I don't know if anyone else here has this problem, but i can't figuere out why the balls I always seem to miss are the last three. For instance if my opponent scratches on the break I am almost guaranteed to get to the last three depending on the table (clusters and such) and somehow manage to get out of line always at that point in the rack. Any input or advice would be great.
The last 3 evil balls
- Thread starter czarofrockland
- Start date
czarofrockland said:
Oftentimes, a position error on one shot isn't completely manifested until several shots later. You may be getting slightly out-of-line early on in the rack and find yourself in recovery-mode before you know it. The key to successful run-outs is to recognize when you're out-of-line or when you can potentially get out-of-line.
Also there are certain routes that may be more favorable for staying in-line or there may be routes that need a little fine-tuning. A lot of people know about traveling three-rails around the table but some players fail to recognize how they can manipulate that route so that it's more (or less) likely that they'll fall straight on the next shot.
The bottomline, trace back your sequence and try to see if you can pin-point exactly where your mistake was. Of course, there will be racks where you're faced with one tester after another but sometimes, players give themselves more testers than they should. See if there might be a way to minimze the number of difficult shots you take.
Great post by Jude. Here's another angle on things.
Possibly during the first 6 balls you are thinking of ,posistion, making the balls and not thinking about winning.Your possibly not even thinking stroke or mechanics as everything is just flowing by feel and quite naturally. On the last three balls you (could be?) start thinking about winning, or perhaps maybe even the fear of losing.When fear enters the equation, the back arm tightens and fear even effects your eye sight.
I suspect it's a mostly a mental dilemna as I know the symptoms and suffer from them as well.Craving so much for the admiration and respect of my peers brings on unwanted pressure.I'm just dieng to be able to shoot like I can in practice.
I've started to read some books on the mental game and claiming the last three balls as a fault of yours only goes to further the subconscious to repeat the failure again and again.Never ever talk about your failures with the last three balls again...EVER!!!
Tell yourself (with affirmations) that you are the best last 3 ball shooter in the pool hall.Write it down on cards even if you have to. Say it over and over and see if things change.Fake it till you make it.When you do successfully run out the last three say to yourself "This is me!"When you fail to do so, say to yourself, "I'll do better next time." and then totally forget about it.If you scold yourself, get angry etc, you will just go onto to further program your subconscious for future failure.
You may have developed a self image that sets you up for failure.This self image needs to change.Feeding yourself with postives (affirmations etc) and starving it from negetivity will eventually change your self image if you are diligent. Having said that, change isn't easy.
These are reccomendations from books on the mental game.This is not my own self prescribed therapy. I've been to lazy to(consistently) try them for myself,but when I have, it seems to work. Sorry I can't offer you more, however, studying the mental game is something that I too so despretley need and have only began to work on.
Mechanics and knowledge only take you so far. This game is sooooo MENTAL.Good luck.
RJ
Here's an excellent mental book that I've started to read:
With Winning in Mind, by Lenny Bassham
(Olympic Champion and two time World champion target shooting)
Great little book, that I'm really impressed with.
Possibly during the first 6 balls you are thinking of ,posistion, making the balls and not thinking about winning.Your possibly not even thinking stroke or mechanics as everything is just flowing by feel and quite naturally. On the last three balls you (could be?) start thinking about winning, or perhaps maybe even the fear of losing.When fear enters the equation, the back arm tightens and fear even effects your eye sight.
I suspect it's a mostly a mental dilemna as I know the symptoms and suffer from them as well.Craving so much for the admiration and respect of my peers brings on unwanted pressure.I'm just dieng to be able to shoot like I can in practice.
I've started to read some books on the mental game and claiming the last three balls as a fault of yours only goes to further the subconscious to repeat the failure again and again.Never ever talk about your failures with the last three balls again...EVER!!!
Tell yourself (with affirmations) that you are the best last 3 ball shooter in the pool hall.Write it down on cards even if you have to. Say it over and over and see if things change.Fake it till you make it.When you do successfully run out the last three say to yourself "This is me!"When you fail to do so, say to yourself, "I'll do better next time." and then totally forget about it.If you scold yourself, get angry etc, you will just go onto to further program your subconscious for future failure.
You may have developed a self image that sets you up for failure.This self image needs to change.Feeding yourself with postives (affirmations etc) and starving it from negetivity will eventually change your self image if you are diligent. Having said that, change isn't easy.
These are reccomendations from books on the mental game.This is not my own self prescribed therapy. I've been to lazy to(consistently) try them for myself,but when I have, it seems to work. Sorry I can't offer you more, however, studying the mental game is something that I too so despretley need and have only began to work on.
Mechanics and knowledge only take you so far. This game is sooooo MENTAL.Good luck.
RJ
Here's an excellent mental book that I've started to read:
With Winning in Mind, by Lenny Bassham
(Olympic Champion and two time World champion target shooting)
Great little book, that I'm really impressed with.
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Reread your question and you may have your answer, clusters and such. Did you shoot all of the easy shots first with no plan for the clusters? Were the first five balls in such a position that you did not really have to have a plan or play position to knock them in? Also as mentioned earlier the mind game may be a factor. You are thinking I made 5 balls and I have hardly ever made 6 in a row and this is so difficult. You need to forget about how many balls you ran and just look at the 6th ball as another ball to make and not be worrying about the fact that you have made your limit of 5 in a row.
I know it took me a long time to run out a 8 ball game, but after the first one the rest became eaiser. Was it because my playing skills really improved or was it because I overcame that hurdle of getting past only being able to run 5balls in a row?
I know it took me a long time to run out a 8 ball game, but after the first one the rest became eaiser. Was it because my playing skills really improved or was it because I overcame that hurdle of getting past only being able to run 5balls in a row?
Jude Rosenstock said:
I equate this to being more aware of potential disaster. Where a being just a little off means your SOL. I really need to work on this.
Along with that you mention another thing I wish I'd remember more often. Talking about going more than one rail for position. I'd like to make the determining factor of how I go to my position more about going along the line of the next shot rather than across the line of the next shot.
I've come up with a similar problem. I make myself work harder when I'm positioning on the 9ball. I've seen too many times how players set themselves up on the 9 like it ain't no thing but a chicken wing on a string in a burger king. Yet no matter how many times I run anywhere from 6-8 balls down to the 9, I get bad on it. One of my signature position plays on the 9 is over shooting it. I end up parallel to the 9ball rather than anywhere close to a straight shot into the corner pocket. I end up with a tuff cut (getting the usual "nice shot" from my opponent) into to the corner or the side pocket. Well...my cut shots have incredibly improved but I just wish I would've done that by practicing and not from excessive "screwing myself" games.
pharaoh68
Banned
Bustah360 said:
What you can do is this:
1) set up that cut shot and practice it so that it won't be a prblem anymore. Once you get this down, you won't be afriad of coming up short or going too long and it'll be easier to find the right speed.
2) Stop saying things like 'ain't no thing but a chicken wing on a string in a burger king'.