Let's start the New Year off right

[Catch 22]

I love my table. I cannot wait to get down and practice I enjoy it so much. Now when it comes to confidence I have absoultly ZERO CONFIDENCE the minute I start a match or even the lineup by myself. I have been working on my Snooker Gym again and I can go through the drills with not much trouble so far but the minute I decide to do a line up everything goes bad. I am open to suggestions on ways to gain confidence. There is no way I should play like I do in matches with the hours I put in. Sorry if I sound so down but I just do not enjoy this game playing like I am.

I am like that too Les . I'm playing well ATM in practice and friendly games , but in a league match I cannot pot a ball . I have been spending a bit of time thinking about it and I think I have made headway as to why it happens (for me) . Our league has been on Christmas break for a few weeks but Starts again on Monday . So I'm hoping I play better in match conditions now .

Having said that ... I always enjoy it . I get frustrated when I play terrible but I still enjoy the sport . If I play well but get beat , I don't mind as much as long as I have played well .

It's a shame to hear you're so down about your game just now . In your video you looked like you were playing OK .


Just as a matter of interest , how do you play if you go into Speed mode ? IE stand behind shot ...head ... ...strike all in a few seconds ,not giving you time to think about what you are doing ?

[lesedwards]

I am like that too Les . I'm playing well ATM in practice and friendly games , but in a league match I cannot pot a ball . I have been spending a bit of time thinking about it and I think I have made headway as to why it happens (for me) . Our league has been on Christmas break for a few weeks but Starts again on Monday . So I'm hoping I play better in match conditions now .

Having said that ... I always enjoy it . I get frustrated when I play terrible but I still enjoy the sport . If I play well but get beat , I don't mind as much as long as I have played well .

It's a shame to hear you're so down about your game just now . In your video you looked like you were playing OK .


Just as a matter of interest , how do you play if you go into Speed mode ? IE stand behind shot ...head ... ...strike all in a few seconds ,not giving you time to think about what you are doing ?

Cannot say I have ever tried that but one thing I tried when I got back which most guys are totally against is looking back of CB instead of OB. It forces me to go through on the cue ball and doubt does not enter into the shot because you are not staring down the shot and putting doubt into it you are glued to the back of CB at front pause. There is no getting up to quick because after impact your eyes are glued on where the CB is going not the OB. I will throw the 15 reds up tomorrow and do another video but only looking at CB and everyone can see if they see a difference.

[alabadi]

well done Les, you are potting better i see, you are quite hesitant as was mentioned however i find this happens because of uncertainty .

the more you play the more you will see the shots and play them without fear or hesitance.

i have started playing a few routines in the top half of the table , like the Christmas Tree, just 10 reds, helps with cueball control, i'll post the link below so you can see a vid i made.

if you get good at it and can clear them 3-4 times then try adding the Black, pink and Blue to the layout. you will end up with 8 reds and 3 colours. nice little routine a change from the traditional line up.

Les i know you are desperate to make big breaks and play well, that will come if you allow it, just enjoy it for what it is a game. and let it be fun.

here is that link....enjoy http://youtu.be/NnhYFBEWbHE?list=UUz...9CTRp3Pd3k_EkA

[Alba_]

Tweaking everything only makes all sorts of things go through your head when you are playing your shot. Elbow, Grip, Where to look on pauses, line up properly, Chest to cue ect ect. You are just overloading you brain and any pro who was doing this would miss pinks from only 2" away sometimes too. free your mind of everything because that is what is messing everything up and making you not enjoy it so much. Get a drill of like 3 or 4 things to think about on each shot that are to do with the shot and not about how to grip or what your elbow is doing. stand on the line then think of what shot you are doing to play and what you need for position then do your drill and play your shot. You are over complicating things and not giving yourself total dedication to the shot you are playing. Try what the guys have already said and speed up so you can't let your brain go into overheating mode.

[matt926_uk]

you can choose to be confident you know

[lesedwards]

Thanks for all the good words and encouragement. I was just back down at the table for an hour just runing in straight pinks to try and figure out what is going on. I always feel that I have dropped down on the right line but then I miss by 2" to 3" normally to the left. I feel like I take it back good but somewhere right at the end of my backswing everything feels weird, it feels like my cue hand is in steer mode. So get this I played 4 reds straight in off the pink spot and missed all 4 to the left by at least 2" so then I took my pinky finger off the cue completely and I missed all 4 by 1" so I took the next finger off and I potted all 4 dead Center. I have never been able to consistently let the last two fingers release from the cue and back on and is in the back if my mind on every shot not to mention that is probably why my back swing is so short because my last two fingers stop it because they do not come off the cue. Tomorrow I stick with this and just pot balls. This something I went through this with Terry about a year ago when he had me potting straight blues and screwing back to bulk line with only two fingers on the cue but then back on my table everything wood become tentative and I would be off trying something else. I have no excuses to not stick with it and learn this game with the table I have now.

[golferson123]

hi les, can see the cliff influence. I would like to see you do that again but this time go round and look at your next shot, it became apparent with so many cannons early on you were not playing position but relying on the open reds and as you ran out of options you missed

[j6uk]

hi les, can see the cliff influence. I would like to see you do that again but this time go round and look at your next shot, it became apparent with so many cannons early on you were not playing position but relying on the open reds and as you ran out of options you missed

yes unusual for an ex pro golfer not to be working things out before hand. too much caddy shack going for my liking, though he has improved

[lesedwards]

hi les, can see the cliff influence. I would like to see you do that again but this time go round and look at your next shot, it became apparent with so many cannons early on you were not playing position but relying on the open reds and as you ran out of options you missed

Yes I agree, and yes I think the real short backswing is defiantly influenced by Cliff...LOL But I have never really had a very long one anyways.

yes unusual for an ex pro golfer not to be working things out before hand. too much caddy shack going for my liking, though he has improved

Yes Floyd asked me the same question the last time we got together. My only explanation was I started golf when I was 11 40 years ago and I do all that without even thinking about it. I have to some how force this into my thick head that you cannot just get down and shoot. Really much more to think about in golf as you have wind, trees, slope of green and more.

[Leo]

To me there's way to much emphasis on your approach for me Les, not sure if this is due to the coach because at times it looks like you've suffered some sort of injury at work where you find it hard to relax if you see what I'm saying. I'm finding with all this computer gadget slow motion waffle these days etc that in my opinion this has took away the actual learning basics and made many players think way to much into their game, and this is where I think a player over thinks his game way more then he should.

[lesedwards]

To me there's way to much emphasis on your approach for me Les, not sure if this is due to the coach because at times it looks like you've suffered some sort of injury at work where you find it hard to relax if you see what I'm saying. I'm finding with all this computer gadget slow motion waffle these days etc that in my opinion this has took away the actual learning basics and made many players think way to much into their game, and this is where I think a player over thinks his game way more then he should.

Funny you say that. When I bought my first table 2 years ago which was a 4-1/2x9 Pool Table I just went with what I had and I was playing pretty good then I bought my 5x10 snooker table and still just winged it and was still doing well then I decided to buy a 6x12 table and become a player. Bad Move...LOL

[Terry Davidson]

Funny you say that. When I bought my first table 2 years ago which was a 4-1/2x9 Pool Table I just went with what I had and I was playing pretty good then I bought my 5x10 snooker table and still just winged it and was still doing well then I decided to buy a 6x12 table and become a player. Bad Move...LOL

Well Les, for sure you have the motivation if not the patience. Keep working at it and get some time to get up here and we'll do some analysis to see if we can sort out why you play so tentative in matches. The first step might be to give up the coffee and the ciggys (I only say that because I'm going to give it a try shortly - decaf coffee and tea only and cold turkey on the ciggys).

[lesedwards]

Well Les, for sure you have the motivation if not the patience. Keep working at it and get some time to get up here and we'll do some analysis to see if we can sort out why you play so tentative in matches. The first step might be to give up the coffee and the ciggys (I only say that because I'm going to give it a try shortly - decaf coffee and tea only and cold turkey on the ciggys).

You better get ready to start ducking...LOL thats all you need is a short tempered student..... working on the three finger grip right now and will be posting a video with this grip.

[lesedwards]

Okay guys new video, Xmas Tree Routine with only three fingers on cue. Feels much more natural and I have tried my best to have no feathers until I am ready and then only 2 and go. Yes you can say I am determined. I will master this game. A ton by next Christmas, but I guess that depends on whether my elbow has to be replaced.....ouch

https://bambuser.com/v/5193368

[Catch 22]

Nice one les