Lineup is a waste of time

[cyberheater]

I had by that time five 147's in competitive play.

Just wow. Amazing.

I don't suppose you like to let on your name. I'd love to look you up on youtube.

I was a pro when I gave up, the only reason I commented on this discussion is that I read certain peoples threads and they drive me mad, they go on and on about new cues etc etc, they try to find a clue instead of just getting on with it and excepting there ability and enjoying the game.

Yes. I've wondered about that. I've got a cheap Chinese cue and it's a far better cue then I am a player. It will serve me well.

[coomsey76]

I was a pro when I gave up, the only reason I commented on this discussion is that I read certain peoples threads and they drive me mad, they go on and on about new cues etc etc, they try to find a clue instead of just getting on with it and excepting there ability and enjoying the game.

Your not wrong there mate...... that's a great bit of advice imo!!

[frazz]

You should try doing line up with having to hit 1 cushion every shot or having to never hit a cushion, makes you properly think about position play during an otherwise oretty boring routine I find

[Csmith]

I used to think it was a silly routine and not worth practicing, but I also always really struggled with it. I could make decent breaks in frames and practice frames but in line up and I would stutter before making anything over 70. In other words, I'd make several 8-24 breaks before I was able to put together anything significant.

It eventually occurred to me that if I am struggling with this, there is probably a issue in my cueing or position play that needs to be addressed. So I put more work into the routine and now I find it fairly easy.

I agree that it's best to mix up the routines, and there are tons of set splits that do a great job of mimicking in frame scenarios. I still do the line up, but I use it primarily as a drill to work on my stroke and consistency in my set up. I certainly wouldn't give up on the line up until you can make a 100 break at least once per day, or even more consistently than that.

[ADR147]

You should try doing line up with having to hit 1 cushion every shot or having to never hit a cushion, makes you properly think about position play during an otherwise oretty boring routine I find

i do that! - the never hitting a cushion sounds easy till you try it eh!

[j6uk]

If you wanna beat your regular sparing mate with an extra red and color or try to win the odd match in 2nd division league match then, maybe lineups would be a waste of time.
Flip that over and every good player will tell you, completing the basic lineup is the first step to really understanding how to play..

[mythman69]

If you wanna beat your regular sparing mate with an extra red and color or try to win the odd match in 2nd division league match then, maybe lineups would be a waste of time.
Flip that over and every good player will tell you, completing the basic lineup is the first step to really understanding how to play..

Won my first round of the club championship tonight. I warmed up before the match first by just spreading all the balls around the table and potting them all. Then a few blacks and pinks from their spots. Then the line-up 3 times. I was ready to go.

[lesedwards]

I think us players who have had less then 50 breaks in a real match move into routines in practice and find them to difficult do not stick with them and keep moving from one practice routine to another and not mastering or getting anywhere. I am one of them. Such as running blacks off the spot. My worst routine probably because my pockets are so tight but I started last night and said to myself I am going to stick with these routines and set realistic goals each night to beat.

[alabadi]

but I started last night and said to myself I am going to stick with these routines and set realistic goals each night to beat.

that's a good way to practice in my own opinion, without goals or targets how can u measure improvement. there has to be some reference so you are starting from somewhere.

i have a little book and keep a record on various routines. if i get bogged down/reach stalemate with any one, lets say blacks off the spot for instance i might give that routine a rest for a while and then come back to it again later.

Alabbadi

[lesedwards]

I am not sure what to practice first. Confidence completely left me and no matter what routine I run I cannot run more then a couple balls. I went back to the basics running cue ball up the spots over the long week my high was 20 in a row back to the tip of my cue. Then tried running the colours and out of 5 attempts I ran them 3 times. Now that's about 9 hours of practice this weekend. Now I just played a game against my son that is not a bad shooter but leaves me in spots where someone like Terry could easily run 60 and I ran 8. When the game starts I hit everything like I am trying to steer it in the pocket. Made sure my grip was loose to the point I only had 2 fingers on the cue but it makes no difference. I need help Terry. Have know idea what to do other then hope that Ode gets here to fix these pockets ASAP. Tried black off the spot last night for an hour high was 6. Now i am sure I sound like a beginner...LOL but I am not. High break is 43 in a match.

[Csmith]

I am not sure what to practice first. Confidence completely left me and no matter what routine I run I cannot run more then a couple balls. I went back to the basics running cue ball up the spots over the long week my high was 20 in a row back to the tip of my cue. Then tried running the colours and out of 5 attempts I ran them 3 times. Now that's about 9 hours of practice this weekend. Now I just played a game against my son that is not a bad shooter but leaves me in spots where someone like Terry could easily run 60 and I ran 8. When the game starts I hit everything like I am trying to steer it in the pocket. Made sure my grip was loose to the point I only had 2 fingers on the cue but it makes no difference. I need help Terry. Have know idea what to do other then hope that Ode gets here to fix these pockets ASAP. Tried black off the spot last night for an hour high was 6. Now i am sure I sound like a beginner...LOL but I am not. High break is 43 in a match.

It might be worthwhile to video tape yourself practicing, especially when you are playing well. Then see if you can video tape a practice match and see what the difference is?

One of my issues has been when I practice I shoot very fluently and everything feels natural. In matches I sometimes struggle quite a bit. Among the myriad of reasons for this is I've found that when I'm getting tense I won't pull the cue back more than an inch or two where normally when I'm playing well I pull back around 6-8 inches. It seems to be an issue with not letting my cue do the work and trying to muscle the ball around with little to no room to accelerate. I'm only wondering if this perhaps a similar issue you may be having? Especially because you said you find you're steering quite a bit.

[lesedwards]

Yes sounds very true when it comes to letting the cue do the work. I call it steering it but that comes from play professional golf. I find when my driver goes it is normally on a tight course where you won't let the driver do the work and you try to steer it down the middle which gets you in all kinds of trouble. Stay tune I am going to throw 15 reds on the table and just pot them and video tape it. I will put the link up after.

[lesedwards]

Yes sounds very true when it comes to letting the cue do the work. I call it steering it but that comes from play professional golf. I find when my driver goes it is normally on a tight course where you won't let the driver do the work and you try to steer it down the middle which gets you in all kinds of trouble. Stay tune I am going to throw 15 reds on the table and just pot them and video tape it. I will put the link up after.

Well I ran the Reds and then I tried to run 4 reds with blacks or pinks and you will see the outcome. Pretty sad to think I have had my table for just over a year and put at least 10 to 12 hours a practice in a week. Very few competitive matches more just fun games because there are no players near me. Once in a while I go to Terry's but it is an hour and half both ways. Look forward to your comments. From what I can see as soon as I have to make shape everything goes down hill. Anyone that can pickup a cue can run reds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDuEkSjJLqY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iB7ebogZ48w

[DeanH]

Hi Les - line-up - the first thing I spotted was the huge bridge length; the distance you had the cue ball from the red and hence the bridge hand not being flat on the table.
Nice to see your new table has settled in

[j6uk]

Hi Les, for me the positives are: your focus, staying down on the shot and you look to be cueing pretty straight. The things you could work on could be: getting the tip of your cue closer to the ball, bridge hand too could be closer to the white so, your more compact. Also I'm not sure If you have a consistent sighting pattern because the back-swing and follow through doesn't seem regular and deliberate.
have you thought about having coaching?

Well I ran the Reds and then I tried to run 4 reds with blacks or pinks and you will see the outcome. Pretty sad to think I have had my table for just over a year and put at least 10 to 12 hours a practice in a week. Very few competitive matches more just fun games because there are no players near me. Once in a while I go to Terry's but it is an hour and half both ways. Look forward to your comments. From what I can see as soon as I have to make shape everything goes down hill. Anyone that can pickup a cue can run reds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDuEkSjJLqY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iB7ebogZ48w