Well, I figured I'd post a biased opinion of a lesson I just received 
If anyone is in the Rhode Island area looking to improve, you should walk, no run to take a lesson from Joe. I am just a banger that really enjoys pool and wants to improve. I knew going into this weekend that I had tons of room for improvement and more than a few problems I couldn't figure out in my stroke.
I managed to convince a top guy in my area that we should drive down from Ottawa to visit Joe (8+ hours). My friend is an AAA player in our area and was skeptical about how much he could learn... with that said, he is always up for a road trip so off we went. (Our system is C,B,A,AA,AAA,Semi-Pro,Pro)
Friday around 8pm we headed over to Shooters for a drink and to bang a few balls around. Now, in our area, we don't have road players, but I guess we looked like them because within 30 minutes we were asked if we are looking for some action. OK, I like this place already .. a real pool hall where people love to gamble Gerry politely declined and we had a short night after a long day of driving.
Saturday at 10am, we met Joe and off to work we went. He was able to diagnose one of my stroke problems within a few minutes. The next thing I know, I'm using things on my cue that made me feel like Tin Cup when Costner had the shanks and he had that funky hat on his head. The only difference was that Joe's stuff actually helped. I had a sighting flaw, and a stroke issue. In the meantime, Joe was running Gerry through drills while I tried to figure out how to deliver the cue in a straight line.
When I'm stroking straighter Joe starts showing me how to apply English... wait a second??? I'm not that good.. I'm just suppose to make balls aren't I? OK, nope, evidently I'm actually going to learn to be a pool player this weekend. I quickly discovered:
I don't have a pool stroke, I have a punch stroke..
I don't know how to move a cue ball around a table... I know how to hit the cue-ball harder to try to make it move...
I don't know where the cue ball is going while applying spin or where it is going to stop
I don't know how to properly enter zones when playing the next ball.
What, are you kidding me? Who said I'm suppose to learn how to play pool... I thought I'd just learn my stroke had problems?
So, by the end of day 1, I'm friggin psyched!!!
OK, so you ask, what does he show the AAA player.. well, Gerry has a tremendous stroke with minimal 'flaws'. Guess what, he was even happier at the end of Day 1 than I was. Joe has him using inside English going two and three rails at will. I guess it is the little things that help guys at the top level. Inside English is now automatic for Gerry.
Day 2 starts and I really don't think I can learn anything else.. oh wait, Joe thinks otherwise. we get down and play 1, 2 and 3 rail kicks. I learn 10 ball defense, and Joe thinks I should learn how to get position using one, two and three rail shots with inside and outside english (Joe, you do realize I'm a C player right???)..
In the meantime, Gerry plays the 9 ball ghosts and tears him a new one. Running a 6 pack probably didn't hurt.
Anyone looking to become a better pool player... I can not endorse Joe enough. Add to the fact that he also included in his price his aiming system, his Guaranteed Improvement drills, his Racking Secrets, and his 3rd eye stroke trainer.. these lessons were more than worth it. Gerry said that this was the best $$$ he has ever spent on his pool game. After 20 years, he know has the tools to get to another level.
For me, I'm on a path to improvement.. I understand what a stroke is and will be working to get one. I can't wait to hit the table tonight to improve
Thanks Joe... all the best!
If anyone is in the Rhode Island area looking to improve, you should walk, no run to take a lesson from Joe. I am just a banger that really enjoys pool and wants to improve. I knew going into this weekend that I had tons of room for improvement and more than a few problems I couldn't figure out in my stroke.
I managed to convince a top guy in my area that we should drive down from Ottawa to visit Joe (8+ hours). My friend is an AAA player in our area and was skeptical about how much he could learn... with that said, he is always up for a road trip so off we went. (Our system is C,B,A,AA,AAA,Semi-Pro,Pro)
Friday around 8pm we headed over to Shooters for a drink and to bang a few balls around. Now, in our area, we don't have road players, but I guess we looked like them because within 30 minutes we were asked if we are looking for some action. OK, I like this place already .. a real pool hall where people love to gamble
Gerry politely declined and we had a short night after a long day of driving.Saturday at 10am, we met Joe and off to work we went. He was able to diagnose one of my stroke problems within a few minutes. The next thing I know, I'm using things on my cue that made me feel like Tin Cup when Costner had the shanks and he had that funky hat on his head. The only difference was that Joe's stuff actually helped. I had a sighting flaw, and a stroke issue. In the meantime, Joe was running Gerry through drills while I tried to figure out how to deliver the cue in a straight line.
When I'm stroking straighter Joe starts showing me how to apply English... wait a second??? I'm not that good.. I'm just suppose to make balls aren't I? OK, nope, evidently I'm actually going to learn to be a pool player this weekend. I quickly discovered:
I don't have a pool stroke, I have a punch stroke..
I don't know how to move a cue ball around a table... I know how to hit the cue-ball harder to try to make it move...
I don't know where the cue ball is going while applying spin or where it is going to stop
I don't know how to properly enter zones when playing the next ball.
What, are you kidding me? Who said I'm suppose to learn how to play pool... I thought I'd just learn my stroke had problems?
So, by the end of day 1, I'm friggin psyched!!!
OK, so you ask, what does he show the AAA player.. well, Gerry has a tremendous stroke with minimal 'flaws'. Guess what, he was even happier at the end of Day 1 than I was. Joe has him using inside English going two and three rails at will. I guess it is the little things that help guys at the top level. Inside English is now automatic for Gerry.
Day 2 starts and I really don't think I can learn anything else.. oh wait, Joe thinks otherwise. we get down and play 1, 2 and 3 rail kicks. I learn 10 ball defense, and Joe thinks I should learn how to get position using one, two and three rail shots with inside and outside english (Joe, you do realize I'm a C player right???)..
In the meantime, Gerry plays the 9 ball ghosts and tears him a new one. Running a 6 pack probably didn't hurt.
Anyone looking to become a better pool player... I can not endorse Joe enough. Add to the fact that he also included in his price his aiming system, his Guaranteed Improvement drills, his Racking Secrets, and his 3rd eye stroke trainer.. these lessons were more than worth it. Gerry said that this was the best $$$ he has ever spent on his pool game. After 20 years, he know has the tools to get to another level.
For me, I'm on a path to improvement.. I understand what a stroke is and will be working to get one. I can't wait to hit the table tonight to improve
Thanks Joe... all the best!
