I feel I use to shoot much better. I was much more consistent and confident. May have played with more of an edge. Cared more about winning and losing. Today I care more about being consistent. I really feel something has changed with my stroke and I just can't figure it out. I am just doing what I think has always felt natural. I may have changed something to be more fundamental as I have read and watched more video over the years about pool. I did break my arm a couple years ago but don't really feel thats an issue. Thinking of taking lessons just to have someone who help me get my stoke back. I have tried drills and one day I shoot good and the next I suck. I don't mind losing so much these days. Hate shooting bad. Only other difference I have noticed is the need for reading glasses but again table and balls look clear.
Lost my confidence
- Thread starter jburkm002
- Start date
You need to get your dominant eye in the correct position.
You may be right. Thinking of finding an instructor. I will be asking a few questions before going with one. Right now I just want the basics or better yet. Someone who can tell me what my flaws are and help correct them. I can shoot a pretty good game on a bar box but whatever flaws I have really show up on a 9 footer. .
Scott Lee did wonders for my game. I couldn't recommend him more.
Perhaps you've discovered things other than pool, something else you enjoy and you're no longer 100% billiards. New job, new girl, new child, new house, another hobby, or whatever...
I notice you said you once played with an edge, and you cared more about winning and losing, or something along those lines. I sometimes talk about our little group here used to be so much better when we were all a bunch of bastards and everyone hated us. But as we grew up, our lives and outlook changed. Some of us married, had kids, bought houses, and suddenly there were other things besides pool. We got older, our group dynamics changed, and as much as we loved the game, we found that we had other things in common besides pool and we began to enjoy each others company like normal friends, it was weird.
We all still loved to play and win, but more than that we wanted to just get better and hang out. We're all still pretty competitive, there are just other things in our lives now and while pool still holds an important place for me, there are now other important things too. Maybe your game hasn't changed as much as you have...
or maybe you need to to correct your dominent eye? What the hell do I know.
I notice you said you once played with an edge, and you cared more about winning and losing, or something along those lines. I sometimes talk about our little group here used to be so much better when we were all a bunch of bastards and everyone hated us. But as we grew up, our lives and outlook changed. Some of us married, had kids, bought houses, and suddenly there were other things besides pool. We got older, our group dynamics changed, and as much as we loved the game, we found that we had other things in common besides pool and we began to enjoy each others company like normal friends, it was weird.
We all still loved to play and win, but more than that we wanted to just get better and hang out. We're all still pretty competitive, there are just other things in our lives now and while pool still holds an important place for me, there are now other important things too. Maybe your game hasn't changed as much as you have...
or maybe you need to to correct your dominent eye? What the hell do I know.
Do not ignore the importance of "accurate aiming" warm up strokes, especially If you go down quick without looking at CB/OB line up aim point. Usually warm up strokes are the most missed/forgotten check list for basic shots. Other players like Lee Van, usually go down accurate he does not need long warm ups. You could practice for hours playing like a pro, and in a match suck due to this issue-very critical, especially if you miss balls that you normally make.
Playing bad
You are like all of us.When you play bad it is no fun, and some shy away then from playing.My brother in law was good friends with Jim Thome who played with the Cleve. Indians. One day he told my brother in law he could not make breakfast because he wanted to get to the park early for batting practice.He had been in a slump and said "the only way out of it is to play through it" . It drives me crazy when I don't feel right at the table , I go back to the basics and hit a ton of balls as often as I can until I am pocketing balls with confidence. I figure if it is good for a Major league ball player it has to be good for me. To avoid any debates with anyone , this is what works for me.
You are like all of us.When you play bad it is no fun, and some shy away then from playing.My brother in law was good friends with Jim Thome who played with the Cleve. Indians. One day he told my brother in law he could not make breakfast because he wanted to get to the park early for batting practice.He had been in a slump and said "the only way out of it is to play through it" . It drives me crazy when I don't feel right at the table , I go back to the basics and hit a ton of balls as often as I can until I am pocketing balls with confidence. I figure if it is good for a Major league ball player it has to be good for me. To avoid any debates with anyone , this is what works for me.
I agree with Franko. Have to play through it. Gotta keep trying to get better.
Yep. Play through. Compete/play against others as much as you can, no matter the skill level, as much as possible. Enter some small bar tourneys. It'll come back, I promise.
Its a too-muh.
I agree with what others have said about playing through it but I would like to add that more than likely you need to go over your basics. when I am in a slump I notice that there is usually something not right with my stance, grip stroke follow through et cetera.
Having a instructor help you through this (and help you learn to work through this on your own) is worth every penny. Scott Lee, Randy G, and a few others that post on here travel quite a bit teaching people, chance are that one of them could be in your area soon. Send one of them a PM and if they can't help you they will find someone who can who is qualified.
it snotta too muh!
Come on. Don't be that old guy who says "I used to play much better".
That's such a stereotype. You run into ten of those dudes at every pool hall.
I bet you're not even that old.
Don't be the one who plays some kid, misses, then says something like
"I used to shoot like a champion but pretty much just bang 'em around these days"
Fuсk that, fight that attitude. It's a losing mindset. In terms of pool knowledge, you are stronger
now than you ever were last year or ten years ago. There's no reason you can't combine
that knowledge with your hand-eye coordination and play better than you ever did.
Your eyes aren't gone, right? Your back arm doesn't shake too badly?
So get up there, aim, move your arm in a straight line, and make ball after ball.
That's such a stereotype. You run into ten of those dudes at every pool hall.
I bet you're not even that old.
Don't be the one who plays some kid, misses, then says something like
"I used to shoot like a champion but pretty much just bang 'em around these days"
Fuсk that, fight that attitude. It's a losing mindset. In terms of pool knowledge, you are stronger
now than you ever were last year or ten years ago. There's no reason you can't combine
that knowledge with your hand-eye coordination and play better than you ever did.
Your eyes aren't gone, right? Your back arm doesn't shake too badly?
So get up there, aim, move your arm in a straight line, and make ball after ball.