Your Thoughts ... on why I miss shots

[crawfish]

I'm pretty sure it's your stance. That little thing you do with your tongue out right as you make contact with the cueball is also causing you problems. Also, try not to hum Salt n' Pepa's Push It while you're in your backswing. This is very, very distracting even if you don't think it is. (Especially if you do that bass thing with your cheeks).

Hope this helps.

 

[genomachino]

Need to have the eyes in the right position.........

Okay, so I'm a C or B player. I can make most shots (excepting banks and kicks). I can make thin cuts, down the rail shots, straight in, etc. etc. etc.

But, I miss shots. I miss shots that, for me and my skill level, are very makeable. Shots that I've made a hundred times before. I miss shots that I should not miss. And .... It's not always the 8-ball or 9-ball. It could be any random ball on my way to the money ball.

My problem could be mechanical. Something about my mechanics not being consistent.

Or, my problem could be mental. Lack of focus, fear of failure, etc.

If I could always make all of the shots that I know I can make .... I'd be an A player!

Thoughts ???

Hi there,

I know what you are going through. I've seen it 100's of times no 1000's of times.

Your aiming starts with your stance. This is the first part of aiming and you can see the angle and the shot so much better standing straight up and back a little. Your eyes tell you where to stand. This is the first part of most players getting the eyes in the right place naturally.

Sometimes something happens between there and when you get down on the shot that now the eyes are not in the right position. 1/8th of an inch can make the difference of making it or missing it.

You can do everything you want until your blue in the face but if you don't have the eyes right nothing will work.

This is why players miss the same types of shots over and over. The eyes are not in the right position.

Once you learn this technique you can correct any shot that you are shooting so it looks right. Because if it doesn't look right it probably isn't.

Have a great day geno................

Ive got players that couldn't make 3 balls in a row running out.

It's usually the eyes?

 

[Scott Lee]

8Ball48043...Regardless of what someone "tells" you, the only real way to 'fix' whatever is wrong, is to, as pooltcher suggested (and Tom McGonagle backed up), learn how to diagnose what is making you miss. This can be done most effectively through video analysis with a qualified instructor. We don't know what we don't know. I'll be in FL for the whole month of April. If you're interested in learning about yourself, PM me.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Okay, so I'm a C or B player. I can make most shots (excepting banks and kicks). I can make thin cuts, down the rail shots, straight in, etc. etc. etc.

But, I miss shots. I miss shots that, for me and my skill level, are very makeable. Shots that I've made a hundred times before. I miss shots that I should not miss. And .... It's not always the 8-ball or 9-ball. It could be any random ball on my way to the money ball.

My problem could be mechanical. Something about my mechanics not being consistent.

Or, my problem could be mental. Lack of focus, fear of failure, etc.

If I could always make all of the shots that I know I can make .... I'd be an A player!

Thoughts ???

 

[12310bch]

the game

The Game is a living thing. You must show it respect. Do not disrespect
any shot, no matter how easy it appears.:nono: If you do ,the Game will
slap you upside your head. I have the bruises to prove it.

 

[3RAILKICK]

the game is a living thing. You must show it respect. do not disrespect
any shot, no matter how easy it appears.:nono: If you do ,the game will
slap you upside your head. I have the bruises to prove it.

......Amen!......

 

[Mike in MN]

If I am repeating what others have said, forgive me. I didn't read all the replies. What I would suggest is really taking an overhauling look at your mental game. A lot of players tend to get mentally exhausted after playing for a couple of hours, and they tend to let fatigue get the best of them.

There are a wealth of books on pool as a mental sport that you could probably benefit from. Personally, I am currently reading up on the art of Zen in order to fine tune my mental game, and I can already see it helping me focus. Learning new breathing exercises or the power of positive thinking can do wonders for a lot of players struggling in the way that you describe.

 

[Cameron Smith]

You have to realize the HUGE difference between a shot you can make, and a shot you can't miss.

I don't have any shots I can't miss, particularly in any kind of a pressure situation where I know a miss will cost me.

Of course, I don't mean literally CAN'T miss, but let's make up an arbitrary threshold of 97%. How many shots are there that you make more than 97% of the time you encounter them? For me, it's barely any. For pros, it's most shots. The difference between me and a player who can spot me the 7 and rob me blind, is nothing but a greater variety of 97% shots. I have good enough CB control to get through a lot of racks of 9-ball facing nothing but shots that would be 97% for a decent short-stop. But for me, they're maybe only 82% shots, and I don't get out.

Recognizing that shots you think you've mastered are still often only 80% shots, is important. 80% is not good enough to run out. You should only really be running 4 balls, if 80% is the best you can do. You need that number in the high 90's before you can start really running racks the way excellent players are supposed to, even if you have amazingly great CB control.

Practice those shots that are high-percentage, but not that high. Make them into REALLY high percentage shots. Those are the kind you need.

-Andrew

Well put. That's how I look at the development process of a player, building a repetoire of those shots.

I might add that this includes being able to do anything with the cue ball and the shot is still 95-100%, not simply cinching it.

 

[Taco]

Okay, so I'm a C or B player. I can make most shots (excepting banks and kicks). I can make thin cuts, down the rail shots, straight in, etc. etc. etc.

But, I miss shots. I miss shots that, for me and my skill level, are very makeable. Shots that I've made a hundred times before. I miss shots that I should not miss. And .... It's not always the 8-ball or 9-ball. It could be any random ball on my way to the money ball.

My problem could be mechanical. Something about my mechanics not being consistent.

Or, my problem could be mental. Lack of focus, fear of failure, etc.

If I could always make all of the shots that I know I can make .... I'd be an A player!

Thoughts ???

Just once in my life I wish I would play my usual game.

 

[pooltchr]

Just once in my life I wish I would play my usual game.

Whatever you have been doing, that is your usual game. :grin:

Steve

 

[Ratta]

Whatever you have been doing, that is your usual game. :grin:

Steve

..terrible true

 

[ghost121]

Keep it simple:

Get behind the shot and line it up with your eyes/body
Walk into the shot
Keep your bridge hand firm but not tense
Keep your head down on the follow through
Repeat for every shot no matter how easy