Exercises for Complete Beginner

[captainsnooker]

I have been playing snooker on and off for maybe 10 years, never regularly enough to do practice.

I am frustrated that I can't seem to get the most basic shots reliably enough. I think the best break I ever got was maybe 4 balls in a row and that is a rarity, most of the time I pot a red and miss the colour.

There doesn't appear to be any snooker coaches in my area so I am asking for some exercise routines to help me hone in my basic skills. The line-up is a pretty useless routine when you can't pot the first red let alone get position.


Some other information that might help:
- Sometimes I feel the harder I try to play a shot 'properly' the worse it goes, if I don't get down low and just snatch the cue it seems to go in more reliably, but that's not going to give me results in the long run.
- I don't really understand how people use this ghost ball method to aim, I just can't make sense of it. I am best at straight to slightly off straight shots as I can just use the point method which doesn't work at more extreme angles.

TLDR: Any routines or tips for a struggling < 15 break would be greatly appreciated, or should I just hang up the cue now.

Thanks

[DeanH]

Where is your area?

DO NOT hang up the cue

[captainsnooker]

I'll be vague and say West Wiltshire haha

[DeanH]

Vague is ok, but maybe a little less-vague would be useful

Any way
Tim Dunkley is down at Chandlers Ford just outside your-vague area (been myself highly recommended)
Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon is a good club, if not with their own coach will probably know of someone that can help you.
Try any snooker club in Bath and Bristol and ask if they know of anyone

Let us know how you get on
And hope any other member who knows for anyone pops on here for you.

also, https://wpbsa.com/participation/find-your-coach/

[captainsnooker]

Apologies, to be more specific, Trowbridge, Melksham area. Yes i used that website and none within a 10 mile radius of me and I can't make the commitment to travel further at the moment

[DeanH]

Are there any clubs you use? Often a coach will travel to you at a club.

[DeanH]

wait one, I have a contact down that way....

[DeanH]

ah nuts
My contact who lives Bath way, says the only person he knows of an would recommend is Martin Goodwill but is too far for you up Malmesbury way.
All else are social clubs with no knowledge of anyone more local. Sorry.

I hope someone will pop on with better news for you

[captainsnooker]

Ok thanks anyway. I thought that was likely as i hadn't had any luck finding anyone which i why i asked about things i can do by myself until i can find a coach somehow

[DeanH]

I would try Steve, a member here on TSF and his site is:
https://www.bartonsnooker.co.uk/
and look at his youtube

[Delphi]

I would try Steve, a member here on TSF and his site is:
https://www.bartonsnooker.co.uk/
and look at his youtube

I can vouch that Steve is just amazing, in fact i'm going back there in 5-6 weeks, he also does distance coaching btw(camera and laptop), not the same as in person but i'm sure it would be benificial to you.

[snookerdad]

Try working through the Cuestars Academy routines. I've been using them for many a long year. Go to www.cuestarsacademy.co.uk. It costs £5 a year.

Tim Dunkley (WPBSA coach)

[itsnoteasy]

The reason you haven't improved is in your first sentence.
Snooker is hard, it takes thousands of hours just to be bang average at it.
There are many good youtube channels, Steve Barton and Barry Stark being the best imo but there used to be one by Neil Maxman iirc, don't know if it's still on the go but that was good as well.