Inconsistent stroke

[Scott Lee]

All of these posts by "anti-instruction" posters like RG1 and English just serve to denote the most important thing...nobody who teaches pool tries to (or even wants to) force things down somebody's throat. There is no "cookie cutter" style of teaching (everyone is an individual), that works for everyone, and there is no "one size fits all". We are all built differently, think differently, learn differently, and perceive differently. We professional instructors are looking to make our help available to 1) new players; 2) players who have played for years but can't get past a certain skill level plateau (could be high level, but sub-pro); or 3) play really well one week, and really inconsistently the next. For those players who "know" they don't need any help...good for you! For the appx. other 4 million 'hard core' enthusiasts (people who play at least weekly), there is help available from many sources. As has been accurately mentioned, all the lessons in the world won't help if you don't put in the practice time on the table. That said, if you have no tools to help you figure out what you're doing, or a way to measure your results (which are things you should get from lessons with a qualified instructor), you will have a difficult time improving...even with the HAMB theory.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

 

[RG1]

Get a grip of yourself and loosen the one on the booze your holding. I am not anti instructor! You and your girlfriend Randyg need to relax.

 

[ENGLISH!]

Mr. Lee.

Greg,

Fairly well stated. Since my Dad showed me the basics when I was 13, I have not had any lessons other than maybe a tip here & a piece of knowledge there. It can certainly be done the way you, I & many others have done it.

That being said, I do not believe that lessons have to be a curse. A lesson is like most things in life, take it for what it actually is & do not give it or anything more importance than it deserves. A proper perspective is of much importance. The right lesson can be of value just as a wrong lesson can be costly. One has to learn to judge that on their own for one's self.:wink:

Balance is of much importance, even when you only have one toe on the floor.:wink:

Mr. Lee,

This is partly why you have been on my ignore list. You 'brand' me as 'anti-instruction' which is incorrect. You have either been mis-informed or have made an error in evaluation.

Perhaps it is you that needs lessons. Lessons in comprehension & lessons in telling the truth & nothing but the truth without distortions to suit your motives.

I am not against lessons in general. I am not a fan of some of what you and others teach, namely the pendulum stroke as the 'Holy Grail', I am also not a big fan of drills upon drills as compared to actually playing or playing the ghost or playing both sides of the ball as a form of practice.

There are a number of instuctors here on AZB of which I have no problems & actually admire. Then there are some others of which I am not that much of a 'fan'. That does not make me 'anti-instruction'.

It seems that you may think that only you & your SPF family are the only instructors her on AZB.

We have had our differences but I have no ill will toward you or your livelihood. But I will speak my mind & express my beliefs here on AZB as long as I am not silenced by management.

You Sir are what you are & one of which seems to be a poor stategist.

Have a Happy New Year,

 

[RG1]

Looks like you found a customer, English! :grin-square: I like your red font color too :grin-square:

 

[ENGLISH!]

Looks like you found a customer, English! :grin-square: I like your red font color too :grin-square:

He brought it on himself...again.

 

[gregcantrall]

What worked for me.

Does anyone else have problems with an inconsistent stroke. I've tried most every stance, and drills to develope a consistent straight stroke. I can shoot the CB from the spot to the far rail, and have the CB come back and hit the cue, but it's only about 50% of the time. Any suggestions would certainly be appreciated.
Thanks
Not "Fast" Eddie :-(

When my game got to a point where I could shoot pretty good most of the time but fell apart under pressure, I did not know why, or what I was doing differently. At that point I had read everything relating to pool I could get my hands on including Willie Hoppies book on 3 cushion billiards. I had watched and studdied the pros playing at the Sands in Reno. I had done any number of drills and practiced daily. I got real lucky in that I had been throwing $20 at a time to a road player just to see how long I could make it last each time. So one day I asked him "how about if I just pay you $20 each for lessons?" He was a good one pocket player and I wanted to learn one pocket. I knew I had gotten lucky by his response, which was; "I will give you lessons on one condition.....and that is we will start with the basics. We will break down everything and start over with a good solid foundation." The other condition was that I quit gambling for the duration of the lessons.

I took six one hour lessons. I worked, so had budgeted one hour each day after work to practice what I was taught the last lesson. I was by no means complete after six lessons but he was a road player and had moved on down the road. That was the best money I ever spent on pool. I made the $120 back and then some, the first week I went back to gambling. In six weeks we didn't even get to one pocket.

He gave me a good solid foundation to fall back on when I am under pressure. When the heat is on and I had fallen apart in the past, I now have a pre shot routine that is exactlly the same every time. I address the ball and do all my planning. Then aim the shot. Then get down in to my stance in a one two three secuence that is the same every time.

I remember reading a story(probably in Billiards Digest) about Walter Lindrum Australian Billiards Champion . It indicated that when his father first started teaching him he was only allowed to practice with one ball for the first month. That was at 10 hours per day. Then he got 2 balls for the next month etc.

If you ever run into a road player called Backward Jan, ask him for lessons!!

 

[Island Drive]

Does anyone else have problems with an inconsistent stroke. I've tried most every stance, and drills to develope a consistent straight stroke. I can shoot the CB from the spot to the far rail, and have the CB come back and hit the cue, but it's only about 50% of the time. Any suggestions would certainly be appreciated.
Thanks
Not "Fast" Eddie :-(

Inconsistent stroke or swingin straight....which one?

 

[EagleMan]

I am curious, did you learn cte/pro1 from Stan shuffett?

Yes.

EagleMan

 

[RG1]

Yes.

EagleMan

So what did you think of it, were you able to understand it?

 

[EagleMan]

So what did you think of it, were you able to understand it?

I use it so...yes....I guess I understand it. (-:

It is a rule-based system but one that...like any other system can be caused to fail due to the vagaries of deflection/swerve/throw etc.

And it TAKES TIME to completely internalize just like anything else worthwhile to learn.

Personally, with CTE/Pro One I can SEE the lines that need to be seen...and they don't "vanish" on me like the Ghost Ball does....I mean (as an over-simplification) a line from the center of the CB to the edge of the OB doesn't vanish for me...it's just always there.

Would it be considered by most people to be a "complex system"?...Yes...especially relative to the Ghost Ball that can be explained in about one minute.

But it isn't all that hard to UNDERSTAND....just not easy to TAKE COMMAND OF.

Of course, Stan Shuffett is the originator of the CTE/Pro One system which he readily admits was inspired by the Hal Houle Center to Edge system.

Stan spent YEARS and COUNTLESS hours refining the original CTE system into what CTE/Pro One is today and has an outstanding DVD instructional video.

If you decide to go down that road DO YOURSELF A FAVOR and do NOT try to learn the system by Google or Youtube searches. You will just CONFUSE the hell out of yourself.

If you're going to learn CTE/Pro One...learn it from THE MAN....Stan Shuffett.

But if you want just a BASIC introduction into what CTE systems are all about IN GENERAL, go to Dr. Daves website:

billiards.colostate.edu/threads/aiming.html#CTE

and there you will find a fairly thorough description of the GENERAL IDEA of the various systems from Dr. Dave and several contributors...including AZ's own...dearly beloved "Spidey"...Spiderwebcomm who knows TEN TONS about CTE aiming.

Bottom line...I would STRONGLY recommend the system IF...IF...IF...you are willing to spend the TIME to adapt to the CTE/Pro One system. And I say again...it is NOT rocket science but DOES take time.*

(-:

EagleMan

*I think that league players have a hard time because they need to adapt faster than is possible so that their rating doesn't take a nose dive and they are suspected by their teammates of being on crack! So after a week they quit saying the method is not for them. (-:

I would say that you will need to PRACTICE BY YOURSELF in a non-competitive environment for AT LEAST a month which would include 3-4 multi-hour sessons a week to give the system HALF a chance.

If you do...I would be SHOCKED if your potting percentage doesn't go up considerably.

THESE ARE MY OWN PERSONAL OPINIONS. YOUR RESULTS MAY VARY.

 

[RG1]

ok, can you explain in more detail of what you mean by "It is a rule-based system but one that...like any other system can be caused to fail due to the vagaries of deflection/swerve/throw etc"