Punch hole stickers for practice shots

punch hole

punch holes should not damage your felt. I do the same thing with pennies or chalk pieces cause I'm too lazy to buy punch holes.

practice wise: having a standard set of drills for stroke consistency: corner to corner, down the rail, etc do those tooo.

but for variety and the ability to teach yourself.

kind of like btown said.

I like to break on 8, 9, or 10 ball rack.
wherever your OBs and CB end up, place a spot.
also place a marker for where you want to be
shoot it until you make the ball and then get position directly on spot or within an acceptable given distace to the spot. then find as many paths to the same position with top, bottom, force follow, draw, stun, left, right, inside, any combination of the preceding, upside down, inside out, blah blah
then move on the next shot, and repeat, until you run out.

I've learned quite a bit on my own this way.
 
I think everyone is missing her question. I THINK she is saying she has some cheap "felt" cover on her table and not a quality cloth like Simonis. And she is wondering if pulling the dots off the cheap felt may mess it up. If you have the really cheap felt on it the first thing I would work on would be getting it recovered in some type of decent cloth. Try a few dots on a spot way under the rail, press them down really hard. Let them sit a little bit, then pull them off and see what happens. It will probably pull some fibres loose or do nothing. Then you will know.

Very good idea.
 
They won’t hurt your cloth.




This is the absolute worst advice I have ever seen dispensed. Breaking the balls and trying to run the table is good practice; but about 1 in 100 will be able to do this without getting careless and/or sloppy. And if you get careless and/or sloppy it turns to “anti-practice". Do drills; lots of them they WILL improve your game.

To each his own.
 
btown:
It is a great idea, however personaly i would not practice drills. I would practice break n runs and use the sticky's for where you want to get shape. This way you get to practice controlling your break and its a little more enjoyable than drills.

ENGLISH:
I agree. Game situations are better. Unless you're having an obvious problem with something specific.
As others have said, this is bad advice. Drills are a way to focus your practice on specific areas that everybody has difficulty with or that you have particular difficulty with, and can shorten your learning curve a lot by getting these "problem areas" improved earlier.

I wish I had the patience for drills when I was starting out. I teach and watch beginners, and the ones who do drills advance much faster.

pj
chgo
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by btown
It is a great idea, however personaly i would not practice drills. I would practice break n runs and use the sticky's for where you want to get shape. This way you get to practice controlling your break and its a little more enjoyable than drills.

This is the absolute worst advice I have ever seen dispensed. Breaking the balls and trying to run the table is good practice; but about 1 in 100 will be able to do this without getting careless and/or sloppy. And if you get careless and/or sloppy it turns to “anti-practice". Do drills; lots of them they WILL improve your game.


Drills are the most boring part of pool, i have played all my life and have never shot a drill shot. Turn some music on throw some balls on the table and start running out, if you want to use your sticky marker use it to declare where you want your position.

When me and my brother would play in our house around 9-10years old my dad would put quarters on the table where he wanted us to have shape. If we got within 1inch of the quarter we got to keep it. Needless to say my dad never had much change laying around...

Maybe when you get a little better, im assuming you are a C class player drills will be more inline. I have a feeling right now you should just work on your stroke!

I tend to agree with YOU.
 
As others have said, this is bad advice. Drills are a way to focus your practice on specific areas that everybody has difficulty with or that you have particular difficulty with, and can shorten your learning curve a lot by getting these "problem areas" improved earlier.

I wish I had the patience for drills when I was starting out. I teach and watch beginners, and the ones who do drills advance much faster.

pj
chgo

Juicy Girl, If you want do drill shoot drills. If you want to break & play back & forth against yourself, do that. Maybe a 'happy' medium would be to play against yourself & if you notice a difficiency in some aspect of your game, then work on 1 or 2 drills to address that area. Good luck with the sticky notes or donut holes. I just define the spot I want to be in for my next shot & if I do not get there then it was not the most successful shot. The important thing is, if you're going to miss position then miss it on the side where you can still get to your next shot. Sometimes an 1/8 of an inch or less can be a 'killer' so hitting stickies & quarters is not always specific enough. Good luck & enjoy the journey.
 
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punch holes should not damage your felt. I do the same thing with pennies or chalk pieces cause I'm too lazy to buy punch holes.

practice wise: having a standard set of drills for stroke consistency: corner to corner, down the rail, etc do those tooo.

but for variety and the ability to teach yourself.

kind of like btown said.

I like to break on 8, 9, or 10 ball rack.
wherever your OBs and CB end up, place a spot.
also place a marker for where you want to be
shoot it until you make the ball and then get position directly on spot or within an acceptable given distace to the spot. then find as many paths to the same position with top, bottom, force follow, draw, stun, left, right, inside, any combination of the preceding, upside down, inside out, blah blah
then move on the next shot, and repeat, until you run out.

I've learned quite a bit on my own this way.

I like your variety in shots to the same area. That's learning something that will be valuable in a real game situation. Good sugestion.
 
Drills are the most boring part of pool,

You forgot to say FOR ME, drills are exciting for the right type of person; when I am about to fire my 10th long thin cut shot ALL the way down the table without a miss that is a whole lot more exciting than running a 9ball table that I made 3 balls on the break from.

i have played all my life and have never shot a drill shot.

Bologna you just haven’t called it a drill.

Turn some music on throw some balls on the table and start running out,

That’s a drill

if you want to use your sticky marker use it to declare where you want your position.

Good suggestion.



When me and my brother would play in our house around 9-10years old my dad would put quarters on the table where he wanted us to have shape. If we got within 1inch of the quarter we got to keep it. Needless to say my dad never had much change laying around...

Good story; your father had a good handle on how to get kids to play position right from the very start

Maybe when you get a little better, im assuming you are a C class player drills will be more inline. I have a feeling right now you should just work on your stroke!

And how does one just work on their stroke?

:confused::wink::rolleyes::idea2::idea::shrug:

Drills are for everyone from beginner to professional, I have never met a pro that has NEVER done a drill, met a couple of good players that SAY they haven’t but after a while have found that they just have different types of drills than the standard “L”, semicircle, “T” or _____ drill. They just don’t call what they do a “drill”.

I don’t care what sport, instrument or art you compete in; if it involves physicality (even some that don't after all you have "drills" in chess also) any human will reach more of the % of their maximum potential with drilling than in the absence of it.

So you can get very good without drilling but you can NOT get as good as your natural ability will allow given the time and resources you have to devote to it. That’s why you don’t find very many (if any) pro player that has never done drills.
 
To each his own. I'd rather 'practice' real game stuations unless you have a drill for every geame situation.


The idea behind the book 99 Most Critical Shots is that if you learn those 99 shots you will basically be equiped to handle any situation in pool. Each of those can be considered a drill. So being well versed will most certainly help you game.
 
And how does one just work on their stroke?

:confused::wink::rolleyes::idea2::idea::shrug:

Why stroke drills of course.

Reading this thread reminds me of when I was a young boy taking music lessons, anybody remember having to play scales for hours?

Well scales are like drills in pool. Some people love em some hate them.

The key to all of this is finding something that works for you, and is fun to do. If is isn't you are not going to stick with it.
 
The idea behind the book 99 Most Critical Shots is that if you learn those 99 shots you will basically be equiped to handle any situation in pool. Each of those can be considered a drill. So being well versed will most certainly help you game.

It's probably a very good book. I certainly agree with the versatilty thing. But, I repectfully submit that there are well more than 99 shots in pool especially when you consider all of the different position requirements needed from off of the 'EXACT' same shot. But I get your point and it's probably a very good starting point.
 
Why stroke drills of course.

Reading this thread reminds me of when I was a young boy taking music lessons, anybody remember having to play scales for hours?

Well scales are like drills in pool. Some people love em some hate them.

The key to all of this is finding something that works for you, and is fun to do. If is isn't you are not going to stick with it.

I played trumpet in high schools & I think music & pool are a bit different, but I totally agree with the rest of your post.
 
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It's probably a very good book. I certainly agree with the versatilty thing. But, I repectfully submit that there are well more than 99 shots in pool especially when you consider all of the different position requirements needed from off of the 'EXACT' same shot. But I get your point and it's probably a very good starting point.


If you haven't read the book I highly recommend it. The author is Ray Martin. He is actually a member on this board and posts from time to time (not to mention a world champion pool player).

http://www.amazon.com/The-Critical-Shots-Pool-Everything/dp/0812922417
 
I have a generally obvious problem with making pockets!:eek: :outtahere:
Thanks everyone

Try this to see if it is your stroke or if you're not seeing the shot correctly.
Place two(2) 'object' balls on each side of a head end corner pocket to tighten the pocket just a LITTLE on each side. Now go to a position behind the spot on the foot end & place the cue ball about 'your' follow thru distance behind the table spot directly in line with the corner pocket opening. Now shoot the cue ball into the pocket without hitting the other balls on each side of the pocket, hold your follow thru & look to see if the cue tip is directly over the spot. If you want you can use your sticky donut holes placed closely together & roll the cue ball between them & see if the cue tip is in the middel of them. If your stroke is good or when you get it good & you're still not pocketing balls. It probably is an aiming thing & there are several if not many different aiming ideas to try. I personally started out with the ghost ball system but then quickly started using english & physics along with it. Good luck with it.

PS The good thing about that red cloth is that wine stains won't show up as bad as on a 'traditional green' cloth. I would suggest that you use Masters 'tan' chaulk. It won't dis-color your cue stick red over time.
 
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If you haven't read the book I highly recommend it. The author is Ray Martin. He is actually a member on this board and posts from time to time (not to mention a world champion pool player).

http://www.amazon.com/The-Critical-Shots-Pool-Everything/dp/0812922417

If he is a World Champion, then it is probably well worth our while to give him the respect that he is due & to consider what he says. I might give it a read instead of spending my spare time on the computer. Thanks for the info.

PS What is his WC Title & when? Maybe you can PM with that. Thanks in advance
 
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Try this to see if it is your stroke or if you're not seeing the shot correctly.
Place two(2) 'object' balls on each side of a head end corner pocket to tighten the pocket just a LITTLE on each side. Now go to a position behind the spot on the foot end & place the cue ball about 'your' follow thru distance behind the table spot directly in line with the corner pocket opening. Now shoot the cue ball into the pocket without hitting the other balls on each side of the pocket, hold your follow thru & look to see if the cue tip is directly over the spot. If you want you can use your sticky donut holes placed closely together & roll the cue ball between them & see if the cue tip is in the middel of them. If your stroke is good or when you get it good & you're still not pocketing balls. It probably is an aiming thing & there are several if not many different aiming ideas to try. I personally started out with the ghost ball system but then quickly started using english & physics along with it. Good luck with it.

PS The good thing about that red cloth is that wine stains won't show up as bad as on a 'traditional green' cloth. I would suggest that you use Masters 'tan' chaulk. It won't dis-color your cue stick red over time.


HEY THATS A DRILL :eek: :grin:
 
If he is a World Champion, then it is probably well worth our while to give him the respect that he is due & to consider what he says. I might give it a read instead of spending my spare time on the computer. Thanks for the info.

PS What is his WC Title & when? Maybe you can PM with that. Thanks in advance

Three time world champion in straight pool
 
HEY THATS A DRILL :eek: :grin:

Sure is, but I've never done it, but you made smile too. The only 'drll' I've ever done is hit alot of different bank shots if I start missing them to one(1) side. I never said drills are a 'bad' thing. I just said I'd rather shoot against myself. I think it's more realistic & I think a more efficient use of practice time, unless there is a problem. Then you work out the problem, one way or another.
 
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