New Guy - Advice Wanted

G.Ouellet

G.Ouellet

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What's up AZBilliards!

I have just registered to this forum after learning from a friend that this was the best online community regarding billiard. It was also the first time I had to google the answer to a security question while registering to a forum :grin:.

So here I am, 25 years old guy from Québec, Canada. I recently decided to pursue pool as a more serious hobby, after teaching myself to play foosball competitively. I've always considered myself ''alright'' at pool from a layman point of view, but after getting my ass kicked by a friend and league player in 8-ball my ego took the best of me and I decided to practice and see how far I could push myself in this sport. While doing so I really discovered a passion.

I found alot of great instructional videos on youtube, about different types of strokes, english and cue ball control. I don't consider myself a total amateur, here are my issues:

- How should I schedule my practice time? Am I better off just playing, playing and playing for a while until I get the hang of it or should I do drills? a mix of both?

- Should I be playing all the variants of pool, 8,9,10 ball or focus on one or another to get better fast?

- Should I be playing on bar table to practice cue ball control or bigger tables to practice long shots.

Basically I want to get better as fast as I can and am wondering how I should proceed, I have alot of free time and I just bought myself a nice cue stick.


Thanks alot!
 
Play 8 and 9 and 10 they will all make u better. Try too play few hours a day if u could. As far as videos zero x is one of the best out there and its free welcome too the site I hope u injoy only way u will get better is too just play do rail shots cut shots do stroke shots try diff spins right left draw ect try too focus on few things at a time u don't wanna over welm ur self idk hope this helps
 
G.Ouellet said:
What's up AZBilliards!

.......

- How should I schedule my practice time? Am I better off just playing, playing and playing for a while until I get the hang of it or should I do drills? a mix of both?

- Should I be playing all the variants of pool, 8,9,10 ball or focus on one or another to get better fast?

- Should I be playing on bar table to practice cue ball control or bigger tables to practice long shots.

Basically I want to get better as fast as I can and am wondering how I should proceed, I have alot of free time and I just bought myself a nice cue stick.


Thanks alot!
Click to expand...


Mark Wilson's new book Play Great Pool..... will put you on the fast track to your goal and prevent you from reinventing the wheel.... very orthodox structured learning.

http://playgreatpool.com/InstructionBook.aspx

Good Luck,

Randy
 
How to play better

Hello newbie

Welcome to the forum
My advise is the following
Try to tape yourself so you can see how you strike the ball, position of shooting and chequing the table to see the way out
Also drills like banks, long rails shots, straight shots are important, but if you get to see yourself is quite different...it may give you and inside look at what made you miss a particular shot, certain things can be corrected if you know what they are
For instance when you are down for the shot and aim, do you get up too early? is your stand the correct one?.....this ere just exemplars of your way around a pool table
You will find this method very helpful as I have proved that in many years in the pool world from league play to tournaments
Try to enter local tournaments to see where you are in pool, nothing to expensive that you'll enjoy, always play a good player because that will push you more

Good luck and stay safe
 
Bienvenue Mr. Oulette.

I am a Flat Lander from SK. I don't speak French as well as I once pretended to.

These days, I may be able to say that popular breakfast cereal, Corn Flakes in French and a couple of other things but thats about it.

How is the weather down East?

I take it that the phonetic pronunciation of your last name is Woolette or Willette?
 
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Last edited:
Blue Hog ridr said:
Bienvenue Mr. Oulette.

I am a Flat Lander from SK. I don't speak French as well as I once pretended to.

These days, I may be able to say that popular breakfast cereal, Corn Flakes in French and a couple of other things but thats about it.

How is the weather down East?

I take it that the phonetic pronunciation of your last name is Woolette or Willette?
Click to expand...

The weather is horrible in the winter, but we have to deal with it.

My last name is pronounced like ''wallet'' but with an ''e'' instead of an ''a''.

"Wellet" basically :grin:


And thanks to others for the great advice, I'm taking notes.
 
other than the aforementioned, here are some random thoughts.....realize that there will never ever be a table with the balls layed out the same so you have to take what the table gives you. also, only think about making the ball you have at the time, not the next 3 or 4.......when you drop down to make the shot, do not "think" any more, let your subconscious make the shot. get a preshot routine asap and stick to it! good luck and welcome to the forum! :thumbup:
 
By all means, study the game of Straight Pool! It will teach you more than all the other games combined.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Blue Hog ridr said:
Bienvenue Mr. Oulette.

I am a Flat Lander from SK. I don't speak French as well as I once pretended to.

These days, I may be able to say that popular breakfast cereal, Corn Flakes in French and a couple of other things but thats about it.

How is the weather down East?

I take it that the phonetic pronunciation of your last name is Woolette or Willette?
Click to expand...

Welcome to the forum and please don't pre judge us by any posts like the one above.
Terry is Canadian and well you know how they are.
They get tomato stakes and pool cues confused with each other.
And my answer to your question is to learn how to play straight pool. It's the best teacher for all other games.
 
Lessons?

G.Ouellet said:
What's up AZBilliards!

I have just registered to this forum after learning from a friend that this was the best online community regarding billiard. It was also the first time I had to google the answer to a security question while registering to a forum :grin:.

So here I am, 25 years old guy from Québec, Canada. I recently decided to pursue pool as a more serious hobby, after teaching myself to play foosball competitively. I've always considered myself ''alright'' at pool from a layman point of view, but after getting my ass kicked by a friend and league player in 8-ball my ego took the best of me and I decided to practice and see how far I could push myself in this sport. While doing so I really discovered a passion.

I found alot of great instructional videos on youtube, about different types of strokes, english and cue ball control. I don't consider myself a total amateur, here are my issues:

- How should I schedule my practice time? Am I better off just playing, playing and playing for a while until I get the hang of it or should I do drills? a mix of both?

- Should I be playing all the variants of pool, 8,9,10 ball or focus on one or another to get better fast?

- Should I be playing on bar table to practice cue ball control or bigger tables to practice long shots.

Basically I want to get better as fast as I can and am wondering how I should proceed, I have alot of free time and I just bought myself a nice cue stick.


Thanks alot!
Click to expand...

One thing you don't mention among your attempts to improve...have you considered taking lessons from a qualified instructor?

This should probably be the first step, as DVDs, books, etc., cannot watch you play and give you specific feedback on your faults.
 
I am also fairly new to pool, I've been playing for roughly 2 years now. My experience in learning without having a table of my own is to play leagues and as many I can.Sundays I play apa nine ball which has improved my eight ball game. That's my Tuesday league and is also apa. Monday is bca eight ball. This has helped alot because the calibre of players in that league means almost every one in that league is better then me. Getting my ass kicked is always a learning experience that has helped improve in my apa leagues. In every league I'm in higher skill level players have always been willing to help by giving good advice as to how to play certain shots and what drills to run to improve. My best advice is to just do it and not be afraid to lose as it can help be a stronger player as long as you learn from it.
 
Faults

cbrand said:
I am also fairly new to pool, I've been playing for roughly 2 years now. My experience in learning without having a table of my own is to play leagues and as many I can.Sundays I play apa nine ball which has improved my eight ball game. That's my Tuesday league and is also apa. Monday is bca eight ball. This has helped alot because the calibre of players in that league means almost every one in that league is better then me. Getting my ass kicked is always a learning experience that has helped improve in my apa leagues. In every league I'm in higher skill level players have always been willing to help by giving good advice as to how to play certain shots and what drills to run to improve. My best advice is to just do it and not be afraid to lose as it can help be a stronger player as long as you learn from it.
Click to expand...

I've known guys who love pool and have been losing money at it for 50 years. They aren't "afraid" to lose, but would enjoy the game more if they won. Yet, because they believe nonsense like, "The best way to learn is by trial and error."

It's very difficult to improve without recognizing and correcting faults in one's game. A good instructor can teach you more in an hour or two than you might learn with years of "trial and error"...and losing.

"Until we see what we are, we cannot take steps to become what we should be."
- Charlotte Perkins Gilman
 
Note the link in my Signature, to one of the best articles by the renowned George Fels, one of the premier writers on the game of pool, who left us all too soon.
 
G.Ouellet said:
I want to get better as fast as I can and am wondering how I should proceed
Click to expand...
Welcome to AZB! You picked a good place to visit!

I would suggest that in addition to practicing and playing, you should work on improving your knowledge of the game. This can greatly accelerate your learning, and make it more enjoyable.

Here are good places to start: Online Pool Tutorial and Top 100 Pool and Billiards Tips, "Secrets," and "Gems".

In terms of recommended "pool workout" practice routines, check out the Billiard University (BU) playing-ability exams and the Video Encyclopedia of Pool Practice (VEPP).

Good luck,
Dave
 
If I could start over again the two things I would do is (1) take lessons before I developed bad habits that are hard to break. (2) learn straight pool.

I've learned how important lessons are and the drills that accompany them. I've seen how the knowledge of straight pool impacts in a positive manner all other games.
 
Welcome fellow Quebecer :p

Ive enjoyed reading thes posts.. alot of good advice on websites, books and dvds that i also plan on checking out myself.
 
dr_dave said:
Welcome to AZB! You picked a good place to visit!

I would suggest that in addition to practicing and playing, you should work on improving your knowledge of the game. This can greatly accelerate your learning, and make it more enjoyable.

Here are good places to start: Online Pool Tutorial and Top 100 Pool and Billiards Tips, "Secrets," and "Gems".

In terms of recommended "pool workout" practice routines, check out the Billiard University (BU) playing-ability exams and the Video Encyclopedia of Pool Practice (VEPP).

Good luck,
Dave
Click to expand...

Thanks Dave, great links!
 
Thought the above message did not go through, sorry for double posting. It said something about review by a moderator so I thought something was off.
 
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