Practice practice practice

Plus I need to exercise the left(drinking) arm. The second moderna hit a little harder than the first. 😜
I figured anyone that has following this so far must be young and impressionable:wink:
Ok I bent the rules and had a beer. The exit nurse had just given us the exit talk and I made the mistake of asking about beer. Didn’t quite make the recommendation of 24 hrs. So I figured better not ask about pot.
But I still wear 2 masks.
 
The rythem is personal. One of the biggest intimidating factors for me to overcome was the speed with which top players could navigate. The speed with which Ronnie reads and executes is phenomenal. And intimidating. My tendency was to move too fast at the end. The easiest way for me was to dedicate the dance of the PSR to autopilot. The only way I could find to do that is The Carnegie Hall method. Then just nail the last 3 steps. The pause is tricky. Pace over all is crucial as well. I can go both 2 fast or 2 slow. But when it all works it can be 🎶.
 
It helps to be a show off. Remember the golfer........uh was it Moe Norman? So introverted he would forgo a win that involved a ceremony.(I think or of that nature)
 
If not a show off just be accustomed to being on the big stage. Experience provides that. In its absence, just fake it!
 
Norman was self-taught and never took a golf lesson.[1]

Norman's skills as a ball striker are legendary. Sam Snead described Norman as the greatest striker of the ball. In January 2005, Tiger Woods, the biggest golf star of the modern era, told Golf Digest's Jaime Diaz that only two golfers in history have "owned their swings": Moe Norman and Ben Hogan.[1] Stated Woods, "I want to own mine."

Norman's play, along with his way of dressing were both unconventional. He wore long-sleeved shirts in any weather, buttoned to his chin, and his pants didn’t fit very well.[2] He devised what is known as "The Single Plane Golf Swing" —- rigid arms extended far from his body, a very wide stance with minimal knee bend, shorter-than-usual backswing and extended follow-through with minimal hand action, which produced amazingly accurate ball placement.[1] He played extremely fast, sometimes not slowing to line up his putts.

Norman was known for sometimes unconventional behavior on the course.[1] It is said that on one hole his caddie told him he could get to the green with a driver and a 9-iron. Naturally, he hit off the tee with his 9-iron and then hit the green with his driver. In an exhibition match in 1990 rather than lay up short of a creek hazard which could not be carried, he rolled his drive across the bridge which crossed the creek.[2]
 
I strive to avoid any emotions during a match. Kind of like keeping a poker face. I figured displays of emotions show weakness
 
Making a note to self:

The pause at the back should involve me seeing the shot as I draw back. Then pause until I feel the shot. It can’t be on a timer.
 
Second note to self:
Remember the good ole days when we drank beer around the campfire? Flipping the bottle caps was a favorite game. Apply those skills to the firing of the fingers. Pulling the trigger with the ring finger. See Barry Stark.
 
Discipline:
Apologies for the reflex.

Sir! The discipline which makes the soldiers of a free country reliable in battle is not to be gained by harsh or tyrannical treatment. On the contrary such treatment is far more likely to destroy than to make an army.(there’s more but)....Whew I think I am better now:wink:. Major General John M. Schofield’s dissertation on discipline as given to the graduating class of (I forget the date.) at the United States Military Academy. Sir!
This was part of the knowledge we were expected to memorize as part of the training. Hell’ Week included double timing in place with my rifle extended at present arms while reciting Discipline at the top of my lungs.

In preparation for a local BCA or CSI league I went to the tavern. I am 4 days into the Maderna second poke and wear my white mask with the bottom strap loose. This allows the exhaust to escape easily at the bottom so no fog. It also allows the administration of a beer bottle by simply coming in low and locate the lips by feel:wink:. Where was ?!
Upon playing in public for the first time in over a year
, I experienced a break down in discipline. More commonly I call it brain dead. Auto pilot went back to old habits/techniques. I have experience with brain dead and have improved my ability to come back to life by taking it.....one two three....one two three..etc. by the numbers. Back to the basics and the training there of.
 
Tournament sound:
Just remember what I saw when going through the White Spot cauldron.. I witnessed new players stepping into the buzzsaw of the tournament. It was obvious that they had massive practice hours but no tournament time. I called it tournament sound. Well, that was my claim to fame. I experienced greater tournament success with lesser skills. Hmmmmmmm
 
Just experienced the return to the arena after massive practice with no competition. The good news is all 4 appeared to be in the same boat. I made at least one pathetic shot(make that 4 according to the wife)😉 But my knowledge and reputation prevailed. The table seemed possessed at times. Kind of like to the karma. Just kept a humor re my pathetic mistakes and magical prevailed 4 for 4. l am contractually bound to do my best in a league that determines my rating for nationals. My contract is with the pool gods. By gosh it seemed they were toying with us tonight. Bar tables in pizza joints can have interesting hazards. And some are domestic.
 
Last edited:
Being a competitor is all I ask of myself. You know when I say. “Uh self, WTF? over. So in competition I find it a big advantage to maintain a sense of humor. I mean, I hit a ball into the rail 4 inches from the pocket and walk away laughinag is a.... well you have to walk away so why show weakness? Who hasn’t seen the little temper display after a miss? Even Ronnie has but it’s a sign of weakness. When I catch myself doing it....uh we/I have a heart to heart.
The good news is that next week I will be closer to tournament sound but facing weaker opponents. Bad news is it doesn’t matter. Last place team might only win one match all year but it was against the first place team and vice versa. Been on both ends🤪.
 
Ships log, or maybe, back in my sandbox:
The humbling experience of thinking, “I play better than that “. Well uh HELLO I obviously don’t uh or didn’t. I don’t expect to be perfect but striving for it is my fun. Well it is easier to have fun.......

So it has taken this long to find my mind, return it to my head and screw it back on. In assessing my boo boos I strive to make sure I am not just making excuses. It wasn’t the dim lighting or etc. I did win an excuse T-shirt for last place once. It had em all. It was my inability to adapt to the new environment. After an honest assessment I concluded that I have gone brain dead before and expect it to happen again. On those occasions I must rely on auto pilot. On this occasion it took me back to old but adequate habits. The only way I know to modify habits is..........Practice practice practice. But with emphasis on the things that I identify as breakdowns in the previous competition.
 
Electrical or Mechanical:
While operating the hot press at Novoply(exploded 1975 or 76). I logged the 6 minute hot press cycle. I was required to account for down time in 30 second increments. So it was either mechanical, electrical or production. I try to follow a similar analysis with my misses in pool.
Production for me would be the analysis of the situation and formulate a plan.
Mechanical would be giving myself the most stable platform and most repeatable delivery of the cue tip to the precise spot on the cue ball with the required path.
Electrical would be the thought process or lack there of required to execute the plan.
 
Geosnookery said:
I never practice. I also don’t practice fishing in the backyard or ball hockey or playing my guitars.

At 66 I have fun. I may be the 399th best snooker player in the world and no real desire to move up to 350. In Anerican Pool it would be even less incentive...who cares who is 98th?

Over the years I’ve improved skills by making up a variety of unique games that are fun in themselves. Practice for the sake of it would get dull...just like kids are turned of playing music by repeating scales.

The reason there is a million ‘how to’ videos’ is most dabblers follow one regimen for a couple weeks. Lets it slide then searches for the next ‘best big thing‘. Every new system or drill is the ‘best ever’ until the new one next week.

Funniest are all the players who claim to practice religiously but then still search for the magic cue and tip so they can actualky sink a ball.
Click to expand...

In bold... this is the best way to practice -- to make a game of it, something that you can have fun doing. Winning or successfully completing the practice game should be challenging. It shouldn't be so difficult that you have no chance of doing it, but it shouldn't be easy either. We get better by continually reaching and working on things that are just outside of our boundaries, things that we can get our fingertips on, though seldom a full grip. When you get to where you are consistently winning your practice game/challenge, add something else to it to make it just outside of your reach again. In this manner you are practicing for improvement and having fun while doing it.
 
gregcantrall said:
Being a competitor is all I ask of myself.
Click to expand...
This week competition report:
Finding the FargoRate interesting. The league statistics being up and so complete is great.

gregcantrall said:
Bad news is it doesn’t matter. Last place team might only win one match all year but it was against the first place team and vice versa. Been on both ends🤪.
Click to expand...
We actually won on the game count but this league scores ball count in 8 ball against 10 for the win. Based on rating we spotted them 12 or ? Balls.
All and all it was a fair and fun match.
Now the story 😉
I was able to implement my shock and wow plan in my first game. Turns out he was their best player :eek: He broke and ran his last game. So where was I? Oh yeah in the course of getting out, I dead hooked myself on the key ball. :eek: I was pretty sure that jump cues were allowed. Well in an earlier game their player used one. But as a metronome effect for me. Kind of like setting my mind to it’s my performance and my best game is my slow game. I asked their table if jump cues are allowed. Then leisurely strolling to my case and extract and assemble at the same pace. Had the pace set and jumped a full ball 12” away and my object ball 5’ away and 1 1/2’ out but just the right angle for shape on the 8. Lots of calculators there. Big advantage to the old wool blend cloth and back in the day I practiced the jump a lot. It worked and I had easy shape for the win and significant intimidating factor. This allowed me to concentrate on the pleasure of the event uh and my beer.
 
Thanks to snooker:
I just revisited my one handed practice thanks to a great match being available on my phone during my practice time. Snooker with Ding and Bingham mid session now.
Just reinforces my theory on practice practice practice. Will finish later as the match is back
 
The last day of January 2 years back, I was struck by a left turning car. Knocked me off my motorcycle and into the hospital. 6 ribs 2 vertebrae 1skull 1 eye socket and the clavicle that required a splice plate. That was the fractures but all on the left side(I’m all right now.)
So 5 days later I convinced the doctor to let me go home. 6 days later I was practicing one handed, right handed as the left arm was in a sling. Not sure how long but at least a couple of weeks before the sling came off. OMG, I didn’t realize the effect of that practice until I played right against left one handed this morning. Left vs right is normally an even match. One handed it’s no contest.
Our friend Mike Dooley used to say, “I shoot so good I could make a nun take her clothes off. No no no, I shoot so good I could make a whole convent of nuns take their clothes off.” The right hand was so good I was ready to take MY clothes off.

practice practice practice
 
Just posted to another thread but figured it could be relevant here.
In my opinion it’s the absolute accurate strike on the cue ball that leads to the next level.
In my pursuit of the best of my abilities, I will echo Oscar Dominguez. When asked if he looked at cue ball last, he replied “why would I look anywhere else.”
Baseball hitting was one of my best skills. I still remember seeing the laces and rotation on the ball as I struck it with the bat on my longest ball in a game. I strive for that kind of FOCUS. When doing it right that focus follows the cue ball and I see the rotation of the object ball upon collision.

Harold Worst is voted GOAT by his peers. He was close with Willie Hoppe voted player of the century by Billiards Digest. Willie taught cue ball last.

John Higgins has been voted GOAT by his peers. John telegraphs his vision with his eye brows. It looks pretty clear to me that his focus is on the white when he strikes it.

The mechanics are so critical but when mechanics are optimal….the focus can be addressed. The pre shot steps involve going from the flood light to the spot light. So the precise point of impact on the object ball is found while standing. The stride into stance involves me putting the cue onto the line then setting the stance to it. I am confident that point will remain stationary so focus moves to the trajectory of the cue ball.

Numbers can be deceptive. Majority is not …uh always……
I document most of my study regarding this in my thread Experiments in. Experiments in
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top