Pool and Billiards Are No Cake Walk To Learn

Johnnyt

Johnnyt

Burn all jump cues
Silver Member
Although I think golf might be a little harder to get to the top pro level, pool is not an easy game to get to the top either. After learning the basics stance, grip, and stroke well, you then need to learn and practice aim and pocketing of the balls. Next you need to practice breaking the balls so you pocket a ball and have a shot after the break. Also, games like 14.1 and 1-hole you need to learn how to break safe, not leaving any shot for the opponent. After that you need to learn how to draw, follow, and use inside and outside English. Then learn position play using sidespin, draw, and follow. Stun and stop shots need to be learned to have good control of your QB. You need to learn where the QB will go as it comes off rails with various English on it, and shooting soft, hard, and medium. All in all there are about 150 shots in pool that you must master to get to the top at the pro level. So if Golf is harder than Pool…it’s not by much, and maybe it’s a tie. Johnnyt
 
I know exactly what you mean, because I still shoot like dog poop. lol

There is so much to the billiard sport that many have said, even through years and years of playing, you can still learn something new everytime.

As for the aiming system thing, I don't know if anyone notice it, but maybe it is just me. I use various aiming systems in different shots. Sometimes I use the ghost ball, sometimes I use the contact point, it just varies. As for the fractional aiming technique, I have not yet learned. Some are muscle memories or because the shot has been made so many times that it is just 2nd natures to pocket it. I also use the cue to line up (yes I am a beginner) or imagine a glowing line the size of the ball going into the pocket. I even mix and match, using the glowing line and the ghost ball method. Its kind of like you imagine a tunnel of tube the diameter of the ball and the OB is at one end of the ball, and you have to hit the OB with the CB to make it travel straight down the tube for the longer shots.

I think maybe I am just delusional lol

Chino
 
I agree completely and I'll add that billiards (3c, balkline, straight rail) is harder than pool, it simply takes so many years to become world class regardless of ones natural talent...that's why you never see teenagers becoming world champion 3c players.
 
Bobby said:
I agree completely and I'll add that billiards (3c, balkline, straight rail) is harder than pool, it simply takes so many years to become world class regardless of ones natural talent...that's why you never see teenagers becoming world champion 3c players.
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Not many teens play 3-cushion anymore. Wasn't Hoppe in his teens when he won the world title? Johnnyt
 
Pool's tough, but I think when that other guy posted "golf is tougher by a country mile" he had it right. Even in golf you have to worry about spin, you can hit fade and draw shots, and all of your shots have actual "Draw" (like backspin) on them too, and you learn to control that to get longer drives or get a ball to stop short after a bounce onto the green.

There are a lot of weird little shots too that are sort of golf's equivalent to jump shots, masse, etc... stuff that requires a different 'stroke' and 'stick'. There's little chip shots out of the sand, various kinds of drives, high lofting wedge shots, etc.

All of these require a 'stroke' that is more work to do and harder to master.

I guess you don't want to see anyone try to claim pool is too easy, and that's cool. It's definitely NOT easy. Golf doesn't get bragging rights for being a harder sport, IMO harder doesn't make it better or more fun.
 
Johnnyt said:
Not many teens play 3-cushion anymore. Wasn't Hoppe in his teens when he won the world title? Johnnyt
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There are a lot of teens playing 3 cushion, you should see the 3c league in Queens NYC, lots of young players. When Hoppe won the worlds the standard was much lower than today. You'd be hard pressed now to find a player who's a threat to win the worlds who is under 30. It takes so long to really master. Even to go from say a 1.7 handicap to a 2.0 takes years.
 
Bobby said:
There are a lot of teens playing 3 cushion, you should see the 3c league in Queens NYC, lots of young players. When Hoppe won the worlds the standard was much lower than today. You'd be hard pressed now to find a player who's a threat to win the worlds who is under 30. It takes so long to really master. Even to go from say a 1.7 handicap to a 2.0 takes years.
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I always thought it took years to get to a 1.0!!
 
Pushout said:
I always thought it took years to get to a 1.0!!
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Oh it does! Most people will never reach a 1.0 avg, in fact I think there are only a handful of players in the U.S. with a 1.0 avg. Which is roughly what Efren Reyes is....there was an argument on this board awhile back and everyone was saying if Efren just played 3c for a couple of years he'd be a 2.0 and if you ask any 3c pro or even amateur they'll laugh and say it's impossible, it would take him another 8-10 years at least to become world class, there's simply no easy way to get there.
 
okay this is irrlevent, golf is much tougher because of the wind, outdoor varialbes. pool is much simpler, im sure all the pros would even say that... lol this is a dumb subject to compare, since its not apples to apples
 
I will not try to compare with Golf, but pool is a VERY tough game to learn. One cool thing is that with about 5000 hours of practice, you can be roughly in the game, playing a pro level player. . ., but they will beat you race to 3 or longer!

At first it is hours of stroke, bridge and staance solification. Then hours of speed, angles and spin.

Maybe I'll just have to play it on the wii!
 
Bobby said:
There are a lot of teens playing 3 cushion, you should see the 3c league in Queens NYC, lots of young players. When Hoppe won the worlds the standard was much lower than today. You'd be hard pressed now to find a player who's a threat to win the worlds who is under 30. It takes so long to really master. Even to go from say a 1.7 handicap to a 2.0 takes years.
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To be fair, Hoppe was playing on substandard equipment in comparison to todays tables, cloth and balls.

I think people are making the comparison between 9 ball and Golf. In which case, Golf is certainly more difficult, no comparison. 14.1, Snooker, One Pocket, Billiards on the other hand are much closer in difficulty.
 
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