Nic Barrow's latest gadget.....

[throtts]

What is your high break? Mine is 43 which I ran months ago and have not even come close since. I cannot wait to get up and see Terry tomorrow morning. Between his video devices and Nic's new gadget I really hope he can find what is going on besides lack of confidence lack of patience lack of talent and frustration that set in long ago. I probably played 30 games over Christmas with a high break of 18 and winning only 5 games. What frustrates me is the fact these guys never play. Tried the line up tonight and out of 25 attempts my best was 15. Thats why I hate the line up.....LOL I could of made my pockets twice as wide and I would still have the fear of missing every shot. Slight cut on pink and does not even touch the jaws there has to be something wrong. I will let everyone know the out come tomorrow night on Nic's gadget.

Hi Les,

I run consistent 50's 60's now in a practice session, with a high break of 74. My practice sessions are of around 2 hour now. I have been playing seriously now for 18 month, 5 days a week and as I say for around 2 hour or just over. My table is a Star TC and is set up exactly the same as the pros play on, World Snooker re cover mine and check all templates.

TBH, I am pleased with my play considering how long Ive been at it and my age 48 years. Its at a consistent level and I will surely hit a century hopefully before my 24 month of playing comes up. I am self taught and had no coaching at all but as I say I am improving by the week. However, for all I know I could be better with coaching so I have not ruled it out.

Regarding technique, I have been doing whats comfortable for me. I have a front pause on going down with and a rear pause too. I never go over board on the grip business, as long as its not white knuckle tight and that I am going right through the cue ball then all is good as far as I am concerned. So many players think they are going through the white when they are really not, if there not then you start hitting too hard to get the required action on the white to achieve position on the next ball. If I start to over think about technique while playing then this will damage my standard of play, as I say I go with what is comfy for me. CONCENTRATION is a huge factor too, you must have it. This is probably due to me not hitting say a 90 break.

All the best with your play, Les and stick with it..

Thanks..

[j6uk]

les,
i really appreciate the complex yet simplicity of a golfing stroke, please could you explain how you would approach and complete a mid range putt?

Okay I understand your thinking.

[j6uk]

apart from not looking for a coach, this is a really good post and someone whos in your boat looking for solution, with the same ambitions. if there is any poster you should listen to les its this one.

Hi Les,

I run consistent 50's 60's now in a practice session, with a high break of 74. My practice sessions are of around 2 hour now. I have been playing seriously now for 18 month, 5 days a week and as I say for around 2 hour or just over. My table is a Star TC and is set up exactly the same as the pros play on, World Snooker re cover mine and check all templates.

TBH, I am pleased with my play considering how long Ive been at it and my age 48 years. Its at a consistent level and I will surely hit a century hopefully before my 24 month of playing comes up. I am self taught and had no coaching at all but as I say I am improving by the week. However, for all I know I could be better with coaching so I have not ruled it out.

Regarding technique, I have been doing whats comfortable for me. I have a front pause on going down with and a rear pause too. I never go over board on the grip business, as long as its not white knuckle tight and that I am going right through the cue ball then all is good as far as I am concerned. So many players think they are going through the white when they are really not, if there not then you start hitting too hard to get the required action on the white to achieve position on the next ball. If I start to over think about technique while playing then this will damage my standard of play, as I say I go with what is comfy for me. CONCENTRATION is a huge factor too, you must have it. This is probably due to me not hitting say a 90 break.

All the best with your play, Les and stick with it..

Thanks..

[lesedwards]

les,
i really appreciate the complex yet simplicity of a golfing stroke, please could you explain how you would approach and complete a mid range putt?

Here we go, I am walking up to the green to mark my ball which is sitting 15' from the cup. I try to walk up on the line so I can get a feel for the break. I mark my ball and take a look at the lie of the green. Now I take a look from behind the hole and then kneel behind the marker while others putt and try to get a feel for the speed and watch my opponents balls. When it is my turn I put my ball down take two practice puts which I try to repeat the speed and then setup over the ball check my alignment and stroke the putt.

[j6uk]

i see lots of similarities there, almost everything. and there's a few grip configurations right, what was yours?

Here we go, I am walking up to the green to mark my ball which is sitting 15' from the cup. I try to walk up on the line so I can get a feel for the break. I mark my ball and take a look at the lie of the green. Now I take a look from behind the hole and then kneel behind the marker while others putt and try to get a feel for the speed and watch my opponents balls. When it is my turn I put my ball down take two practice puts which I try to repeat the speed and then setup over the ball check my alignment and stroke the putt.

[lesedwards]

i see lots of similarities there, almost everything. and there's a few grip configurations right, what was yours?

Overlap with index finger down the shaft. Top of grip for long putts, middle of grip for medium length putts and fully choked up for short putts.

[j6uk]

this sounds a little unusual to impart this and play to a good level, could you please expand this? because iv been getting a few pm's

oh and did you read my other post a few pages back #122? it took a bit of time for me to put that together

j6uk:

If you hold your arm at your side with the wrist hanging straight down you should see that the middle 2 fingers are in a straight line with the forearm bone which actually drives the cue. A player's grip can be of any configuration he likes as long as it's comfortable and he doesn't change the configuration during the delivery.

Terry

[j6uk]

okay so we could compare that in a way, could say long putt/pot you could open the back of the hand, a little less on mid range and short range could be the little finger opening a bit.
am i right in thinking that the way you hold the putter with the lower hand is bit like holding a piece of paper, with the thumb pointing down the club?
http://www.andrewsgolf.co.uk/details...41&browse=grip

Overlap with index finger down the shaft. Top of grip for long putts, middle of grip for medium length putts and fully choked up for short putts.

[Byrom]

Good anology to use - reminded me a bit of something you two

[lesedwards]

Good anology to use - reminded me a bit of something you two

LOL, I am working on my game with my new grip and finally I am seeing some improvement. Knocking in a few 20 here and there and feel the bigger ones are coming. Positional play is improving at the same time. Today I will attempt the line up.

[lesedwards]

Hi Terry "IS IT ME OR MY TABLE? i am begining to think my table is jinxed not cut right or something else. I came home this afternoon and practiced just potting easy shots and making sure my grip is right then I thought I would do a line up and try 10 times each day and see how much I can better my score by. Tomorrow should be easy to beat but who knows. After 10 attempts my high break was 8. Now you set the line up for me on Monday at your place and I had no trouble makeing blacks and reds in fact correct me if I am wrong but I think I made 24 just playing around. I set it up as 1, 4, 6, & 4 i make perfect shape on Black make it and leave shape for next red and then rattle it or I rattle my first red or rattle the black. If you hit the far horn it rattles and stays out, if Inhit the inside of the horn but firm it also stays out, so basically I have to hit dead center or they will not stay in. I really am lost and I now have the grip just like I had it at your place in fact maybe a touch behind parralel. Put me any where on the table up from he black and I am fine but blacks off the spot forget it. Its like there is no pocket there.
I am at the point now that I am going to hang up the cue for a while and wait till I have Cliff over and see how he makes out. He has played on all kinds of tables and he will give me his opinion. I 'know when you where here your high break was 18. I am yet to see anyone run anymore then 40 on my table which included a friend of mine which has a high match break of 122. I thik his best here is 30 something which is high for this table.

[tedisbill]

Since Terry made that 18 break you've opened all the pockets up though haven't you?

[lesedwards]

Since Terry made that 18 break you've opened all the pockets up though haven't you?

Yes but still no easier. Now I am wondering if I lost the under cut when I sanded them down but I had no choice. They are only 1/16" oversized now. Cliff told me there is no such thing as too big of pockets when you are working on your positional game and trying to hone your skills. Snooker is all about confidence which I walked away from on Monday at Terry's but in 4 days I have lost all confidence in making any kind of a sharp angle to the corner or side. If you want the table just follow the link below.

http://http://ontario.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-sporting-goods-exercise-other-Burroughs-and-Watts-Snooker-Table-Pool-Table-W0QQAdIdZ556259520

[Terry Davidson]

Les:

It ain't the table, or the cue or the balls...it's YOU! But first of all let's eliminate the table. You say the pocket are now 5-9/16ths which is about the size of my pockets and I would expect they are cut right if Pat did them. Check and ensure your black spot is 12-3/4in from the face of the top cushion.

Secondly...so you've been at the line-up for a few attempts and haven't been able to run more than one black and your brain is telling you that after trying it 5 or 10 times that you shoulbe be running 50's by now...IT JUST DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY.

So now you're ready to give up (again). C'mon Les give it a freaking chance!

You can start the line-up with any red you like and not necessarily the one below the black. You should always start with the EASY shots and NOT the 3/4-ball stun on the red to come off the cushion for the black (although if you are getting on the first black you should be able to get on the next red easily enough)... However why don't you do this?

Start with the red just below the pink straight in and just roll it into the top pocket for a 3/4-ball black or even easier just roll the red in for a pink in the middle or even put the red slightly off straight so you can pot the red with a little soft screw shot for a pink into the same pocket? Since you're not getting beyond one red/black right now just start with 5 or 6 reds between the pink and black and maybe a couple above the pink but with lots of space between the reds so you can do whatever you want with the cueball.

The secret of learning this is to start with the EASY shots and build up. For a beginner stunning off the top cushion is not the easiest of shots as you concentration is split severely trying to both make the pot and control the cueball. Much easier to just roll through or soft screw and you should be able to get into the 30's quickly.

Now, one other point. I only played TWO frames on your table with the original tight pockets so using my 18 break as some sort of standard to comment on is compete and utter BS. In both frames the table was a mess with not one colour on spot but given enough frames I think I could do much better than that even with the tighter pockets and slower cloth.

Your table is not jinxed. If you had to play golf in the US Open with a tough course slope rated at 151 or something and ended up shooting 10 over par would you think the course was jinxed? I don't think so. What you would do though is TRY HARDER next time.

Terry

[DeanH]

.

pocket are now 5-9/16ths which is about the size of my pockets

Hi Terry/Les
Is this the size across the fall? As in 5 9/16 inches. I thought it was 3 9/16 across the fall?