the moment you realize practice has paid off

[poolguppy]

So my cousin and have been somewhat rivals in pool since we were seventeen, more casual players most the time hitting poolrooms once or twice a week, and wins always had a steady back and fourth flow. I picked up my own table a little over a year ago, and bought him and myself a couple really nice cues ( the ones in my avatar) trying to get more serious about pool, but he lives up in Seattle now.

The first few times he came to visit it was still a back and fourth game, he still plays pretty regularly with friends in Seattle, finally after 6 months or so I was gaining a little bit if an edge in our matches, beating him maybe 3-2 steady. Then on his last trip a couple months ago I was finally showing improvement of winning consistently 2-1, and I was shooting at the top of my game. Since then I splurged on several nice cues and finally bought my monster ebony and ivory player cue and really sought to up my game.

He came down this past weekend and I pulled out a different game on him. He dosent play against anyone with a safety game, and for the sake of practicing I shot safeties more often then I usually would . I really wasn't happy with the way I played though, not a single break and run, missed almost half my banks, scratched a lot, dissapointed in myself...until I realized I was beating him 5 games to 1! He was shocked, he said he was actually playing very well all weekend. I've read so much helpful info on here thank you azer's! I have no doubt these forums played a large roll in advancing my game, and I hope to keep going strong see what I can do in another years time

 

[itsfroze]

I love that moment, there is nothing more satisfying than to have a shot you have
recently been practicing come up in a money game and get you the cash.
It's a great feeling and leads to even more practice, you got to watch it as this can
become a vicious circle (not really vicious) you can get trapped in. :wink:

 

[Pete]

Years back I had just watched and played around with Pat Flemmings instructional tape.

My buddy who got me into pool and used to beat 2 - 4 balls to my one (straight pool so it would be like 20 - 30 vs his 100).

So we are playing a quick race to 50 points and the final score was 50 - -2:sorry:.

Practice does pay off sometimes...

 

[duckie]

I played a guy last night in some 14.1 and his on going comment throughout the games was......"I need to practice more like you".He didn't have a chance.

The thing is, the better you get, you will need better players to play.

Now there practice and then there is practice. Practice is not just putting the balls on the table and hit them around.

Practice needs to be focused. You need to be working on something, hopefully it will be practicing a weakness until it becomes a strength. I did a 4 ball combo after the guy last night played what he thought was a lock up safe. At one point combos were a weakness, this is no longer true. Combos now are a strength as is my banks. I don't get called bank master for missing banks( I know this hard for some to believe).

And yes, it is a cycle that needs to be kept up. But there is a side effect to getting better, people will stop playing you or will not play you because of how good you are.

 

[poolguppy]

Good point, ive always done the hitting balls around for awhile thing, but these past couple months ive been focusing on leaves and safeties. definitely where I was weak. And unfortunately I live in a small pond and even though I don't play money games most people don't play me anymore or quit after a couple games, and the only one who does always want to play, is a beginner and wants to play me for practice because he dosent he expect to when so he dosent care when he loses, probably not healthy for my game but it is good time to practice safeties on some one.

I played a guy last night in some 14.1 and his on going comment throughout the games was......"I need to practice more like you".He didn't have a chance.

The thing is, the better you get, you will need better players to play.

Now there practice and then there is practice. Practice is not just putting the balls on the table and hit them around.

Practice needs to be focused. You need to be working on something, hopefully it will be practicing a weakness until it becomes a strength. I did a 4 ball combo after the guy last night played what he thought was a lock up safe. At one point combos were a weakness, this is no longer true. Combos now are a strength as is my banks. I don't get called bank master for missing banks( I know this hard for some to believe).

And yes, it is a cycle that needs to be kept up. But there is a side effect to getting better, people will stop playing you or will not play you because of how good you are.

 

[Big C]

Investing in your game pays dividends.

So my cousin and have been somewhat rivals in pool since we were seventeen, more casual players most the time hitting poolrooms once or twice a week, and wins always had a steady back and fourth flow. I picked up my own table a little over a year ago, and bought him and myself a couple really nice cues ( the ones in my avatar) trying to get more serious about pool, but he lives up in Seattle now.

The first few times he came to visit it was still a back and fourth game, he still plays pretty regularly with friends in Seattle, finally after 6 months or so I was gaining a little bit if an edge in our matches, beating him maybe 3-2 steady. Then on his last trip a couple months ago I was finally showing improvement of winning consistently 2-1, and I was shooting at the top of my game. Since then I splurged on several nice cues and finally bought my monster ebony and ivory player cue and really sought to up my game.

He came down this past weekend and I pulled out a different game on him. He dosent play against anyone with a safety game, and for the sake of practicing I shot safeties more often then I usually would . I really wasn't happy with the way I played though, not a single break and run, missed almost half my banks, scratched a lot, dissapointed in myself...until I realized I was beating him 5 games to 1! He was shocked, he said he was actually playing very well all weekend. I've read so much helpful info on here thank you azer's! I have no doubt these forums played a large roll in advancing my game, and I hope to keep going strong see what I can do in another years time

Playing on a consistent basis can help you improve, but you don't need a table at home. Have you taken any lessons yet? If not, why?

 

[poolguppy]

Playing on a consistent basis can help you improve, but you don't need a table at home. Have you taken any lessons yet? If not, why?

I'm currently shopping for an instructor in the Portland Oregon area to take lessons this summer

 

[Wright Shot]

The better I play, the more I want to practice. Playing good is really addictive. It makes me want to work on my weaknesses.

Chris

 

[duckie]

There is another moment that is very important and this one is the defining moment of a players game.

The moment is when you realize no more practice will help you. That you have practiced so much that there is no reason to be missing shots. That if your are missing shots, then the fault is all mental and not skill related.

In other words, your success in pool now all comes down to what is going on between your ears and not from your skills.

 

[Roadking]

A table at home helps tremendously!
That's why after about a 2yr layoff I can't make shit.lol
But everyone is different. I've seen guys that haven't touched a stick in 2yrs come back in stroke.