When your GAME GOES to Hell what do you do

PoolSleuth

PoolSleuth

Banned
Was up practicing SHOTS that last couple of Days, and I felt like taking up Golf or something. Seemed like I could not run 3 ball in a row. Think i am setting up for my shots O.K. but at the Last MINUTE Correcting my AIM, thus missing everything.

Suggestions please. Anything but Golf, as to me it is just DUMB, plus you got to wear shirts with collars, and funny colors... ;)
 
Only One Solution

I go with it :D .

Make all your decisions standing up. Get down and do what you planned. Don't think about it anymore. Only make very small adjustments after getting down on your shot. If you need to re adjust, get up and begin your process again. JMHO
Purdman:D
 
Mucho GRASS-E-ASS

Purdman said:
I go with it :D .

Make all your decisions standing up. Get down and do what you planned. Don't think about it anymore. Only make very small adjustments after getting down on your shot. If you need to re adjust, get up and begin your process again. JMHO
Purdman:D
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I leaving for the Pool Room, in 15
Minutes, and will try you advise..

THANKS....:cool:

P.S. I will report back upon my RETURN....;)
 
Advice from a professional

PoolSleuth said:
Was up practicing SHOTS that last couple of Days, and I felt like taking up Golf or something. Seemed like I could not run 3 ball in a row. Think i am setting up for my shots O.K. but at the Last MINUTE Correcting my AIM, thus missing everything.

Suggestions please. Anything but Golf, as to me it is just DUMB, plus you got to wear shirts with collars, and funny colors... ;)
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I asked a high ranked pro one time a question like that and he said that he once asked a highly ranked professional that same question and was told to "take two weeks off and then quit."

Otherwise you have to do something different. Read the first 2 chapters of the Advanced Pro Book and then do a drill to get your body in alignment and your stroke grooved. See: Bert Kinister Shot #1. Also, Purd is right- it is probably best to Think in the Thinking Positions (i.e. standing) and Shoot in the Shoot Position (i.e. down on a ball bearing down trying to make it). If you think in the shooting position you have to GET UP and do it all over again.
 
PoolSleuth said:
Was up practicing SHOTS that last couple of Days, and I felt like taking up Golf or something. Seemed like I could not run 3 ball in a row. Think i am setting up for my shots O.K. but at the Last MINUTE Correcting my AIM, thus missing everything.

Suggestions please. Anything but Golf, as to me it is just DUMB, plus you got to wear shirts with collars, and funny colors... ;)
Click to expand...


Take 2 weeks off and then quit. What is your problem with golf? You commented about wearing collared shirts. What the hell do you wear to the pool hall? I make fun of the clowns that come to the pool hall dressed like scrubs.
 
I lost my game about a month ago in a tournament, I turned to the best player in the room and said "Man I got the shanks, If I were playing golf I would be on the next fairway on every shot". This guy was always kind of cold to me but about 5 minutes later he walked up to me with an imaginary something in his hand and said "I found your game over there under the table", well I took the imaginary game and put it in my pocket and he laughed his a$$ off. Ever since then I have been shooting lights out, I think a little humor, a little relaxing and some encouragement from him helped me to focus on the shot at hand.
 
it's cyclic like anything else you're going to have your ups and downs. people will lose 1/2-1 ball for a few weeks then gain it back and then some.

PoolSleuth said:
Was up practicing SHOTS that last couple of Days, and I felt like taking up Golf or something. Seemed like I could not run 3 ball in a row. Think i am setting up for my shots O.K. but at the Last MINUTE Correcting my AIM, thus missing everything.

Suggestions please. Anything but Golf, as to me it is just DUMB, plus you got to wear shirts with collars, and funny colors... ;)
Click to expand...
 
fundamentals.

It always comes back to the basic fundamentals. As your game advances and you learn new things you forget about all the basics. You have to stop and look at the fundamentals,, stance stroke staying down on the shot. If you've changed aiming systems or switched to BHE, stop for a little while and go back to an older system that you;ve used, get back in stroke without using english whatever, just get back to the basics and make sure that you are using the right fundamentals.

When golfers get the shanks, nine times out of ten it's because their unconcious use of the funds. are out of wack and they need to temporarily do them consciously to get over them.

It's the same with any sport. Basketball baseball etc.....At higher levels it's usually the fundamentals that get screwy.

You might think to yourself, well it can't be my stroke because my stroke is as straight as can be. WEll DUH!!!!! Why has your stroke been as straight as can be?

Maybe because your stance has been accurate and you have only used your forearm rotating at the elbow to stroke in the past, are you doing that when you have the shanks?

My advice is to look at the fundamentals and if it IS what's causing you to shank it then you need to do some hard thinking as to what you can , i.e. change preshot routine etc..., to ensure that it doesn't happen again in the future.

One of my biggest problems that I'm facing now is sandbagging syndrom. I'm sooo used to hiding my game in certain situations that sometimes I subconsciously do it when I don't want to. That's the problem I'm trying to overcome by making sure I use the same preshot routine all the time....
 
When my game goes to hell, I get all mad. Then I tell my opponent to go to hell. Then they seem to find my game down there and whip me with it. Then I take it outside to get it (and my money) back. Usually works out OK.

I'm so going to hell. Well, at least I'll have my game down there. I hear Beelzebub sharks, though.
 
If your game falls off it's either fundmentals (mechanical) breakdowns or mental breakdowns (I have had a few mental breakdowns in my life). A great player and teacher once told me that once you had good mechanics combined with a superior knowledge of the game, it all came down to CONFIDENCE in your game. Paraphrased of course, but he was right. You have to have the right mindset and attitude. Like Purdman said, make your decisions standing up and stick with them. When you get down if something looks wrong, trust your feeling that something is wrong, then stand up and either make another decision or confirm the one you made the first time. Then just let it go and play pool. Be confident in what you're doing and what you're capable of doing. PLAY SMART POOL!

Later,
Bob
 
Purdman said:
I go with it :D .

Make all your decisions standing up. Get down and do what you planned. Don't think about it anymore. Only make very small adjustments after getting down on your shot. If you need to re adjust, get up and begin your process again. JMHO
Purdman:D
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This is great advice, seems to work for me a lot, including in a league match last night.

Occasionally people will be joking and such and even talking to you while you are shooting. Anything like that which could distract probably did distract you without you even knowing it. Always get up and get back down on the shot before you take it. Make sure all the conditions are right for you before taking your shot.
 
The Baby's Arm said:
What the hell do you wear to the pool hall?
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Tennis Shoes, Blue Jeans, and a Colorful T-shirt-or Crew Collar Sweat Shirt depending upon weather is my uniform of the DAY.... Do not own a Suit, Sports Coat, Dress Shirt, or Tie anymore as I am retired..................:D

Well I just got home for LUNCH, and will be heading back to the Pool Room in an hour or so. Purdman advise was helpful, and I all of a sudden realize I had allowed the Hand that GRIPS the Cue Butt to Grip way too Loose, allowing the Butt to Rotate and FLOP too much on my Forward Stroke, Allowing my Cue Tip to move off Target.

Shooting like i was Shooting a Week or two ago.....

;)
 
Unless the cue falls out of your hand I can't ever think of the grip hand being too loose. This sounds like a breakdown in your fundamentals, see if there is an experienced instructor in your area and take a lesson or two. Its pretty tough for the average player to see what is happening behind them when they are trying to aim in front.
 
If you want to work on the mental side of your game...I would recommend two books.

1. Pleasures of Small Motions: Mastering the Mental Game of Pocket Billiards (Paperback)
by Ph.D., Bob Fancher,

2. The Inner Game of Tennis (Paperback)
by W. Timothy Gallwey

The first is written by a guy who's a pretty good player that is also psychologist. He gives many insights into how a persons brain works and how you can improve your mental pool game.

The second The Inner Game of Tennis is a revolutionary program for overcoming the self-doubt, nervousness, and lapses of concentration that can keep a player from winning. Not only can be applied to tennis but also pool. This book has helped me raise my game more than any other.

Good luck and let me know if they help.
 
When I am really off, it is usually due to either standing up too soon or not stroking straight. I first focus on staying down on the shot until after my stroke is finished, as you should do every shot anyway. If that doesn't work, I start shooting one handed jack up (no use of the rail) for about 4 games. When you do that, you concentrate on almost nothing but a straight stroke, as you will miscue if you don't. When I'm running a few balls that way, I go back to two handed and most of the time I am hitting better. I think I tend to grip the cue to lightly when playing two handed,and the jack up pool helps with that as well.
 
well i have the good fortune to say my game doesnt just doesnt turn to crap anymore (ever since pool school). Yes i have days i shoot better than others, but my overall level of play is staying very near the top and im thrilled (of course after i type this im sure the next time i play it will all go to hell lol). In the old days when my game rollercoastered, for some reason changing cues to an old standbye meucci sneaky pete with a 12.5mm shaft would bring me out of it. I dont know if its something about the stick, or just the "new stick syndrome" some people get, but it would bring me out of the slump. Like cane was saying, confidence is everything......i know my mechanics are concrete, so if i miss its usually a slight aiming error, and i file it away. If its position, I figure out what i should have done, file it away. Not having to worry about it being my grip, or my stroke, or my stance has really freed up my game and allowed me to work on building up my strategy experience.
good luck
 
Fine tune your fundamentals. I've never seen you play so i don't know what would be the problem.

The other problem is that you go to the pool room with the thinking about how much you sucked last time. If you do that you don't have a chance. If i have meltdown on the table, I just forget about it. It doesn't matter, its not my usual game, and it was probably brought on by fatigue, laziness or drunkeness :D. None of which factor into my usual play. Try and clear your head before you play. Kinda like zen.

But the most important thing to remember is, this is fun. The moment you start to forget that is when you start having your slumps.
 
Raodwarior said:
Unless the cue falls out of your hand I can't ever think of the grip hand being too loose.
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I normally hold my Cue with my Thumb, and First Finder. The other three finger are only WRAPPED LOOSELY around the Cue to Support it like a Sling. I was not using the other THREE Finger, and when I went back to using em my problem IMPROVED, and Went Away....:rolleyes:
 
put a gun to my head any say good bye... just glad i never had that problem..................mike
 
i go and shoot balls on a snooker table.. when you go back to the 4 1/2 by 9 its like shooting on a barbox ... if that doesn't work i go play 3-cushion... you can't jar balls up doing that
 
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