Being whitewashed

[poolqjunkie]

I played a friend of mine a couple days ago.
I played a poor safety off the break and he made a 118, with a possible 145 with all the colors on the spot, when he got a kick which caused hsi cue ball to stop really short on the yellow.
I have never really played with my friend before, although I have met him many times and we talked and what not.
During the break, believe it or not, when he was on his last few reds, a lady came to the table with a drink and started talking to her boyfriend at the baulk end, while my friend was taking care of business around the black. I watched my friend to see what he would do (and to see if I shoudl step in to ask them to leave the table), just to find that his eyes never left the balls! I dont think he honestly knew that there was a girl leaning on the table at the other end.
That is some focus, and a good lesson for me.
Besides, I noticed that he has a very simple cueing action, by which I mean he would step in line and then just got down and shoot after a few feathers, with almost no unwanted movement with his body or his grip. After watching him play closely, I realize his motion is so economical, that it makes his cueing arm very consistent. His approach to the table is also very simple, but his body must be in line while he got down, which is not easy to do consistently.
Just shows me how much more I need to work on...

[noel]

I played a friend of mine a couple days ago.
I played a poor safety off the break and he made a 118, with a possible 145 with all the colors on the spot, when he got a kick which caused hsi cue ball to stop really short on the yellow.
I have never really played with my friend before, although I have met him many times and we talked and what not.
During the break, believe it or not, when he was on his last few reds, a lady came to the table with a drink and started talking to her boyfriend at the baulk end, while my friend was taking care of business around the black. I watched my friend to see what he would do (and to see if I shoudl step in to ask them to leave the table), just to find that his eyes never left the balls! I dont think he honestly knew that there was a girl leaning on the table at the other end.
That is some focus, and a good lesson for me.
Besides, I noticed that he has a very simple cueing action, by which I mean he would step in line and then just got down and shoot after a few feathers, with almost no unwanted movement with his body or his grip. After watching him play closely, I realize his motion is so economical, that it makes his cueing arm very consistent. His approach to the table is also very simple, but his body must be in line while he got down, which is not easy to do consistently.
Just shows me how much more I need to work on...

I like this post PJ.
Yes... well observed and written and you helped me to share in your "lesson".
Thanks!



=o)

Noel

[spike]

Interesting post PJ and like Noel says very well observed by you. Unlike your friend i have quite alot of difficulty maintaining concentration when at the table. Only when i'm playing very well these days which is something of a rareity, am i not aware of what's going on around me. It's never been something that has come natural to me..

[Terry Davidson]

Hmmm...hate to say 'I told you so' but I am (so there)...The Davidson method based on the Nic Barrow method is 'take just 2 steps, right foot arch on line of aim (of cue) and left comfortably to the left with around 15-18in between the centre of the heels. Keep nose on line of aim (BOB) and drop STRAIGHT DOWN into the shot, feather 2-3 times, slow backswing, no upper body movement, pause at rear, DELIVER!!!!

Finer points will come with a coaching session, my rates are $50CAN per hour plus $20 travel per hour.

For poolqjunkie, travel rate would be somewhere around $3,000 total (but the lesson will still be only $50hr)

Terry

[Watford]

I'm murder for getting distracted, baulked etc
I need to learn that focus

[Forman]

If i have to lose a frame i'd always rather my opponent makes a big break, at least that way i get somthing interesting to watch while im losing

[poolqjunkie]

I have always thought my stance was pretty okay, until I watched this friend play closely, when I started to realize how many unwanted movements I have in my pre shot routine and my feather. It is brilliant when one can simplify his approach to the table so he can drop down and be on line, a couple simple feather, and then shot.

I watched some videos of Ding yesterday and I notice his approach is really simple. He does not seem to be doing much at all, just get down, a few back and forth and then followthrough. Very still on his shot.

I watched a video showing Ding playing a friendly frame with his mate in where I would assume to be the snooker academy, and he cleared up. During the break, I saw a few people walking back and forth and what not but not once did Ding's eyes left the balls and the table.

It just shows me that the better players (or some of them at least) have a better way to approach their shots, and are better focused on the balls than I was.

Hopefully, I can one day play like that, too.

[RocketRoy1983]

Yes a guy I used to practice with who was formerly on the PIOS and now practices daily with Alfie Burden and Martin Gould is like this. Nothing will distract him when his in the balls. It really is a great trait to follow.

[miscuehamburg]

Chris Henry, once in Hamburg ( December 2006), put a question: "When you are down on the shot where do you look at: 1. The cueball, 2. The object ball, or 3. The girl in the bar". Number 1&2 may be discussable, but somehow it is difficult to avoid number 3