Pool is over for me?

D

deanoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
A week or two ago,I posted in another section that my Deano cue had lost it's magic for me.I had sent it to a respected cue maker to test and perhaps modify his taper to my personal cues.In the mean time I had been playing a cutom cue made by the maker of the Deano cues and it had become my player,when the Deano got back,it felt like a stranger,uncomfortabe,and untrustworthy.

I now thought my new cue was so good I would just play with it,but all of a sudden I couldn't play with it either.The bad thing wasn't so much that I couldn't make a shot,but I knew I was going to miss them before I shot them.The shots were too hard,too long,too thin,too everything.

Practice always has been kinda tough so I set up 14.1 break shots and gave myself 20 racks to either run 15 balls or quit,this is not that hard,but I couldn't even do that.So I am quitting,I have seen people my age gradually lose their ability ,but has anyone ever seen it go in a week?

Can anyone explain this?Please to those who know me well,I don't want remarks about how this is the way I always played,Iam talking about something worse.
 
deanoc said:
A week or two ago,I posted in another section that my Deano cue had lost it's magic for me.I had sent it to a respected cue maker to test and perhaps modify his taper to my personal cues.In the mean time I had been playing a cutom cue made by the maker of the Deano cues and it had become my player,when the Deano got back,it felt like a stranger,uncomfortabe,and untrustworthy.

I now thought my new cue was so good I would just play with it,but all of a sudden I couldn't play with it either.The bad thing wasn't so much that I couldn't make a shot,but I knew I was going to miss them before I shot them.The shots were too hard,too long,too thin,too everything.

Practice always has been kinda tough so I set up 14.1 break shots and gave myself 20 racks to either run 15 balls or quit,this is not that hard,but I couldn't even do that.So I am quitting,I have seen people my age gradually lose their ability ,but has anyone ever seen it go in a week?

Can anyone explain this?Please to those who know me well,I don't want remarks about how this is the way I always played,Iam talking about something worse.
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I think if you go into a shot with the thinking that you will miss, well you miss most of the time. For me when I purchased my predator I HATED it I stopped playing all together for a lil while until I got the itch and just worked through personally I think you are just beating yourself. Will
 
Thunder Thighs said:
Something else is going on that's affecting your game. Take a vacation and clear your mind :yes:
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Not knowing your capabilities when you are playing well, agree with this statement.

You may have simply lost your desire. Take 1 Accu-stats 14.1 tape a day, stay away from the pool table, and call me in a week. :)
 
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Find time for at least 5 hours a day for 2 days to just practice on your own. Dont focus too hard, just find your stroke again.

Then go beat the p1ss out of a basher to get you confidence up again.

Worked for me a few months ago when i was having cue issues.
 
This happens to everyone that plays. I think we all changed grips, stroke, cues, chalk, stance, cue position, type of stroke, grip position... well, you see where I'm going.

I think the good thing is, anyone noticing they are not playing well is still looking to improve. Problem might be, you just don't have the patience and the cue is the reason you found.

Start easy and play!
 
Except for an accident or some sort of sickness such as the flu I have not heard of this before. I think there are several things that you can do to find out why before you decide to quit.

If you could run 15 + balls in the past then you know how to play. Therefore, test your self with 30 balls that is sufficient. Do not move after each shot. Stay in the finish position and replay the shot in your head to determine why you missed such as:
1. Could not see contact point.
2. Could not see the lines or angles.
3. Movement or inability to stay still during the stroke.
4. Poor stroke.
5. Concentration
6. other

Write down the answer. After thirty answers you will see a pattern emerge.

If your ability has deteriorated to the point that you are missing that often it must be showing up other places in your life:
1. Is there a problem with balance? Can you put your pants on while standing on one foot?
2. Is there a noticeable loss of concentration or comprehension when reading?
3. Has your eye sight been affected such as while driving at night or in other areas?
4. Is there a loss of fine motor control such as when using a pen or threading a needle?

If there are no losses or problems in these or other things that you can think of it may be emotionally based. Are there other problems in your life?

Explain to your family physician the things that you have found that impair your ability to play at your usual level. The MD may refer you to a neurologist or other consultant who can asses the physical nature of your problem.

I am 66 years old and started playing seriously about six years ago. Before I retired I practiced psychology professionally and part of that profession is the ability to closely observe and analyze human behavior. From observing my own behaviors I find that the skills needed to play pool well continue to improve.

I swim nearly everyday and find that on days when I do not swim I do not play quite as well. Apparently the large muscle exercise required for swimming loosens up my “old” body and allows me to play smoothly.

There is a reason for your loss of ability and you can find it. You may have to give up the game but from the little that you wrote I suspect it is too early to know.
 
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I'm 56 and sudden drops in my ability to pocket balls is always due to movement (generally of my head).

Kevin
 
Sounds like simple frustration, and the expectation of more. Take a break, or set up a lot of easy shots or patterns & play them - paying dues to your mechanics.. Don't inundate yourself with bad feelings & bad information.
There may have been some fundamental change in the playing characteristics of your cue if you had it tweaked, but it's unlikely to make you brain dead. We usually handle that ourselves. Give your hands/eyes a chance to get used to seeing the balls fall, they'll figure out how to make it keep happening if you can get out of the way.

btw - I bet these answers are starting to sound exactly like the voices in the back of your mind. Nothing you didn't already know.
 
kvinbrwr said:
I'm 56 and sudden drops in my ability to pocket balls is always due to movement (generally of my head).

Kevin
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As you age, it becomes more and more difficult to keep the undesired body movement still. Some exercise will help or a lot more pool playing.

I notice that I sometimes miss because of head movement or a jerky stroke which is normally caused by rushing the transition between the last backstroke and the final forward stroke.

Another thing you can do which is quite simple, is to have a friend who can play a little, watch you for 15 minutes and let the friend sggest to you why you are missing shots. It's not rocket science and it could save you a visit to the neurologist. :smile:

All of us get out of kilter from time to time. Like I told an older friend, "What do you want to do, quit pool and sit on the porch for the rest of your life?":boring2::boring2:
JoeyA
 
Dean
Simple suggestion. Get a ticket for Vegas. Mosconi Cup. Come watch with us. Cheer. Drink vodka. Leer at the fashions of young women. Eat steak and sushi. Guarandangteed that your issues will be gone by the time you return to Texas. I have a feeling your wife will understand.
tim
 
Man up & play some pool. You are in control of your own game so adapt & overcome. It's a slump. Every C & higher player on the planet experiences it. Some are terribly bad, some just bad enough to be aggrevating. Either way, man up & beat it. Don't be a quitter. That's a bad habit you don't wanna get into.
 
Stop the presses. My friend Mike Cochran has found the probblem,called to tell me to quit whinning,he has the answer to my poor playing of late.
 
Everybody has their "on" and "off" days.All last week I was Killing the 9 ball ghost with scores 7-0,7-2,7-2,-7-1.Last night I could hardly make a ball.That's just the way this game is.Don't give up on pool because you will regret it later!
 
I think that too much stress is placed on the cue. We all like a nice cue, of course, but I'm sure any pro could grab a house cue at random and run 30 or 40 cold and hit the century mark after getting warmed up.

As for age, I'm 83 and just a low level player but I still hit 15 once in awhile.

Dave Nelson
 
deanoc said:
A week or two ago,I posted in another section that my Deano cue had lost it's magic for me.I had sent it to a respected cue maker to test and perhaps modify his taper to my personal cues.In the mean time I had been playing a cutom cue made by the maker of the Deano cues and it had become my player,when the Deano got back,it felt like a stranger,uncomfortabe,and untrustworthy.

I now thought my new cue was so good I would just play with it,but all of a sudden I couldn't play with it either.The bad thing wasn't so much that I couldn't make a shot,but I knew I was going to miss them before I shot them.The shots were too hard,too long,too thin,too everything.

Practice always has been kinda tough so I set up 14.1 break shots and gave myself 20 racks to either run 15 balls or quit,this is not that hard,but I couldn't even do that.So I am quitting,I have seen people my age gradually lose their ability ,but has anyone ever seen it go in a week?

Can anyone explain this?Please to those who know me well,I don't want remarks about how this is the way I always played,Iam talking about something worse.
Click to expand...





Things that can make things that you enjoyed become a drag.

Death of a loved one.
Divorce.
Retirement/loss of long held job.


Probably a few i missed , some people cling to things they enjoy when suffering a loss. Maybe get your eyes checked , it could be something as simple as that.
 
Nope... not the cue... but the cue-ee. Sometimes a new cue can snap you back into rhythm but usually only short lived. Happens to me no matter what the cue. I can bang it out but sometimes takes hours with no guarantee it will be there when I return to the table. I set a goal and don't leave the table till I accomplish it. Works for me.
 
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