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 age for pool players
- Thread starter AceAngeles
- Start date
Ron Swanson
Banned
16 for skill.
Experience, confidence, maturity, heart, balls and stomach are all variable and largely genetic anyway.
Experience, confidence, maturity, heart, balls and stomach are all variable and largely genetic anyway.
agreed!!!!
I'll be 72 in May. Seem to be getting better every day.
Experience is genetic?
Check out Dave Ross
I probably played my best pool in my late 20s - mid 30s...and that's what I think most players prime years are. That does not mean that you cannot play well and win anymore. Age can be a strength as well as a weakness.
And as an example - I am real happy for an old friend, Dave Ross - who at 79 years old recently snapped off a Poison Tour Open Division tournament over a pretty tough field. Nice going, Dave.
http://www.azbilliards.com/news/sto...d-ross-claim-titles-at-boulevard-in-ocala-fl/
I probably played my best pool in my late 20s - mid 30s...and that's what I think most players prime years are. That does not mean that you cannot play well and win anymore. Age can be a strength as well as a weakness.
And as an example - I am real happy for an old friend, Dave Ross - who at 79 years old recently snapped off a Poison Tour Open Division tournament over a pretty tough field. Nice going, Dave.
http://www.azbilliards.com/news/sto...d-ross-claim-titles-at-boulevard-in-ocala-fl/
It's definitely not 70!
Tough call...as one gets older, life can get in the way. Tough to "play well"when you can't to the first word of it
Early thirties
I owned a big city pool hall and watched this pretty close - I think between 29-32 !!
I owned a big city pool hall and watched this pretty close - I think between 29-32 !!
there's no reason to not play your best in the later years
Good for you, there's no reason to not play your best in the later years. I wish there was a pro tour, it would be fun to see what my top speed is right now.
Good for you, there's no reason to not play your best in the later years. I wish there was a pro tour, it would be fun to see what my top speed is right now.
I see different skill levels at all ages. I just turned 20 and am a high B player. Tyler Styer is a Wisconsin player who's 19 and is a master and soon to turn pro.
Know a guy named Willie Munson who is now 76 and still a beast. Know more guys in their 30s who are all AAs and Masters.
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Know a guy named Willie Munson who is now 76 and still a beast. Know more guys in their 30s who are all AAs and Masters.
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Most pool players peak in their early-mid 20's. Some of late are reaching their peak even into their late teens now.
If you look at guys like Wu, Alex P, Yang, Ko, Hohmann, Deuel, Archer, Strickland, and on and on most of those guys hit their peak and dominate for a while early in their careers.
Sure guys can still play great at older ages, and experience and temperament can help offset the slightly less sharp eyes and fading ambition and hunger of youth, but most of the players in the world who reach the peak of this sport do it fairly young and most of them fade back into the pack a bit as they approach and move into their 30's.
If you look at guys like Wu, Alex P, Yang, Ko, Hohmann, Deuel, Archer, Strickland, and on and on most of those guys hit their peak and dominate for a while early in their careers.
Sure guys can still play great at older ages, and experience and temperament can help offset the slightly less sharp eyes and fading ambition and hunger of youth, but most of the players in the world who reach the peak of this sport do it fairly young and most of them fade back into the pack a bit as they approach and move into their 30's.
There are still a lot of professional pool events you could go compete in if you wished, you just don't bother.
35.6 Years
35.6 years
According to research conducted a few years back, billiard champions have the highest average age of any sport, 35.6 years.
http://bca-pool.com/?page=41
I played my best in my 20's, but I quit for a few years and came back playing pretty good in my 30s too.
Then I quit for about a dozen years and came back just a couple years ago. Now I'm old and blind and crippled and over 60 but I can luck a few in once in a while.
I think you can play well at any age if you practice and put your mind in the game.
Aloha.
35.6 years
According to research conducted a few years back, billiard champions have the highest average age of any sport, 35.6 years.
http://bca-pool.com/?page=41
I played my best in my 20's, but I quit for a few years and came back playing pretty good in my 30s too.
Then I quit for about a dozen years and came back just a couple years ago. Now I'm old and blind and crippled and over 60 but I can luck a few in once in a while.
I think you can play well at any age if you practice and put your mind in the game.
Aloha.
Good for you, there's no reason to not play your best in the later years. I wish there was a pro tour, it would be fun to see what my top speed is right now.
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!
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Out of all of the guys on your list, Archer is the only one that definitively peaked in his 20s. Earl won most of his World Championships and US Opens in his 30s. Hohmann took his 2nd World Championship at 33 and plays about as good as he always has. Wu and Ko haven't peaked yet, or even reached their 30s. Alex, Deuel, and Yang never really focused on pool during their 30s, but in his late 30s after coming back for only a short while, Alex is playing some of the best pool anybody has ever seen.
Peak
I had my best years in my early 50s. Then my cues were stolen and I moved from Maryland to Florida, and never played as much again. My athletic skills were still strong in my 50s as well, but naturally began to decline later.
On the other hand, my knowledge of the game continued to grow and I'm still learning. Now I'm an old fart who watches more than he plays. I still enjoy teaching.
I had my best years in my early 50s. Then my cues were stolen and I moved from Maryland to Florida, and never played as much again. My athletic skills were still strong in my 50s as well, but naturally began to decline later.
On the other hand, my knowledge of the game continued to grow and I'm still learning. Now I'm an old fart who watches more than he plays. I still enjoy teaching.