The Tip Jar has a new home

If you've been checking, thanks for your patience. The Pool Tip Jar now has a new home. From now on, postings can be found at: PoolTipJar.com While you're here, please sign my guestbook. Thanks for your support & for lovin' this great game!

Chronic Pain?

In the past couple years, as my practice time at the table increased, so did the discomfort in my back and shoulder. The long hours of holding my body in a position that it was not intended to be in, is the contributing factor to this pain. Little did I know, I had a "sports injury." As I learn that I'm not the only person to have this chronic pain, I would like to hear from other players that may (or may not) also be suffering from pool related injuries. With this and other research, I hope to help educate pool players everywhere of ways to improve your game by taking care of your body. Please click "Vote" to cast your vote and submit your comments. You can also click "Email this" and pass it along to all your pool playing friends or "publish" to share this poll on your site. Thank you!

ShowBite poll Do you suffer from chronic pain due to or aggrevated by playing pool? by sammspocket Vote Reply Results Summary* yes no *Refresh page for latest results See Detailed Results Samm's Side Pocket

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"I'm a difficult student."

When it comes to pool, I am not, by any means, the perfect student. In fact, I have even been known to be “difficult.” It’s not deliberate. It just happens. As I have recently been conducting some pool clinics of my own, I have a small group of regular students that attend most weeks. One in particular, Rob, is giving me a taste of my own student-hood. Being an imperfect student does not make me a poor learner. In fact, I understand and retain most things very quickly. That is, after the questioning and hesitation subside. Only after I let down my guard and allow myself to trust my instructor am I able to completely absorb all the information that is presented to me. You see… I can’t help my curiosity. Already inquisitive, having an analytical mind allows some slight paranoia to set in. This is the part where I wonder how it could be that this new information is true when I’d known it another way for so many years. “Are you sure I should use outside english here? I have always shot this with inside english.” This over-analyzing causes me to be reluctant to receiving the new information. It’s not that I don’t trust my instructor, I just can’t help myself. For me, and many others, I need to understand why, how, and what will happen. Why do I do it this way instead of the tougher way I’ve been doing it all along? How does that happen when I hit the ball the way you tell me to? And, what exactly will happen when I shoot it the way you say? Finding an instructor with the patience to understand your need for understanding is half the battle. Discovering myself on the other side of the fence, I now understand it’s a very busy two-way street. So, if you’re an eager student with an inquisitive mind and many questions, trust in your instructor. Believe in what they have to share with you. You don’t have to like it but don’t waste too much time. It may help to have a notebook with you to jot down some of the curious thoughts and ask them later. Try not to interrupt an explanation. You may find your answer in the end. Many times, I even answer my own question after just shooting the shot. On the other hand, patience I always had. I developed that while teaching private violin lessons to middle-schoolers for ten years. The important thing is to make sure the point is heard. I try to make my clinics fun and interactive. I have been know to ask students to repeat their question at the end of a session as to not stray from the lesson at hand. I always make sure I answer all questions and I usually like to ask a few of my own. I dedicate this article to Rob, one of my favorite students. He is not nearly as difficult as I am, but we’re lucky our brains work the same way. May you all find such rewarding student-teacher relationships.

Designing Your Own Game

If you were shopping for a new car, you wouldn’t just purchase the first one off the lot just because the consumer reports gave it the highest ratings. Would you? You might do some research and test drive a few before making a decision. By that point, you should have a pretty good idea what color, model, and features you want to be driving around with. Perhaps cars are not important to you. Assume you’re searching for a new home or a mate. Imagine choosing something that is significant to you. Now, take those elements and direct them towards your pool game. This may sound silly, but if pool is important to you, why wouldn’t you put as much thought and consideration into designing that game as you would when designing a new home? Developing YOUR pool game deserves as much attention as making a major purchase. It should also be a major decision. The responsibility of processing what you learn is on your shoulders. Along with that, is the decision of WHAT TO LEARN. Yes, this is true. Many instructors out there will disagree with me on this one. Most of them feel that their way is the only way. I’m here to let you know that you do not have to buy into any of that propaganda. You DO have a choice. How is it possible that there are so many brilliant pool instructors out there that each subscribe to their own philosophies and concepts on this game? They are each just as successful and just as well-respected. Some may share a kicking and banking system; some may share mechanical views; and some may not agree at all. However, there is one thing that they will all agree upon. That is, their way is the best way. Right? Otherwise, why did they get into this business? Or, better yet, why wouldn’t they be teaching it the other way. My point is that you can not leave it up to the professionals (the consumer reports) to determine what you should know (or, what you should be driving). By reading books and columns by various writers, you’re doing the research for yourself. By taking lessons from more than one instructor, you’re test driving your options. Lastly, by taking with you the things that work best for you from each one of those instructors, you’re designing a game that is built for YOU. Ask any pro who they learned this game from and I guarantee that you will never hear just one name. Do not be fooled into believing that any one instructor’s way is the only way. The best instructors will agree with that. Of course, you will find one instructor betters another. I spent two years working exclusively with one mentor and learned more than I could possibly imagine about this game. That does not mean that I forgot anything that I learned prior to that. I still take lessons today from various instructors and take with me a little bit from everyone. Discover for yourself what works for you and never stop searching for more knowledge.

Did I really prove a point?

I recently joined Chisolm's APA League on Sunday nights. I only agreed to play so long as I was never asked to throw a game or play below my handicap. The more I've been playing, the more I've been appreciating my teammates. Their eagerness to learn more and more about this game is what has kept me playing with this team. Anyway! Here's the point... Last week, during my first match, my opponent's teammate made some rude comments to my teammates about my game. I had not warmed up and admittedly was not playing my best. Although I stayed ahead of my opponent and eventually beat him, his teammate still found it necessary to tell my teammates that I wasn't playing up to my handicap and basically that I was overranked. Well, after league I approached this guy for a game. I said, "What do you want to play for?" He only had $7 to his name so we played one game for $5 and one game for $2. Not only was he not a good player (and didn't realize it) but he had stepped right out of my book, as though it were his bible. He didn't just get down on his shot before the cue ball stopped moving, it was going mach speed when he would get down and would never stop anywhere near where he was positioned. While I was down on a shot, he even tried to ask me where I was from. I said, "I'll answer any of your questions after this game." Anyway, I took his only $7 and he claims that he'd have more money to lose this week. After we played, he began telling me about all these other bars I could go to for good gambling action and where I could find people to gamble with. To all this I responded, "I don't even like to gamble. I only played you to prove a point. I heard what you said about me and I didn't appreciate it." He denied that he was trying to "talk sh*t" and claimed that he was only trying to boost his teammate's confidence (even though the teammate wasn't around when he made the comments). He completely tried to back-pedal his way out of it. The bottom line is: I am a far better player than this guy and will beat him 99.999% of the time that we match up. He is a decent ball-maker and that's about it. I would never gamble with someone just to take their money. It's not about the money. It was about the principle. However, I still wonder if continuously taking his money will ever really prove a point... On a side note: Personally, I am a tournament player. I train to compete in a controlled, respectful environment. I am courteous to my opponent and expect the same in return. I would not object to scheduling a gambling match where both opponents know when and where it will happen and I am playing a race for a certain amount. But, I do not agree with spending 13 hours in a pool hall, only to break even. Is this right or wrong? It doesn't matter. It's my choice. I choose to be a tournament player.

Brutal Honesty

A few weeks ago, my good friend, Mark Margaretten (writer for InsidePOOL magazine) and I had a nice, long heart to heart. You see, Mark is probably the highest paid pool writer out there today. His column, View From The Cheap Seats, is a creative, non-fictional perspective to this game. It's a unique, well-written, intellectual, obscure twist from just about every other pool article you’ll read. It’s not instructional, nor informative. It is what it is; the pool world as viewed through the eyes of Mark Margaretten. On that note, Mark's column is highly noted and his unique style keeps his editor and readers wanting more and more. What is his secret? This is what he shared with me. His secret is simple... Honesty. The key is utter and complete, brutal honesty. Mark does not try to write about things he doesn't know or understand. He does not try to sugar coat his wins and he does not disguise his losses. He simply writes about his observations and allows his distinctive writing style dictate the direction of his stories. Why am I sharing this with you? Well, it’s two-fold. First, in speaking with Mark, I have realized that I have fallen victim of the sugar coating and the disguising. I often only share the positive and not the negative for fear of judgment and disinterest in my readers. I am also guilty of not writing about defeats at times because I’m too disappointed to share them. Well, I am making an early New Year’s Resolution. From this point forward, I give you everything. I promise to share the good and the bad and everything in between. I promise to always give you my absolute “honesty”. Secondly, as I make this promise to you, I believe it’s important for us to make this promise to ourselves. In a game where you can not mask your shortcomings, it is still easy to try. We all have insecurities and deal with them in our lives. However, the table does not lie and will not allow distractions and dishonesties to be hidden. I have found my best game on my worst days by addressing disruptions in order to devote myself to the shot in front of me. In life and in pool, being honest about your weaknesses and confronting them will always clear your mind for what’s to come. Thank You for Reading & Happy Holidays

Goals & Defining “Accomplishments”

If you asked a room of 20 pool players to share their biggest accomplishment, you will hear several answers. If you shared your own accomplishments, some may agree with your success. Some others may have a different idea of what is important to them. One player may feel proud of accomplishing top shooter in their league. Another may feel it’s an accomplishment to just draw the cue ball two inches. Many will agree that winning a national championship is a pretty big feat. And for some, setting specific goals and reaching them are how they define an accomplishment. The only person that can define an accomplishment for you is YOU. I spent two years working with The Monk, learning all that I know today about this great game. But, it wasn’t until I defined my own goals and accomplishments that I was able to achieve them for me, not for anyone else. It was then that I realized my own dreams and accomplishments were not, and did not need to be, the same as someone else’s. Nor, could I allow anyone to set them for me. I had to define them for myself. If “winning” tournaments is an accomplishment to you and you set a goal to win as many tournaments as possible, this is an easy task to complete. Simply only play in tournaments where you know you’re the favorite to win. You will never be challenged and you will always win. In this case, you will have accomplished your goal of winning many tournaments. However, if your goal is to become a better player, it’s critical to set specific benchmarks (i.e. stopping the cue ball, drawing the cue ball, running a rack…). Once you define your specific, attainable goals, each time they are reached, you can check it off your list and move on to the next one. Each time you check off something, feel proud of yourself. You just accomplished something that you set out to do! Who cares if your accomplishment is to run four consecutive balls when your teammate’s accomplishment is to break and run four consecutive racks?! You still accomplished what you set out to do. A few nights ago, I was working on The Monk’s “Keeping the Cue Ball off the Rail” exercise where you spread all 15 balls on the table and run them out in any order without letting the cue ball touch a rail. I shot 116 balls without a miss and felt just as excited as winning the 9 ball event last month. I did touch two rails, but it was my record high run for this exercise. If I defined an accomplishment only as “winning” something then I could not have been proud of my hard work. I would not have been satisfied with just shooting well without winning something. BUT! Since my goal is not only to win but to play strong, I was just as thrilled with my results. To me, it was as big of an accomplishment as any national title. The thrill of doing what you set out to do is an incredibly rewarding feeling. It’s a feeling you may never experience if you don’t set yourself up for it. Design goals that are tangible and set timelines for them. These goals may be shooting 50 stop shots without a miss, or breaking and running a rack of 9 ball, or being top shooter in your league, or winning a specific weekly tournament. Challenge yourself with new goals and afford yourself the opportunity to accomplish them. Because, trust me, the mission is to accomplish the goals, right? Just define it and do it.

Calibrate Your Stroke: The Stop Shot is Your Friend

(This is one of my favorites. This one is from the January 2005 issue of Professor Q Ball.) How many stop shots do you shoot in a day, a week, or a month? It takes more than just skill to pocket 100 consecutive, perfect stop shots without a miss. It takes discipline. Every player aims and views the contact point of an object ball a bit differently. Some players may have one eye that is more dominant than the other. Some players can see and feel the contact point of a cut shot without even having to look at it. Some players are able to drill balls into the center of the pocket with no problem while using extreme english. Whatever system you use to site your shots, just make sure it's consistent. Regularly shooting series of stop shots will help you determine whether or not your stroke is 'calibrated.' What do I mean by that? It's simple. When you shoot 10 stop shots and 8 of them consistently enter the left side of the pocket, you may be inadvertently putting some right-hand english on the cue ball. And likewise, if you shoot 8 to the right side of the pocket, you may be applying some left-hand spin. You can also tell if you are putting unwanted english on the cue ball when you break. The break shot is a firm stop shop, to put it simply. With an ideal break, your cue ball should stay in the middle area of the table. After you break, is your cue ball spinning in place to the left or right? If it is, that is another indication that you have put unwanted english on the cue ball. So, what does all this mean? Basically, shooting a rack or two of stop shots a day keeps the doctor away. Not really, but taking the time to set up at least one rack of stop shots for yourself, at least a few times a week, will really help you calibrate your stroke. Note: If you are shooting hundreds of stop shots but are still not getting the results you want, You may want to invest in a Jim Rempe Training Ball. These balls are great! Line it up to your shot and check the chalk mark on the ball to see where you actually hit it.

Giving 100%

(An oldie but goody. New material to come. This one is from the June 2005 issue of Professor Q Ball. Thanks for your patience.) This article is as simple as its title. Are you giving 100% to each and every shot you make? Did you make a solid decision, commit to it and follow through with your choice? Or, did you change your mind and reluctantly stroke the ball anyway? Did you allow the server walking in front of your table to distract you and then later use it as an excuse? When you think about all the possible factors involved in pocketing a ball, there is one important thing that only you can control. That is, the cue tip through the cue ball. When you make a conscious effort to really notice where you are contacting the cue ball, and not just where you are hitting the object ball, this is just another way to ensure your precision. Along with that, take the time to make sure your stance is solid and stable on each shot. Try not to just plop down, no matter how easy a shot may be. Give each shot your 100% respect. Also, once you are down on your shot, the only thing that should be going through your mind is delivering the necessary stroke to successfully pocket that object ball; visualize the object ball going into the pocket. The last thing that should be going through your mind is the last time you missed this shot, how you look, where you are on the tournament board, who your next opponent might be, what the score is, or how early you would have to play if you won this match. So, if you find yourself a victim of any of those thoughts, the next time you approach the table and approach your shot, just say to yourself “....100%....” Give yourself a little reminder to dedicate to the shot in front of you, and every shot after that, 100%, 100% of your knowledge, ability, and stroke.

Staying in the Game

I recently received a very nice compliment from a fellow player that this article was helpful to him. This is from the March 2005 issue of Professor Q Ball. Is your mind wandering while your opponent is at the table? Are you looking around? Are you wondering who you might play next? Are you watching the match on the table next to you? Are you hungry or thirsty, or do you need to use the restroom? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you may discover you have trouble staying in the game. Perhaps you struggle with maintaining a consistent level of concentration or physical stamina. Whatever the reason may be, it is important to keep your mind and your eye on your table. Staying alert and in the game helps prepare your mind and body for its turn at the table. Staying in the game means knowing what’s going on at all times during your match (not the match beside you.) It means you know whether you have stripes or solids because you were paying attention. It means you know if your opponent just fouled when it’s your turn. It means completely appreciating every stroke you make because you’re not thinking about anything other than what’s in front of you. I know it’s easy to want to know what’s going on across the room if everyone begins cheering or gasping. But, if you catch your mind wandering or notice yourself getting distracted from the game in front of you, consciously make yourself watch the table. Find a ball or a spot on the table to physically focus and force yourself to stare in that direction. Once you get into this habit, you’ll begin doing it naturally. Be sure to use the restroom or get food and water if you need to. Also, spend some time before each match just staring at the cue ball sitting on the table. Do some breathing, acclimate yourself to the environment and try to relax. Staring at the table will also help your eyes adjust to the lighting at the table you’re playing on. As we all know, lighting can vary from table to table. These are just some little things we can do during and prior to a match.