If You Could Give One Single Bit Of Advice To A Lower Level Player . . .
- Thread starter Kickin' Chicken
- Start date
Lessons first.
Yes! Yes!
Lessons first, so that you can learn all the other things suggested on this thread IN THE PROPER SEQUENCE!!
Yes! Yes!
Lessons first, so that you can learn all the other things suggested on this thread IN THE PROPER SEQUENCE!!
Play better players, offer to pay their time, and ask them questions as you go along. Do this with players whose game you admire. Afterwards, on the practice table, use what you can and throw out the rest.
Lou Figueroa
Most folks I see that don't pocket balls develope bad habits that keep them from attaining their full potential. By FAR 1) is the most common bad habbit I see by a long shot and 2) is not far behind.
1)They jump up on almost every shot instead of keeping their head still. You don't see a baseball player or golfer moving their head. They are moving the bat or club, but their head stays still (since your eyes are in your head, you are moving your eyes which is what you are aiming with).Stay down on the table until the ball falls into the pocket. The only thing that should be moving during the shot is your arm that holds the cue. This is a brutally hard habit to get out of, as I speak from experience here.
2) They shoot almost every shot with the cue elevated, and if they want to draw the cue ball, they really elevate it. Keep the blasted cue level, don't elevate it unless you have to. If you don't hit dead center cue ball, and the cue is elevated, the ball is guaranteed to move left or right on the way to the object ball which usually reslults in some ugly misses, even when the object bal is 2 inches from the pocket.
3) Don't hit every shot 100 miles per hour. No one is impressed when you slam 1 in 30 shots into the back of the pocket. Hit the shot the required speed to make the ball while get position on the next shot. Folks will be much more impressed when you make every shot a relatively easy shot by playing shape and running out, not to mention if your stroke is flawed, hitting the ball hard only magnifies the error.
1)They jump up on almost every shot instead of keeping their head still. You don't see a baseball player or golfer moving their head. They are moving the bat or club, but their head stays still (since your eyes are in your head, you are moving your eyes which is what you are aiming with).Stay down on the table until the ball falls into the pocket. The only thing that should be moving during the shot is your arm that holds the cue. This is a brutally hard habit to get out of, as I speak from experience here.
2) They shoot almost every shot with the cue elevated, and if they want to draw the cue ball, they really elevate it. Keep the blasted cue level, don't elevate it unless you have to. If you don't hit dead center cue ball, and the cue is elevated, the ball is guaranteed to move left or right on the way to the object ball which usually reslults in some ugly misses, even when the object bal is 2 inches from the pocket.
3) Don't hit every shot 100 miles per hour. No one is impressed when you slam 1 in 30 shots into the back of the pocket. Hit the shot the required speed to make the ball while get position on the next shot. Folks will be much more impressed when you make every shot a relatively easy shot by playing shape and running out, not to mention if your stroke is flawed, hitting the ball hard only magnifies the error.
One thing that I notice is hand placement on the table with new players.
I see them struggling with this. I know that stroke, level cue and a good open bridge for a start is what it takes for new players.
All they want to do is see a few balls fall into the pockets. If they can get a few balls to drop, it is the difference between them being very frustrated with the game or the start of them liking it. They may become frustrated and never want to come back to the hall.
So, I get them to practice their stroke following the diamonds on the rail first. Then I show them how to make an open bridge and use their fingers to raise and lower the bridge. Of course, I also show them how to properly hold a cue and the stance.
I show them how to hit center cue ball to center OB. Then I set up some easy shots in front of the pockets for them.
For an absolute new player to the game, this is enuff for them to absorb at the start and enuff for them to pot a few balls and actually start having fun.
I will then go back to my own table and keep a watch on them now and then. It is kind of neat to see the small transformation happen to where they were totally awkward to them having more fun banging a few balls around with a smile on their face and a sense of accomplishment with each ball they pot.
I'm not an instructor and my game goes up and down depending on the day. Some days, you'd think that it was also my first time that I picked up a cue. I can teach some basics well enuff to get someone going.
But, I change the old saying around a bit and say, Even a bad day at the pool hall is better than a good day doing anything else.
I see them struggling with this. I know that stroke, level cue and a good open bridge for a start is what it takes for new players.
All they want to do is see a few balls fall into the pockets. If they can get a few balls to drop, it is the difference between them being very frustrated with the game or the start of them liking it. They may become frustrated and never want to come back to the hall.
So, I get them to practice their stroke following the diamonds on the rail first. Then I show them how to make an open bridge and use their fingers to raise and lower the bridge. Of course, I also show them how to properly hold a cue and the stance.
I show them how to hit center cue ball to center OB. Then I set up some easy shots in front of the pockets for them.
For an absolute new player to the game, this is enuff for them to absorb at the start and enuff for them to pot a few balls and actually start having fun.
I will then go back to my own table and keep a watch on them now and then. It is kind of neat to see the small transformation happen to where they were totally awkward to them having more fun banging a few balls around with a smile on their face and a sense of accomplishment with each ball they pot.
I'm not an instructor and my game goes up and down depending on the day. Some days, you'd think that it was also my first time that I picked up a cue. I can teach some basics well enuff to get someone going.
But, I change the old saying around a bit and say, Even a bad day at the pool hall is better than a good day doing anything else.
Last edited:
There is so much great knowledge in this thread i wish i had some of it when i started playing. My advice, pay attention. To everything and everyone that you respect as a player. And remember just cause a pro made it look easy, doesnt mean it is. after all it is their job to play pool.
There is this kid that comes into the pool room now, we have dubbed him "the Kid" well cause hes just 17. Hes taking the old school way of hard knocks and trying to filter all the information we give him. Thing is, he wants to learn and he wants to play better. And that my friends is what pool is all about.
There is this kid that comes into the pool room now, we have dubbed him "the Kid" well cause hes just 17. Hes taking the old school way of hard knocks and trying to filter all the information we give him. Thing is, he wants to learn and he wants to play better. And that my friends is what pool is all about.
Another $.02/mostly already said
Assuming the lower level player has already recognized the importance of a straight, repeatable, level, accelerating stroke-and can generally produce that while cueing--
-aim standing up-to include body alignment to allow free swinging down the shot line while avoiding hitting your own body.
-shoot only hard enough to yield pocketing and cb position visualized
-stay down on shot(the balls will not EXPLODE)
-become familiar with 1/2 ball hits and how the ob and cb react. All shots are 1/2 ball hits unless they aren't.
-Tangent line. Tangent line. Tangent line. and the stun shot and stroke that make it the baseline for most all cb shape paths
-do some planning- 'and then??' thinking and execution to avoid one ball runs.
Brian-good topic. Not that easy to come up with just one most crucial piece of advice.
I need to take all of my own advice more often.
Assuming the lower level player has already recognized the importance of a straight, repeatable, level, accelerating stroke-and can generally produce that while cueing--
-aim standing up-to include body alignment to allow free swinging down the shot line while avoiding hitting your own body.
-shoot only hard enough to yield pocketing and cb position visualized
-stay down on shot(the balls will not EXPLODE)
-become familiar with 1/2 ball hits and how the ob and cb react. All shots are 1/2 ball hits unless they aren't.
-Tangent line. Tangent line. Tangent line. and the stun shot and stroke that make it the baseline for most all cb shape paths
-do some planning- 'and then??' thinking and execution to avoid one ball runs.
Brian-good topic. Not that easy to come up with just one most crucial piece of advice.
I need to take all of my own advice more often.
When drawingthe ball(aiming below center on CB)
When drawing the ball(aiming below center on CB)its ok not to be level. Unless your playing 14.1 or one pocket, hit most shots with medium speed.
When drawing the ball(aiming below center on CB)its ok not to be level. Unless your playing 14.1 or one pocket, hit most shots with medium speed.
Quit now and save yourself a lifetime of frustration.
Seriously, keep your head down and finish your stroke and perhaps equally as important, hit the ball softer.
best advice ever...
Practice your weaknesses, perfect your stroke, consume large quantities of instructional material and repeat over an over. Your game is either growing or deteriorating .. i work on the stroke first if u a begginer thats probably ur biggest weakness.
technoid101
"fades in, fades out"
Pocket speed, object ball only needs to fall into the pocket, not rocket in off the backstop.
control the shot, not visa versa.
control the shot, not visa versa.
Tangent Line
Learn the tangent line from a stun shot. That is the base line of the cue ball path on all shots. If you learn this, a lower skill level player will immediately cut their scratches down. Heck, even higher level players could learn use this. But, no one seems to really show interest in this most basic fundamental.
Learn the tangent line from a stun shot. That is the base line of the cue ball path on all shots. If you learn this, a lower skill level player will immediately cut their scratches down. Heck, even higher level players could learn use this. But, no one seems to really show interest in this most basic fundamental.
Cut for the Money
Bank for the Show
Bank for the Show
Roger that. The "million ball method" is the best....always has been and always will be...especially if...like you...you're shooting those million shots with top speed players.
There is NO question in my mind that if Willie...or Wimpy etc. could spend a day reading pool tips on this forum...they would have NO CLUE what was being discussed.
The BENEFIT of quality pro instruction is that it can reduce the million shots down to maybe a half million!!! (-:
I asked a current day TOP SPEED player who I know well and who wouldn't lie to me...how he went about aiming. His response was that be basically had no "system" whatsoever and never has had one. He just SEES WHAT LOOKS RIGHT...and shoots. (Doesn't miss much either).
Another CHAMPION when asked the same question told me that she thinks in terms of fractional hits. But when I asked how she tells the difference between..say a quarter ball hit and a 3/8 hit, she repeated almost exactly what the other pro told me....she shoots what LOOKS right.
A million balls...or an instructor and a half million. Your choice. (-:
(-:
EagleMan
Stay down on your shot, until the object ball is in the pocket!
a single piece of advice...
Take up golf...
Seriously, if you want excel at pool, you have to find someone with to level knowledge to impart and you have to practice constantly. Of you don't have a table to practice on. Practice selling on a couch arm or take while imagining the shots.
Jaden
Take up golf...
Seriously, if you want excel at pool, you have to find someone with to level knowledge to impart and you have to practice constantly. Of you don't have a table to practice on. Practice selling on a couch arm or take while imagining the shots.
Jaden
Learn how to use your dominant eye correctly...
When your dominant eye is in the correct position you can just envision the shot better.
You will naturally get there from repetition but you can speed up the process by just flat out learning this.
Sure, I sell a video teaching this, but that is not what this is all about.
Helping players play better is what's important.
I also do Free phone lessons teaching AZers how this works.
I travel all over the country teaching this and can't believe how many players don't even have the eyes close to where they need to be.
Once the eyes are corrected it's so much easier to see what's going on with the balls and the cue.
Improvement can be speeded up drastically.
When your dominant eye is in the correct position you can just envision the shot better.
You will naturally get there from repetition but you can speed up the process by just flat out learning this.
Sure, I sell a video teaching this, but that is not what this is all about.
Helping players play better is what's important.
I also do Free phone lessons teaching AZers how this works.
I travel all over the country teaching this and can't believe how many players don't even have the eyes close to where they need to be.
Once the eyes are corrected it's so much easier to see what's going on with the balls and the cue.
Improvement can be speeded up drastically.