Path to being a successful pool player.

[Jude Rosenstock]

I disagree with how you down play the mastery of pool. It might not be rocket science but it is a definitely a "feel" science. Also you say there is rarely brilliance exhibited on the table. Have you watched Alex, Shane, or Dennis play lately??? All those outs they make look "easy" on cam are easily botched if you don't pay close attention to your CB control.

The rest of your post was good info. I live in reality and the reality is if you don't treat it like rocket science than you will end up being lazy.

Have I seen them play? Sure. I have yet to match up with the three you mention but ive played in events with them. When Shane is playing Alex, the difference in the match might be some amazingly brilliant shot, no doubt but that brilliance isn't why he's better than you or me. He's better than 99% of the world because he rarely misses. He's better than most pros because he has that little extra you are referring to.

To get to open speed, you need to keep it simple and make your shots.

 

[Matt_24]

I have been taking pool very very very seriously for the past yr. I have invested a lot of time and money into this sport. (In between working a full time sales job, father of 2 very active boys and the home projects lol) I love the sport of pool because of the competitiveness and I just flat out can't get enough of it. I aspire to one day be an open/pro speed player. Any one out there share going thru or went thru the same thing? I am just looking for some good advice with good results to get me their the right way. Even open to some suggested training options.

Sent via Samsung hand held device.

You want to get better? Enjoy the game and have fun. Play as much as you can. Tournaments/League/Gambling -- just compete as much as you can and take it seriously. It can't hurt to get a lesson but so many great players achieve great results in different ways you will have to find your own style. You can learn from everyone.

Compete in local leagues/tournaments/gambling. Remember that you must be realistic because it sounds like you're starting off much later than most. If you get to a point where you can beat everyone in your local pool room, then think about the state and so on/so forth.

If I might offer some advice - I say you should spend your free time with your family and not trying to be a pro level player. Maybe buy a table for your house and enjoy it with your boys. Focus on success in your sales job because you'll do better there than you can ever do in pool. When your boys get old enough you can all join a league together and fill you lives with priceless memories of great times together. I'm just saying, make sure you keep your priorities in order. Best of luck.

 

[Matt_24]

Hi Randy maybe your opinion is biased, but the truth is, i very much regret the fact i did not use instructor, over the past 30 years, only the last few that i started listing to people and advise, i was doing it wrong all these years. Best advise is please, get instructor and listen to him/her, and apply even if you do not want to listen he/she can stand in front of you and tell you what you doing wrong.

Naji - you play well and you've developed your own style through trial and error. That, I think, is the only way the truly great players have done it. You can pick up things from others but in the end you will only play like yourself. You have to develop your own hand/eye coordination, timing, muscle memory, aiming system, etc.

I'm sure if a lot of these so-called instructors saw Keith McCready play in his day they would say he was wrong -- but he was one of the best. Everyone has to find their own style. Look at the hitch Nick Varner had/has in his stroke. Everyone is different. I've seen plenty with "smooth strokes" who couldn't run three balls. It's all about the follow through.

 

[M0NSTERKILLER]

If you already have the passion,

-Find a qualified instructor-no need to start bad habits
-Practice Drills
-Find better people to play-and play for something, money, cokes, anything, put something on the line, it will help your game tremendously, or simply just winner breaks is good too.If your better skillwise spot them.
-Play in tournaments-Open, Handicapped, all disciplines
-Read Qualified Articles from Instructors and Players
-And eat right and exercise, for stamina and endurance for long matches. You would be surprised how much this helps you, mostly in the long run as well (life). Feel good play good. Understand this is more of a lifestyle choice but the other statements above are more imperative.

Hope this helps.

 

[MitchAlsup]

I love the sport of pool because of the competitiveness and I just flat out can't get enough of it. I aspire to one day be an open/pro speed player.

Home table!
Practice 40 hour per week--take every shot you missed durring play last week and shoot it (successfully) 100 times in a row durring practice this week.
Play 10 hours per week.

Good luck in fitting family and a job into this kind of schedule.

 

[jay helfert]

I have been taking pool very very very seriously for the past yr. I have invested a lot of time and money into this sport. (In between working a full time sales job, father of 2 very active boys and the home projects lol) I love the sport of pool because of the competitiveness and I just flat out can't get enough of it. I aspire to one day be an open/pro speed player. Any one out there share going thru or went thru the same thing? I am just looking for some good advice with good results to get me their the right way. Even open to some suggested training options.

Sent via Samsung hand held device.

Sorry my friend, but one year is nothing. You have only scratched the surface! Take a look at any pro player out there and you are looking at YEARS of devotion and dedication. There is no short cut to pool brilliance.

I would estimate that a minimum of three years of OBSESSION (like 8-10 hours a day at the table) is what it might take to get you to Open/Pro level play. And maybe not! With your responsibilities I doubt you have the time or energy to do what it takes to become a professional level player.

Be realistic with yourself. Playing four or five hours a day, maybe four or five days a week, you may become a competent player, good enough to play regional events in a couple more years. You need to find a good sparring partner (or two), get some good instruction and hit a million balls!

Also I recommend watching good players, in person and on DVD's or online. Pick someone whose style you would like to emulate. Good luck, it's an uphill grind. Pool is a tough sport! And that's the truth. :yeah:

 

[Tramp Steamer]

Sorry my friend, but one year is nothing. You have only scratched the surface! Take a look at any pro player out there and you are looking at YEARS of devotion and dedication. There is no short cut to pool brilliance.
I would estimate that a minimum of three years of OBSESSION (like 8-10 hours a day at the table) is what it might take to get you to Open/Pro level play. And maybe not! With your responsibilities I doubt you have the time or energy to do what it takes to become a professional level player.
Be realistic with yourself. Playing four or five hours a day, maybe four or five days a week, you may become a competent player, good enough to play regional events in a couple more years. You need to find a good sparring partner (or two), get some good instruction and hit a million balls!
Also I recommend watching good players, in person and on DVD's or online. Pick someone whose style you would like to emulate. Good luck, it's an uphill grind. Pool is a tough sport! And that's the truth. :yeah:

Finally, a voice of reason.
Pro players are Pros because they started young. Most of them were little kids when they took up the game. They lived, and grew up in a pool room.
Very few, if any, had a paid instructor. It wasn't practical, or necessary. They learned by watching and playing. Day, after day, after day.
It's unbelievable what you're going to have to do just to become a strong B player. Becoming an A, or better, is unfortunately out of the question.

 

[naji]

Naji - you play well and you've developed your own style through trial and error. That, I think, is the only way the truly great players have done it. You can pick up things from others but in the end you will only play like yourself. You have to develop your own hand/eye coordination, timing, muscle memory, aiming system, etc.

I'm sure if a lot of these so-called instructors saw Keith McCready play in his day they would say he was wrong -- but he was one of the best. Everyone has to find their own style. Look at the hitch Nick Varner had/has in his stroke. Everyone is different. I've seen plenty with "smooth strokes" who couldn't run three balls. It's all about the follow through.

Matt is here, how are you hope all i well.. Thanks for the complement, but truthfully if i had an instructor, at early stages, i would have played the right way all those 30 years and who knows maybe a pro player, but took the wrong path, the stubborned minded approach, sure i play good and lately my consistency is way high, but i do regret it.
Hope to see you soon, got 9-7 , or the 8 when i see you. Later.

 

[Matt_24]

Matt is here, how are you hope all i well.. Thanks for the complement, but truthfully if i had an instructor, at early stages, i would have played the right way all those 30 years and who knows maybe a pro player, but took the wrong path, the stubborned minded approach, sure i play good and lately my consistency is way high, but i do regret it.
Hope to see you soon, got 9-7 , or the 8 when i see you. Later.

9-7 or the 8? I can't wait!

Yes, Naji. You've made some bad choices. You're a successful Engineer, with a beautiful family. One son going to an Ivy League University. Too bad you couldn't have been a professional pool player.

 

[backplaying]

Sorry my friend, but one year is nothing. You have only scratched the surface! Take a look at any pro player out there and you are looking at YEARS of devotion and dedication. There is no short cut to pool brilliance.

I would estimate that a minimum of three years of OBSESSION (like 8-10 hours a day at the table) is what it might take to get you to Open/Pro level play. And maybe not! With your responsibilities I doubt you have the time or energy to do what it takes to become a professional level player.

Be realistic with yourself. Playing four or five hours a day, maybe four or five days a week, you may become a competent player, good enough to play regional events in a couple more years. You need to find a good sparring partner (or two), get some good instruction and hit a million balls!

Also I recommend watching good players, in person and on DVD's or online. Pick someone whose style you would like to emulate. Good luck, it's an uphill grind. Pool is a tough sport! And that's the truth. :yeah:

I think Jay is spot on with his advise. To play at open speed, after playing aound 4 years, 12 hours a day, would be a great accomplishment.

 

[JB Cases]

I have been taking pool very very very seriously for the past yr. I have invested a lot of time and money into this sport. (In between working a full time sales job, father of 2 very active boys and the home projects lol) I love the sport of pool because of the competitiveness and I just flat out can't get enough of it. I aspire to one day be an open/pro speed player. Any one out there share going thru or went thru the same thing? I am just looking for some good advice with good results to get me their the right way. Even open to some suggested training options.

Sent via Samsung hand held device.

Every great player can beat the ghost. Playing the ghost will tell you your level and show you your improvement.

And learn a good aiming method. Learning one early will give you a solid foundation for the other aspects of your game IMO.

 

[naji]

9-7 or the 8? I can't wait!

Yes, Naji. You've made some bad choices. You're a successful Engineer, with a beautiful family. One son going to an Ivy League University. Too bad you couldn't have been a professional pool player.

I hear you Matt, true i never let pool be # 1 in my life, or to be accurate i could not afford to have it as #1, and later with kids it was impossible to make it a priority, i managed to have some time for pool though, but never was enough. Oh well, i can enjoy pool now i guess. Speaking of my son, he graduated last month, and will be joining the work force next month, i told him here is my bank account # in case you like to deposit you pay checks in it, he laughs and said sure daddy!! The other son is on his way to college, but he picked the furthest college from VA, California.

 

[Matt_24]

I hear you Matt, true i never let pool be # 1 in my life, or to be accurate i could not afford to have it as #1, and later with kids it was impossible to make it a priority, i managed to have some time for pool though, but never was enough. Oh well, i can enjoy pool now i guess. Speaking of my son, he graduated last month, and will be joining the work force next month, i told him here is my bank account # in case you like to deposit you pay checks in it, he laughs and said sure daddy!! The other son is on his way to college, but he picked the furthest college from VA, California.

That is great, Naji! Hey - I still have my Princeton hat that you brought me from your son! It's the closest I will ever get to anything "Ivy League". Please tell your son I said, "Congratulations!". I'm sure your other son will be equally successful.

 

[Mark Griffin]

I think the best method of becoming a better player is to sign up in the ABC League.
This is the new AMerican Roataion league - played only on 9' tables. Only 8 players allowed per room and only a few rooms in each region.

Please do a thread search and find out more - or contact Joe Tucker at jttenball@gmail.com.

You play in a room near you and can qualify to a nearby regional and get paid to go to the nationals if you qualify.

This is the perfoect system for a player who wants to become better! Here are a couple of recent threads on the topic.

Good Luck!

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=325393
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=305091

Mark Griffin

I have been taking pool very very very seriously for the past yr. I have invested a lot of time and money into this sport. (In between working a full time sales job, father of 2 very active boys and the home projects lol) I love the sport of pool because of the competitiveness and I just flat out can't get enough of it. I aspire to one day be an open/pro speed player. Any one out there share going thru or went thru the same thing? I am just looking for some good advice with good results to get me their the right way. Even open to some suggested training options.

Sent via Samsung hand held device.

 

[backplaying]

Every great player can beat the ghost. Playing the ghost will tell you your level and show you your improvement.

And learn a good aiming method. Learning one early will give you a solid foundation for the other aspects of your game IMO.

I would think, strong A level players should beat the ghost.

 

[JB Cases]

I would think, strong A level players should beat the ghost.

I agree. What ghost you can beat determines your level. I saw Alex betting 1500 a set playing the 12 ball ghost. He lost the first night and came back two days later and beat it.

 

[CJ Wiley]

the 14 ball ghost (running all the balls on the table in rotation)

I agree. What ghost you can beat determines your level. I saw Alex betting 1500 a set playing the 12 ball ghost. He lost the first night and came back two days later and beat it.

The Top Players can beat the 14 ball ghost (running all the balls on the table in rotation) by breaking 15 Balls and getting to remove one of their choice. I can beat this game when I'm playing my top speed, but anything lower won't get the "ca$h".

That Game will be the Teacher

 

[pooljockey]

Being a successful pool player start with $200000 that when when your done you have $100000 left if your lucky lol

 

[Tennesseejoe]

Instructor
Proper Practice
Tough Tournaments
Repeat

randyg

Great advice ... but buy a good pool table too.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

I use to see Great Pool Player show up at North Hollywood Billiards in LA years ago. most came during Pony Running Season. Many would win thousand in the PM at Pool, and loose it all the next day at the Track. Either Hollywood Park, or Santa Anita, such a great way to spend you life. Winning, and loosing. Living hand to mouth, with no a care in the world.

Than many of these greats die, and a hat must be passed to bury em. If they die broke in PHX our Sheriff buries em. With HOT CHICKS at the service,