How many points of bad advice in this article published by AZ can you find?
https://www.azbilliards.com/how-to-quickly-improve-your-pool-game/
https://www.azbilliards.com/how-to-quickly-improve-your-pool-game/
Just because it's published, it doesn't mean it's right.
- Thread starter FranCrimi
- Start date
boogieman
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping.
"You can bet on a billiards game in an online casino."
It's pretty generic advice, the kind you would find on most sites directing you to an online casino or products to buy. It says a lot without actually explaining the process or how to do what it's talking about. Fluff.
It's pretty generic advice, the kind you would find on most sites directing you to an online casino or products to buy. It says a lot without actually explaining the process or how to do what it's talking about. Fluff.
I think it's even worse than just fluff. There's some really bad advice there. For example: Imagine a player trying to make his upper arm parallel to his cue. Yikes.
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I don't understand how AZ could publish something like that. They know pool.
Pretty horrible decision.
Best way to see if something works is to try it, and see if it works for you.
Sort of like asking some 10 random New Yorkers for a great BAGLE in NYC,
Sure you will get more than one correct answers. All I know is there are many great BAGLE shops in big apple,
Sort of like asking some 10 random New Yorkers for a great BAGLE in NYC,
Sure you will get more than one correct answers. All I know is there are many great BAGLE shops in big apple,
Nope, not April 1st. Had to check. I wonder who Larry really is. The innerwebz knows nothing of him. I have asked Mike about it.
dquarasr
Registered
And betting via an online casino in that paragraph definitely was a non sequitur. It was just plopped at the end of the topic of stance. It doesn't belong there. So, not only was it providing misinformation, it wasn't edited very well, either.
I'm an advanced beginner level player (low intermediate, on my best days) and even at that I know most of what was posited was incorrect. Sad.
For the record
Larry is not me
LOL! I know! Where'd that come from? One minute he's talking about stance and then suddenly there's online casino betting, which by the way, makes me think this person is not from the U.S.. We don't have online betting for pool here, but it does exist in other countries. Not sure if it's in casinos though, although I would'nt be surprised at all if they do bet on pool/snooker in Macau casinos.
Another faux pas is the photo. I know it says AZ, it might just be the property of AZ, but who put that there? Does that player look like his upper arm is parallel to his cue?
Not nearly enough, and why I'm being so critical. This is why I became an instructor. I witnessed too many players' games ruined by well-intended people with bad information.
It's odd that when you look up AZB columns, this guy's name isn't found anywhere. There are quite a few columns written by some well-known instructors, but nothing found from "Larry Bankhouse".
So I have to ask, is it really an AZB article/column? If so, who decides which columns get accepted/published and which don't?
So I have to ask, is it really an AZB article/column? If so, who decides which columns get accepted/published and which don't?
I think the concept of the article is an interesting proposition: You have a very short article (this one is 624 words) in which to significantly improve the ability or level of play of a typical beginner (who is presumably interested enough to read an article on AZ, but still a casual player).
How do you approach it? What takeaways do you want to give them?
Some simple fundamentals?
Try to steer them into serious practice or instruction?
A couple of quick fixes that don't touch anything too heavy?
(I didn't write the original piece, in case anyone sees this as a veiled defence!)
How do you approach it? What takeaways do you want to give them?
Some simple fundamentals?
Try to steer them into serious practice or instruction?
A couple of quick fixes that don't touch anything too heavy?
(I didn't write the original piece, in case anyone sees this as a veiled defence!)
In my opinion, the primary intent or take away from this article is right here:
"You can bet on a billiards game in an online casino."
In other words, it seems like a decoy article designed to simply get readers to CLICK the casino link, as if the article wasn't written to help amateur players get better at all.
I could be wrong. Nevertheless, the author isn't targeting beginners. He specifically mentions amateur players that are looking to improve quickly, not beginner players.
The topics are very good - Grip, Stance, Alignment, PSR. These things, if taught properly and effectively, can certainly improve any player's pool game. But the author doesn't provide much solid or useful information.
The fix requires an entire rewrite.
In a short article for near beginners, I think you have to cover these two.
Now I understand. I'm not permitted to click on that link but I didn't try until just now.
I tried to find an online presence for the author but The Google knows nothing about him. Now we know why.
REAL TIPS TO HELP PLAYERS IMPROVE
If any instructors want to correct me on this stuff, or add more useful info to it, please don't hesitate. Most of this advice comes from years of experience combined with plenty of instructional reading.
GRIP: A super firm grip is not needed. Power is generated by speed, not by using a firm white-knuckle grip on the cue.
Simply cradle the cue with enough hand/finger pressure to swing it back and forth without dropping it or losing it. (Best advice I've read is to hold it like a baby bird - tight enough to keep it from getting away, but not so tight that you smother it.)
It's important to note that during the back and forth motion of the stroke, the grip pressure changes slightly throughout the hand/fingers while the wrist bends to allow the cue to move freely, a smooth back and forth motion. If the grip is too firm, this free-flowing movement isn't too smooth.
When shooting firm, don't think "Hammer it!" That causes the hand to grip the cue too tight during stroke delivery, which can cause inaccurate tip contact. Probably the #1 reason a lot of players miss shots whenever they shoot hard/firm.
For better results, think "Smooth stroke, big follow through!" It's the speed of the cue that sends the cb on its way, not the strength of your muscles.
STANCE: Stand in a manner that feels comfortable, natural. Your stance should enable you to stroke the cue in a fluid, unhindered motion. This means body type can play a role in your specific stance, so there is no one-stance-fits-all.
Regardless of your specific or particular stance, body weight should be balanced as evenly as possible between your feet/legs.
Typically, when it comes to footing, the front foot is pointed more forward (parallel to the shot line), while the back foot is positioned more perpendicular to the shot line, which helps provide a more balanced, solid and stable body position.
ALIGNMENT: Alignment is the process of getting your body (stance) and your cue (stroke) positioned properly to perform a shot.
The stance is generally set/built referencing the line the cue stick needs to be on in order to send the cb to where it needs to go.
Begin by visualizing this line, then step into the alignment with your back foot, placing it nearly perpendicular to the visualized line (the line should be about even with the toes). The front foot then naturally falls into position a step forward and about a foot or so away from the referenced/visualized line. The front foot is usually pointing more in a forward direction compared to the back foot.
Bend down and place your bridge hand about 8 inches or so from the cb and bring your cue into the line, placing the tip close to the cb. Make sure not to accidentally touch it! Focus on exactly where you want the tip to strike the cb.
This is your full stance position. With the cue addressing the cb, your grip hand and wrist should be relaxed and straight down (not bent inward or outward or forward or backward).
The entire stroking arm (shoulder, elbow, forearm and wrist) should be on the same line as the cue (more like a vertical plane from the floor to the ceiling). This means the forearm should be perpendicular (90°) to the cue, which ensures optimal timing of the stroke so that the tip contacts the cb where you intend.
PSR: This involves the visualization and alignment processes.
Visualize the shot in its entirety - the path of the cb, the direction the ob will go, etc... This could involve walking around to get a different perspective of the shot.
Step into the shot, getting your stance and stroke aligned properly. Address the cb and ensure that everything looks and feels good. Take a few practice strokes to help gage the speed you need to use. Once you feel locked in, the only thing left to do is to perform the shot.
PERFORM: Let your body and mind stroke the shot without any conscious reservations/thoughts or actions interfering with the process. Performance is the final act.
***
To sum up: Every shot should get a fair amount of treatment/attention.
First, analyze the table and determine what needs to happen. This involves strategy and concious thought. Once a plan is decided upon and a shot is selected, the PSR for that shot begins, which involves visualizing the shot and aligning your body/stance for the shot.
If anything feels off or distracting, or if you change your mind about the shot or the spin or speed or whatever, stand up and reevaluate the situation. Restart the PSR when you decide on the shot.
Once everything feels locked in, perform the shot with confidence. If you don't know, or can't feel or tell if you're really locked in, and no better option is available, you should still try to play the shot with all the confidence you can muster.
If any instructors want to correct me on this stuff, or add more useful info to it, please don't hesitate. Most of this advice comes from years of experience combined with plenty of instructional reading.
GRIP: A super firm grip is not needed. Power is generated by speed, not by using a firm white-knuckle grip on the cue.
Simply cradle the cue with enough hand/finger pressure to swing it back and forth without dropping it or losing it. (Best advice I've read is to hold it like a baby bird - tight enough to keep it from getting away, but not so tight that you smother it.)
It's important to note that during the back and forth motion of the stroke, the grip pressure changes slightly throughout the hand/fingers while the wrist bends to allow the cue to move freely, a smooth back and forth motion. If the grip is too firm, this free-flowing movement isn't too smooth.
When shooting firm, don't think "Hammer it!" That causes the hand to grip the cue too tight during stroke delivery, which can cause inaccurate tip contact. Probably the #1 reason a lot of players miss shots whenever they shoot hard/firm.
For better results, think "Smooth stroke, big follow through!" It's the speed of the cue that sends the cb on its way, not the strength of your muscles.
STANCE: Stand in a manner that feels comfortable, natural. Your stance should enable you to stroke the cue in a fluid, unhindered motion. This means body type can play a role in your specific stance, so there is no one-stance-fits-all.
Regardless of your specific or particular stance, body weight should be balanced as evenly as possible between your feet/legs.
Typically, when it comes to footing, the front foot is pointed more forward (parallel to the shot line), while the back foot is positioned more perpendicular to the shot line, which helps provide a more balanced, solid and stable body position.
ALIGNMENT: Alignment is the process of getting your body (stance) and your cue (stroke) positioned properly to perform a shot.
The stance is generally set/built referencing the line the cue stick needs to be on in order to send the cb to where it needs to go.
Begin by visualizing this line, then step into the alignment with your back foot, placing it nearly perpendicular to the visualized line (the line should be about even with the toes). The front foot then naturally falls into position a step forward and about a foot or so away from the referenced/visualized line. The front foot is usually pointing more in a forward direction compared to the back foot.
Bend down and place your bridge hand about 8 inches or so from the cb and bring your cue into the line, placing the tip close to the cb. Make sure not to accidentally touch it! Focus on exactly where you want the tip to strike the cb.
This is your full stance position. With the cue addressing the cb, your grip hand and wrist should be relaxed and straight down (not bent inward or outward or forward or backward).
The entire stroking arm (shoulder, elbow, forearm and wrist) should be on the same line as the cue (more like a vertical plane from the floor to the ceiling). This means the forearm should be perpendicular (90°) to the cue, which ensures optimal timing of the stroke so that the tip contacts the cb where you intend.
PSR: This involves the visualization and alignment processes.
Visualize the shot in its entirety - the path of the cb, the direction the ob will go, etc... This could involve walking around to get a different perspective of the shot.
Step into the shot, getting your stance and stroke aligned properly. Address the cb and ensure that everything looks and feels good. Take a few practice strokes to help gage the speed you need to use. Once you feel locked in, the only thing left to do is to perform the shot.
PERFORM: Let your body and mind stroke the shot without any conscious reservations/thoughts or actions interfering with the process. Performance is the final act.
***
To sum up: Every shot should get a fair amount of treatment/attention.
First, analyze the table and determine what needs to happen. This involves strategy and concious thought. Once a plan is decided upon and a shot is selected, the PSR for that shot begins, which involves visualizing the shot and aligning your body/stance for the shot.
If anything feels off or distracting, or if you change your mind about the shot or the spin or speed or whatever, stand up and reevaluate the situation. Restart the PSR when you decide on the shot.
Once everything feels locked in, perform the shot with confidence. If you don't know, or can't feel or tell if you're really locked in, and no better option is available, you should still try to play the shot with all the confidence you can muster.