Advice please - what to do next

[AKashyap]

Learn 3 shots; stun, follow and draw
Stun : When there is no spin in the cue ball at the time of contact and when it makes an angle of 90 degree with the colour ball - pot line ... Master this technique and you will open a whole new world of controlling your cue ball !!!
Follow : Forward spin at the time of contact. Hit above center on cue ball. The cue ball will go forward. Easiest to make of the three.
Draw : Backward spin at the time of contact. Hit below center on cue ball. The cue ball will come back. Most difficult of the three.

The next important thing which you would want to learn is the angle the cue ball makes with a rolling ball half ball hit ... That is roughly 30 degrees ... (probably 28) ..

There is more but stick to this for now. If you like, you can learn more about this on my blog..

[steve clarke]

It’s clear to me that I need to become a demon potter and I will devote more practice time to this aspect of the game.

To be honest, I thought I was showing a bit of improvement, which was why I started this thread in the first place.

I played well in practice on Wednesday and Thursday then on Friday I couldn’t pot the same shots I’d been devouring the previous two days!

I guess this happens to many players from time to time so I’m not too downhearted.

Thank you all for your kind words of advice and encouragement – much appreciated.

Gavin, I’m surprised you remember me as I had a coaching session with you way back at the beginning of the year, but yes my game has improved since then. I need more playing time – do you know of anyone who’s looking for a game/practice partner? Needs to be someone about my age and ability.

Thanks once again all.

[nrage]

It’s clear to me that I need to become a demon potter and I will devote more practice time to this aspect of the game.

Yes, definitely, until you can confidently pot < 6ft shots more than 9/10 times, you will struggle to make a break of any size without a decent dollop of luck. Try this, put a red on the pink spot, the white anywhere you like and pot it, repeat .. how many can you pot before you miss? Ok, multiply that number by 8, that is the maximum possible break you could have made assuming you made perfect position on every shot.

To be honest, I thought I was showing a bit of improvement, which was why I started this thread in the first place.

I played well in practice on Wednesday and Thursday then on Friday I couldn’t pot the same shots I’d been devouring the previous two days!

I guess this happens to many players from time to time so I’m not too downhearted.

Yes, it happens to us all. In my case I believe that when this happens I've "forgotten" to do one of the basic and important things. Either my grip has become tight, or my head is moving/lifting, or I am not aiming properly as I get down on the shot. It's often a case of, a little bit of success can make you take it for granted, or, you start to think about more/different aspects and less on the basics.

[nrage]

The next important thing which you would want to learn is the angle the cue ball makes with a rolling ball half ball hit ... That is roughly 30 degrees ... (probably 28) ..

This is important. DrDave has a quick and easy way to measure/visualise this which can help you learn/judge the angle. Ultimately it will become 2nd nature, but until then it is helpful to have some reference material to go back to, to explain what you're seeing if it ever doesn't make sense.

DrDave's 30 degree rule:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgKD-nqKTlQ&feature=plcp

DrDave also has something he calls the Trisect system:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37OKxcHCEC8&feature=plcp

On a similar topic, Mike Page has these videos on the half-ball hit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zysbWeI2_ZE&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vRi3Jih1Lg&feature=plcp

[CoachGavin]

Gavin, I’m surprised you remember me as I had a coaching session with you way back at the beginning of the year, but yes my game has improved since then. I need more playing time –do you know of anyone who’s looking for a game/practice partner? Needs to be someone about my age and ability.

I only saw you a little while ago and there are always players practicing at the club. I know of a few around your ability. If you email me I will send you some details. Get your potting up to scratch and then start on screw, stun and topspin.

[itsnoteasy]

Hi, I know exactly where you are in your game, you can either concentrate on the pot or concentrate on the position but not both, but the second one will lead to a miss ,the first at worst will lead to loss of position. I found i was taking my eyes off the pot to see where the cue ball was going before i had finished potting the ob, to solve this i got into the habit of picking my shot FIRST before anything else, say it was a simple run through blue into middle, i would say to myself this is a run through about 10 inches, and pick my pace, then forget it as it was decided, there was nothing more to do.that then left all my concentration on just the pot, the cue ball will do what i want it to as i have pre selected its destination
.Hope this helps in some way