Transcription
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there are many aspects to the game of pool but this is my top five tips for beginners that will really help you improve your game.
number one is slow down. too many beginners rush taking the shot. they get down to the table, feather the cue far too quickly, and then snatch at things, taking a really quick backswing straight into the shot. pool shots should be calm and relaxed, so slow things down a bit. only feather the cue as quickly as you intend to move the cue for the shot. then, most importantly, take a slow backswing and pause. this pause allows you to deliver the cue far straighter and in a relaxed manner.
number two is stand up. a very common mistake is to get down for the shot and then decide something's not right. that might be the aim or the type of spin that you intend to use, but beginners will often just make these adjustments down at the table, shifting their hand or their body until they think that they've got it right. this is a really bad habit, and you're moving things off the shot line that you worked out before you got down to the table. if something feels wrong, then stand up, step back from the table, work out exactly what you want to do before you get down again. if you then decide that you want to use a different spin on the ball, then stand up, make any adjustments to the shot line, and then get back down again.
number three is stay still. you'll often see beginners jump up from the table as they take the shot. whether this is because they think they're going to get more power, or maybe they want to see where the ball is going, it all contributes to the cue going offline during the shot. the secret to cueing in a straight line is to keep everything really still when you're taking the shot. a good tip to help you achieve this is to stay down on the shot for as long as possible after you've struck the ball. this will not only encourage you to keep your head and your body still, but also to push the cue right through the shot as well.
number four is not so hard. i think by far the biggest problem i see in beginners is that they just hit the ball far harder than they need to. the harder you hit the ball, the more likely it is to bounce out of the jaws, even if you're just slightly off with your aim. it can even bounce back out of the middle of the pocket if you hit it too hard. also, the harder you try and hit the ball, the more difficult it is to deliver the cue in a straight line. a player might hit this shot hard, thinking that they want to stun for the black. however, a shallow angle to the corner, hitting it hard, massively increases the chances of missing. if you just hit the ball far softer, but lower down on the white, you can still achieve the stun, and the gentle pace gives the ball far more chance of dropping into the pocket.
finally, number five is look where you're aiming. a lot of beginners will correctly flick their eyes between the cue ball and the center of the ghost ball, which is fine. but then, before they take the shot, they'll settle their focus on the cue ball instead. you still flick your eyes between the two, but then, as you pause, you focus on the center of the ghost ball that you're aiming at. this helps you deliver the cue through the line of the shot, towards what you're aiming at, not just at the point right in front of you.
there are many areas to work on in your game, but these five are by far the most common mistakes that i see with beginners. it's vitally important to correct these things before you develop bad habits and try moving on to more complex aspects of the game.
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