Back in the early 60’s, when I began playing pool, there wasn’t much
help available. Mosconi had a little book out, and that was about it.
Just like today, there were lots of great players around, but the
unspoken attitude of that time was “I ain’t tellin’ nobody nuthin’."
Many players felt that if they taught you their “secrets" you’d use
that knowledge to take their money. Others felt that, since they had to
work hard and had to make all the mistakes, if you didn’t “earn" your
knowledge, you didn’t deserve it. You were supposed to learn by losing
money to better players. Sharks and fish. Predator and prey.
I’m happy to announce that those days are mostly gone. Today, we have
good instructional books & videos, training & practice aids,
and instructors & schools. Of course, they’re not all good. Like
everything, some are good, some are extraordinary, and some are just
plain wrong. But it’s possible now to get great help.
Some players are blessed with terrific natural ability. They got good
very quickly, and never understood what the problem with everyone else
was. They saw angles, they saw ball paths, they clearly remembered
shots they had seen before. They could take you through a shot by shot
replay of a match they played two years ago. Not everyone is wired up
this way. Sure, these players still had to go on and do the work – sink
those million balls – to really pull themselves up to their personal
potential. There is no escaping doing the work. Nobody just walks up
and plays great from day one. But somehow, it came easier for them.
This is the story of most pros.
Unfortunately for the vast majority of us, it’s not that natural. It
doesn’t come that easily. It’s not that obvious to us. We’re not
fulltime players, and we’re frustrated because lately, we’re not
getting better. We need an edge.
The edge is available in several dimensions: superior fundamentals,
clearer, better knowledge, more effective practice, engaged exposure to
higher level play. We have only so much time and energy to devote to
pool, and if we really want to get better, we’d better plan on devoting
some of that time and energy to things that will improve our game. So
what can we do?
1. Read and watch good material. Be very picky about
what you choose to believe from the materials you read and videos you
watch. Great players are not necessarily great teachers. In fact, many
great players have beliefs about what they’re doing that are completely
wrong, from a physics perspective. They can get whatever results they
want on the table, but their belief about how they are doing it may not
be true. Place your faith in the science types for why things work the
way they do, and in the great players for how to play smart and how to
win. But be skeptical.
2. Practice the right things in the right way. Set
aside small amounts of time to work on the worst parts of your game,
and do it with all the focus you can bring to bear. Start with an easy
version of what you’re working on and gradually make it more
challenging, as you improve. Don’t practice failure.
3. Make good use of training aids. Seeing yourself on
video is usually a very surprising experience. Most players immediately
see things that could be improved. Try working with a practice cueball,
and try to believe what it shows you. Work through drills that look
promising.
4. Find a good instructor. There is no substitute for
hands on help and guidance. Ask around. Instructors with advanced
certifications usually have a lot of teaching experience, and they
would not have gotten all that experience if they weren’t helping
players get better. Good instructors have curriculums that take you
through a planned series of learning and practicing, in an organized
way. If someone just wants to watch you hit some balls and then show
you how they would have done it, you’re probably in the wrong place.
Ask some questions and see whether their answers make sense to you. If
you find a good instructor, it will be the best money you’ll ever spend
on your game. Spending $600 on yet another new cue is not going to
raise your game. Spending $600 on serious, proven instruction will make
more difference than you can imagine – for the rest of your pool life.
5. Engage your brain. Actively try to predict and
understand what happens at the table. Watch the best players you can
find. Think about why they make the choices they make, and how and why
their shot to shot results are what they are.
There is way more to this game than people think. You don’t know what
you don’t know – and there’s a lot of it. We need every edge we can
get. Make your learning time and your practice time count. The gains
will eventually show up in your game.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
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