problem with mental side of game

[Craig777]

I have a problem with my game that I would like some input on. Please allow me to start by saying that for numerous reasons, I do not have time to play beyond my APA league night once a week and the occasional (usually once a month) tournament. That being said, I have been playing off and on for about 30 years, so in consecutive length maybe 8-10 years. I am a 4 rank APA, and my Fargo at last check was a little over 300. Up until about 10 years ago, I was able to play about 10 hours a week.

Here is my problem: Mentally, I know exactly what I need to do on the current shot - aim line, power, english. I know where to be for the next shot and what english to use (and how much) to avoid hitting other balls, all the while setting myself up for pattern play (although my pattern consists of only 1 to 2 more shots max due to my lack of speed control). So mentally, I know exactly what to do and where to be on the table, however my shot does not always cooperate. Especially on long shots where I know I need a lot of draw or follow to get into position, my stroke goes to crap once I increase power and I usually miss. I miss a shot or get bad position and get down on myself a little, then the snowball builds and I get worse and worse from there, eventually the night becomes a losing one and I find myself having less and less fun at the game.

Am I getting into my own head? Is my stroke/stance/preshot routine terrible? Am I way overthinking the game? Something else? Perhaps a combination of all of the above. Any tips (drills, reading materials - maybe sports psychology,etc.) would be greatly appreciated. I have been told to just go back to basics (storke, stance, preshot routine), focus on my fundamentals, and shoot the ball to make it - do not worry about leave.

Thank you for your input and God bless.

 

[MitchAlsup]

If, after 30 years of playing you are still an SL3 and 300 Fargo, what you need is to spend 5× as much time practicing than playing--but never practice to the point where you mind goes soft and you are "just banging balls" and quit if you get the least bit frustrated. But you still have to abide by the 5× rule of practice to play.

Practice means if you miss a shot (or position) you set up the shot again and have to make it 10 times in a row before moving on.

 

[PNWLocal]

You are correct, I do try to do too much and I get told that by my captain a lot. Any specific (and relatively simple) drills you might suggest if I do find even just an hour a week to myself to shoot?

Check out Ralph Eckerts Structure series on YouTube. Its free and the drills are easy to set up. Also center ball training by Tor Lowry will help simplify your shots and help eliminate overthinking the shot.

 

[Craig777]

Thank you for the video, I'll check them out. I am realizing that a lot of what is holding me back is my fundamentals - stance, stroke, preshot routine. I focus a lot on staying perfectly still except my shooting arm during and after contacting the cue ball, but not enough on my grip and smoothness of my stroke. I have never fully understood the "timing" of my stroke to obtain good backspin or follow. This may be indicative of a poor stroke, but on draw or follow shots I get all the draw or follow I am seeking if the cue ball is 2' or so from the object ball. Any further and I just get a stop shot. So I know my stroke isn't great, my timing is off, and grip probably isn't as relaxed as it should be.

 

[Craig777]

I do try to get to league nights early to play a few games before league starts, I just though that simply playing a game against my buddy isn't really doing much - that it is drills and repetitive shot making that I need to be doing. Am I wrong in that line of thinking? And I don't and never have played pool for the social aspect. When I play, I focus only on the table and that is a large reason I like pool - it allows me to ignore everything else and have tunnel vision (or tunnel focus I guess). I play a lot like Chang Jung-Lin, very quiet, little facial expressions, quite slow and deliberate.

 

[Bob Jewett]

I do try to get to league nights early to play a few games before league starts, I just though that simply playing a game against my buddy isn't really doing much - that it is drills and repetitive shot making that I need to be doing. Am I wrong in that line of thinking? A...

Considering how much trouble you're having and the level you play at after 30 years of off-and-on playing, what you probably need the most is an instructor/coach to look at your fundamentals and help you fix them. I suspect that you have several major flaws.

As for drills, those that to be chosen for how well they are going to help you fix your fundamentals. That means that some of the drill suggestions given here, although they may be great for some players, may be totally wrong for you.

If you can only put an hour every week or two into actual work on your game, I think you have to resign yourself to never getting significantly better.

 

[book collector]

I have a problem with my game that I would like some input on. Please allow me to start by saying that for numerous reasons, I do not have time to play beyond my APA league night once a week and the occasional (usually once a month) tournament. That being said, I have been playing off and on for about 30 years, so in consecutive length maybe 8-10 years. I am a 4 rank APA, and my Fargo at last check was a little over 300. Up until about 10 years ago, I was able to play about 10 hours a week.

Here is my problem: Mentally, I know exactly what I need to do on the current shot - aim line, power, english. I know where to be for the next shot and what english to use (and how much) to avoid hitting other balls, all the while setting myself up for pattern play (although my pattern consists of only 1 to 2 more shots max due to my lack of speed control). So mentally, I know exactly what to do and where to be on the table, however my shot does not always cooperate. Especially on long shots where I know I need a lot of draw or follow to get into position, my stroke goes to crap once I increase power and I usually miss. I miss a shot or get bad position and get down on myself a little, then the snowball builds and I get worse and worse from there, eventually the night becomes a losing one and I find myself having less and less fun at the game.

Am I getting into my own head? Is my stroke/stance/preshot routine terrible? Am I way overthinking the game? Something else? Perhaps a combination of all of the above. Any tips (drills, reading materials - maybe sports psychology,etc.) would be greatly appreciated. I have been told to just go back to basics (storke, stance, preshot routine), focus on my fundamentals, and shoot the ball to make it - do not worry about leave.

Thank you for your input and God bless.

You just aren't playing enough to retain the feel! Thats the first thing you lose, which affects both object ball speed and cueball speed. You keep undershooting position , then you hit a bit harder and overshoot it Back and forth, like a seesaw.
Not much you can do about it. Try to take some extra practice strokes while addressing the cueball and try to dial in the feel of the hit.

 

[GoldCrown]

Mental game.... practice.....get proficient...gain confidence...learn how to play the game...how to win.... believe in yourself. I was starting to play substantially better after a few sessions with Scott Lee. Shots would come up and I'd say to myself I handle this in practice I can handle it here and now. I was fired up for while... I'm working on recovering that... it got lost. Poor concentration. Not bearing down. Frustration. I'm re-learning how to relax, bear down and concentrate...

 

[straightline]

Nothing to add except another shot at books for book's sake. They won't help if you have nothing to help and worse many will (guilty-->) will cherry pick cool shit to learn. Double edged sword, lil bittuh knowledge... etc...

 

[iusedtoberich]

I have a problem with my game that I would like some input on. Please allow me to start by saying that for numerous reasons, I do not have time to play beyond my APA league night once a week and the occasional (usually once a month) tournament. That being said, I have been playing off and on for about 30 years, so in consecutive length maybe 8-10 years. I am a 4 rank APA, and my Fargo at last check was a little over 300. Up until about 10 years ago, I was able to play about 10 hours a week.

Here is my problem: Mentally, I know exactly what I need to do on the current shot - aim line, power, english. I know where to be for the next shot and what english to use (and how much) to avoid hitting other balls, all the while setting myself up for pattern play (although my pattern consists of only 1 to 2 more shots max due to my lack of speed control). So mentally, I know exactly what to do and where to be on the table, however my shot does not always cooperate. Especially on long shots where I know I need a lot of draw or follow to get into position, my stroke goes to crap once I increase power and I usually miss. I miss a shot or get bad position and get down on myself a little, then the snowball builds and I get worse and worse from there, eventually the night becomes a losing one and I find myself having less and less fun at the game.

Am I getting into my own head? Is my stroke/stance/preshot routine terrible? Am I way overthinking the game? Something else? Perhaps a combination of all of the above. Any tips (drills, reading materials - maybe sports psychology,etc.) would be greatly appreciated. I have been told to just go back to basics (storke, stance, preshot routine), focus on my fundamentals, and shoot the ball to make it - do not worry about leave.

Thank you for your input and God bless.

I didn't read any prior responses...

No, you don't know any of this. An APA 4 or fargo 300 player does not know aim, position routes, patterns, mental game, etc. I'm not being mean. You simply do not know what you don't know.

The only way to learn this is to practice your brains out.

If I was you and I wanted to get better, I'd quit league entirely. Buy a drill book. Take it to the pool hall on league night, but at a different pool hall than the league is at. Do the drills during the hours you would have spent at league watching your teammates.

 

[bbb]

I didn't read any prior responses...

No, you don't know any of this. An APA 4 or fargo 300 player does not know aim, position routes, patterns, mental game, etc. I'm not being mean. You simply do not know what you don't know.

The only way to learn this is to practice your brains out.

If I was you and I wanted to get better, I'd quit league entirely. Buy a drill book. Take it to the pool hall on league night, but at a different pool hall than the league is at. Do the drills during the hours you would have spent at league watching your teammates.

i would only add
find an instructor
great advice btw......

 

[SSP]

I have a problem with my game that I would like some input on. Please allow me to start by saying that for numerous reasons, I do not have time to play beyond my APA league night once a week and the occasional (usually once a month) tournament. That being said, I have been playing off and on for about 30 years, so in consecutive length maybe 8-10 years. I am a 4 rank APA, and my Fargo at last check was a little over 300. Up until about 10 years ago, I was able to play about 10 hours a week.

Here is my problem: Mentally, I know exactly what I need to do on the current shot - aim line, power, english. I know where to be for the next shot and what english to use (and how much) to avoid hitting other balls, all the while setting myself up for pattern play (although my pattern consists of only 1 to 2 more shots max due to my lack of speed control). So mentally, I know exactly what to do and where to be on the table, however my shot does not always cooperate. Especially on long shots where I know I need a lot of draw or follow to get into position, my stroke goes to crap once I increase power and I usually miss. I miss a shot or get bad position and get down on myself a little, then the snowball builds and I get worse and worse from there, eventually the night becomes a losing one and I find myself having less and less fun at the game.

Am I getting into my own head? Is my stroke/stance/preshot routine terrible? Am I way overthinking the game? Something else? Perhaps a combination of all of the above. Any tips (drills, reading materials - maybe sports psychology,etc.) would be greatly appreciated. I have been told to just go back to basics (storke, stance, preshot routine), focus on my fundamentals, and shoot the ball to make it - do not worry about leave.

Thank you for your input and God bless.

Especially on long shots where I know I need a lot of draw or follow to get into position, my stroke goes to crap.........Your stroke may be fine and you may THINK you are hitting the center of the cue ball but how do you know you are? I know , I am working on the same problem, I took a lesson with a PBIA instructor and he helped me find my vision center, it's not hand eye coordination , it's eye, brain, hand , if where you line up your eye is telling your brain this is straight and it's not you are going to miss, especially on long shots and shots that require a faster stroke, you think you are hitting center of the cue ball but you are not, even worse you start using english to make shots when you THINK you are hitting center ball but you are not, look at some of the pro's, some guys are centered over the cue some guys have their heads to the left or right to get THEIR vision center, can't stress how much it helped me and I have only been working on it for about a month, once you get that the next thing is "quieting the eyes" I learned so much in just one session with my instructor, I'm going back for another lesson in about a week.

 

[maha]

do you have mental issues when you throw a ball or a rock at something. or walk down the street.

just go up and shoot it and dont think about it.