Handicap systems in various leagues! Good or bad?

[preacherman]

I find that handicap systems can be somewhat frustrating.

People are fine when they beat me. But when I start playing better than them they start mumbling, "your better than your handicap". Which in truth I can be. What keeps my handicap lower is I panic on the 8 or 9 and when that happens I can't hit the side of a barn. Thus that seems to keep my handicap down. But when I beat these "superior" players to be accused of "sandbagging" is the wrong thing to accuse "preacherman" of doing. When I win against a "good" player, it's because I played good!

So I have 3 questions:

1. What are your thoughts on these handicap systems?

2. Is it fair to join a league a stay for 3 hours to play for 30 minutes or not at all, and that against only one player.

3. How do I get past panic on ther 8 or 9 ball?

Thanks,
Jim "preacherman"

 

[Bluewolf]

I find that handicap systems can be somewhat frustrating.

3. How do I get past panic on ther 8 or 9 ball?

Thanks,
Jim "preacherman"

Good to see you posting, Jim. Ah the league/sl thing. Don't know what to say about that one except have not seen any handicapping system that was totally 100% fair.

As far as the panic on the game ball, do have those choke thoughts from time to time, myself, but if I catch it in time, can usually say something nice and neutral about my pool, before going down on the shot. It takes out, for me, at least enough of the nerves to not dog the shot.
Slowing down and not allowing yourself to rush your stroke may help, too.IMO

Guess this is the kind of stuff that keeps the sports psychologists in business. I guess they teach ways to program the mind to relax and so forth. Some players seem to have that relaxed and confidence thing down pretty good, where some of us have to really work at it.

Maybe you will get some really good suggestions on this one. A toughie IMO.

Laura

 

[sjm]

I find that handicap systems can be somewhat frustrating.

People are fine when they beat me. But when I start playing better than them they start mumbling, "your better than your handicap". Which in truth I can be. What keeps my handicap lower is I panic on the 8 or 9 and when that happens I can't hit the side of a barn. Thus that seems to keep my handicap down. But when I beat these "superior" players to be accused of "sandbagging" is the wrong thing to accuse "preacherman" of doing. When I win against a "good" player, it's because I played good!

So I have 3 questions:

1. What are your thoughts on these handicap systems?

2. Is it fair to join a league a stay for 3 hours to play for 30 minutes or not at all, and that against only one player.

3. How do I get past panic on ther 8 or 9 ball?

Thanks,
Jim "preacherman"

Question 1
Handicapping keeps league play accessible to players of widely varied skill levels. Without it, a lot of players that play in leagues wouldn't think it worth the effort.

The handicapping systems are, on average, excellent, though every methodology has its flaws, and some will always be mis-handicapped.

Nonetheless, most bickering over other players' handicaps occurs for one of the following reasons:

1) a player is trying to gain an unfair advantage for himself/herself and his/her team.
2) a player is living in denial, convinced that because he/she lost, the other player must be mis-handicapped.
3) a player is using complaining about the opposition's handicap as a means of failing to hold himself/herself fully accountable to his/her teammates.

It is a league director's responsibility to objectively track the performance of all partcipants for the purpose of handicapping, and most of them do the best they can and also do a creditable job at it. Can one really make an asessment of another player's speed based on one match? Not really, so it's best leaving handicap adjustments to the league director.

Question 2
Having to stay for three hours when your play lasts only thirty minutes shouldn't bother you if you enjoy the company of your teammates. Most play in leagues for the camaraderie and for the social interaction that teamplay brings with it.

Question 3
Maintain your rhythm while you play the last few balls. Far too many players slow down when they get to the last couple of balls and place pressure on themselves by doing so. If you need to, take a few extra deep breaths before you shoot the last couple of balls.

 

[Williebetmore]

Question #1
I like all the handicap systems, though in 9-ball they take a game that is filled with luck, and make it even more of a crap shoot. At least with handicaps you will be experiencing the end-game jitters against all different skill level players. As long as you just accept it, I feel you have an innate advantage against the whiners and complainers (though I don't enjoy playing against them, unless of course I'm trouncing them - don't laugh SJM, it happens occasionally - well, would you believe 3 times? - would you believe almost once against a blind guy?)

Question #2
If I had to hang out for 3 hours for 30 minutes of pool, my teammates would have to be pretty dang interesting (I think I would rather practice for 3 hours). This is the reason I don't play many of our 9-ball local tournaments - unless you are in the loser's bracket you play about 4 matches (short races to 3 or 5) in 6 or 7 hours - I'd rather read a book.

Question #3
Fix the jitters??? I rely on my mechanics solely, trying to become process oriented with no thought towards outcome. Try playing more straight pool, the "jitters" will last you a lot longer (usually the last hour of a game to 100)and you'll get used to them. JMO

 

[thirtyeyes]

When I went up to a SL4, I spent a session and a half getting my as$ kicked, and I don't remember anybody complaining about my sl then. Now that I've spent a session kicking as$, I suddenly I hear a lot of grumbling. I'm sure I'll go through the same when I hit 5. Basically, people like to find excuses for why they lost.

I sure wish they would go to an extra decimal place on skill levels, so you can tell who you're playing. A 4.9 is going to beat most 5's, that's just the way it is, while a 4.1 is going to get tooled when he plays a 5. I suppose they don't because of all the cheaters who would start to bag when they got to the high end of their range.

I also wonder at all the secrecy of the handicap system in the APA, maybe if everybody knew what went into the handicap they would stop messing around and just play pool.