Who are the billiard instructors for the pros?

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Andrew Manning said:
I hear this argument all the time, and it's seriously flawed: "good technique is not what you need to become a pro; look at how many pros don't have good technique".

Of course any instructor Efren went to for help on his game wouldn't teach him the classic sort of stroke they'd teach someone who was just starting, because Efren is already a world-beater with an unconventional stroke. You'd have to break down all that learning and muscle memory to teach him a classical style, and in doing so you'd be destroying the world's best pool playing ability.

But that does not mean that us beginners aren't going to go a lot further if we get good instruction than we would if we didn't. You can learn the hard way or the easy way; just because Efren succeeded doing it the hard way doesn't mean the easy way isn't easier.

The "by the book" method teaches, I believe, fundamentals that won't hold you back. Efren's fundamentals, if you tried to use them as a beginner, would hold you back, in my opinion. You'd be struggling against your arm motion, trying to figure out, as Efren has over tens of thousands of hours, how to get a straight, repeatable, efficient, and accurate stroke out of a funky alignment. Meanwhile another guy who started at the same time modelling his fundamentals after Ralf Souquet or Buddy Hall, has a lot less to struggle against, and in effect has a head start.

-Andrew
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Good comments Andrew. But, many times, it is the 'unconventional'
stroke that newbies see as having flair and style, and draws their attention to it, even if they realize that player may be in the 1% range as far as
technique. They have a tendency to overlook the fact that the most important fact about shooting good Pool is CONSISTENCY, especially at the higher levels, and the best way to get there.

Hence, many excellent players do not receive the recognition and praise
due them simply for the technique and stroke mechanics, only for the
playing, what place they were able to attain. Wimpy, Mosconi, Greenleaf,
Buddy, Soquet, Hohmann, Niels, Earl, all had or have excellent strokes and mechanics.
 
Corey-Josh -Phil all winners

:)
Billy_Bob said:
Which billiard instructors have had some of their students go on to become winning pros?

Name of instructor --Jimmy Caras (deceased), Bob Maidhof Owner Drexeline----------------- Name of student/winning pro
1.Corey Deuel

Russell Parsons worked with Josh Brothers (winner and upcomer 06 Valley Forge Open.) He also worked with alot of "A" players Phil Sherman former PA.States 9 Ball champion.

3.These are three that I was told by them but there are alot of others.

With Bob (Florida Bob) you get the Knowledge of his road play,and Jimmy Caras (5 time world Champion) who was his friend and mentor who shared all with Bob.

Bob's room is surrounded with original memorbillia which is worth the trip to see.
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CrownCityCorey said:
Hal Mix (deceased) ---------------------- Nick Varner.

Hal did have a book published before he passed on; Secrets of the Pros. I found some tidbits helpful.
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I have a copy of Hal Mixs "Pocket billiard secrets." He has interesting little tid bits on fundementals throughout the book. (It's more like a spiral ring binder.)

Example: Foot Alignment

Set up in your stance on the rail where a straight line is formed by the rail cloth meeting the top of the rail. Place your bridge centered over that line. At the end of your stroke your shaft should end up centered over the line. (I did this and closed my eyes after the customary warm strokes too keep me from cheating.)

Assuming your right handed, if your tip ends up left of center at the end of your stroke you can correct this by turning your right foot slightly outward.
Right of center inward

It works. But other factors come into play that you must be aware of: Are you hitting the cueball where you think you are? ECT.,ECT.

Good stuff
 
Varney Cues said:
Bert Kinister is a fine instructor (I have all his material) but my good friend went to take private lessons...he told him that with his talent, he should take up bowling. Quite pricey too I may add. That may sound funny until I tell you that this guy plays jam up. He studied Bert's tapes for years before he went for lessons...so I assumed he was way ahead of the game. Bert was yelling at him so bad that my friends wife went outside to cry. My friend is an APA 7 in eightball & a 9 in nineball and a truly fine player. He wins almost any local tourney he enters. In fact I witnessed him destroy Mike Davis at a big tournament. So yes...for a non pro, non roadie...he plays superb. I immediately canceled any thoughts of Kinister lessons.
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There is frequently a significant difference in studying tapes, and actually working with an individual. In Bert's case, I have heard your friend's complaint several times, in different parts of the country. No instructor should belittle their students...EVER! However, I've also run into some students of mine, who had a good experience with Bert...so I think it's just how well you can relate to Bert. Some can, and some can't. His teaching style is certainly not mine.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
 
I have not had any experience with any of the guys mentioned regarding lessons, the only person I have met who had tried to really show me some stuff around the table is Dan Louie.

I really like Danny's approach because he never would say "you are doing this wrong, you should not do that..." all Danny did was encourage and share his knowledge.

When he did that, he encouraged his student(i.e. me in this case) to enjoy the game, without feeling being belittled or embarassed.

I played many hours of pool with Danny in the Derby, he would show me what he would do at the table, and show me little tricks and things he knew. Never did he once told me I was wrong although it was obvious that he was a 1000 times better player. When I made a mistake, he would say something like, "just practise that, you will get it, don't worry." He was also suprisingly humble and easy going.

Danny is a house pro at Parlors in WA I believe, I really wish I could go there and take lessons from him on a regular basis. It is not just about learning the game, just to be around such a classy player who have achieved so much and is yet so modest and generous with his time and knowledge is a great pleasure in itself.

Thank you so much, Danny.:)

PS. I am not sure if Danny has worked with any Champion, but I know he is a Champion himself. He told me his dad taught him a lot of things and then he just went from there.

Richard
 
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I enjoy the Burt tapes but when I ordered alot more they came in the mail blank.:mad: This was about 6 or so years ago so I'm over it but that definatley pissed me off. Not to mention his "pro match" tapes were so poor you could barely watch them.
 
Fabio has not been coached by Bert Kinster. He is self taught an learned to play in the billiard club that his parents had in Rome. If you watch him closely you can see that his style of cueing is a little different from the stroke of other players. Every shot is the same, he just spins the ball a little more (or a little less) to achieve the reaction that he wants.
 
Scott Lee said:
No instructor should belittle their students...EVER! Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
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Scott,
I can wholeheartedly agree, with one minor exception. If the instructor is kidding, then a "marine drill sergeant" kind of yelling can be quite humorous. It is certainly possible that the instructor in question was just being dynamic.

During an extended straight pool lesson with Danny DiLiberto, I made a really bad shot (bad shot choice, speed, aim, and execution - all in one shot violating multiple principles we had discussed). He groaned as if he were in great pain and then yelled, "What in the hell were you thinking??" = it cracked me up, and a good lesson to boot.
 
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