Is it too late for someone my age to become great at pool?

aeoliner said:
i know that i am new to the game of pool when compared to you guys but if you ask me your first cue should be around $50 to $100 but no more than $200, this way you can be able to get a good idea of what you like and don't like in a pool cue before spending a lot of money into it

$50-100 is just barely better than a house cue. I think your better off spending $200 so that your not replacing your cue within a year. But you will want to try some cues out and see what feels good, don't order one from a website if you can help it.
 
i'm a cripple these days. i'm 40 I just started back a few months ago, I played for 22 years but about 10 hardcore, 4 almost nothing and the rest at home not to serious, anyways i'm full of drugs now and can onlyplay 1-4 days a week for an hour and am almost playing my best ever, if I didnt have the drugs-no i'm not addicted and not hard drugs, medium pain drugs. but if i could be healthy i would be better than ever by the 6 ball, perhaps the 5, when i was young my mind was noisy and i just couldnt get there, now i play in pain, drugs, and infrequently and play guys that would have robbed me before when i had everything going right, its all in the mind, my stroke is good, my mind is good, i'm realistic about my skill level and am suprized at how I can play despite everything wrong.

i'm not scared of anyone, i wsa before, not now-sure i need a spot from some guys but other guys that would have run me over when I was 26 I can beat now and i'm a mess from a back disease,

its all in the mind after the fundememtals, go see scott lee get your stroke in order and then see what happens, i started back for thearapy for my back, i had no expectation to play good, i'm playing 10 times better than i thought, its finally comming together for me, i dont know why,

look at cardone he is 63 and super strong, efren is 55 and is beating people on the moon, jay helfert dosent have to like playing me. shane VB well he is young, when i was his age i improved slowly now i improve everyweek, my friends-better players can see it, i can see it, age dont matter, its your mind, think earl is to old to win it all...no he needs help, i feel bad for him-he shouldnt be embarassed we all have things, i hope he comes back,

just do it and see what happens, for me i waited 20 years for it to wake up in me. in SVB it woke up sooner thats all. who knows what happened to efren? respect
 
Thanks everyone for sharing your inspirational stories and honesty. I just got back from practicing, my car had a flat tire so my practice was cut short because of it. I did run some drills and realize I tend to stroke too hard; the cueball keep running away from me. But it was a good day, my draw shot feel is better, I was able to draw to specific spots.

I also tried practicing with some english, it's extremely tough to adjust for the deflection. I'll keep working on it some more tomorrow. Anyone has tips in shooting english, please share :)

Oh, I'm gonna be in the market for a cue soon, what weight should I get? What tip size is best?
 
Old players

housecue said:
First, just want to say hello everyone. :) I discover pool 2 yrs ago when I was 30. I immediately fell in love with the game and have play almost daily. My game has improved alot since then but I still suck compare to everyone here. I tried playing against the Ghost and I lost to 4 ball ghost with score of 6-7. Watching the pros running racks so effortlessly seems out of this world, but at the same time very inspiring. I hope to one day be able to do the same, but I have to wonder if it is even possible at my age. Whenever I read about the pros, one common theme I notice is most started playing when they were around ten yrs old, and practically grew up in the poolhall. So is it impossible for me since I started so late?

PS: By the way, I chose the handle "housecue" because that's what I play with. haha

I started recently & I'm 65. I could no longer compete full force at powerlifting without injuries. I'm confident that pool can be an outlet for my competitive tendencies for many years to come. If I had started at age 30, who knows? As long as I continue to progress, I will be satisfied.
 
Talent shows early. I think in two years, you've made shots you didn't think you can, beaten players against whom you had no chance and won some, you could be a player. Then again, if you haven't had successes already, then not. If you haven't got the time, you need the talent to be pro level. If you haven't got either, have fun but yes its impossible. :cool:
 
Not buying it.

housecue said:
Thanks everyone for sharing your inspirational stories and honesty. I just got back from practicing, my car had a flat tire so my practice was cut short because of it. I did run some drills and realize I tend to stroke too hard; the cueball keep running away from me. But it was a good day, my draw shot feel is better, I was able to draw to specific spots.

I also tried practicing with some english, it's extremely tough to adjust for the deflection. I'll keep working on it some more tomorrow. Anyone has tips in shooting english, please share :)

Oh, I'm gonna be in the market for a cue soon, what weight should I get? What tip size is best?


There indeed have been some great posts in this thread, but I'm having a difficult time believing that housecue's story is true.
 
Da Poet said:
There indeed have been some great posts in this thread, but I'm having a difficult time believing that housecue's story is true.

Ya don't think this is Walt's alter ego? He's like an apparition. I see a little of him in all of the new guys. :D
JoeyA
 
housecue said:
Thanks for the welcome. Yea, you are right, I know it might be a stretch to become a pro, but I love pushing myself and wether I succeed or not isn't as important as how much fun I am having learning the game.

Age is just a number...determination and eyesight are the major factor. Have fun with it!... BigJohn
 
Bigjohn said:
Age is just a number...determination and eyesight are the major factor. Have fun with it!... BigJohn

Absolutely age is just a number ... now what comes after 63 ?
 
housecue said:
The poster is having a hard time believing that your story is true because you had just mentioned that you had tried out some english and were having a hard time adjusting to the required compensation. You have been playing for about two years. Your question in the title of the thread asks if you could become a champion.

Those items just don't fit together very well. Most players here, even though they are nowhere near championship level, learned how to use side spin a long time ago. So the idea of someone aspiring to be a pool champion who has not learned to spin the ball after two years of play floors them.

I think the most important thing for you to do is to get to a pool hall and see how the average room players play. Get the local pool newspaper. Visit five or six pool halls. Go watch tournaments at Hard Times in Bellflower. If you like books, get Capelle, Byrne, Fels and Martin. Find a billiard supply store -- they should have some of those books. Get lessons. Capelle is more or less in your area. One thing you can fix without spending a lot of time on the table yourself is your lack of knowledge about the game.
 
housecue said:
Thanks everyone for sharing your inspirational stories and honesty. I just got back from practicing, my car had a flat tire so my practice was cut short because of it. I did run some drills and realize I tend to stroke too hard; the cueball keep running away from me. But it was a good day, my draw shot feel is better, I was able to draw to specific spots.

I also tried practicing with some english, it's extremely tough to adjust for the deflection. I'll keep working on it some more tomorrow. Anyone has tips in shooting english, please share :)

Oh, I'm gonna be in the market for a cue soon, what weight should I get? What tip size is best?


too much too fast, slow down, find a cue that you like and can afford, 19 oz with a 12.75mm shaft is a good starting point, after that work on your fundementals, stancem stroke, keeping down on the shot, all basic stuff, get good at that


then


worry about drawing to a spot, or following to a spot, learn how to cut balls with NO english, down the road then learn how to use side spin.

my point is take it one step at a time, if you dont know what cue to use you are way ahead of your self learning english shots
 
Bob Jewett said:
The poster is having a hard time believing that your story is true because you had just mentioned that you had tried out some english and were having a hard time adjusting to the required compensation. You have been playing for about two years. Your question in the title of the thread asks if you could become a champion.

Those items just don't fit together very well. Most players here, even though they are nowhere near championship level, learned how to use side spin a long time ago. So the idea of someone aspiring to be a pool champion who has not learned to spin the ball after two years of play floors them.

I think the most important thing for you to do is to get to a pool hall and see how the average room players play. Get the local pool newspaper. Visit five or six pool halls. Go watch tournaments at Hard Times in Bellflower. If you like books, get Capelle, Byrne, Fels and Martin. Find a billiard supply store -- they should have some of those books. Get lessons. Capelle is more or less in your area. One thing you can fix without spending a lot of time on the table yourself is your lack of knowledge about the game.

Also Bob, no complaints or mention about practicing this stuff with a different cue each time.

Also, runs his own business, but can't afford a cue.

Plays regularly in suburban Los Angeles, and has no "clue" where the serious players are.

Never posted before, but jumps right in starting a thread and easily responding quickly and comfortably.

Deflected Jay's question on where he might have played.

Didn't respond to my earlier question.

No verifiable information whatsoever.

Why on earth would someone feel the need to say they have no clue where the serious players play without asking if anyone here knew? After two years of "serious" playing? Doesn't know this? (I know I repeated myself a little)

Each thing kind of small, but a peculiar pattern none the less.


I want to be the first one to welcome any new poster to the forum, and I pride myself in never having recieved any negative rep since I jumped in, but this thing just doesn't make any sense.
 
Da Poet said:
Also Bob, no complaints or mention about practicing this stuff with a different cue each time.

Also, runs his own business, but can't afford a cue.

Plays regularly in suburban Los Angeles, and has no "clue" where the serious players are.

Never posted before, but jumps right in starting a thread and easily responding quickly and comfortably.

Deflected Jay's question on where he might have played.

Didn't respond to my earlier question.

No verifiable information whatsoever.

Why on earth would someone feel the need to say they have no clue where the serious players play without asking if anyone here knew? After two years of "serious" playing? Doesn't know this? (I know I repeated myself a little)

Each thing kind of small, but a peculiar pattern none the less.


I want to be the first one to welcome any new poster to the forum, and I pride myself in never having recieved any negative rep since I jumped in, but this thing just doesn't make any sense.
Agreed on all counts!!!
 
Da Poet said:
Also Bob, no complaints or mention about practicing this stuff with a different cue each time.

Also, runs his own business, but can't afford a cue.

Plays regularly in suburban Los Angeles, and has no "clue" where the serious players are.

Never posted before, but jumps right in starting a thread and easily responding quickly and comfortably.

Deflected Jay's question on where he might have played.

Didn't respond to my earlier question.

No verifiable information whatsoever.

Why on earth would someone feel the need to say they have no clue where the serious players play without asking if anyone here knew? After two years of "serious" playing? Doesn't know this? (I know I repeated myself a little)

Each thing kind of small, but a peculiar pattern none the less.


I want to be the first one to welcome any new poster to the forum, and I pride myself in never having recieved any negative rep since I jumped in, but this thing just doesn't make any sense.

Oh I see. I think you made some false assumptions. Allow me to clearify. I discover pool 2 years ago when I went to hang out with friends at a local bar, we were drinking and banging the balls around, it was so much fun it became our normal hangout. I wasn't serious about the game until later. It was more for socializing at that time. It was not until recently that I became serious about improving. So I stop playing barbox and move up to poolhall. That's why I don't know where serious players play, I'm still new to the scene. Regarding the cue, I simply never baught one not that I can't afford one, house cue was sufficient and convinient for me. I don't have the fortune like some of you to know a knowledgable person to teach you all the concepts of pool. I have to figure it out on my own. As I keep learning and practicing, my love for the game seems to grow deeper everyday, and watching the pros play so amazingly on Youtube made me wonder if I could ever be that good, so I register to ask that question. That's how I ended up here. This place seems like a good place to seek knowledge and advice. By the way, responding quickly and comfortably in a forum is something I do naturally. :p You might be over analyzing a bit. You know it would be great if I was only faking my newbie status, and am actually Efren Reyes in discuise but sadly I am who I am.
 
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