What is your shot routine?

Cdryden

Cdryden

Pool Addict
Silver Member
I was curious as to what other people's shot routine looks like. Have you taken the time to actually list each step? Do you just go through a mental check list? Or do you even have one at all?

This is not a thread meant to debate if one should be used, nor should you argue that someone's is right or wrong. I wanted to start this thread so that people could see what others are doing and compare it to their own.

Mine is like this,

Address the shot--
I decide how I am going to shoot while standing. All decisions concerning power english angle are made at this time. This is also when I make sure I am lined up with the shot line. At this time I try to clear my head and only think about the shot at hand.

Get down on the shot---
This is when I am concentrating on my mechanics, I have a mental checklist going through my head that I satisfy before I pull the trigger. This is also where rhythm comes into play for me, counting my practice shots and trying to stay consistent. At this time I am paying close attention to my aiming point and where the tip is going to contact the ferrule.

Execution--
I focus on maintaining correct mechanics, paying close attention to my head position and making sure it doesn't move. My main concern is that I am moving fluidly, no jerks or contortions. Shooting through the ball not at it. Getting a good follow through. I also try to make sure that nothing is allowed to move that doesn't need to move to make the shot. In other words I try to keep my mechanics simple as possible, the fewest moving parts needed to be successful.



I'm sure there may be a few things that run through my head that I didn't list but this gives you a good idea. I'm not saying that this is right or it's how you should do it. It's just the way I do it.

If you want to pick mine apart that's fine but don't pick others apart on this thread. It's not meant for that.
 
My pre-shot is a little simpler than yours, in terms of the details I consciously think about, but technically I have more steps.

step 1: find the chalk, chalk the cue, set the chalk down.
step 2: look at the shot and figure the easiest good course to the next shot (I've already looked at the table layout on my way)
step 3: either line up the cut from OB to Pocket or line up the kick/bank as needed, either way I have my contact point via ghost ball
step 4: step behind CB, find CB to ghost ball line, consider speed, english, follow/draw
step 5: step forward into shot, keeping ghost ball in focus, settle into shot, focus on tip contact point with CB, 2/3 setup strokes on contact point
step 6: refocus on ghost ball, 2/3 setup strokes on ghost ball, pull back, pause, release with follow through as needed

i try to spend the most time in step 3. if i spend too much time in 5 or 6, I overthink and miss.
 
I've created my own aiming system (probably re-invented it) in which I've memorized 9 angles:

approximately with a +/- 3 degree error:
0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 35, 40, 45, 60, 80

and assigned them numbers

0=0, 1=5, 2=10, 3=20, 4=30, 5=35, 6=40, 7=45, 8=60, 9=80

and assigned each number a picture

0 = dead center
1 = 1/4th from center
2 = 2/4ths from center
3 = 3/4ths from center
4 = edge
5 = 1 tip outside of the edge
6 = about 2 tips from edge
7 = about 3 tips or a quarter ball overlap
8 = about an 8th ball overlap
9 = a thin cut

My routine is as follows:

1. Look at the balls available on the table, and consciously decide my "move" (including my OB and my CB path)

2. Look at the OB and consciously choose a number.

3. Let my conscious mind feel happy with having something discrete to think about.

4. Since I've successfully distracted my conscious mind, I let my good friend subconscious competence figure out what English I need to make my "move" possible, and also to finely adjust any error in my chosen angle-by-number. I've taught him how to stroke properly, and showed him what it feels like to never lift up my torso and move my body during the stroke. I've taught him what the proper application of English is for thousands of shots. I have learned to trust him by building a relationship with him using practice and drills. I already know he is competent enough to keep me alive, because he drove me to the pool hall without crashing the car.

5. If I miss, and I often do, I never blame him. I blame my conscious mind for choosing the wrong number. This is VERY IMPORTANT, because knowing that I chose the wrong number keeps me from getting frustrated, and it also teaches my friend something more. The next time I have that shot and we make it, it improves our relationship.

6. I leave the game I've played with a humble feeling, knowing that we've performed to our ability, reinforced with the memory of the happy feelings we had when we made some good shots. These happy feelings are the only reason I play pool, and I can let them linger in my mind for days. Doing so further makes me feel like I have some level of talent in something which promotes overall happiness in life and an improved feeling of self worth.

I didn't expect to go that far with my point when I started writing this, but I guess its true.
 
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Probably the single most important thing I've learned from an instructor long ago: walk around the table once, look at the shot from every direction. I chalk my cue while doing this. You'd be surprised how often you make adjustments: how to hit the shot, where the cue ball is headed, and other unconscious adjustments that are made by feeding your brain all this information. You will recall situations that happen again and again, so feed it all you can.

[edit] to add to this, when walking around the table make a conscious effort to:
A) Decide exactly how you want to shoot the shot.
B) Decide exactly where you want the cue ball to stop.
 
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My brain tends to come up with 9001 different ways of taking a shot, so most of my PSR consists of trying to figure out which one to actually attempt. Step 2 is just me getting down and missing the shot per usual.
 
Chalk, get down and shoot, all the while thinking about killing the boring bastards that are strangling the joy outta the game by indulging in such tedious nonsense.

Too many enemies of pool around these parts. This PSR guff is nothing but sharking - slow players of the world unite and takeover, until NOBODY is playing pool. :rolleyes:
 
TheThaiger said:
Chalk, get down and shoot, all the while thinking about killing the boring bastards that are strangling the joy outta the game by indulging in such tedious nonsense.

Too many enemies of pool around these parts. This PSR guff is nothing but sharking - slow players of the world unite and takeover, until NOBODY is playing pool. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Who says a PSR has to be slow? Maybe for the newcomer, but any PSR should become quick and seamless given experience.
 
mohrt said:
Who says a PSR has to be slow? Maybe for the newcomer, but any PSR should become quick and seamless given experience.
Click to expand...

I concur. for 95% of my shots, the PSR takes about 10 seconds 'til I'm down on the shot. That other 5% means I have to think about how to make the shot, then about how I want to shoot it.
 
TheThaiger said:
Chalk, get down and shoot, all the while thinking about killing the boring bastards that are strangling the joy outta the game by indulging in such tedious nonsense.

Too many enemies of pool around these parts. This PSR guff is nothing but sharking - slow players of the world unite and takeover, until NOBODY is playing pool. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Please reread my original post.\

1 I'm not actually talking about PSR but rather your entire shot routine.
2. I asked that this not get off topic by people arguing whether you like it or not. Why not spend your time else where or post your own thread stating your views. Why spend time discussing something that you want nothing to do with?
3. Everyone that has played the game has a routine whether they want to admit it or not. Even if it's just walking up to the table, bending over and shooting. I was just trying to get a idea of what everyone was doing, then you come on here.....Get a life.......................
 
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Luxury said:
When I'm shooting best my pre shot routine looks like Earl Strickland's
Click to expand...

My PSR looks a lot like Earl's also, but it's my Post-Shot Routine that I have down to a SCIENCE.

PSR - Look smooth, fluid and cool...like Earl
Post-Shot Routine...MISS (biting tongue to keep from sounding like Earl)
Pre-Sitting Down Routine...make sure chair is nice and comfy
Post-Sitting Down Routine...looking cool while racking them up so the winner can break again.

Start process all over again.
 
Mine is pretty much:

- While walking to the shot, start thinking about path to the next ball, any problems, etc.

- Once behind the shot, pick up the CTE line, aim points, etc. (occasionally use 90/90 as well like Neil) and pivot/move into the shot

- Take 2 - 3 warmup strokes, mostly focused on the CB, to make sure I'm lined up where I want to be and that my arm and grip are relaxed and feel in a straight line

- Pause, look up at OB, verify line of aim

- Sometimes here I shoot, especially on easy shots or when in stroke, but finding that I can benefit from another 1 - 2 strokes and another look at the OB, sometimes with just the first series, especially with me still ingraining CTE, I realize a little too late that I wasn't lined up right...

- Pause before the final stroke (maybe .5 - 1 second), pull back smooth and accelerate through the ball. Sometimes I pause at the back of the stroke, sometimes I don't, more of a feel thing. Would like to be more consistent, but for now at least the jury is still out and some shots just feel better one way or the other. Work in progress


Whole thing might take 8 - 10 seconds at most once I'm up to the shot. I find I play better when I play fast but not too fast, there's that fine line. Sometimes can shoot like I'm in dead stroke but I'm not. Other times I try to slow down a bit to try and get in stroke, but I can't play consistently like that, let's too many evil thoughts into my head... :)

Scott
 
Copied from a post awhile back....

1) establishing a consistent visual center.... without a consistent visual no 2 shots may be the same even if the cueball and object ball are exactly in the same position.

2) rhythm.... in this game the turtle won't win the race... Over thinking tends to be mentally exhausting over a decent race much less a whole tournament.... Take your time standing up but when you decide what has to be done you should have a pretty standard tempo from starting down to pulling the trigger. If the tempo seems uncomfortable for a given shot stand back up....


You asked about execution and these are the 2 pieces in the PSR that I would consider part of the execution.... Now if you are asking the question about what fundamentals need to be addressed within a PSR in regards to building it then the order likely is something many instructors here can help with....

I am not an instructor but this is very close to my shooting process......

Planning/Visualizing/Spatial Relations (Pre-PSR)

PSR
1) Stalk the table. Once you know what you are going todo take the time to start the PSR by walking around the shot. immediately move into position.
2) Alignment/Base Starting Position
3) Preliminary Aim
4) Dropping into position without sway or sliding into it....
4a) footwork required to get from Base start to the shooting stance
* The shooting stance should already have been addressed in fundamental development.
5) Bridge establishment
6) Aiming Confirmation
7) Adjustments to bridge hand/back hand for the use of English
8) Practice Strokes for sense of speed with consistent eye patterns.....
9) Aiming confirmation
10) Last look at the exact spot you what to end up (not at the next ball)
11) Confirmation on cueball contact point at set.... Final confirmation of aim at pause... (I am still missing a distinct pause)

SHOOT.... and stay down......... feed the brain with images of the object ball path and cueball path from the shooting position... this will reinforce the visualizations made from the standing position and tie them to shot pictures from within the shooting stance....

POST Shot Routine
Chalk... You will need it for your next shot and it infuriates some guys when you chalk after you miss...... Breathe.... Replay the prior shot in your head.... If you do not enforce the memory of the shot at this point the opportunity will be lost......

I would definitely be interested in hearing what others do.......
 
Mine:

Other player misses, idiot
Point and laugh, Homer Simpson laugh is critical here
Get off barstool, try not to spill beer or fall over
Scratch my balls
Strut to table, think Saturday Night Fever walk
Put chalk on floor inbetween my feet, chalk cue like butter making machine
Leave chalk on floor, this is a great sharking move for later
Pull my pants up to avoid plumber crackage
Look at the table, pretend I know what I am doing
Play lowest ball on table - this works great in rotation game and you are right 50% of the time in 8 ball
Hit the ball hard, and use as much "low english" as possible.....low english is cool...
After I miss the shot, I touch the felt like the table rolled off.....if that doesn't sell my opponent, I stare at my tip and frown....
Yell, slouch over like a loser, and mumble back to my chair and beer....
As my opponent gets up, ask him to top that sweet safety I just played....

Ok, I embellished a bit, but that would make a sweet APA commercial....

I'm not a pre-shot routine guy.....I play best when I just focus on the table and go for the shot......play quickly, trust my gut, and play.....

Good luck.....there is more than one way to skin a cat, try a few different things and see what works......ultimately, if whatever process you go with takes more than 20 seconds on average, please give up pool and stop annoying your playing partner :D
 
Big Perm said:
Mine:

Other player misses, idiot
Point and laugh, Homer Simpson laugh is critical here
Get off barstool, try not to spill beer or fall over
Scratch my balls
Strut to table, think Saturday Night Fever walk
Put chalk on floor inbetween my feet, chalk cue like butter making machine
Leave chalk on floor, this is a great sharking move for later
Pull my pants up to avoid plumber crackage
Look at the table, pretend I know what I am doing
Play lowest ball on table - this works great in rotation game and you are right 50% of the time in 8 ball
Hit the ball hard, and use as much "low english" as possible.....low english is cool...
After I miss the shot, I touch the felt like the table rolled off.....if that doesn't sell my opponent, I stare at my tip and frown....
Yell, slouch over like a loser, and mumble back to my chair and beer....
As my opponent gets up, ask him to top that sweet safety I just played....

Ok, I embellished a bit, but that would make a sweet APA commercial....

I'm not a pre-shot routine guy.....I play best when I just focus on the table and go for the shot......play quickly, trust my gut, and play.....

Good luck.....there is more than one way to skin a cat, try a few different things and see what works......ultimately, if whatever process you go with takes more than 20 seconds on average, please give up pool and stop annoying your playing partner :D
Click to expand...

:grin:

If you'd said Nelson Muntz, rather than Homer Simpson, I'd have said that's the best post I've ever read on here.
 
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