position and speed control are my current major problems. My big concern is pocketing the ball, naturally, and I use what I judge to be the best speed to do it. My position play is rudimentary and crude, using just follow or draw. I usually miss the shot if I use any english at all. I can use english to change the angle off the rail, but off an ob, I screw it up. So now what? Any suggestions on how to practice these skills? I use 1 home-made drill now, but I need more. /9 months in, frustration still with me.
In article <lPR3e.5342$6a5.4131@twister.nyroc.rr.com>, "tdodge" <NOSPAMbluesman@stny.rr.com> wrote:
I can use english to change> the angle off the rail, but off an ob, I screw it up.
I'm not sure if this is what you meant to say, but sidespin does not change the angle at the cue ball makes when it rebounds from an object ball. Sidespin changes the speed a little, probably too little to worry about in a practical sense, but the angle doesn't change.
So now what?
There are some drills at www.sfbilliards.com. You might also get one of the books recommended in the FAQ. I like Byrne's and Cappelle's books in particular.
thanks. starting to work on this tonight. It's appreciated.
<blkjackds12@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:1112563751.151252.154770@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...>
tdodge wrote:>> position and speed control are my current major problems.>> My big concern is pocketing the ball, naturally, and I use>> what I judge to be the best speed to do it. My position play is>> rudimentary and crude, using just follow or draw. I usually miss>> the shot if I use any english at all. I can use english to change>> the angle off the rail, but off an ob, I screw it up. So now what?>> Any suggestions on how to practice these skills?>> I use 1 home-made drill now, but I need more.>> /9 months in, frustration still with me.>
Here is a link to an article that recently appeared in my newsletter:>
Specifically, the "Basics Clinic" handout has five levels of drills that are mostly speed control drills.
Here is another: take a deck of cards and take out all the face cards and tens. Draw two cards to determine where the object ball goes. The first card says how far from the side cushion it is:
__________________________________________ 9 | | 8 | | (<< if this end of the 7 | | table is not a straight 6 | | line, try using a 5 | << head of table | fixed-width font to 4 | | view this, as on 3 | | Google Groups) 2 | | 1 |_________________________________________|
so 1 and 9 mean on the cushion and the others are half-diamond steps across the table. The second card says how far along the length the object ball is. If the card is red, start counting from the left end (that should be easy to remember). If the card is black, start counting from the right end:
|1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 99 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1| right end, black card left end ^^ red card middle of table
Place the two cards to mark that spot, as you will be shooting the shot a few times. Example: red 4, black 7. The four means half a diamond from the long string (centerline of the table) and the black seven means three diamonds from the right end. If the spot is nominall on the rail (like for an ace), move the ball an inch off the cushion (optional).
Draw two more cards to determine the shape you have to play. Put the two cards in the spot they indicate, using the system above. Take cue ball in hand, and play the object ball to leave the cue ball on, or near, the second set of cards. Try a couple of different ways.
This drill tests your ability to get from any spot on the table to any spot on the table. It is always possible to do this without touching a cushion, but using a cushion or two or even three often provides a more consistent path.
Patrick Johnson 5 April 2005 04:10:40 [ permanent link ]
JoeyA wrote:
... I look forward to reading your article> ... Perhaps [Patrick] will read your material
I read Blackjack's article a couple of times before commenting, Joey. I guess that puts me a couple of readings ahead of you, although several comments behind.
Patrick Johnson 5 April 2005 18:27:51 [ permanent link ]
JoeyA wrote:
Patrick didn't show any tolerance of a relatively infrequent poster > attempting to pass the muster here on RSB either.
What a crock. I said his system didn't make sense to me and explained why. You're attacking ME, Joey, for historical reasons we're all aware of having nothing to do with anything I said to Blackjack. Suggesting that we should all walk on eggs around people like Blackjack who apparently can't stand to be questioned panders to the very thin-skinned oversensitivity that started this. This "environment" you complain about at RSB is of YOUR making, not mine.
"Patrick Johnson" <patrick.johnsonREMOVE@THIScomcast.net> wrote in message news:lGx4e.29392$hU7.18568@newssvr33.news.prodigy.com... : JoeyA wrote: : : > Oh yeah, FTR, many TOP players advocate moving your stroking hand forward : > (shifting gears) on the butt when breaking a nine ball rack. : : For the record, in Blackjack's system this would be "downshifting". : Maybe you should try reading it. : : pj : chgo :
I reacted very similar to Black Jack, except I didn't get all nuts and stuff...(well maybe) but the very thing that upset me in this thread is probably the one thing that I (gulp, clear my throat) appreciate about PJ now. PJ is just someone who needs to grow on you... Most people are too nice to object to advice, or argue against it because they don't believe the advice given is correct. Tact or not tact, people who stay here are probably those that are most serious about the sport. The others, well, I'll see them at AZbilliards, and not that I have anything against AZ, I just read the cuemakers section, I can't be bothered with the other message bases, so maybe I won't see those people after all
Joey, be thankful someone are people here to do the research for you, after all, there are more important things in your life/my life other than billiards to spend all your time on.
Glenn<----Waiting for his new daughter to arrive...
I reacted very similar to Black Jack, except I didn't get all nuts and> stuff...(well maybe) but the very thing that upset me in this thread is> probably the one thing that I (gulp, clear my throat) appreciate about PJ> now. PJ is just someone who needs to grow on you... Most people are too> nice to object to advice, or argue against it because they don't believe
advice given is correct. Tact or not tact, people who stay here are> probably those that are most serious about the sport. The others, well,> I'll see them at AZbilliards, and not that I have anything against AZ, I> just read the cuemakers section, I can't be bothered with the other
message> bases, so maybe I won't see those people after all >
Joey, be thankful someone are people here to do the research for you,
after> all, there are more important things in your life/my life other than> billiards to spend all your time on.>
Glenn<----Waiting for his new daughter to arrive...>
The highest-paid cuemen in the world always grip at the same place. I'm not saying I recommend this, in fact I think that if you change your bridge length the grip must move correspondingly, but it is how the top-paid players play.
Hope you don't mind, but this is a good example of what has happened> many times:
Since when would you mind? lol, no, I don't that is why I referred to it...I was like a crazy wife who is pregnant...whoops....did I say that? Sorry Angie... I remember it vividly, I think it's the Lou story that has stuck in my mind....
Patrick Johnson 6 April 2005 23:38:06 [ permanent link ]
David Malone wrote:
... exercise their own demons.
May as well... mine don't show up for the prescribed Gym classes.
I've been waiting for somebody to call me on that one (and "hairbrained" - to Jim's credit, he re-spelled that and didn't mention it). I actually meant them both as wordplays - some of that dry humor you've been hearing about.
(That's my story and I'm stick intuit...) Pat Johnson Chicago
In article <yUW4e.19814$DW.7204@newssvr17.news.prodigy.com>, Patrick Johnson <patrick.johnsonREMOVE@THIScomcast.net> wrote:
David Malone wrote:>
... exercise their own demons.>
May as well... mine don't show up for the prescribed Gym classes.>
I've been waiting for somebody to call me on that one (and "hairbrained" > - to Jim's credit, he re-spelled that and didn't mention it). I > actually meant them both as wordplays - some of that dry humor you've > been hearing about.>
(That's my story and I'm stick intuit...)> Pat Johnson> Chicago>
Sorry Pat, but when you said,
********************** But the simple fact is that I've spent much more time investigating that same aiming system than he has, have written about a hundred times more about it here on RSB than he has, and have convinced many more players here that there may be some value in it than he has. All this is lost on Jim, who simply bears me a grudge and therefore can't even see the truth, much less admit it. This is typical of Bushwhackers With Grudges.
Don't get me wrong: I'm no angel - I don't want to be and I don't much want to hang out with people who want to be. But these guys just make this stuff up (knowingly or not) to exercise their own demons. ********************
I was too blown away by you missing the "Don't get me wrong: I'm no angle -" opportunity to even notice the demon line.
