What the pros do differently ...

[jbart65]

the main thing they do which most cant, is think ahead more balls. this way they are playing position to set up for the balls the weak players aren't even looking at yet.

Jeremy Jones and Scott Frost talked about this during one of the matches. JJ said it usually didn't make sense to think more than three balls ahead because "so much could change." Frost seemed to agree.

I was a little surprised. I figure pros look at the entire table and probably figure out a total plan if the table looks easy. If not, perhaps they approach it like JJ suggested.

 

[ShootingArts]

All the posts in this thread are visual.....But have you ever listened to the difference in sound between a pro and novice?

I am not playing much since Ida took my table but the sound, and the feel if you are the one shooting, is different on perfect shots. Shooting end to end of a nine footer I knew the perfect hits were in the pocket from the moment I hit them, just no other option. A lot of other shots fell of course but not with the same purity of hit some had.

Drawing a pistol fast there is usually a little slap or with some draws there is the sensation of pulling the pistol up into your hand. The few times I had an absolutely perfect draw there was no slap or grab, the gun wasn't in my hand then it was. Perfect shots on the pool table were much the same. I gathered the cue ball along the path of the pool cue but there was no sensation of hitting the cue ball. I knew instantly these shots were perfect, the object ball was in the pocket, the cue ball was going where I wanted it to like it was on rails. I suspect the pro's have many more of these "perfect" shots.

Hu

 

[maha]

three or less balls ahead.

they do some dont. mizerack used to call out all the balls or at least most of it and where he would be on each ball. and he did it.

a good way to get better at it is to go one farther ball back from where you stop thinking or planning and work on position for that ball.
instead of most going forward looking at what is next.
example when shooting the one ball where you plan on landing on the 4 ball makes a difference and so on.

for the pros when open it doesnt matter as much as they almost always get out the last 5 balls. so some get sloppy.

 

[ShootingArts]

three or less balls ahead.

they do some dont. mizerack used to call out all the balls or at least most of it and where he would be on each ball. and he did it.

a good way to get better at it is to go one farther ball back from where you stop thinking or planning and work on position for that ball.
instead of most going forward looking at what is next.
example when shooting the one ball where you plan on landing on the 4 ball makes a difference and so on.

for the pros when open it doesnt matter as much as they almost always get out the last 5 balls. so some get sloppy.

When I first started learning pattern play I was also playing a lot of chess. I think that helped a bunch.

What I did for pool patterns was work backwards from the money ball then forward through that same pattern, reversed now. If I messed up my pattern I had to stop and rework of course but when I didn't destroy my pattern myself it became one continuous motion over time. "One continuous motion" being how it felt to me. Since I wasn't adding balls all the time there was no reason to think between shots.

If there are no problems on the table it is very possible to run the table out without a plan. I would think that JJ was talking about this rather than a genuine three balls but of course I don't know. I have never agreed with the three balls ahead concept because of either having to constantly be adding to the pattern or possibly running yourself into a blind alley.

Hu

 

[maha]

if you have two balls tied up ahead, you had better be thinking backward from on the ball before needed to break them up.

6 and 7 tied up.
you need to know where you have to be on the 5 ball to hit them to get the break out

then you need to know where on the 4 ball to be to be able get to that spot on the 5 ball
then you need get on that spot on the 3 ball to get to your spot on the 4 ball
then the 2 to the 3 and of course where to hit the 1 ball to the 2 ball.

any off angles or no planning that far, then its just luck or great shooting skill to get back to your lines.

of course you may get to break them out sooner but you cant count on that or must plan on that instead.

 

[BRKNRUN]

I am not playing much since Ida took my table but the sound, and the feel if you are the one shooting, is different on perfect shots. Shooting end to end of a nine footer I knew the perfect hits were in the pocket from the moment I hit them, just no other option. A lot of other shots fell of course but not with the same purity of hit some had.

Drawing a pistol fast there is usually a little slap or with some draws there is the sensation of pulling the pistol up into your hand. The few times I had an absolutely perfect draw there was no slap or grab, the gun wasn't in my hand then it was. Perfect shots on the pool table were much the same. I gathered the cue ball along the path of the pool cue but there was no sensation of hitting the cue ball. I knew instantly these shots were perfect, the object ball was in the pocket, the cue ball was going where I wanted it to like it was on rails. I suspect the pro's have many more of these "perfect" shots.

Hu

Pretty much exactly what I was eluding to...The "tune" of a pro struck pool shot is different.

Most Novice players would probably not even notice something like this...and would say "it sounds like every other pool shot"....

The only reason I know this is because Golf is the exact same way...the sound of a pro struck golf ball is different....and if you are the one hitting the shot the feel is almost as of the ball was not even there.

Grip pressures and timing play a huge role...the ball may still go in the hole...but a pro will know the difference in a well executed stroke vs on that just made the ball

 

[Bob Jewett]

Jeremy Jones and Scott Frost talked about this during one of the matches. JJ said it usually didn't make sense to think more than three balls ahead because "so much could change." Frost seemed to agree.

I was a little surprised. I figure pros look at the entire table and probably figure out a total plan if the table looks easy. If not, perhaps they approach it like JJ suggested.

Much of the time for nine ball there is nothing tied up and it is just connect the dots. I think top players see that and don't worry about the exact details towards the end of the rack. It's just, "keep a nice angle or get straight for a stop/stun shot". Three balls is plenty.

With a cluster, they have to think.

At 14.1, many of the top players knew which ball would be the break by the time four balls were gone from the rack. Then it is often a matter of clearing groups of 2 or 3 or 4 balls and the transition between groups.

 

[benjaminwah]

One shot that stood out to me was Shane was hooked, object ball was a foot away from the cue ball, another ball between them. Plenty of room to jump, one rail kick was a certainty. He opted to do a 3 rail kick to hit the ball to the other end of the table. I've never seen a pro do that.

 

[Coos Cues]

One huge difference I notice almost every pro does differently than I do is the time spent aiming the shot while down. They dial in exactly where they are striking the cue and object ball with more precision than I am capable of. If I were to aim for as long as they do on even routine shots I start day dreaming. If you watch even the faster paced players the still spend a good amount of time aiming. Their focus is intense, mine is not.

 

[The_JV]

6 and 7 tied up.
you need to know where you have to be on the 5 ball to hit them to get the break out

then you need to know where on the 4 ball to be to be able get to that spot on the 5 ball
then you need get on that spot on the 3 ball to get to your spot on the 4 ball
then the 2 to the 3 and of course where to hit the 1 ball to the 2 ball.

There's the thing... Pros aren't doing the above. They're assessing every ball prior to the 5 to see if they can break up the 6/7 and still be good on the 5 afterward.

Strong players don't use the ball prior to open up a cluster. UNLESS, it's unlikely that they will end bad on the clustered ball.

It's more likely if an offensive option isn't presenting itself. That they develop a pattern to provide a move that leaves the opponent safe while breaking up the cluster for later.

 

[Mensabum]

that's called a 'drag' shot. great tool to have.

We named it first. Lol.

 

[fan-tum]

Watching the Premier League of pool and really focusing on it, I was struck by how pros play differently from decent everyday players and even really good amateurs.

It's no surprise, of course. They obviously have better skills and more precision than mere mortals.

The two things that have struck me the most are the use of draw and coming into the line of the shot.

The pros use draw a lot more than amateur players, from what I can see.

At my pool hall, players use draw now and then for pulling the ball straight back, but very few do long draws. And many of them don't use draw all that much for shots with a lot more angle. Stun-draw, for instance.

The pros also come across the line of a shot a lot more than I would have thought. And often with draw shots.

Am I wrong? Right?

What do you notice the pros doing differently than amateurs, and do you try to incorporate it into your game?

Lately I've noticed pro's, including Efren, sometimes using open bridges. Imo non-pros don't switch styles. Could be wrong.

 

[Fore Rail]

There's the thing... Pros aren't doing the above. They're assessing every ball prior to the 5 to see if they can break up the 6/7 and still be good on the 5 afterward.

Read Maha’s post again. Your above is exactly what he was saying.

 

[BRKNRUN]

Lately I've noticed pro's, including Efren, sometimes using open bridges. Imo non-pros don't switch styles. Could be wrong.

I am by no means Efren....(Or pro speed for that matter)..and I am only 55...I am more and more using an open bridge

The fingers just are not as nimble any more......and who knows Aurther and Mr. Itis may have had a talk with Efren and convinced him to convert.

 

[maha]

forty or fifty years ago i dont remember anyone who played well using an open bridge all or most of the time.
of course you also had to hit much harder on some shots than now.

 

[BRKNRUN]

forty or fifty years ago i dont remember anyone who played well using an open bridge all or most of the time.
of course you also had to hit much harder on some shots than now.

Not 40-50 years ago...but back in his prime 20 years....Johnny used a open bridge quite often

 

[maha]

i use one at times now. old age requires more tools in your box.

 

[Brookeland Bill]

Watching the Premier League of pool and really focusing on it, I was struck by how pros play differently from decent everyday players and even really good amateurs.

It's no surprise, of course. They obviously have better skills and more precision than mere mortals.

The two things that have struck me the most are the use of draw and coming into the line of the shot.

The pros use draw a lot more than amateur players, from what I can see.

At my pool hall, players use draw now and then for pulling the ball straight back, but very few do long draws. And many of them don't use draw all that much for shots with a lot more angle. Stun-draw, for instance.

The pros also come across the line of a shot a lot more than I would have thought. And often with draw shots.

Am I wrong? Right?

What do you notice the pros doing differently than amateurs, and do you try to incorporate it into your game?

They use banks (the rails) to their advantage even on shots and position amateurs don’t consider.

 

[dnschmidt]

Easiest question ever asked. What's the difference between pros and the rest of us. THEY DON'T MISS.

 

[straightline]

Depends who you ask.