Typical Problems / Diagrams
- Thread starter DrCue'sProtege
- Start date
Mike, let me start by stating that nothing I might say in this post is meant to belittle you in any way, only to help you. I mean that sincerely. I say that, because this is a one way conversation, and parts may be construed to say other than just what I want to convey.....understood, not a problem
I would assume that you have never had a job that required hand-eye co-ordination. I say that, because you don't seem to have any, and don't seem to want to learn it. (the speed drills you call worthless) Pool is a game of eye hand co-ordination. It can be learned. Those that pick up the game quick, had a childhood where they learned it. (eye hand co.) Some of us have to learn it later in life, and it takes longer.....just the opposite. i've always had good hand/eye coord. my short game in golf was always very good.
You also have a problem dealing with failure. You are not a robot, therefore, you will screw up from time to time. Even the best miss ducks now and then. Those wanting to get better, will laugh at it, but inside they are quickly going over why they missed it so they can correct it for the next shot. If they miss the next one, it will be for a new reason, not the same reason. They learn from their mistakes, and then let it go. It's all part of the learning process....failure is not an option
You, on the other hand, don't want to let the mistakes go. You want to dwell on them. Even to the point of posting diagrams to show that you screwed up an easy shot. Why??? The only reason I can think of is to punish yourself. You are like the guy that will go off for his paycheck every week. Doesn't know when to quit because he has to punish himself for playing so poorly. So, he plays until he is broke. Instead of playing for money, you put your failures on here. Same thing, just a lot cheaper....Why do i post? in hopes of learning from others.
You have to stop thinking that to learn you have to punish yourself. It's not working very well for you. You have to accept that no matter how good you get, you will make mistakes. It happens, you have to learn to deal with it. You have to get past the mistake so you have a fresh mental start on the next shot.
The two diagrams you put up, quite frankly, most apa 4's would have no problem with making the 2, or getting shape on the 2 in the second one. Yet you did. Ask yourself why??? Do you see yourself as failing, or succeeding? I'd be willing to bet that you see yourself as failing. Your self-esteem is lacking. I suggest you go read some books on being the best you that you can be. Such as "The Magic of Thinking Big"
You have to stop punishing yourself and allow yourself to play to the best you can. Only then can you really see improvement. I've asked myself why. its a huge problem for me - that being how much cut to use and am i lined up right. thats why i struggle on the long straight-in shots, i dont know if i am lined up and aiming correctly.
The shape off the one- very standard shot. Why would you put any english on it?? i thought the english would spin me down, closer to the 2-Ball......Here's how I would approach that shot-
1. Is the shot makeable- answer, yes. Well within my capabilities.
2. Where is the next ball? (should already know this, but look anyways.)
3. Where is my target area for the next ball? I draw a line from being able to make the 2 to the 6. I have to be past that line. Short of that line and I am hooked. I then pick a spot that I want the cb to stop at, and visualize that spot.
4. I go back to the one. Where does the tangent line go off the 1, and where does the follow line (30 degrees) go??
5. I see that the tangent line will work great for this shot. Gives me a little longer shot on the 2, but so what?? If I am accurate, 6-12" farther away doesn't mean a thing. Plus, I will be able to reach it easier.
6. Now, I set my speed in my head. Have done enough drills that this should be no problem. Soft hit, so hit the cb low for a stop shot. Nice easy shot, nothing fancy, just roll it in.
7. Now, I get down, having put all that in my subconscious in a few seconds, and let my subconscious shoot the shot. If I let my conscious mind shoot the shot, I am very much more likely to screw up something. Conscious mind will be thinking too much- make sure you don't miss the duck; don't hit it too hard; oh, you can get a little closer, put a little right english on it; ect. But, when you let your subconscious mind shoot it, your mind will do it's best to make your body conform to what picture you put in it. When you observe the results with your subconscious mind, it will automatically make adjustments for you if necessary on the next shot, such as speed control.
Basically, Mike, you are not allowing yourself to get to the level you desire to be at. You have to believe that you are worthy of playing good, and give yourself full permission to achieve your desires. Time to stop punishing yourself. It's as easy as just saying it! It really is! Don't look at mistakes as a failure, but as a learning experience. Look at each shot as "o.k., this did this, that did that" and file it away in your mind. STOP, STOP saying "o.k., I wanted this, and I screwed it up, now I have this crap to deal with. I failed again! I'm such a failure!" ....whenever i hose something up i make a note on my diagram sheet and practice them the next night when i get home
This was REAL long, but it needed to be to said what I did say. Hopefully, it will help you to look at things a little differently. You have to change your mindset before your game will change. I'd be willing to bet that when you do have those days that you feel you played well, your self-esteem was where it should be. And, on the days where you mess up and post it, you feel some kind of satisfaction in punishing yourself. You have to give yourself the freedom to mess up now and then without having to punish yourself. LEARN from your mistakes. You have had enough lessons that you know how to learn from them. ACCEPT the fact that you WILL make mistakes. It's all a part of learning. If you didn't make mistakes, you would not be learning, you would already know! And, you would be spotting Efren!
There's your Christmas present! Use it wisely.Merry Christmas!
It is just like you said Neil. When i shoot good i feel good, i am in a good mood and life is cool. but people at the office can tell i am in a bad mood when i shoot bad. they dont know pool is the culprit though.
Mike
mike you stated:
"I've asked myself why. its a huge problem for me - that being how much cut to use and am i lined up right. thats why i struggle on the long straight-in shots, i dont know if i am lined up and aiming correctly."
how on Earth is it that you are not sure if your aligned correctly?
you should give my so called "indian guide" shot some action.......if your not correctly aligned and the CB isnt struck correct then the shot wont happen.
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=156925&highlight=indian+guide
usually i find the general consensus that when players are perfectly aligned and square and plumb across the board the cue or stance feels slightly "cramped" or like the stance is compact or something.....it feels weird at first but the grooved feeling is unforgetable
when you try that shot i linked to use a piece of white chalk to draw a straight line cata-corner......use that line to put the balls on and "SEE" through your cue making sure the CUE STICK is in ALIGNMENT with the line you drew and then get your body into place stepping into the shot.......
hope that drill helps some on the alignment.....as that is not a good problem to have.
you can also check this vid (watch the 2nd part too if you like) I did that talks a little about alignment and some helpful ways to form a repeatable mechanical setup.
http://www.youtube.com/forcefollow#p/u/4/5u52gKAehqo
merry christmas,
-Grey GHost-
"I've asked myself why. its a huge problem for me - that being how much cut to use and am i lined up right. thats why i struggle on the long straight-in shots, i dont know if i am lined up and aiming correctly."
how on Earth is it that you are not sure if your aligned correctly?
you should give my so called "indian guide" shot some action.......if your not correctly aligned and the CB isnt struck correct then the shot wont happen.
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=156925&highlight=indian+guide
usually i find the general consensus that when players are perfectly aligned and square and plumb across the board the cue or stance feels slightly "cramped" or like the stance is compact or something.....it feels weird at first but the grooved feeling is unforgetable
when you try that shot i linked to use a piece of white chalk to draw a straight line cata-corner......use that line to put the balls on and "SEE" through your cue making sure the CUE STICK is in ALIGNMENT with the line you drew and then get your body into place stepping into the shot.......
hope that drill helps some on the alignment.....as that is not a good problem to have.
you can also check this vid (watch the 2nd part too if you like) I did that talks a little about alignment and some helpful ways to form a repeatable mechanical setup.
http://www.youtube.com/forcefollow#p/u/4/5u52gKAehqo
merry christmas,
-Grey GHost-
Diana Minor, a former WPBA Pro, showed me a drill where you use that thin white tape to check on alignment. and Tom Rossman always advocated the same thing as your "Indian Guide" drill. Tom said if you could follow scratch that you were aligned properly, aiming correctly, and stroking straight.
I might go back and find some of that flimsy tape and work on this some tonight. first i need to get back down to the casino at French Lick, havent been there for over a month now.
Mike
Perhaps you didn't learn finesse speed techniques during your lessons with Scott. If you haven't learned this, you might find learning it helpful.
Finesse speeds are less than a stroke speed 1. The scale is constructed similar to the stroke speed scale, and different techniques are used.
Having confident finesse speed control makes these shots a piece of cake.
The other thing is that you aren't made for pool.
You talk about how no one has any idea the amount of money, time, and training you have put into pool. I got better than your speed after 2 years.
I didn't shrug off advice, and I wasn't adversarial about the advice I did receive.
There are people who play far worse than you who have taken a few lessons and practiced what they were told and are good players now, you take what people tell you and throw it in the trash. I'd honestly be surprised if any respectable teacher agreed to give you lessons anymore.
Just quit playing, you have some personal issues you need to work on first. Especially if you go to work being depressed over pool. U have much bigger fish to fry. Get u some wesson and start frying. Come back in a year or 2.
You talk about how no one has any idea the amount of money, time, and training you have put into pool. I got better than your speed after 2 years.
I didn't shrug off advice, and I wasn't adversarial about the advice I did receive.
There are people who play far worse than you who have taken a few lessons and practiced what they were told and are good players now, you take what people tell you and throw it in the trash. I'd honestly be surprised if any respectable teacher agreed to give you lessons anymore.
Just quit playing, you have some personal issues you need to work on first. Especially if you go to work being depressed over pool. U have much bigger fish to fry. Get u some wesson and start frying. Come back in a year or 2.
If randy doesn't break you.....next time I'm up there I may have to give it a good coonass try.....
mais I'm gon bring my chickens foot and a bottle of rum and I garontee we gon make a pool playa outa you yet boy!
Boy I say Boy the future is looking bright for DCP mike lol
keep moving forward mike,
-Grey Ghost-
Wait, i think you misunderstood about RandyG's visit. He wants to learn how to be a better instructor, so i've offered to help him with all my knowledge of the game. they call me Mr. N.
by the time he leaves Loogootee, IN he should be overwhelmed with knowledge..
Mike
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Wait, i think you misunderstood about RandyG's visit. He wants to learn how to be a better instructor, so i've offered to help him with all my knowledge of the game. they can me Mr. N.
by the time he leaves Loogootee, IN he should be overwhelmed with knowledge..
Mike
Your posts aren't cute. If my eyes could roll back any further, they'd be spinning backwards.
DCP is the CC of the pool part of the forum. No one can overthrow CC in the NPR forum.
I was 100% serious when I said maybe you aren't cut out for pool, you may be at the plateau where you will not get any better and if thats the case with your anger and depression over not being able to cut in a ball and not scratch, it's not a good game for you. Why take years off your life from all the aging and feelings of hopelessness, when you can find another sport you like.
I was 100% serious when I said maybe you aren't cut out for pool, you may be at the plateau where you will not get any better and if thats the case with your anger and depression over not being able to cut in a ball and not scratch, it's not a good game for you. Why take years off your life from all the aging and feelings of hopelessness, when you can find another sport you like.
Funny how you call her Diana Minor a former WPBA Pro, to those of us who know her she is Dee, although she probably requested you call her by her full first name to remove any issues of u claiming you are friends with her.
If you ever do take a lesson with her again, you can see if she will let you play her husband, he is a new player to the game and she frequently will let new students play with him for a few $ to get over the mental part of the game where you miss for money. He misses a lot so it will be a fair game, and she will help coach you. She will coach you while playing him so you know what she would do and you may win a few $$
GL to ya DCP
If you ever do take a lesson with her again, you can see if she will let you play her husband, he is a new player to the game and she frequently will let new students play with him for a few $ to get over the mental part of the game where you miss for money. He misses a lot so it will be a fair game, and she will help coach you. She will coach you while playing him so you know what she would do and you may win a few $$
GL to ya DCP
*
I think this is the problem with your game. I'm a pretty new player, but that book was monumental in getting me to think about my game properly. I plan on re-reading it several times.
If you aren't in control of your mental state, you can't possibly be in control of your physical game.
Banks
Banned
DCP, it sounds like you are trying too hard when you screw up.
I'm sure you've played against people that don't seem to do things 'correctly', but damn if they just can't seem to miss a shot. One of the most useless offensive moves is to miss your shot and get perfect leave. What's the point in that? Don't turn an easy and intermediate shot into 2 intermediate shots by working harder for an easier shot. You sound like a good shot-maker when you aren't questioning yourself. Just leave yourself with the sure shot and run it (point B in cuetable 2). The other way is how people end up over-rolling, hooking themselves, etc etc. You should've had those racks all day long and you know it, so just make it easy on yourself and finish up. Lastly, make a decision and stick with it so you don't end up with what happened in cuetable 1.
You brain-farted.. suck it up and do it over.
I'm sure you've played against people that don't seem to do things 'correctly', but damn if they just can't seem to miss a shot. One of the most useless offensive moves is to miss your shot and get perfect leave. What's the point in that? Don't turn an easy and intermediate shot into 2 intermediate shots by working harder for an easier shot. You sound like a good shot-maker when you aren't questioning yourself. Just leave yourself with the sure shot and run it (point B in cuetable 2). The other way is how people end up over-rolling, hooking themselves, etc etc. You should've had those racks all day long and you know it, so just make it easy on yourself and finish up. Lastly, make a decision and stick with it so you don't end up with what happened in cuetable 1.
You brain-farted.. suck it up and do it over.
PocketPoint
Banned
Instead of cutting that 2 bridged over a ball, I would definitely be playing safe by putting the cueball behind the 4 and 8, and leaving the 2 behind the 5 and 9.
I'd put more emphasis on getting the CB behind the 4 and 8.
I think this gives you the best chance to win the game.
I'd put more emphasis on getting the CB behind the 4 and 8.
I think this gives you the best chance to win the game.