Run of the ball

[md5299]

Feel for you mate I've just come back playing after 18years out,after a couple of weeks I made a 97 a few 80's and 70's but since then all I've had is Chinese snookers, stuck on cushions,in offs an,jawing balls and I leave every ball on when I miss but I never seem to be left a lot,seems like it will never end feel like packing it in again,had my time in the past,good luck,moan over.

[Byrom]

Feel for you mate I've just come back playing after 18years out,after a couple of weeks I made a 97 a few 80's and 70's but since then all I've had is Chinese snookers, stuck on cushions,in offs an,jawing balls and I leave every ball on when I miss but I never seem to be left a lot,seems like it will never end feel like packing it in again,had my time in the past,good luck,moan over.

Frustration is a funny thing.

18 years out and you come back and do that - quite impressive - I have a few month off and I struggle to make a 50's again and it feels like I am using someone else's arm because I have as much timing as a broken clock.

I remember I had a month off had a days session and only made a few 40's and a number of 30's at best and I remember thinking I played terrible really and then this bloke sat watching having a pint said "Bloody brilliant that mate - enjoyed watching you play!" and it made me laugh because I thought I had missed loads of chances and my position was poor and I kept loosing the white or having a bit of bad run perhaps but I suppose if I was thinking back to when I first started to play snooker I would have been delighted with it and yet here I was fed up.

I have however heard this want to quit thing before from others that maybe where very good at snooker knocking in ton after ton and max breaks and the like. Some players of this standard who live on a table and practice with a cue become one with it if they do it enough as you know and you obviously played good players in your time and had some highs so you will know what I mean.

Just like this your expectations are set higher now because of past glory - so you find it frustrating when things like this happen and the games get scrappy or you miss position or a simple pot because you remember clearing up, having the ball on a string and stuff like that - that is just snooker and it is understandable - first thing that tends to go is concentration and focus when you get older.

Except the crap days because they make the good ones sweeter - but this is easier said than done as this can be harder to accept for a player who has scaled the highs before. Shame you cant just accept and enjoy the game now for what it is at a slightly lower level - Perhaps deep down you are striving to get back to your best form instead of just playing and enjoying the game for what it is - brush it off and get on with it buddy the timing will come back the more you play - you sound more of a natural player than me if you take 18 years out and get breaks like that right away lol - I am more one of those - have to work at it types-.

Lots of players would dream of being at your standard now - it depends on your aims of course but my advice is just enjoy the game for what it is and don't let the old searching for perfection addictions ruin your mindset and make you pack it in again - you have probably been there and done it at whatever level you where at - so you have nothing to prove any more.

I feel for you and lots of other players who feel the same way and this is down to your competitive spirit deep down - you can never completely concur snooker although you can still do it more frequent than most - no-one can completely be zoned up and perfect all the time - At your standard often it is about how you think about the game and take the losses and the bum deals and dust yourself down and get on with it - it is an easy game really - it is us people that complicate it.

Don't over think it pal or look for why things are going wrong - just play.

There was a reason why you made them breaks - because you did just that - you had no expectations you just did it - so stop looking for what is going wrong and just play.

[md5299]

Thanks for your interest Byrom,yes I did play at a high level with a good deal of success but believe it or not I was not that competitive.I don't take it for granted that I had natural ability for the game,when I spent time with Jack Kharnhem he said I had gone on to advanced snooker but forgot the bit in the middle!I've started playing again because a lad in the bowls club plays so I started giving him a game and of course with going back to the club new players keep asking me this and that about the game and I always like to pass on anything if I can help so I end up doing a bit of coaching.The point I was making wasn't that people fluke against me(I always stayed stoney faced if they did and it seemed to upset them more than me)but the balls aren't liking me at the moment.Like you say people play at different levels and I was always pointing out to players that some players get the same amount of joy from a 30 break than others do from a 100,although it does get you down when you keep ending up on the cushion or kissing something and going in off,they say it evens out so I'll be looking forward to my first 155!

[Byrom]

Its nice that you are helping out others in the club - maybe a new occupation as a coach or just pass it on as a hobby - this kid got you back playing again though so its not a bad thing.

I will not ask why you gave up - old wounds and all that.

[md5299]

Looked at the coaching part,got to go to Sheffield and it costs about £1200 and would then probably still do it for free.I gave up because we had our own business(fish trade) two children and probably just tired of the game a bit.Some newer players started to come into the league and they would try to beat you off the table instead of on it,like claiming games even if someone had a punctured tyre.I'm down here in Cornwall where are you based?i've been up as far as Wolverhampton playing.Started playing bowls about 3 years ago and enjoy it, also dare I say it I am enjoying snooker again,each time I remember all the little bits and pieces that I taught myself through trial and error that's where the satisfaction comes from I think,M.

[md5299]

Hi Byrom,looked into taking up coaching last week £1200 to qualify 1000 miles travelling.Gave up because our business grew bigger plus two kids plus a bit of snooker burn me thinks.Like you say it will probably come back slowly I used to be fanatical about potting all the colours off their spots at 1/4 1/2 and 3/4 ball angles.Also if a colour was on its spot and the cue ball was lined up with a pocket ie pink on spot and cue ball lined up straight to green pocket you can get to learn that angle.Always got more satisfaction from helping someone improving their game than making a ton,can't bear to watch people playing with really bad faults and not mentioning to them in a polite way and then it's nice to see them improve,i'm down in Cornwall.