Prime age for pool players

[Johnnyt]

I think everyone is different at the age they peak. I'm 73 and IMO I still play an "A" game on the BB. I don't know how I'd hold up with another "A" player firing back for money. Playing at the peak of your game as you get into your 50's, depends on you health and how much fire in your belly you have kept. Johnnyt

 

[Lou Bones]

I'll be 72 in May. Seem to be getting better every day.

To be in your 70s and feel that you're still improving every day is a phenomenal attitude and I think that's awesome.

I don't really think pool is as related to age and youth as any of the more physically-taxing sports. I played football when I was younger and if I tried that now (in my 50s), not only would those young people put me in a hospital, but the fact is that I don't have the strength or speed I had 20 or 30 years ago. Pool is very different. Hand eye coordination does not have to diminish at some youthful age. I know several people who are 7s in the APA (8-ball) and are in their 40s and 50s, and one I know well is older than me. I think it's a combination of experience, and having the time to devote to playing and improving your game. So I don't really think there is any specific age-range that is "prime".

 

[Zphix]

I'd like to point out that attitude has alot to do with the age/ability relationship. I doubt that through sheer brain power alone you can defuse 100% of the ailments that come with age but your attitude and psychology towards something changes your physiology.

There are cases of piano players, musicians, etc. who suffered from crippling body ailments (arthritis, spinal problems, carpal tunnel and more). However when they went back to their instrument or hobby that they loved all those ailments changed. A piano player hitting keys that would be impossible from arthritis and more.

Even now, I know a pool player in his late 70s who walks with a limp and his fingers are warped. When he's in the mood to play though none of that bothers him and he plays superbly. When the games are over he resorts back though.

Just some food for thought.

Sent from my X501_USA_Cricket using Tapatalk 2

 

[Hal2]

Good to hear

I shot this video in 1983 of myself playing some, 'Artistic' 3 Cushion shots. The shots were played on a 'unheated' Brunswick 'Centennial' Carom table, with 4 month old cloth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQvxNUWPjBg

Most of the 3C followers consider 1983 to be my best tournament year with a, High run of 24, (in exhibition), Best game 40 point in 12 innings, entire Tournament average of 1.75 and a record to this day that has never been broken! '62 Consecutive' Tournament game wins and 9 Tournament victories in a row!

But, today being 70 in a few months and having a had a stroke last May, I feel I play at least as good as I did in 83 or maybe better! The only difference is, I get fatigued alot sooner than when younger!

Playing a full tournament schedule would be taxing NOW!

Thanks for posting, it gives me encouragement!

 

[Gerry]

It depends on the game. 9ball, 10ball etc. is a younger dudes game. One pocket, and 14.1 your prime is about mid 50's. Not from my mouth, but said by Allen Hopkins while I was being hammered by him at a 14.1 tourny. The statement was agreed with by a few rail birds....Mike Sigel, Florida Bob, Jack Calovito, so, I kinda took stock in that reply.

Oh, and hey everyone, how have you all been?

G.

 

[Geosnookery]

Tournament performance doesn’t reflect skill as we age. My observation is that as players get older they are as good as ever. The big difference is the desire to compete or not.

I’m 66. My snooker game is as good as ever.My pool game the same. I’ve just never had the desire to dedicate my life to being the 45th best pool player in the world or the 112 best Snooker player. Want to go to Las and play in some tournament?...nah, let’s go fishing in Mexico.

The best players I play with don’t enter tournaments and, like me, just enjoy playing the game for the social benefits. We have our own leagues and not all that concerned with who a wins particular match. I often try a shot because it’s a fun challenge more so than it being the best choice if I cared about the outcome of the game.

Where younger is better is in equipment knowledge. Want to know the best cue, tip, chalk? Ask a 16 to 25 year old... ‘experts’. Young folks have a magical ability to pass judgement on a cue by looking at a photo. ‘Old me’ has to play with it for 6 months.

 

[noMoreSchon]

I am reminded of a time when a fellow pool player let me know how crappy my game was. Not really, but he said that when he was my age, 16 at the time, he shot better than what he does now. I was extremely disappointed in that. Here he is, in his 30's running out like water, and he was 10x better at potting balls when he was my age. But, as I aged I got what he said. When a child in this marvelous game, you take on shots that you have no business taking on, and weirdly, you remember, no matter how false they are that you can make it. As you age, you take on those shots less, and play more percentages, either because you understand more, or you feel you've lost that fire it in the hole attitude. Either way, shooter are kids, and grow up to become players. I too, feel that my 16 year old self could make anything, today, I do not test that as much as I did.

 

[jay helfert]

There have been many young phenoms who played great in their teens. Most of them started playing at 10-12 years old. Mizerak was running hundreds by the time he was 14 or 15. Keith was playing and beating the best players in the world at 15 and 16. Cole Dickson was flying around the country looking for action with anyone at age 17-18. Allen Hopkins was one of the best money players on the East Coast before the age of 20. Johnny Archer was already a top tournament player at age 19, similar to Gorst and Filler. Earl matured on the same trajectory. The interesting thing is that Keith and Cole were on a downhill trend by the their mid 20's, probably more due to lifestyle decisions than anything else. Conversely many of the greatest players needed several years of experience to reach their peak. Varner, Sigel, Ray Martin and others. This is especially true in more cerebral games like One Pocket.

By the way Efren has always maintained that he played his best before ever coming to the United States, when he was over the age of 30.

 

[ChrisinNC]

In various sports athletes hit their prime at different ages. What do you think is the prime age for pool players? Pros and amateurs.

Prime shotmaking age is likely in your late teens or through your 20s. However, experience is such a huge factor in pool that our understanding of the game grows the older we get. Sadly, us older players just can’t execute what we see and know like we could when we were younger. If 40 years ago I knew what I know now, it would have been nice!

 

[measureman]

Between 1979 and 1991 I seldom missed a night at the pool room.
I was 32 in 1979 and 44 in 1991.
And those were my best years.
I had extreme focus and wanted to beat your brains out.
You had to play world class or near it to beat me.
After 1991 pool was a part time fun thing ,not serous at all.
I got tired of spending all that time in a pool room.

 

[MitchAlsup]

Taking only my own history to account::
a) control and eyes were best in the 20 YO (1975-1985 for me)
b) understanding what I wanted the CB to do after potting a ball were best around 45YO (2000)
c) understanding how to get the CB to do what I wanted it to do right now (2020)

So, it is not entirely obvious where the average or median peak is going to be.

 

[Protractor]

Prime shotmaking age is likely in your late teens or through your 20s. However, experience is such a huge factor in pool that our understanding of the game grows the older we get. Sadly, us older players just can’t execute what we see and know like we could when we were younger. If 40 years ago I knew what I know now, it would have been nice!

I still make the same thin cut and Efren shots I made when I was 19, almost 50 years later, although I now wear glasses to correct a little bit of double vision. So I'm not convinced that loss of shot making is an inevitable result of aging.

The increased amount of experience has only helped other aspects of my game so I have kept my level of play high in spite of the travails spread over the interim. Staying physically and mentally fit and flexible is also part of it, so yoga, weight lifting and hard/fast bicycling are also on my menu.

 

[Jaden]

I am reminded of a time when a fellow pool player let me know how crappy my game was. Not really, but he said that when he was my age, 16 at the time, he shot better than what he does now. I was extremely disappointed in that. Here he is, in his 30's running out like water, and he was 10x better at potting balls when he was my age. But, as I aged I got what he said. When a child in this marvelous game, you take on shots that you have no business taking on, and weirdly, you remember, no matter how false they are that you can make it. As you age, you take on those shots less, and play more percentages, either because you understand more, or you feel you've lost that fire it in the hole attitude. Either way, shooter are kids, and grow up to become players. I too, feel that my 16 year old self could make anything, today, I do not test that as much as I did.

Memory and tales of yester year tend to fade more than the pool game with age. If I had a dollar for all of the people who put themselves through college playing pool, I'd be able to buy some nice shoes...

Jaden

 

[Protractor]

I am reminded of a time when a fellow pool player let me know how crappy my game was. Not really, but he said that when he was my age, 16 at the time, he shot better than what he does now. I was extremely disappointed in that. Here he is, in his 30's running out like water, and he was 10x better at potting balls when he was my age. But, as I aged I got what he said. When a child in this marvelous game, you take on shots that you have no business taking on, and weirdly, you remember, no matter how false they are that you can make it. As you age, you take on those shots less, and play more percentages, either because you understand more, or you feel you've lost that fire it in the hole attitude. Either way, shooter are kids, and grow up to become players. I too, feel that my 16 year old self could make anything, today, I do not test that as much as I did.

The older I get, the faster I was! - usually seen on t-shirts worn by car guys.

I was your guy when I was 19, and still am to a large degree. Because I didn't think through the patterns and play position nearly as well as I do now, I was always having to shoot my way out of trouble; hence my signature quote. Even though Mosconi never saw me shoot, he was talkin bout me. I always played total offense although I was aware of and used 2 way shots. My goal was to intimidate the other player by running the table at a Strickland pace, and making Efren shots only added to that effect.

The way I looked at it and still do is that if a shot is make-able, I can make it. There seems to be something to having that kind of attitude in sports and pool has enough of that "I got this" element to it that you can surprise yourself and others with what you can nail, all while making it look easy. The converse is also true: if you approach the shot with doubt, you are likely to fail.

While I do now consider the percentages and defense more so in the past when I am playing matches I do let it out on casual games. My 80 year old cue maker buddy, who played Mosconi in an exhibition once back in the day shakes his head and tells me things like, "nobody makes that shot!" even though he just saw me do it, or "even the pros wouldn't shoot that" which is probably true but it sure is fun when you nail it.

He has also tells me, "I'll bet you can't make that shot again" or "I'll bet you can't make that shot 3 times in a row"- to which I reply, maybe not, but that doesn't matter. I made it when I needed to without having to practice it beforehand.

My point isn't to beat my own drum but to illustrate that you don't know, unless you try with the right mental attitude, what you are capable of. We mostly get stuck at what we are used to thinking we are capable of. In general, if anyone else can do it, I can do it. If I can do it, anyone else can do it. There are of course physical and other limits that apply. Your mileage may vary.

 

[smoochie]

the prime age for pool is 35, there's not even an argument here, every pro player has his best game during his 33-37 yrs of age, and the average of this is between which is 35 if you want to just pick a number.