My Biggest Hurddle in Pool

softshot

softshot

Simplify
Silver Member
Self Congratulations..

I see the out... I play it perfectly.. and as I drop on the money ball my head says damn that was a nice run all that work is paying off good job...... RATTLE.. I missed

it happens over and over...

I am sewed up tighter than a nits wallet... and I see it... the miracle the two rail carom combo.. that gets me out of jail and opens the rack like a dream..

I pull it off...

I line up on that Mosconi caliber leave still celebrating the shot of a life time and miss a ball 3 inches from the pocket...

I am celebrating myself directly into defeat..

and its driving me nuts.....
 
I must be contagious! Sorry about that!

I was hoping I wasn't the only one taking the money ball for granted lately....lol
Although I'm generally not laughing too hard at the time. grrr.....
 
in the thread next door the same thing is happening to Minnesota Fats....

I don't feel AS bad as I did an hour ago LOL:thumbup:
 
Whew!
I fell somewhat better already!lol
I was afraid I was rubbing off on someone across the country that I haven't even played yet!

Now THAT'S Bad
 
Increased level of play.

This is something that most people dont ever realize and will never find the answer to. But you are very lucky because you have pinpointed your problem. So here is the answer. This is common when you start playing at a higher level. What is going on is that your increased level of play is causing you to lose focus. When you pull of an amazing shot or run 7 or 8 balls it causes you to lose focus. You usually tend to speed up. the adrenaline kicks in and you speed up mentally and physically from the excitement of your increased level of play. After pulling of an amazing shot or a 7 or 8 ball run, take addition time between the next shot, take a deep breath and focus more and stay down. Hope this helps.:thumbup:

softshot said:
Self Congratulations..

I see the out... I play it perfectly.. and as I drop on the money ball my head says damn that was a nice run all that work is paying off good job...... RATTLE.. I missed

it happens over and over...

I am sewed up tighter than a nits wallet... and I see it... the miracle the two rail carom combo.. that gets me out of jail and opens the rack like a dream..

I pull it off...

I line up on that Mosconi caliber leave still celebrating the shot of a life time and miss a ball 3 inches from the pocket...

I am celebrating myself directly into defeat..

and its driving me nuts.....
Click to expand...
 
jlrowe said:
This is something that most people dont ever realize and will never find the answer to. But you are very lucky because you have pinpointed your problem. So here is the answer. This is common when you start playing at a higher level. What is going on is that your increased level of play is causing you to lose focus. When you pull of an amazing shot or run 7 or 8 balls it causes you to lose focus. You usually tend to speed up. the adrenaline kicks in and you speed up mentally and physically from the excitement of your increased level of play. After pulling of an amazing shot or a 7 or 8 ball run, take addition time between the next shot, take a deep breath and focus more and stay down. Hope this helps.:thumbup:
Click to expand...

Great advice. I've read this in a few books and it really helps to take that mental break and refocus on the game and not take that last shot for granted
 
fsarfino said:
Great advice. I've read this in a few books and it really helps to take that mental break and refocus on the game and not take that last shot for granted
Click to expand...

the break bugs me though... I feed off of the rush of running balls... the more I make the better I feel there is an adrenalin thing..... I get better.. up to a point.... think Pace has to be part of my problem,...but lets face it... sometimes it is fun to just drill em... stroll around the table and they all drop........ but

reality sets in.. the zone is an imperfect state..as soon as you realize you are there you aren't there anymore.... its different for each of us but the same for all of us...

as soon as I figure out the perfect recipe I'll report back LOL:D


"Don't look at me for answers don't ask me I don't know"
~Ozzy~
 
softshot said:
Self Congratulations..

I see the out... I play it perfectly.. and as I drop on the money ball my head says damn that was a nice run all that work is paying off good job...... RATTLE.. I missed

it happens over and over...

I am sewed up tighter than a nits wallet... and I see it... the miracle the two rail carom combo.. that gets me out of jail and opens the rack like a dream..

I pull it off...

I line up on that Mosconi caliber leave still celebrating the shot of a life time and miss a ball 3 inches from the pocket...

I am celebrating myself directly into defeat..

and its driving me nuts.....
Click to expand...

Just imagine there is another ball on the table while shooting the money ball and play position for it. That way you won't be shooting half a shot.
 
I'm sure someone can answer this question.

What typically happens to (in this example) softshot's heart rate, breathing, muscle tension, and internal voice as the cheese gets so close he can smell it? I would think that "they" are ALL different than any other shot.

(a secondary point) Do you sometimes get down on the 9 ball and then determine what stroke/spin you are going to employ - knowing you don't need position on any next ball? Or have you already "designed" your shot before getting down on it? (honest answers only, lol)
 
I relax

KoolKat9Lives said:
I'm sure someone can answer this question.

What typically happens to (in this example) softshot's heart rate, breathing, muscle tension, and internal voice as the cheese gets so close he can smell it? I would think that "they" are ALL different than any other shot.

(a secondary point) Do you sometimes get down on the 9 ball and then determine what stroke/spin you are going to employ - knowing you don't need position on any next ball? Or have you already "designed" your shot before getting down on it? (honest answers only, lol)
Click to expand...

I can't speak for other people but I relax everything. I play with just the slightest bit of tension throughout my body. When it is a done deal that slight bit of tension in gone.

It has bit me in pool but the one time that I really remember was a mixed target pistol match. I was six or eight points in the lead from some targets scored by the point and the final stage was just a popper and five eight inch steel plates at ten or fifteen yards, easy money in the bank after some of the things I had already shot. Everybody had already ceded the match to me. Shooting the plates I normally shot them in the upper third for a little extra leverage since they had to fall for a hit to count. After I felt the trigger break for the last shot I relaxed. My sights had been about an inch inside the top of the plate. To everyone's amazement except mine the plate still stood. I lost the match on the last shot and I lost it because when I relaxed my sights moved up the tiniest hair. I doubt I missed the top of the plate an inch but that didn't matter. I went from an easy win to well down in the standings on the final shot anyone fired in the entire match!

The pistol shot illustrates just how fast the change in body tension can ruin a shot with a pistol or in pool. I felt the sear break and relaxed. In a split second the hammer falls, the primer detonates igniting the powder, and the bullet leaves the barrel. I relaxed enough in that split second to move my point of impact over an inch. That means that there is also plenty of time to change your stroke if you start relaxing after you start the forward stroke of the stick to hit the cue ball for that easy shot or the win. It isn't really necessary to stay down on the shot after the stick hits the cue but it does insure that you don't come off of the shot that split second early.

Hu
 
Problem Solved...For me

I was running into this problem ALL THE TIME! Yesterday I was on my 4th hour of playing the Ghost when I had an epiphany.... When you get down for the money ball and it's an easy shot, think about where the cue ball will naturally go. Once you know where it will go, think about the exact point on the table it will go to. Then go ahead and shoot your shot and try to see if you can get the cue ball exactly where you thought. This made me slow down and think again, even on the easy shot where my leave didn't matter. I think the leave is what makes us shoot everything else so much more carefully.
 
MilwShooter said:
I was running into this problem ALL THE TIME! Yesterday I was on my 4th hour of playing the Ghost when I had an epiphany.... When you get down for the money ball and it's an easy shot, think about where the cue ball will naturally go. Once you know where it will go, think about the exact point on the table it will go to. Then go ahead and shoot your shot and try to see if you can get the cue ball exactly where you thought. This made me slow down and think again, even on the easy shot where my leave didn't matter. I think the leave is what makes us shoot everything else so much more carefully.
Click to expand...


I like this idea, i think ill try it out.
 
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