What is the best thing you did to improve your game in 2011?

[3RAILKICK]

Made a safety skills manual and practiced them rigorously.

Chris

That sounds like a terrific use of table time. Something, I'll bet the majority of us spend far too little time practicing. I know I don't practice them much-and lose games because of it. Hmmmm



Oscar Dominguez is so strong with his safties-maybe the 3cushion play is a factor?

 

[TATE]

That sounds like a terrific use of table time. Something, I'll bet the majority of us spend far too little time practicing. I know I don't practice them much-and lose games because of it. Hmmmm



Oscar Dominguez is so strong with his safties-maybe the 3cushion play is a factor?

Having Ernesto as a father helps. Last tournament, Oscar and I went hill-hill with a lot of safety battles - I thought I had him and he beat me with a friggin' brilliant safety.

Chris

 

[robleyf7]

i went too Denny Stewart in finley ohio an got pool lessons it has improved my game alot

 

[mm4pool]

started learning to play 1 pocket, it has taught me a ton about cue ball control. i have a better understanding of where whitey is going to end up. also my banks are getting better.

Mike

 

[manav]

In the last week I've rediscovered the beauty of a loose grip & wrist. When I was new to the game, it came naturally. Over time, everything began to tense up.

I now allow my hand to open slightly on the backswing (something the snooker players preach) and then close again on the forward swing. The fingers never leave the cue on the way back...nor clench it on the way forward.

This relaxation of the hand/wrist seems to promote relaxation in the arms muscles as well.

that means you are getting your stroke back.


and your title says Job+Wife+Child=No Stroke


I hope everything is alright....

 

[JoeyA]

Spending two full days getting one on one instruction from Stan Shuffett last weekend. I don't even know where to begin with how it helped my game with aiming, kicking, banks, and making a few minor tweaks in my stroke/mechanics that nobody else detected that is now going to save me from years of heartache.

I was hoping at best it would help some, at worst I only lose a few dollars, not to mention the 15 hour round trip in my car. To say it has changed my game for the better and added a renewed vigor to playing and practicing would be an understatement. The BEST money I ever spent in pool period. For the price of a decent SP, I'm one ball better the second I left for home. Now I"m gonna practice it for a few months and see how much I can add to that !!

RJ,
You aren't the only one who has benefited from Stan Shuffett's Foundation Course and ACCURATE method of aiming. Even professional players seek out Stan Shuffett to improve their games.

Stan doesn't toot his own horn on this forum so I'm glad to read your testimony. Good shooting to you.

 

[3RAILKICK]

Having Ernesto as a father helps. Last tournament, Oscar and I went hill-hill with a lot of safety battles - I thought I had him and he beat me with a friggin' brilliant safety.

Chris

Sounds like your regimen of safety play practice has paid dividends.

That is a match to be proud of. Trading safeties with Oscar is no small feat.

Yeah, Oscars's old man might have added a little to his learning curve.

Chris-good shooting!

 

[Koop]

Played more often.

 

[dr_dave]

What things that you did to make your game better in 2011?

I became much more careful with aligning my vision center properly and consistently. Adding knee bend and getting my chin directly over the cue (and actually touching my chin to the cue during my PSR) has helped with this a lot.

How did they help to make your game better?

I now have much better aiming consistency and shot making ability.

Good thread,
Dave

 

[JoeyA]

Having Ernesto as a father helps. Last tournament, Oscar and I went hill-hill with a lot of safety battles - I thought I had him and he beat me with a friggin' brilliant safety.

Chris

Now I know I need lots of weight. :yeah:

 

[JoeyA]

I became much more careful with aligning my vision center properly and consistently. Adding knee bend and getting my chin directly over the cue (and actually touching my chin to the cue during my PSR) has helped with this a lot.

I now have much better aiming consistency and shot making ability.

Good thread,
Dave

Dave,
You may want to update your "vision center" data.

Some people position their cue under one eye, NOT just between their eyes, at least according to Gene Albrecht's "Perfect Aim System". There are many other top players (and not so top players)who position their cue stick directly under their dominant eye.

 

[dr_dave]

Dave,
You may want to update your "vision center" data.

Some people position their cue under one eye, NOT just between their eyes, at least according to Gene Albrecht's "Perfect Aim System". There are many other top players (and not so top players)who position their cue stick directly under their dominant eye.

Read the vision center page again. It doesn't imply that your head should be centered over the cue. Each person's "vision center" can be in a different place relative to the cue (for a center-ball hit). The drill on the vision center page helps one find this place, and my visual alignment and sighting articles discuss and illustrate potential "issues" with various alignment and sighting variations. BTW, I mention Gene and Perfect Aim in the 2nd article.

Regards,
Dave

 

[Lock N Load]

Thank you very much, DR_Dave.

I became much more careful with aligning my vision center properly and consistently. Adding knee bend and getting my chin directly over the cue (and actually touching my chin to the cue during my PSR) has helped with this a lot.

I now have much better aiming consistency and shot making ability.

Good thread,
Dave

I appreciate your input in my thread. I might need some weight from you now!!!
Regards,
Lock N Load.

 

[Island Drive]

Read the vision center page again. It doesn't imply that your head should be centered over the cue. Each person's "vision center" can be in a different place relative to the cue (for a center-ball hit). The drill on the vision center page helps one find this place, and my visual alignment and sighting articles discuss and illustrate potential "issues" with various alignment and sighting variations. BTW, I mention Gene and Perfect Aim in the 2nd article.

Regards,
Dave

Dave need your help, visit the Pool Ball Colors thread, was told that a black 8 ball is NOT more porus when worn than lets say a one ball, is that true, I don't get that feedback/feel from ball collisions, when they are Worn Out.

 

[dr_dave]

Dave need your help, visit the Pool Ball Colors thread, was told that a black 8 ball is NOT more porus when worn than lets say a one ball, is that true, I don't get that feedback/feel from ball collisions, when they are Worn Out.

FYI, I've responded here.

Regards,
Dave

 

[genomachino]

Made a promise to myself..........

What things that you did to make your game better in 2011? How did they help to make your game better? What areas were the improvements made in your pool game? Breaks, run outs, playing safe, banks, kicks, or other things?
Thanks.
Regards,
Lock N Load.

To never get under any vehicle whatsoever for any reason whatsoever.

Sometimes it helps to just take some time off and smell the roses. If your a pool nut like me that's kind of hard. Even when i'm not playing much, which is most of the time these days, I still manage to at least play a couple hours a week.

My forced break from pool right now really makes me appreciate what level of play i was at. Even though I wasn't playing much I knew if i had to get ready for something it would only take a week or 2 and I could get to my top game.

In the days to come I will be happy just to be able to stroke the cue. It's going to be a challenge to see how much i have left as far a physical ability once I get healed up.

Like I said, I appreciate where I was and hope to get back there. Plus it's motivation to get back in shape.

I think I will come back better than ever.

Time will tell...............Great little thread.........

 

[whammo57]

I bought a new cue that cost $3000 and has a hyper-parabolic tapered shaft and butt. I ordered it in 1983 and just received it. It has 18 floating and sinking points that are high - low - high - medium. There are 234 inlays in the butt. It has a full titanium core with left hand 3/4-13 threaded butt cap. It has an ivory joint and ferrule and a red kamui SS tip that has 27 layers of butterfly skin and cost $75. It weighs 18.37567 oz and has a kriptonite weight bolt. It is glued up using only virgin juice. The real hit come from the spiral radial geometrically balanced 3/8-7.25 g-13 joint pin. The balance point is exactly at 18.37567 from the butt cap. (me thinks that is not a coincidence) The finish is the same NASA finish used on the hubble telescope.

It hits a ton and is a monster.

NO NOT REALLY...............................

I use the same old cue. I watched the better players play and learned. I practiced more, had more fun and stopped worrying about winning. Guess what???? I shoot better and win more.

Kim

 

[3andstop]

Also, I've started playing 14.1. I use to mess around with it, but I've started playing it consistently. When I'm by myself, I play it a lot. Have yet to play it with an opponent though. My break-outs in every other game have improved at least tenfold. I see them naturally now. Since I've added that to my arsenal, my 8-ball game has become nearly deadly to all but the best players in these parts.

Like the batter that goes to the on deck circle with two bats ..... This is definitely a great way to improve.

 

[West Point 1987]

Found a player who was better than me about a year ago and kept playing him until I got to his level. Now I've got my eye out for someone at the next level, no luck yet. Over the years, I've found the only way to get to the next level is befriend somebody who's there and play them until you routinely beat them, then target an even better player. I used to spend on average 6 hours 5 days a week practicing (about 20+ years ago), but nothing gets you there faster than sweating matches against players who are better than you...and there's ALWAYS somebody better than you! Practice regimes are important, but you often waste time reinforcing bad habits (unless you've got an instructor standing over you every minute). Competition is what makes you reinforce what works.

 

[JoeyA]

Read the vision center page again. It doesn't imply that your head should be centered over the cue. Each person's "vision center" can be in a different place relative to the cue (for a center-ball hit). The drill on the vision center page helps one find this place, and my visual alignment and sighting articles discuss and illustrate potential "issues" with various alignment and sighting variations. BTW, I mention Gene and Perfect Aim in the 2nd article.

Regards,
Dave

I must have glanced over the dominant eye statement. I see it now.

thanks,