How do you measure skill and progress?

If you lose more than you win, you're bad.

If you win more than you lose, you're getting better.
 
FYI, I have some good resources for rating and tracking improvement of players here:


Regards,
Dave

JDP12 said:
Hey all-

As I've been playing, I can't help thinking that I'm just not very good. I don't want this attitude because it can only negatively effect my game...

So I'm curious as to how you measure skill. I'm trying to get a video of me playing up on youtube but its not working right now so I'll just try and describe my game..

I've never run a rack, and on a normal rack of 15 balls I usually miss four times. The shots I miss are usually the same kind, long, all the way down the table shots. Like I said, its gonna be hard to judge me without seeing me play and I apologize for that.

But I'm just curious as to how you all measure skill and such... Obviously there's pro and stuff... But how do you define being good and such? Is there a way to really do so?

Thanks
Click to expand...
 
One of the simplest and most effective things i've found a person can do is this:

Rack a game of 9 ball ( can be any balls, just rack them like a 9 ball rack ) and break. Now run out, if you can. You can shoot any ball and doesn't matter if you make one on the break. If you need it, take ball in hand after the break ( I don't do this but some may need it ).

This allows you to..

A. practice your 9 ball break
B. Practice your patterns, potting, stroke

I got aggervated this morning because I kept getting down to the last ball and missing it because I was leaving myself with a hard cut. Was funny at first but eventually got to me and I quit.

Count how many runouts you have a day. If you can't runout, count how many shots it takes you to run out.

Then watch the number of shots go down over time.
 
pooltchr said:
We have a little drill in pool school called "piling rocks". It's a simple way to track and measure your progress.

Throw 10 balls out on the table. Take ball in hand and start shooting balls. Every ball you miss is removed from the table. At the end, count how many balls you removed, and you know how many you made. Do this 5 times. At the end, multiply the number of balls made by 2, and you will have your shooting percentage. Make a chart, and keep track every time you do this. It's simple, and a good way to monitor your progress. Over time, you will (hopefully) see your percentage going up.

Steve
Click to expand...

Who came up with the "Piling Rocks" drill? I first heard that term in one of Tim Miller, "The Monk's" books.
 
JDP12 said:
Hey all-

As I've been playing, I can't help thinking that I'm just not very good. I don't want this attitude because it can only negatively effect my game...

So I'm curious as to how you measure skill. I'm trying to get a video of me playing up on youtube but its not working right now so I'll just try and describe my game..

I've never run a rack, and on a normal rack of 15 balls I usually miss four times. The shots I miss are usually the same kind, long, all the way down the table shots. Like I said, its gonna be hard to judge me without seeing me play and I apologize for that.

But I'm just curious as to how you all measure skill and such... Obviously there's pro and stuff... But how do you define being good and such? Is there a way to really do so?

Thanks
Click to expand...

If you're a 9-ball player, a great way to measure your skill is the "Playing the Ghost" drill. When you first start out, play with just 3 balls, the 7, 8, and 9. Rack just those 3 balls, 7 ball on the foot spot, and 8 and 9 behind. Break the balls, and give yourself ball in hand after the break. If the 9-ball goes, put it on either the head spot or the foot spot. Everything else stays down. If you run out you win. If you miss, you lose (the ghost wins). Play a race to 7 with the ghost. Once you get to the point where you can beat the ghost consistently, play with 4 balls. Stick with each level until you're consistently able to beat the ghost. This is a great way to measure your skill in 9-ball. I'm just now starting to beat the 7 ball ghost. I used to lose to the ghost with just 4 balls when I first started.

Another way to measure your skill is to rack all 15 balls, break just like you do in 8 ball, give yourself ball in hand the shot after the break, and pocket all the balls in any order. You don't have to do it 14.1 style, where you leave yourself a break ball to start off each rack. Record your high run no matter how low it is when you first start out, and that will allow you to measure your skill level.
 
If my bankroll is getting bigger: I am good.:thumbup:

If my bankroll is getting smaller: I am bad.:(

If my bankroll disappears altogether: I am really bad.:angry:
 
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