as long as I know where the target is. The point of contact is useless unless you can make contact with it. If there are flaws in any of the fundamentals it will prevent them from making contact with this target.
To ramw5p -
An instructor is not the answer as much as the dedication of the player to persevere through the frustration. Instrctors are there to observe, evaluate and give recommendations. It is up to the student to perfect what is taught or recommended.
Frustration is a great place to be. It will lead you into the next phase of character building. Too many times character building is lost in our rush for comfort. When you hit "The Growling Point" (as I call it) you will do one of 3 things:
Go forwards
Go backwards
Remain complacent
Champions move forward despite whatever odds may be against them in their efforts to progress. That is why you should always try; if trying doesn't work try harder; & NEVER - EVER give up.
Quitting is a habit. Success, accomplishment and perseverance are also habits. In the end it all depends how bad you want to succeed in comparison to how bad you don't want to fail.
If the scales have success on one end and failure on the other - you need to weigh down the success tray with CONFIDENCE. The only thing that will be placed on the failure scale is BS. When you realize that you have the power to remove that BS from the scale - and - that you also have the power to add confidence to the success side of the scale, then you will have overcome this phase of development.
BTW... don't ever listen to anybody that tells you that can't do it - YOU CAN!
No it would be like saying it doesn't matter how you stand or hold the bow and arrow as long as you HIT the target. Follow through and a straight stroke only help you aquire your main goal which is to hit the cueball where you want in the line of aim your aiming at. If you can achieve this standing on one foot while swinging your cue side to side the results will be the exact same. Although I don't suggest it. All I'm saying is that people are different and some things work better for different people. For example I don't like the way Ray Martin says this stance is wrong and this one is right or hold the cue this way not this way. I much prefer Robert Byrne's approach to the game.Blackjack said:
I do understand though that there are cases where someone needs attention and he's not going to accell if he's not corrected in some way. For example holding your cue at a 45 degree angle on every shot and stuff like that.
