Well I finally decided to take some lessons, and why not start with one of the most famous Texas pros Charlie Hillbilly Bryant! I met Charlie at Rusty’s in Arlington for a 2 hour private lesson. His first lesson is always two hours he explained, but it was really closer to three hours after we were finished, though he only charged for two. A little background on myself would probably be helpful. I’m a middle level pool player, run the occasional rack of nine ball, and regularly get knocked out in the semifinals of local tournaments by some of the stronger players. I’ve ordered DVDs, have a number of books, but have balked at lessons due to their cost, and have questions of my own regarding instructors’ billiard philosophies. Randy G’s school is nearby, but the cost of his pool school has been prohibitive thus far. So when I learned Hillbilly was in town and offering lessons for a reasonable amount, I jumped on the opportunity.
During my lesson with Charlie, the sheer amount of knowledge that he offered was both astounding and initially overwhelming. I had planned to bring a notebook to jot down notes, but inconveniently forgot it. Thankfully, Charlie kept copious notes and had handouts for everything that we worked on that day. I was surprised at the amount of time we spent on foot position, grip, and pre-shot routine. Most of the two hours was spent discussing the first minute or so before you actually take a shot. And as I mentioned I was surprised that I needed so much work on “the basics” since I’ve been playing for a while and am a fairly decent player. I’ve watched plenty of DVDs and read books mentioning the mechanics, have worked on them and have been told I have strong fundamentals, but it’s completely different when you have an instructor there to review your movements and tweak them. During the entire lesson Charlie took the time to explain everything clearly, and patiently ensured that I had all my questions answered, and I had quite a few! He even encouraged me to call him when I had questions about practice shots, and he offers a great website with loads of information and online instruction.
Towards the end of the lesson, it was clear that Charlie was treating this as the first stage of a long journey together. He mapped out the next stages of learning and explained the amount of time we would need to spend together. I left the lesson a little overwhelmed, and uncertain about all the information that had been given to me. After all, I had nothing to compare the lesson to, but I did have great confidence that Charlie’s own technique had gotten him to the professional level, and thus took solace in his success as a player. I also felt like I had met a person who could mentor me through me development as a player, an invaluable relationship for a player wanting to improve their game.
So it’s been a week since my lesson. I decided to begin incorporating just a few of his techniques into my shooting each week so that I could master them and then continue adding in more. Well shockingly after the first week, I’m beginning to run racks occasionally (probably 1 rack for every 5), something that I would usually do once a week rather than multiple times a session. Another player who recommended that I take Charlie’s lessons said that his game improved by 30%. I can’t quantify at this point, and I’ve only incorporated the first few techniques Charlie taught me, but I’m already seeing big improvements, and am looking forward to integrating the more advanced steps he provided. My guess is that his two hour lesson will take me 8-10 weeks to finally work through and use consistently, and I’m looking forward to seeing how much my game will improve by then.
There’s a distinct difference in shooting philosophies within the billiard world, and I suppose opposing philosophies develop within any large community. As with child rearing or dog training, there doesn’t appear to be “one” path to success but rather one that works for the individual. Charlie’s philosophy and approach diverges from Randy’s and Scott’s. So if you’ve had lessons with those instructors, be prepared to have Charlie offer you a different path. I don’t know if this is “good” or “bad,” probably like most things in life, it’s just “different.” I imagine the real judge is the player.
So for any players out there in the Texas area, or any players that run across Charlie in the major tournaments offering lessons, I highly recommend you take a lesson from him. I know he’s already done quite a bit for my game and the game of some of the other players in the DFW area.
Thanks again Charlie, I look forward to the journey together.-Ryan
During my lesson with Charlie, the sheer amount of knowledge that he offered was both astounding and initially overwhelming. I had planned to bring a notebook to jot down notes, but inconveniently forgot it. Thankfully, Charlie kept copious notes and had handouts for everything that we worked on that day. I was surprised at the amount of time we spent on foot position, grip, and pre-shot routine. Most of the two hours was spent discussing the first minute or so before you actually take a shot. And as I mentioned I was surprised that I needed so much work on “the basics” since I’ve been playing for a while and am a fairly decent player. I’ve watched plenty of DVDs and read books mentioning the mechanics, have worked on them and have been told I have strong fundamentals, but it’s completely different when you have an instructor there to review your movements and tweak them. During the entire lesson Charlie took the time to explain everything clearly, and patiently ensured that I had all my questions answered, and I had quite a few! He even encouraged me to call him when I had questions about practice shots, and he offers a great website with loads of information and online instruction.
Towards the end of the lesson, it was clear that Charlie was treating this as the first stage of a long journey together. He mapped out the next stages of learning and explained the amount of time we would need to spend together. I left the lesson a little overwhelmed, and uncertain about all the information that had been given to me. After all, I had nothing to compare the lesson to, but I did have great confidence that Charlie’s own technique had gotten him to the professional level, and thus took solace in his success as a player. I also felt like I had met a person who could mentor me through me development as a player, an invaluable relationship for a player wanting to improve their game.
So it’s been a week since my lesson. I decided to begin incorporating just a few of his techniques into my shooting each week so that I could master them and then continue adding in more. Well shockingly after the first week, I’m beginning to run racks occasionally (probably 1 rack for every 5), something that I would usually do once a week rather than multiple times a session. Another player who recommended that I take Charlie’s lessons said that his game improved by 30%. I can’t quantify at this point, and I’ve only incorporated the first few techniques Charlie taught me, but I’m already seeing big improvements, and am looking forward to integrating the more advanced steps he provided. My guess is that his two hour lesson will take me 8-10 weeks to finally work through and use consistently, and I’m looking forward to seeing how much my game will improve by then.
There’s a distinct difference in shooting philosophies within the billiard world, and I suppose opposing philosophies develop within any large community. As with child rearing or dog training, there doesn’t appear to be “one” path to success but rather one that works for the individual. Charlie’s philosophy and approach diverges from Randy’s and Scott’s. So if you’ve had lessons with those instructors, be prepared to have Charlie offer you a different path. I don’t know if this is “good” or “bad,” probably like most things in life, it’s just “different.” I imagine the real judge is the player.
So for any players out there in the Texas area, or any players that run across Charlie in the major tournaments offering lessons, I highly recommend you take a lesson from him. I know he’s already done quite a bit for my game and the game of some of the other players in the DFW area.
Thanks again Charlie, I look forward to the journey together.-Ryan
