What was your one biggest game changer?

[Mkbtank]

Could be a mental point of OnePocket, or a change to your stroke, or a final thought. Or a pre-shot change. Whatever. What’s yours??

About a year ago, after being told many times over the years, I started holding the back of the cue very lightly. My game went up 3 balls just like that. I don’t always do it, but when I do it’s amazing. Less throw, effortless cue ball action, and for some reason I stay down better also. It has honestly been a game changer for me when I remember to do it.

Would love to hear your one big change or the best thing you’ve learned recently?

 

[Island Drive]

Could be a mental point of OnePocket, or a change to your stroke, or a final thought. Or a pre-shot change. Whatever. What’s yours??

About a year ago, after being told many times over the years, I started holding the back of the cue very lightly. My game went up 3 balls just like that. I don’t always do it, but when I do it’s amazing. Less throw, effortless cue ball action, and for some reason I stay down better also. It has honestly been a game changer for me when I remember to do it.

Would love to hear your one big change or the best thing you’ve learned recently?

One things for sure in sports, when something like this happens, it peaks your interest MORE. In doing so it makes you happier, and enjoy your time ''that much more'' it can also lead to false positives, but not always, I hope this ''is'' one of those windows thru to the next level....for you. Goin' UP in skill level quickly, was not always normal.

Watched allot of rotation pool on line lately, I noticed, many of pros when cutting a ball into a corner pocket (and the next ball should also be shot into this pocket) will roll off the long rail and back under the ball that they shoot next and shoot it in the upper corner pocket same side.
What's actually happening....they are cutting down there cue ball travel 50% minimum, hummmmmmmmmmmmm. Makes too much sense, roll under instead of rolling above, with less cue ball travel. Seemed like half the time, it was the better shot, plus shooter was closer to the next ball being pocketed, by staying underneath it.

 

[jrhendy]

I started out playing what we called American Snooker on tight 5 x 10’s with three red balls. I played snooker for 7/8 years before I played any pool. At 6’2” and limber, I used to hold the cue as far back as I could and still maintain a good stroke. When I got older and my game was running bad and I was missing balls and could not play very good position, I noticed I had been slipping my hand back a bit at a time until it was all the way to the end. I was shuffleboarding some shots instead of putting a stroke down.

I solved this by putting an O ring on the butt of my cue where I wanted to stop my hand. A simple solution, but it works.

 

[androd]

As I aged I begin to have trouble with long shots, A good player and friend suggested take a step back with you back foot, I tried it and it lowered my head considerably and changed my view. It helped a lot.

 

[Mkbtank]

What was your one biggest game changer?

Thank you fellas. All good stuff. Hendy years ago I got a couple of lessons from Karen Corr and one of the things she did was put a piece of fake on my cue to ensure that I was placing my back hand in the correct spot consistently.

 

[TxOnePocket]

I think the one thing that helped me improve has to be the amount and quality of Youtube content on the game the last 5 years, after watching players that well exceed my skill level consistently pass on shots I would regularly shoot.

Also the commentary ( ie. Billy I - Grady - Josh - Jeremy ) and shot debate/explanation helped me tremendously, especially Billy on the old accustats stuff, he sometimes would explain the thinking behind why hes shooting the shot, alot times times I hadn't even considered things that deep in each decision.

 

[catkins]

one thing that definitely helped me a lot was stop taking spots from the better players in my room and getting to the point where I could beat or break even with them . I still think that if people want to be good players they need to not limit there idea of there abilities.( I am happy to take spots now if people are willing to give them of course)

 

[beatle]

what got me after going about 5 years without a rare loser of one or two games
i ran into a weirdo that couldnt play in vegas. he beat me out of about 8 games because my stroke that day wasnt straight for some reason.

so i took a few hours and practiced keeping my stroke straight till my arm got tired and my mind ingrained the movement. miraculously i started making all kinds of long shots i didnt use to make. so after that, back to 50 years of all winning sessions mostly.

 

[Scrzbill]

Breaking my neck took me from a wanna be to a no body.

 

[Island Drive]

Could be a mental point of OnePocket, or a change to your stroke, or a final thought. Or a pre-shot change. Whatever. What’s yours??

About a year ago, after being told many times over the years, I started holding the back of the cue very lightly. My game went up 3 balls just like that. I don’t always do it, but when I do it’s amazing. Less throw, effortless cue ball action, and for some reason I stay down better also. It has honestly been a game changer for me when I remember to do it.

Would love to hear your one big change or the best thing you’ve learned recently?

I thought about your post again, and I remember, CLEARLY in 1983 at Reds in Houston, when I did make a complete grip change on the butt hand, took me three months, to incorporate. After that I could play less hours and my game kept improving.

I used to hold my cue like Paul Wiegand of KS, ''fingertips''.

It's funny when your a kid, you go to the room, grab a stick and ''thats'' your grip.

 

[Mkbtank]

What was your one biggest game changer?

I thought about your post again, and I remember, CLEARLY in 1983 at Reds in Houston, when I did make a complete grip change on the butt hand, took me three months, to incorporate. After that I could play less hours and my game kept improving.



I used to hold my cue like Paul Wiegand of KS, ''fingertips''.



It's funny when your a kid, you go to the room, grab a stick and ''thats'' your grip.

Now you’re talkin! Thanks for the thoughts Bill.

 

[Tom Wirth]

I remember way back in the '70s a local rotation player who had a decent game. He did have a flaw though. He had a habit of twisting his wrist on certain shots. Usually shots which involved stroking the ball firmly. He didn't realize why he was missing these shots. He never realized he was twisting his wrist. One day he got so angry at one particular miss, he slammed his fist into the rail and broke his hand.

A few days later he was back in the pool room with a plaster cast on his hand and playing pool again. The cast was somehow molded to allow him to grasp the cue properly, but because his wrist was immobilized he couldn't twist it.

So, during this period and to everyone's surprise, his game shot up a couple notches. The cast came off and what do ya think? The issue was solved. All that time spent with his hand immobilized trained his wrist to remain straight throughout the stroke.

He never became a great player. That wasn't gong to happen anyway but he did solve his most pressing stroke problem. Albeit, the hard way.

Tom

 

[JohnInNH]

Could be a mental point of OnePocket, or a change to your stroke, or a final thought. Or a pre-shot change. Whatever. What’s yours??

About a year ago, after being told many times over the years, I started holding the back of the cue very lightly. My game went up 3 balls just like that. I don’t always do it, but when I do it’s amazing. Less throw, effortless cue ball action, and for some reason I stay down better also. It has honestly been a game changer for me when I remember to do it.

Would love to hear your one big change or the best thing you’ve learned recently?

In Nov, Dec of 2018 I had cataract surgery and my eyesight has improved to 20/20 with both eyes and when playing pool I have seen a marked improvement in pocketing balls as I see the spot on the cue ball vs the object ball and the pocket more clearly, now if only I could learn how to play one pocket, lol.

 

[cincy_kid]

I don't play enough to have found my game changer yet, but I look forward to finding it!

 

[youngstown]

What was your one biggest game changer?

I changed my stroke completely while in college. I used to use a two finger “praying mantis” bridge and my rear hand was palm out (thumb back). I used to get the worse aches in my right shoulder from my back hand position!

 

[12squared]

When I was like 18 a friend of mine used to play pool on acid (lsd). I asked him how he played so well while tripping and he said the pockets kept opening and closing, he simply shot when they where open. Hahaha.

So I tried it. The pockets didn't move like he described, but it felt amazing stroking the cue through my bridge hand to the point my stroke got exaggerated...maybe that was the start of something??????

Sorry, I couldn't think of any one thing but wanted to participate. Hehe.

Dave

 

[Mkbtank]

What was your one biggest game changer?

When I was like 18 a friend of mine used to play pool on acid (lsd). I asked him how he played so we'll while tripping and he said the pockets kept opening and closing, he simply shot when they where open. Hahaha.

So I tried it. The pockets didn't move like he described, but it felt amazing stroking the cue through my bridge hand to the point my stroke got exaggerated...maybe that was the start of something??????

Sorry, I couldn't think of any one thing but wanted to participate. Hehe.

Dave

Hahah. Always happy to have you stop by Dave! Lol

 

[sneakynito]

When I was like 18 a friend of mine used to play pool on acid (lsd). I asked him how he played so we'll while tripping and he said the pockets kept opening and closing, he simply shot when they where open. Hahaha.

So I tried it. The pockets didn't move like he described, but it felt amazing stroking the cue through my bridge hand to the point my stroke got exaggerated...maybe that was the start of something??????

Sorry, I couldn't think of any one thing but wanted to participate. Hehe.

Dave

I think this is the best post i've ever read on here...

And that 'format' thread has been boring the $hit out of me.
Great timing, Dave.

 

[12squared]

Hahah. Always happy to have you stop by Dave! Lol

Thanks, Mitch. I may have been 17 but wanted to be of legal age on the forum.

I think this is the best post i've ever read on here...

And that 'format' thread has been boring the $hit out of me.
Great timing, Dave.

Thanks, and understood. :frus

 

[Mkbtank]

What was your one biggest game changer?

In Nov, Dec of 2018 I had cataract surgery and my eyesight has improved to 20/20 with both eyes and when playing pool I have seen a marked improvement in pocketing balls as I see the spot on the cue ball vs the object ball and the pocket more clearly, now if only I could learn how to play one pocket, lol.

Oh you play pretty sporty John!