Over-thinking and being Over-Techincal

Colin Colenso

Colin Colenso

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Heard a conversation on the radio about Colin Montgomerie, former World Ranked no.2 golfer who spent an incredible 400 weeks in the World's Top 10.

According to the interview, as an amateur, Montgomerie was almost always beaten by another local amateur star. They both entered the pro ranks but only Montgomerie went on to stardom. Years later that other player, who had very little professional success met with Montgomerie and asked him how he'd improved his game so much.

Montgomerie said "Remember how I was always trying to fix my slice?", "Yes", the colleague replied, "Well, I decided to learn to play with it", answered Montgomerie.

So I looked him up and found some brilliant insights which I think translate to pool in many ways. Here's an introduction to his thoughts, with a link to the entire article below that.

Enjoy and discuss!

"The Way I Play
Colin Montgomerie

I have four main thoughts when I'm practising. And I say practising deliberately, because I don't want any technical thoughts when I'm playing.

The courses that we tend to play on tour are set up in such a way that it's tough enough getting around them without having to think about the swing as well. So I often feel I'm oneup on those pro's who like to have several swing thoughts for different shots, practising as they play.

Very few can do that successfully.

Nick Faldo is one,Bernhard Langer another who can actually think about what it is they are doing as they do it. But that's not me. I just want to get out there and play. So, taking advantage of the rather unique setting here at Turnberry - and with a little artistic licence - let me demonstrate some of the simple swing thoughts that I rely on to play consistent golf.

I hope they help you. 'soft' on the grip, leaving the arms relaxed,ready to getthe swing,flowing.

Here's the first - and possibly most important - piece of advice I can give you: to get the clubhead truly swinging, you need a light grip pressure, one that leaves the arms relaxed, and one that allows you to feel the weight
of the clubhead on the end of the shaft.

It's no secret that most amateurs grip the club too tightly, a basic error that leads to a muscular grid-lock running up through the arms and into the shoulders. No chance from there. "

Full article here: http://www.golftoday.co.uk/proshop/features/way_i_play.html
 
Last edited:
Nice article, thanks for the link. I just played in a tournament over the weekend and had some of that muscle grid lock going on. It caused me to miss some key shots for a chance to do well. I wonder if my grip on the cue was tight? I should have checked it after missing but wasn't in the mood for evaluation.
 
3 part pocket

Nice article that applies to the way I play pool, very similar and I use different parts of the pocket depending on the shot and what I am doing to the object ball.
 
Glad some of you liked it. I know it helped me in regard to loosening up for CB positioning and subsequently reminding myself of the touch aspect of CB control. When one thinks so much about the application of aiming, and analyzing each shot in practice, it tends to reduce the focus on positioning the CB, which makes the game so much harder overall.
 
Absolutely Cue Ball, Cue Ball

Colin Colenso said:
Glad some of you liked it. I know it helped me in regard to loosening up for CB positioning and subsequently reminding myself of the touch aspect of CB control. When one thinks so much about the application of aiming, and analyzing each shot in practice, it tends to reduce the focus on positioning the CB, which makes the game so much harder overall.
Click to expand...

I've become a person who wants to know how he does what he does and I've written it all down not for the sake of making things too technical but for the sake of simplification.

If I know then I have less questions about Cue Ball Control and it has worked out that way. I know very well how I apply the spin to the shots before I ever get down on the shot. So with those questions being absent I concentrate more on the Cue Ball and since I have been able to do that my speed control is very much better and I am more open to learning how to better do it.

I play regularly with a friend that has 3 cushion experience and he has been invaluable on advising me as how not to do certain things because of increasing odd not in favor of my way. I also was playing a lot of One Pocket which is very cue ball oriented. Recently I've played some 8-ball and the defense in that game is very cue ball important as per zones of cue ball location that give you chance and not the other player.

I won a match a few years ago in which it was a race to 5 and he was beating me 4 to 0 and it was primarily because I decided to cue ball control every single shot and I never let him have an easy one.

Shot making is wonderful and you have to be brave at times to run out. I think the key in all of the games is the cue ball and I have proven to myself that a lesser player can defeat a better shot maker with it at times.

I've heard stories about teachers giving students two balls and would make them pot a shot and get shape on the 2nd ball but each time the object ball location would have to move.

It just makes a lot of sense....cue ball is obviously 50% of the game. Nice article makes a lot of sense.
 
Way too much thinking about the game here on AZB IMO. After shooting a lot of pool for a few years you know what to do instantly as you're walking to the table. The more relaxed you can get with very little thinking the better. If you don't or can't think at least 3 balls ahead, you need to learn it. There are 100's of little things that can make you a good pool player, but only a few that will let you forget most of those 100's and be better than a good player. CB control, think three ahead, speed, and learn to be as calm at the table as possible. Johnnyt

PS: If you only have mostly 3' shots, you can forget a lot of the little things.
 
Johnnyt said:
Way too much thinking about the game here on AZB IMO. After shooting a lot of pool for a few years you know what to do instantly as you're walking to the table. The more relaxed you can get with very little thinking the better. If you don't or can't think at least 3 balls ahead, you need to learn it. There are 100's of little things that can make you a good pool player, but only a few that will let you forget most of those 100's and be better than a good player. CB control, think three ahead, speed, and learn to be as calm at the table as possible. Johnnyt

PS: If you only have mostly 3' shots, you can forget a lot of the little things.
Click to expand...

What he said.

Hope you're feeling better, Johnny :wink:
 
When I practice I tend to be very technical and work on specific things so I don't have to think about them when I'm playing a match. If everything goes like it should they should become somewhat automatic. When I'm playing a match I try to just have about 3 key thoughts. 1. Stay down through the shot. 2. Take the cue back slow 3. Pay attention to detail and go through your PSR. Following those three keys helps my nerves and helps me play better overall.
 
I look forward to reading this. I certainly think that players can be held back by being too analytical when they play - your attention needs to be focused outwards, to the shot outcome, and not inwards towards what your body is doing or what you want it to do.

In another thread ("Disrespect?") I posted about a time when someone on the next table took a telephone call while he was playing snooker. He held the phone to his year with his shoulder and carried on running balls.

That episode illustrated something about what parts of the mind are actually not needed when playing billiards. The parts you use for phone calls are not the same as the parts you need to play. They should be kept out of the way. And those parts are broadly same areas that fire up when someone is analysing themselves while they are playing. They should do themselves a favor and stop doing it.
 
Colin Colenso said:
Glad some of you liked it. I know it helped me in regard to loosening up for CB positioning and subsequently reminding myself of the touch aspect of CB control. When one thinks so much about the application of aiming, and analyzing each shot in practice, it tends to reduce the focus on positioning the CB, which makes the game so much harder overall.
Click to expand...

That statement tells me that you don't understand how to practice correctly, or what the purpose of practice actually is. Practice is not playing, and playing is not practice.
 
Johnnyt said:
Way too much thinking about the game here on AZB IMO. After shooting a lot of pool for a few years you know what to do instantly as you're walking to the table. The more relaxed you can get with very little thinking the better. If you don't or can't think at least 3 balls ahead, you need to learn it. There are 100's of little things that can make you a good pool player, but only a few that will let you forget most of those 100's and be better than a good player. CB control, think three ahead, speed, and learn to be as calm at the table as possible. Johnnyt

PS: If you only have mostly 3' shots, you can forget a lot of the little things.
Click to expand...

well said.
its a simple game
over thinking will cause self doubt
self doubt leads to failure
 
Johnnyt said:
Way too much thinking about the game here on AZB IMO. After shooting a lot of pool for a few years you know what to do instantly as you're walking to the table. The more relaxed you can get with very little thinking the better. If you don't or can't think at least 3 balls ahead, you need to learn it. There are 100's of little things that can make you a good pool player, but only a few that will let you forget most of those 100's and be better than a good player. CB control, think three ahead, speed, and learn to be as calm at the table as possible. Johnnyt

PS: If you only have mostly 3' shots, you can forget a lot of the little things.
Click to expand...

That's true for actual playing. The practice table is where you learn to do things so that they become automatic when playing. Show me a guy that takes a while to shoot each shot, and I'll show you a guy that doesn't understand how to practice correctly.
 
Neil said:
That's true for actual playing. The practice table is where you learn to do things so that they become automatic when playing. Show me a guy that takes a while to shoot each shot, and I'll show you a guy that doesn't understand how to practice correctly.
Click to expand...

Charlie Williams

Stop trying to act like you know everything.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFaoDysL9qc

Ask CJ how well Charlie plays.
 
Last edited:
DAVE_M said:
Charlie Williams

Stop trying to act like you know everything.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFaoDysL9qc

Ask CJ how well Charlie plays.
Click to expand...

I don't know everything, never even implied that I do. (unlike some others on here).
Why don't you just stop trolling me? Also, your little reference there makes no sense at all. Just goes to show you have zero understanding of what I actually said, but just saw me post so you just had to get in your little slam.
 
Neil said:
I don't know everything, never even implied that I do. (unlike some others on here).
Why don't you just stop trolling me? Also, your little reference there makes no sense at all. Just goes to show you have zero understanding of what I actually said, but just saw me post so you just had to get in your little slam.
Click to expand...

Nooo... I've been following this thread from the beginning and I don't agree with what you said.

You said:

Neil said:
That's true for actual playing. The practice table is where you learn to do things so that they become automatic when playing. Show me a guy that takes a while to shoot each shot, and I'll show you a guy that doesn't understand how to practice correctly.
Click to expand...

And I showed you Charlie Williams. So, are you saying that Charlie Williams doesn't know how to practice, because he shoots slow?

I agree with everything Johnny said and still do.

Edit -

By the way, I don't think I've ever directly addressed you. Other than one thread about how I don't care for a PSR. Apparently my opinion labeled me as a troll... It takes one to know one, I suppose.
 
Last edited:
Dude that was brutal to watch....CJ looked like he was bored to death..even the commentators joke how long Charlie takes to shoot..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top