How to stop missing

Andrew Manning

Andrew Manning

Aspiring know-it-all
Silver Member
So I'm wondering about the best practice methods and competition habits I can work on to cut down on my unforced misses. I'm not referring to really difficult shots, mostly I mean very easy to moderately easy shots; shots that a good player would consider "routine" if encountered during a rack of 9-ball.

I know this may sound like a dumb question at first, because everyone misses, and everyone would play better if they didn't miss as much, but I feel my knowledge, mechanics, cue-ball control, and difficult shot-making abilities have surpassed my routine shot-making consistency. In other words, I believe the biggest obstacle in taking my game to the next level is all the routine shots I miss. More specifically, I believe it's poor focus and imperfect mental routines and habits that cause the misses, rather than any specific mechanical defect.

So does anyone have any specific advice on building ball-pocketing consistency by way of improving focus and mental habits? I'd appreciate drills that emphasize focus, games that will improve my mental discipline, suggested supplements to my pre-shot routine, etc.

Thanks.

-Andrew
 
Andrew,
While I am kind of in the same boat as you, I have found that playing snooker helps with the concentration and focus part of the game. When the balls are harder to make and the distance to the pockets is greater, you have to up all of your skills to be good at it. This will not make it so you don't miss anymore, though. Another thing that may help is to put 8 or 9 balls in a line along the head string. Put the cue ball in hand one diamond behind them and shoot them into the corners at the foot of the table. Ball in hand after each shot. Don't stop until you can make all 8 or 9 three times in a row without missing. These shots are so easy that it takes a lapse in concentration to miss. It's a good drill for making sure you are paying attention to what you are doing.
 
Andrew Manning said:
So does anyone have any specific advice on building ball-pocketing consistency by way of improving focus and mental habits? I'd appreciate drills that emphasize focus, games that will improve my mental discipline, suggested supplements to my pre-shot routine, etc.
Click to expand...

One of the drills that I've noticed that helps force one to focus is the dreaded circle drill, where all 15 balls are placed on the circumference of a circle something like 18 inches in diameter. Never let the cue ball leave that circle. This drill is tough. If you don't focus and really concentrate, disaster awaits you.

Another game that really forces you to concentrate and is mentally draining, at least if you're playing it against a stronger player, and which will exact painful moments, is one pocket. One serious slip-up and your opponent might just clear the table. It's a game where 1/4 of an inch difference in a leave can spell disaster. That's also true of other games, but it seems like it comes up all the time in one pocket.

As for the pre-shot routine of your question, I know a pro who told me sometimes in the middle of a game he will become unable to execute a shot. When he's speaking about execution, he's not talking about the shooting of the shot, but the mental effort to know exactly what to do. He said he becomes confused about what to do, and he also said he doesn't know what to do about it. One thing that you might do or add to your pre-shot routine when you're addressing the object ball is to focus your eyes on exactly the contact point on the ball and to burn that point in your memory, that is to mentally focus intensely on that point, decide on your shot and what you need to do with the cue to execute the shot, the power, speed, english, adjustments for cue ball deflection, throw on the object ball due to all the factors influencing it, and so on, keep that focus as you move into and transition down onto the table, for the setup and shooting the shot. This sounds really complicated but you probably already do all or most of this already, albeit implicitly or unconsciously. To each his own. In any case, doing or trying to do so has helped me.

Good luck!

Flex
 
this will probably open a can of worms, but do you use an aiming system? I use randyg's version of hals system, called SAM (simplified aiming method), and i have to say i hardly ever miss the shots im supposed to make. Basically I look at the shot and the angle.......i get my aim point(theres only 4 i use), after that i use and edge to edge system for thin cuts. Then i will lock in on my aimpoint, down into my stance and aiming......and fire away. I guess after years and years you will get there by feel alone, but my game sure did jump way up when i started using this system
 
Scotty,

I'm pretty sure you're asking the question of Andrew, but if you're asking it of me, yes, I do, but it would probably be more accurate to say I use aiming systems... Some of them are easier to show than to describe in written format.
 
scottycoyote said:
I use randyg's version of hals system, called SAM (simplified aiming method), and i have to say i hardly ever miss the shots im supposed to make.
Click to expand...

Scott...It is called the Supplemental Aiming Method (SAM), although it does seem to simplify things for many players.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
 
bsmutz said:
Another thing that may help is to put 8 or 9 balls in a line along the head string. Put the cue ball in hand one diamond behind them and shoot them into the corners at the foot of the table. Ball in hand after each shot. Don't stop until you can make all 8 or 9 three times in a row without missing. These shots are so easy that it takes a lapse in concentration to miss. It's a good drill for making sure you are paying attention to what you are doing.
Click to expand...

Bill...Don't forget, the object is to shoot the balls at pocket, or lag speed, and to play a stop shot on each ball! That makes it even more difficult.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
 
Andrew Manning said:
So I'm wondering about the best practice methods and competition habits I can work on to cut down on my unforced misses. I'm not referring to really difficult shots, mostly I mean very easy to moderately easy shots; shots that a good player would consider "routine" if encountered during a rack of 9-ball.

I know this may sound like a dumb question at first, because everyone misses, and everyone would play better if they didn't miss as much, but I feel my knowledge, mechanics, cue-ball control, and difficult shot-making abilities have surpassed my routine shot-making consistency. In other words, I believe the biggest obstacle in taking my game to the next level is all the routine shots I miss. More specifically, I believe it's poor focus and imperfect mental routines and habits that cause the misses, rather than any specific mechanical defect.

So does anyone have any specific advice on building ball-pocketing consistency by way of improving focus and mental habits? I'd appreciate drills that emphasize focus, games that will improve my mental discipline, suggested supplements to my pre-shot routine, etc.

Thanks.

-Andrew
Click to expand...

your problem is right in your first paragraph...

It is the same problem I have but I find it very very difficult to correct for any length of time.

You have a pre set idea of what is easy or hard.......and your focus relaxes on the "easy" or "routine" shots.....It may not even result in a missed ball, but it probably results in less than desirable position that can lead to a DCP'd runout.

I will have matches where I continually make the one or two "key" balls and then miss the easy(or routine) ball just because I "let up" on the shot....(when I say miss I mean either a missed ball "or" bad shape)

It is almost as if you need to re-train your brain to see what you think are easy shots as hard shots...(if that makes sense)

I don't think this is something you can just start doing...I belive this is something that must be practiced.

Letting up AKA lack of focus on easy shots is in my opinion very similar as jumping up on a hard shot.

EDIT: The concept I am currently trying to accomplish during practice is that the "easier" or "more routine" the shot is during a rack, the more perfect my shape needs to be for my next shot. As the shot becomes harder, I allow more room for shape error "to a degree"....Even though you made the real easy ball that was right in front of the pocket, if you did not get on the "dime" for your next shot, you consider it a miss and work on that shape AKA (cue ball controle) This forces you to focus more on the easy shots during practice.
 
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Don't over cut the shot; ever.

Also, don't take advise from a smart ass.:rolleyes:
 
I am right next to you on this one, I have come to the conclusion that a CONSISTENT pre-shot routine is the key to a CONSISTENT game. Which is what I have been working on, I to miss the easy, routine and most important key shots in a run out. I don't believe it's going to be a short road to follow to a consistent pre-shot routine.

Good Luck!
 
Andrew Manning said:
So I'm wondering about the best practice methods and competition habits I can work on to cut down on my unforced misses. I'm not referring to really difficult shots, mostly I mean very easy to moderately easy shots; shots that a good player would consider "routine" if encountered during a rack of 9-ball.

I know this may sound like a dumb question at first, because everyone misses, and everyone would play better if they didn't miss as much, but I feel my knowledge, mechanics, cue-ball control, and difficult shot-making abilities have surpassed my routine shot-making consistency. In other words, I believe the biggest obstacle in taking my game to the next level is all the routine shots I miss. More specifically, I believe it's poor focus and imperfect mental routines and habits that cause the misses, rather than any specific mechanical defect.

So does anyone have any specific advice on building ball-pocketing consistency by way of improving focus and mental habits? I'd appreciate drills that emphasize focus, games that will improve my mental discipline, suggested supplements to my pre-shot routine, etc.

Thanks.

-Andrew
Click to expand...

As time wears on and you play and practice, your misses will decrease. Eventually you will realize that you will go for longer stretches of time where every ball you shoot at falls into the pocket. It's all about practice and getting more and more comfortable with being at the table.

But it helps to practice the right things. Work on your fundamentals, your stance, stroke and alighnment. Those three things are what will bring consistency to your game. I firmly believe that too many people spend far too much time worrying about aiming systems.

Aiming isn't all that difficult, I knew most of the angles within the first year and a half of playing, I just couldn't always hit the spot I was aiming at.
 
There is a lot there and of course not missing easy ones is one of the secrets to this game.

So maybe, Andrew, you can give us more information as to HOW you miss the easy shots.

I got the same problem, but I've made three discoveries that I think will greatly increase my consistency with practice.

1) This was a hint I got from Gerry: he said he kept a notebook to chart his misses. WHY did he miss? How did he miss? What was he feeling when it happened? , etc. I noticed after I tracked my missed shots that almost THE ENTIRETY of my misses involving a cut to the left are overcut. And almost THE ENTIRETY of my misses on a cut to the right are undercut... Obviously an eye-dominance problem. Now that I know that, I make a conscious decision depending on whether it's a cut to the left or right until it becomes automatic;

2) I've been struggling mightly with adding a pause at the end of my backstroke (a la snooker players, Pagulayan, Feijen, Hohmann, etc.), because when I do that, my eyes automatically finish at the OB. As obvious as it is to all players with even a little bit of knowledge, the habit of NEVER taking your eyes off the OB during your delivery is a very hard one to acquire. Maybe impossible since I see pros missing balls because they took their eye off all the goddamn time;

3) This one I haven't yet figured out, but I know I miss a lot of my shots not accounting for throw (even on center ball shots) AND curve correctly. I'm in observation mode. I still need to use less spin, even though I've alredy cut it down to less than half my shots. Maybe the most important thing is figuring out each time WHY you missed.
 
Andrew Manning said:
I know this may sound like a dumb question at first, because everyone misses, and everyone would play better if they didn't miss as much, but I feel my knowledge, mechanics, cue-ball control, and difficult shot-making abilities have surpassed my routine shot-making consistency. In other words, I believe the biggest obstacle in taking my game to the next level is all the routine shots I miss. More specifically, I believe it's poor focus and imperfect mental routines and habits that cause the misses, rather than any specific mechanical defect.

So does anyone have any specific advice on building ball-pocketing consistency by way of improving focus and mental habits? I'd appreciate drills that emphasize focus, games that will improve my mental discipline, suggested supplements to my pre-shot routine, etc.

Thanks.

-Andrew
Click to expand...

Drew,
I am currently working on a program from Mark Wilson for just this problem. I've posted this long response in another thread:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=23867&page=14

It's on page 14, post #201.
 
Andrew,

Sounds like your at a stage where the mental game is more important than ever. I know some players who almost never miss a hard shot but are pretty likely to mess up an easy one (myself included some days).

I would say put the mental priority on pocketing the ball and on your aim more than getting position. Keep that thought on every shot, no matter how easy or difficult, focusing like you would on a difficult shot. Take two medium difficulty shots if you have to, but pocket the balls.

Oftentimes it is the position play that makes the shot difficult. Try to keep things simple. don't sacrifice accuracy for position if you don't have to.

If you focus your thoughts on your aim, and I mean clean dead center pocket on every shot, no wobblers, good things will happen. You can always adjust for missed position, play a safe or whatever, but a missed shot usually loses the game at your level.

You should also have a very positive plan before you even shoot - know exactly what you want to do, your angles, etc - this will help too on being able to focus on the aim.

Chris
 
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Andrew Manning said:
So does anyone have any specific advice on building ball-pocketing consistency by way of improving focus and mental habits? I'd appreciate drills that emphasize focus, games that will improve my mental discipline, suggested supplements to my pre-shot routine, etc.
Click to expand...

I have a suggestion. It is one that came from the Pleasures of Small Motions book. The idea is never to go to a practice session without a specific goal in mind. For instance, you are going to work on break shots, or position play, etc. Don't just go hit balls. Work on a particular skill, and then go run some racks.

With that in mind, have you ever gone to play with the intention of never missing easy shots? I know this sounds like an oversimplification, but really think about it. When you are screwing your cue together and getting set up to hit some balls, forget about how many balls you can run. I don't know what game you are playing, but put running balls second to your goal: never to miss a routine shot. Before you shoot each ball, determine whether the next shot is "routine" or not. If it is, then recognize that this shot is the reason you are playing tonight, and shoot it in. As you run balls, just keep looking for the next "routine" shot that comes up, and make sure you knock it in. If you miss, then you should have a pretty good idea why you missed. It shouldn't be that you took your eye off it looking for the next shot because you'll be paying much more attention.

I have really only one shot that gets me over and over (or used to :) ). Anytime I have an angle on a ball and am trying to stop the cue ball, or keep it from drifting too much, I tend to undercut the ball and miss fat. I get the position I wanted, but miss the shot. I was able to cut way down on this by noting these shots whenever they came up and think "OK, this is another one of those shots I always hit fat. Make sure you shoot it in and plan a longer path for the cue ball." This really helps.

Just a thought,
Dan
 
ive got the solution :)

always play difficult shots :p ull never miss an easy shot anymore :p

sorry for being the smartass :) very interesting post already. ive got the EXACT same problem. never kept track of my misses. i think my problem is just lack of concentration.

for now i just solve it, by playing easy shot very fast. im already a fast player, but i play easy shots like if they where hangers. the less i think about them, the less i miss. contradictionary with alot of things. but my problem is just lack of confidence (because i KNOW ill miss an easy shot sooner or later). when im shooting fast, im not thinking of things that i shouldnt be thinking about when im shooting.
 
Williebetmore said:
Drew,
I am currently working on a program from Mark Wilson for just this problem. I've posted this long response in another thread:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=23867&page=14

It's on page 14, post #201.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the advice so far, everyone. Definitely a few things to think about/try.

WBM, I just read that post you're referring to, and it certainly sounds like a rigorous program. I' find it easy to believe that if I could follow that program, I'd improve vastly, but sadly I only get to a table one or two nights a week, which is perhaps part of my problem. Anyway, I'll try some of those drills, any advice from Mark Wilson is at least worth trying.

-Andrew
 
qstroker said:
I have a suggestion. It is one that came from the Pleasures of Small Motions book. The idea is never to go to a practice session without a specific goal in mind. For instance, you are going to work on break shots, or position play, etc. Don't just go hit balls. Work on a particular skill, and then go run some racks.

With that in mind, have you ever gone to play with the intention of never missing easy shots? I know this sounds like an oversimplification, but really think about it. When you are screwing your cue together and getting set up to hit some balls, forget about how many balls you can run. I don't know what game you are playing, but put running balls second to your goal: never to miss a routine shot. Before you shoot each ball, determine whether the next shot is "routine" or not. If it is, then recognize that this shot is the reason you are playing tonight, and shoot it in. As you run balls, just keep looking for the next "routine" shot that comes up, and make sure you knock it in. If you miss, then you should have a pretty good idea why you missed. It shouldn't be that you took your eye off it looking for the next shot because you'll be paying much more attention.

I have really only one shot that gets me over and over (or used to :) ). Anytime I have an angle on a ball and am trying to stop the cue ball, or keep it from drifting too much, I tend to undercut the ball and miss fat. I get the position I wanted, but miss the shot. I was able to cut way down on this by noting these shots whenever they came up and think "OK, this is another one of those shots I always hit fat. Make sure you shoot it in and plan a longer path for the cue ball." This really helps.

Just a thought,
Dan
Click to expand...

Wow, with 11 months of membership and 18 posts, I guess you're one of those people who only speaks up when they have something really worth saying. This was a really excellent post, and I'll definitely try the "this shot is the reason I'm playing tonight" mental trick.

I also used to have the problem where I'd miss a ball because I was trying to concentrate on making the OB and holding the CB at the same time. I've learned that I can't do both; I have to first decide on a position route and the speed and english I'll need to achieve it, and then commit to that speed and english. Then when down on the shot, I have to forget about position, trusting my decision about speed and english, and just concentrate on hitting the shot.

-Andrew
 
Andrew Manning said:
Wow, with 11 months of membership and 18 posts, I guess you're one of those people who only speaks up when they have something really worth saying. This was a really excellent post, and I'll definitely try the "this shot is the reason I'm playing tonight" mental trick.
Click to expand...

Well, let's say I've been busy! Glad you liked the suggestion, it'd be interesting to see how you do with it.

Dan
 
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