How to improve.

[stevj016]

Hi,

I'm 16 and am a beginner at Snooker, well I've played on and off on holiday and that but no more than that, so I can't go on any breaks or anything. Anyway, I really want to improve and now play at my local club every night. I have a training book but I just need a bit of advice.

I want to take things slowly, before I think about positioning the cue ball I need to be able to simply pot the object ball first, so that's what I'm practising at the moment. The thing is it just goes off target a lot of the time, here is what I do for a simple generally short range slight angled pot:

I walk up to the shot and look at the line from the object ball through to the pocket with my right eye, and my left eye closed, I then bring the line to the point on the end of the ball in which the cue ball would hit it. I then keep my eye stuck on that point as I bend down to take the shot. I can't just judge the angle straight from cueing you see so I have to do all of that. Anyway, I get my stance correct, then my bridge correct. I have the cue under my right eye but I find it easier to cue to the correct point with my left eye closed, as it gives a more direct image of the cue line, I don't know if this is correct. Anyway my right eye is still focusing on that point on the object ball and if I lose it I have to start over again. I do a few swings to direct it towards the point, I aim the cue at the point as I hit and my right eye is also looking at the point, not the cue ball. After I hit it I follow through, and then after all of that, it just goes completely wide and I'm really angry because I'm sure I'm doing it right. It can't be because my cueing isn't straight because on the exercise where the white ball is hit along the dots I do it dead straight every time. So maybe its where I'm hitting the object ball which is wrong, I'm not sure. Maybe my way of keeping my eye on the object ball point is pretty stupid, but its the only way I can do it, I can't just manually find the exact spot from the cueing position. Or finally, should I keep my left eye closed, but with it open its just much harder, its such a direct line with it shut.

So, I would very much appreciate it if I could have some advice, any advice and I will work on it. I just hate doing all of it and then it goes completely wide, its so annoying.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Thank you for your time,
Stevj016.

[bongo]

Hi There!

Hello there, How are you?

Firstly, What training book is it.

Go to www.youtube.com/user/princesagitarious, it isn't my username, but it has some great videos, go to the Jack Karnehm Coaching Video, I have it at home, it's a two hour video explaining all of the information that you want, believe me, many people have struggled and not known what to do, this video should really help you, (of course knowing it is good, but you need to practise it, but you've got a great attitude in the first place and your're going in the right direction in terms of attitude!).

Here's a quick Bongo's Golden Tip (Stupid Advart But Anyway!) It is keep both eyes open, The aspect that you are trying to go into is about which eye is dominant but still you should always keep both eyes open!

I cannot look at your technique because I'm only helping over a computer but if you watch the excellant Jack Karnehm video, even though it was filmed about twenty yaers ago, it is still up-to-date useful and perfect advice.

After I've posted this, i'll go to the YouTube website and find the first part as the video poster has put it into about twenty parts and you can then watch them and improve your game (of course after practicing your new found knowledge!). I'll edit this post and put the link for the first part, instead of trying to find it in the video posters username, but he has some great videos. I assume you are familiar with YouTube?

Also, go to the link at the bottom of my page, at my signature, www.thesnookergym.com, great coaching matierals available there!, and you could go to www.foul4academy.info and then to freebies for some great coaching articles, lots of them, for free!

You want to get good information and lots of it, while not clogging you head with too much! Remember - One step at a time!

I'm in a good mood today if you have noticed!

Have a Great Day!
bongo. :snooker:

EDIT - Here is the link for Part 1, There is a small interview with Jack too, I'm sure you will learn a lot from the whole video too! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v2dQ...eature=related

[CoachGavin]

hello.

agree with the post above. If you are really serious then a couple of lessons with a coach may be worthwhile to get you into good habits.

I have read and seen most coaching books/dvds. Would recommend the terry griffiths wpbsa coaching series on youtube - just type 'terry griffiths coaching'

good luck

[felipecocco]

Great posts above. When I read your post I immediately thought the same thing Bongo did. You certainly should keep both your eyes open, and you might even be leaving your dominant eye closed! I'm a RH player, and I have a left dominant eye. When I finally figured that out, and used it in my game - especially changing my stance so the cue would be below my left eye, my potting improved tremendously. So, I'd suggest... following all the ridiculously good advice and links Bongo's suggested... and I'm sure somewhere along the way the videos/tips will talk about the eye dominance factor.

You can quickly figure out which is your dominant eye by simply pointing at a small object around 8ft or so away from you. Then, close one eye. You will see that it will appear now as though your finger is no longer pointing exactly where the object is. Then, do it for the other eye. For some people, there is no difference. For others, however, with the right eye the finger seems to stay pretty much put while with the other one the finger appears to drift way off. Essentially, the eye that causes your finger to appear closest to the object is your dominant eye. Then, just change stance and follow other tips to truly take advantage of that knowledge.

[TheStranger]

Although I'm a novice to the game myself, I can say for certain that one part I had overlooked - a detail that is just as critical as sighting - is bridge firmness.

I was playing awful pool and snooker and billiards over the weekend against friends and had no clue why. Was it my grip? Was it me rushing the shot? Those things may have been factors, but I looked at this page yesterday:

http://www.fcsnooker.co.uk/basics/th...the_bridge.htm

Pretty much the basic advice I got out of that, was to start gripping the cloth with my bridge hand, something I had not paid attention so much to before. Soon, I found my ability to focus on sighting and shooting increased, as I no longer had to worry about my cueing being shaky, I had confidence to go out and make some great shots.

We played doubles snooker on Monday night and me and my friend Erin won our frame 95-80 (on the last black!), then got into a scintillating round of billiards that finished at 79-79 (though we counted it as our opponents' win due to the red being rejected by the full pocket after being potted, which would have given them an 82-79 score). In the billiards match, I made a great eighth-ball cut for the red into top right corner, and an equally difficult quarter-ball red into a center pocket. I was rather chuffed. :snooker: