Mental game?

[backtobaulk]

I've been playing the game for quite some time now and really believe that success in snooker is primarily about being in the right frame of mind and controlling your thoughts.

I've been reading the articles on the world snooker website from Pete Lindsay and was wondering if anyone in these forums had ever used a sport psychologist, or had heard of any players using one.

[Snooker]

No I have never used one, but I agree with you totally. Its hard to explain, but I always knock in my biggest breaks when my mind is totally blank, after the break I always think the same thing.

P.S. Welcome to the forums.

[reverse_side]

I've never used or know anybody else that's consulted a Sports Psychologist, don't move in those circles, but the way you think, react and mentally prepare for matches can make a huge difference to the match at hand..... AND your future success for the rest of your life. Apocalyptic eh, but true.

If you've some talent and are dedicated enough to practice and learn from every outcome, you can turn every situation into a positive one and allow yourself to feel the pressure, but succeed anyway.

[backtobaulk]

Thanks for the replies.

I think it's interesting that most players think that the game is mainly played in the head and yet you don;t hear about many using sport psychologists. In golf, its rare to hear of a player (even average pro's, not just the top 10) not using one!

[backtobaulk]

BTW there's a second article on the world snooker ws about the mental side of the game.

[reverse_side]

It's a shame in the UK that snooker's SO popular but the game seems to be struggling with financial backing, sponsors etc. The golf tour in the USA, the Pool tour .... in the USA all seem to be thriving, so I guess they can afford the services of a profesional Guru that our guys in the UK can't.There'd be an interesting comparison to be made between the top 100 golfers' earnings and the top 100 Snooker players'. Golf's obviously more popular on a global stage, but there's a helluva lot of potential to sell the game to the world. Who last heard of a suggestion to host a tournament in the USA? (Small point, but in the coverage of the China open between Fu-Manchu and Ding Dong, there were SO many empty seats, only filled up towards the end - WHY?

[reverse_side]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...552032,00.html
for a book including a man who could share a few pointers; Ding Dong.

[silverdragon]

I cant say much for golf, but the US pool tour isnt THAT thriving. Sure they make a lot of money through advertisements, but the pool players dont make that much off tournements alone. Of course, the top pros usually have sponsers backing them.

For me, its true that snooker, pool, billiards, etc is a very mental game. If you cant focus, then your bound to lose. Losing focus gives you more of a chance to choke. When i play pool, so many players, good or bad, just dont believe in the mental aspects of the game. Usually when im running a rack, it doesnt matter if i miss a shot, because the whole time my opponent is sitting hes beating himself up and losing confidence. When he DOES get a chance to shoot, he has no idea what to do. When im playing in a tournement and i have a bad start, say its best of 5 and i already lost 2 games, i use my time to collect my thoughts. I dont sit there, bashing my head thinking "im never going to win now". Instead, i calm down and focus on whats happening on the table. Once my opponent gives me an opening, i already know exactly what to do. Many players have asked me why im so calm when im losing. Those people are usually the ones to toss their cue or bang the table when they miss an important shot or lose. In a match between 2 equally skilled opponents, the one that has the better grasp of the mental aspect of the game will usually come out on top.