POOL MOST DIFFICULT SPORT

[CESSNA10]

Recently while commentating a pool match Mark Wilson stated that
pool was the most difficult of all sports. Having played baseball at the
college level I would challenge Mark to try hitting a major league 97 mph
fastball or a major league curve or slider. That might change his thinking.

 

[sammylane12]

Recently while commentating a pool match Mark Wilson stated that
pool was the most difficult of all sports. Having played baseball at the
college level I would challenge Mark to try hitting a major league 97 mph
fastball or a major league curve or slider. That might change his thinking.

Everybody has their opinion, doesn`t really mean much

 

[jsp]

Pool is not even in the top half of the most difficult cue 'sports'.

 

[easy-e]

I think it's a difficult game. Like Sammy said, everyone has their own opinion and Mark is clearly very passionate about this game.

 

[fjk]

I wonder how he defined "difficult"? Because by most definitions, I don't believe there's any way pool could be considered a "difficult" sport.

 

[DeeDeeCues]

That is idiotic.

There isn't a single metric that he can cite that supports the claim.

 

[GoldCrown]

I wonder how he defined "difficult"? Because by most definitions, I don't believe there's any way pool could be considered a "difficult" sport.

Difficult… would define as… to play at a high level. To play the game properly.
How about golf?

 

[fjk]

Difficult… would define as… to play at a high level. To play the game properly.
How about golf?

I'm not even sure if you can say that. There's been a lot of teenagers who were beating the best players in the world and winning major tournaments. Dennis Hatch was holding his own with everyone when he was 15. How difficult could it be if teenagers could be world class players and even dominate?

 

[straightline]

Recently while commentating a pool match Mark Wilson stated that
pool was the most difficult of all sports. Having played baseball at the
college level I would challenge Mark to try hitting a major league 97 mph
fastball or a major league curve or slider. That might change his thinking.

That's one just stroke to a pool player.

 

[jsp]

I wonder how he defined "difficult"? Because by most definitions, I don't believe there's any way pool could be considered a "difficult" sport.

Good question. Regarding these types of discussions, I usually define 'difficulty' as such...

Take a young adult (say, 18-years-old) of average athleticism and hand-eye coordination who doesn't regularly play the sport/activity and see how 'natural' or 'competitive' the person would appear playing the sport/activity after regularly practicing it for a year.​

Given that definition, I don't think pool is in the vicinity of being 'difficult' at all, at least compared to other sports such as baseball, ice hockey, tennis, and golf, in which playing the sport at a very early age is critical at playing it competitively. A person who has never thrown a baseball or never skated on ice won't look 'natural' in either of those skills after practicing for only a year, possibly never.

On the other hand, it is very conceivable that someone who has never shot pool before can reach B player status and capable of running a rack after a year of solid practice.

I understand there are other ways to define 'difficulty', but I usually default to the above definition when trying to compare a wide variety of sports/activities.

 

[Black-Balled]

 

[hang-the-9]

Recently while commentating a pool match Mark Wilson stated that
pool was the most difficult of all sports. Having played baseball at the
college level I would challenge Mark to try hitting a major league 97 mph
fastball or a major league curve or slider. That might change his thinking.

It's the consistency that's needed not just executing a single thing. For a baseball player to play like a pro pool player they would need to hit that ball 10+ times in a row.

 

[DeeDeeCues]

It's the consistency that's needed not just executing a single thing. For a baseball player to play like a pro pool player they would need to hit that ball 10+ times in a row.

Huh? Are you saying that you are more consistent than Ted Williams just because you make more than 4/10 shots?

 

[sjm]

I think pool is one of the easiest sports. The athletically capable and athletically incapable have succeeded at it.

Like every other sport, however, becoming one of the very best at pool is difficult.

 

[hang-the-9]

Huh? Are you saying that you are more consistent than Ted Williams just because you make more than 4/10 shots?

Well I know if I make only 40% of my shots I am not going to win many pool games.

It's a different type of "hard" though, you need some type of basic physical ability to play physical sports and long training in that. You need more fine control and adjustments in playing pool. I doubt any baseball of football player has to adjust for as many things as pool players do for many shots when shooting at even a good amateur level.

 

[measureman]

For me pool is game not a sport.

 

[Zerksies]

Pool/Billiards is not a sport it's a game. If my fat ass can keep up with some of the "Pros" it's not a sport. By no means am i in peak physical condition

 

[GoldCrown]

For me pool is game not a sport.

Agreed.. it’s a game. Not a sport. For me it’s a lifetime of fun, a lifestyle,,,,, and frustrating as a mother shut my mouth. But still hard/difficult to master. If playing like crap lately counts I need an adding machine. Sometimes I find it difficult to stay motivated.
I should invent a new 1p game. First to miss 8 consecutive shots wins. I could score without a handicap.

 

[RT Ford]

A man once told me that professional golf was more difficult than professional pool. I told him that comparison could only be made by someone who was an expert in both.

 

[measureman]

A man once told me that professional golf was more difficult than professional pool. I told him that comparison could only be made by someone who was an expert in both.

Neptune Joe Frady a world class pool player and scratch golfer from N.J. once told me with out hesitation that golf was the harder game.