Grady in Betmore's Basement

boradriver said:
Is grady on one of his yearly tours and is so does anyone know his schedule? I would really like to catch one of his stops if possible.

CT,
Not to belabor the obvious; but a great place to get info on the "roadshow" is www.gradymathews.com. Hope you can catch some of it.
 
chefjeff said:
happy-generating behavior
Jeff Livingston

Chef-man,
That is a very interesting description; but fairly accurate. I find that I am happiest when working on my pool game - no distractions, no obligations; just me and the table. Competition and spectating I also find quite pleasurable; but just not quite the same as solitary practice.

I am still mystified as to why golf was never quite the same. I still enjoyed practice quite a bit, but became a little (and rarely a lot) frustrated with any poor performances during play or practice. Maybe it was because I was a lot better at golf, and maybe the same will happen with pool if I succeed in improving; but it just seems different to me.

I have always been a firm believer that a bad day on the golf course was better than a good day at the office (and if not, then give it up). In pool I just still haven't had a bad day (I think it is just overall a much easier game than golf).
 
Williebetmore said:
Chef-man,
That is a very interesting description; but fairly accurate. I find that I am happiest when working on my pool game - no distractions, no obligations; just me and the table. Competition and spectating I also find quite pleasurable; but just not quite the same as solitary practice.

I am still mystified as to why golf was never quite the same. I still enjoyed practice quite a bit, but became a little (and rarely a lot) frustrated with any poor performances during play or practice. Maybe it was because I was a lot better at golf, and maybe the same will happen with pool if I succeed in improving; but it just seems different to me.

I have always been a firm believer that a bad day on the golf course was better than a good day at the office (and if not, then give it up). In pool I just still haven't had a bad day (I think it is just overall a much easier game than golf).

You-da-man, Willie. Great room, great fun and great pics. Wish I could have been there.
 
StevenPWaldon said:
J. Lee always looks great. She's a natural.

Grady on the other hand, has always looked as old in pictures. Even when he was 30 he looked 70!

I agree and Grady will too but that was his "hook" with the "young" whipper-snappers. ;)
JoeyA
 
Johnson said:
i think they are referring to Jeff Beckley


if u are around indy u don't wanna miss the vnea state tourney coming up, and i don't think u have to be 21 to attend

-Indiana State Pool Championships
April 11th - 15th, 2007
Adam's Mark Hotel Airport
Indianapolis, IN
That's sick, I might try to make it.
 
Williebetmore said:
Chef-man,
I am still mystified as to why golf was never quite the same. I still enjoyed practice quite a bit, but became a little (and rarely a lot) frustrated with any poor performances during play or practice. Maybe it was because I was a lot better at golf, and maybe the same will happen with pool if I succeed in improving; but it just seems different to me.

I have always been a firm believer that a bad day on the golf course was better than a good day at the office (and if not, then give it up). In pool I just still haven't had a bad day (I think it is just overall a much easier game than golf).
FWIW, Don, I've always said that golf is the hardest game in the world; you have to play your ass off just to suck at it! I was a 3 at one time but that's too many years ago.

I've never met you, never had a conversation with you but I can tell from your posts in the past and with what you did in this instance that you are my kind of player! Hope to meet you someday. I'm really glad this came off so well and wished I could have been to it. Well done!

Brian in Va
 
Brian in VA said:
FWIW, Don, I've always said that golf is the hardest game in the world; you have to play your ass off just to suck at it!
Brian in Va

Brian,
You are sooooo right. I grew up on the golf course, and played around a 10-16 handicap as a teen. I gave it up for 15 years, and started again around age 40, I got serious, and was usually between a 4 and an 8 handicap (NO winter rules, NO mulligans, putt out everything). I had to practice about an hour a day every day, and played only once a week. If I missed more than a day or two of practice it would take me 2 weeks to "find it" again. It was a bit frustrating to spend all of that practice time just to stay the same (very little improvement).

Pool is a lot easier. The progress is continuous, and there are no slumps to speak of; I like it. :) :)
 
Williebetmore said:
Brian,
You are sooooo right. I grew up on the golf course, and played around a 10-16 handicap as a teen. I gave it up for 15 years, and started again around age 40, I got serious, and was usually between a 4 and an 8 handicap (NO winter rules, NO mulligans, putt out everything). I had to practice about an hour a day every day, and played only once a week. If I missed more than a day or two of practice it would take me 2 weeks to "find it" again. It was a bit frustrating to spend all of that practice time just to stay the same (very little improvement).

Pool is a lot easier. The progress is continuous, and there are no slumps to speak of; I like it. :) :)

I really can feel your pain, Willie. When I was young my baseball game gave my pool game the 6 out and the break. I was offered a baseball scholarship to the University Of Southern Mississippi when I was in the 10th grade. I was a master of the “Fungo”, if there are any baseball fans here you know of what I speak. I assumed because I was able to toss a ball in the air and hit it exactly where I wanted it to go that golf would be a snap.

I had hit a few buckets of balls at the driving range and hit them pretty straight so I thought I would finally accept the challenge of the pool players in my room who played golf. I refused to gamble my first time out, which didn’t set well with the guys. I shoot an 87. The other 3 guys all shoot lower, which I expected. One in the high 70s. They all told me I had a chance to play the game well with practice. WRONG. I have played probably 30 times since then and only broke 100 twice. So, I have all the respect in the world for you guys who have single digit handicaps. I drive the ball well but I’m like the 800Lb. Gorilla, I putt just like I drive.
 
Williebetmore said:
Chef-man,
That is a very interesting description; but fairly accurate. I find that I am happiest when working on my pool game - no distractions, no obligations; just me and the table. Competition and spectating I also find quite pleasurable; but just not quite the same as solitary practice.

I am still mystified as to why golf was never quite the same. I still enjoyed practice quite a bit, but became a little (and rarely a lot) frustrated with any poor performances during play or practice. Maybe it was because I was a lot better at golf, and maybe the same will happen with pool if I succeed in improving; but it just seems different to me.

I have always been a firm believer that a bad day on the golf course was better than a good day at the office (and if not, then give it up). In pool I just still haven't had a bad day (I think it is just overall a much easier game than golf).

Happiness is the purpose of conscious life, the reason for getting up everyday and busting your balls, isn't it?

You know why golf didn't do it for you? You can't practice golf as much as pool, because you have a day job, the weather doesn't allow it, and it cost money. Pool can be had with a trip to the basement in whatever time frame you have available. Still, with pool using two balls for every shot, I think it is more difficult to master than golf. (I was a 12 handicap at my best, so that this fwiw).

Next time you're planning such a fine day again, email me and I'll hit the highway. Seriously. If you're heading west this summer, stop by and see my room.

Jeff Livingston
 
chefjeff said:
Happiness is the purpose of conscious life, the reason for getting up everyday and busting your balls, isn't it?

You know why golf didn't do it for you? You can't practice golf as much as pool, because you have a day job, the weather doesn't allow it, and it cost money. Pool can be had with a trip to the basement in whatever time frame you have available. Still, with pool using two balls for every shot, I think it is more difficult to master than golf. (I was a 12 handicap at my best, so that this fwiw).

Next time you're planning such a fine day again, email me and I'll hit the highway. Seriously. If you're heading west this summer, stop by and see my room.

Jeff Livingston

JL,
Just so you don't think I was shunning you; I DID put notice of the gathering in a thread on the main forum about a month before the event; interested parties did contact me as a result. I didn't think to personally invite the AZB'ers isolated way out in the hinterlands - didn't really think they would be interested. You must like pool.
 
In regards to the pool and golf conversation, I don't know if I would outright say that one thing is easier than the other, but it is all in how you look at it. For example, hitting one good golf shot may not be as hard as making one ball on a pool table, but stringing racks and high runs together is everybit as hard or harder than shooting a score in the 70s on the golf course IMO. However, I do get more frustrated with golf and I rarely if ever get frusrated with my pool game.
 
Don, I want to thank you and your beautiful wife for hosting.

Grady thanks for keeping the great players alive with pictures and stories.

Grady is a fountain of information and makes all aspects of the game look effortless.

If anyone is interested in some road stories on Grady I reccommend his book.

JCIN Thanks for the pictures.

It was great to meet and play with some fellow AZ'rs.
 
StraightPoolIU said:
In regards to the pool and golf conversation, I don't know if I would outright say that one thing is easier than the other, but it is all in how you look at it. For example, hitting one good golf shot may not be as hard as making one ball on a pool table, but stringing racks and high runs together is everybit as hard or harder than shooting a score in the 70s on the golf course IMO. However, I do get more frustrated with golf and I rarely if ever get frusrated with my pool game.

all sports have to have the same difficulty level dont they?? this is because the level of difficulty depends on your competition, which is obviously going to be top notch in any sport.
 
Williebetmore said:
Brian,
You are sooooo right. I grew up on the golf course, and played around a 10-16 handicap as a teen. I gave it up for 15 years, and started again around age 40, I got serious, and was usually between a 4 and an 8 handicap (NO winter rules, NO mulligans, putt out everything). I had to practice about an hour a day every day, and played only once a week. If I missed more than a day or two of practice it would take me 2 weeks to "find it" again. It was a bit frustrating to spend all of that practice time just to stay the same (very little improvement).

Pool is a lot easier. The progress is continuous, and there are no slumps to speak of; I like it. :) :)
When I was at my best I hit balls, full shots, 2 nights a week, practiced my short game one other night and played once or twice a week. I'm with you on the no winter rules, no mullies, etc. I always play the ball down, still do, and it drives me crazy when I see players rolling it around like they're on the range!

No slumps in pool to speak of, huh? I wish I could say that.:D The good news is, I seem to be able to shoot my way out of them.

I think golf is harder to play at the highest levels because of the amount of time between shots. Just the same, the tiny muscles and the differences between a good shot and bad shot in pool make it more of a mind game, at least for me. I think putting is similar to pool in terms of difficulty. Now if I was as good a pool player as I am a putter.......

Have a great Easter!

Brian in Va
 
It all makes sense now --- the Professor and the Black widow have obviously come to understand what so many of us on the forum already realize:

If you want to be counted among the coolest of the cool, you must be seen in the Betmore Basement.
 
smashmouth said:
how much did J Lee charge for her appearance fee?

smash,
Too funny.

Actually, both pro's insisted on contributing the same as all of the other attendee's (though I tried to talk them out of it - I thought their attendance added to the enjoyment of the event - I could be wrong). How cool is that?
 
sjm said:
It all makes sense now --- the Professor and the Black widow have obviously come to understand what so many of us on the forum already realize:

If you want to be counted among the coolest of the cool, you must be seen in the Betmore Basement.

sjm,
I'm finding it hard to disagree with your expert assessment.

I guess Betmore's Basement is like the Studio 54 of the pool world.....perhaps I need some guys at the door to start controlling the throngs clamoring for admittance.


P.S. - Perhaps its a little more like the Roxbury.....

P.P.S. - You should be careful; many will feel that your comments are self-serving, since you have already made the requisite pilgrimage to the pool shrine that is Betmore's Basement.

P.P.P.S. - Hey....is this sort of like the muslims who must make at least one pilgrimage to Mecca???? What happens to the unfortunate souls who fail to fulfill their obligation????
 
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