Potting a long blue off it's spot with my eyes shut

[Dannyboy]

I thought i had problem's with my grip and cue action etc, and having spent time with snooker and Billiards coach Frank Sandell yesterday. I was potting well and even played some great Billiards shot's, then i said to Frank i had a problem potting a firm blue off it's spot from the green and yellow spot's Frank got me to attempt 2 long pot's from each spot and i missed them all, then he told me to line one up then shut my eye's and attempt the pot i took the shot and i heard the blue fly into the pocket i opened my eyes and Frank said the blue never touched the side's and it was on a championship table. Frank said to me i was far better in all aspect's of my game since i saw him last year. He then explained to me i am worrying about too many thing's when i am potting that's why i keep missing the long blues and when i took the shot with my eyes shut i had nothing else in my head to worry about except keeping a loose grip and just pushing the cue forward. Proving we must keep thing's simple and try and block out everything else and just take the shot, easier said then done i know , and if your like me i tend to think of a million and one thing's while taking on difficult pot's i am going to play all kind's of pot's with my eyes shut so i can get to know the feeling of total relaxation on the shot.

[Terry Davidson]

I teach the 'closed eye' pot from the yellow or green spots to my students, but before I did I had to test it out for myself and I found with all 21 balls I potted better with my eyes shut than with them open.

I believe with the eyes shut the cueball disappears from your conciousness and also you are sensing what that grip hand is doing as that is the only thing you have to concentrate on. It takes away those mental blocks players get which has them starting to stop the cue at the cueball and with eyes shut they drive through much better because they don't really know where the cueball is so they concentrate on staying still and driving the grip hand straight on the backswing and delivery.

It really works and proves to a player that he is capable of fantastic potting (relatively) if he can get into the right frame of mind in a match. How often have you heard a pro in an interview say he would like to bring his practice game to the match table. I think Hendry says that in every interview after he loses and I've also heard that he still plays fantastic in practice. Ronnie does it every once in awhile too.

I wish I could do it too but there's just too much happening in my set-up and I know I'm concentrating on about 5 different things and I shouldn't but I haven't found the correct 'key' to let all of that go and just pot and play position!

Terry

[Dannyboy]

Hi Terrry,

Well this method showed me there is nothing wrong with my grip or cue action, so i will not be worrying about those anymore.