What separates most amateurs from professional pool players?
At the heart of it, the most significant distinction lies in their approach to taking a shot. Consider the average pool player and raise the question: What is he thinking about while down on the shot? The short answer is: too much.
Most amateurs are consumed with making the ball while stroking. In contrast, pro players solely focus on replicating the exact stroke they’ve felt during their pre-shot routine. This means:
Everything they did before they got down on the shot already decided if they were going to make the ball
– if they can put on the exact stroke they’ve felt.
This is mainly possible because they have played the same shots thousands of times and know exactly how it feels to make 95% of these shots. This deep understanding is embedded in their muscle memory and synaptic connections in their brain. Within split seconds, they know how to play a shot and how it should feel. Thus, most times when professional players miss, it’s due to a bad stroke.
Fundamentals are undeniably important, and a lack thereof can limit a player's repertoire to a certain number of shots. But for consistency in these shots, what's primarily required is a repeatable cueing motion. Regardless of their technique, with a repeatable stroke they will eventually learn how to make those shots consistently.
But this also raises a question: How can an average player learn how certain shots are supposed to feel? No one magically knows where to aim or how the cue ball and object ball react with different amounts of spin.
It’s very simple. Envision the entire shot in your mind while you’re standing in front of the shot. Visualizethe balls' trajectory, understand the rotation of the cue ball, and immerse yourself in the feeling of the ideal stroke. When this visualization feels right, position yourself and focus solely on executing the envisioned stroke.
This is when obsessing over “making the ball” becomes redundant. Even if you miss, you're now equipped to refine your skills because, for the first time, you’re contrasting realitywith a clear pre-shot visualization.
And suddenly it all becomes just a matter of a simple binary observation: You either miss a ball thick, or thin. Every shot you’re playing with this new mindset, will teach your body exactly how the right stroke has to feel, or in case of a miss, not to feel. So becomes a win on every single shot, no matter the outcome.
Just imagine a player second guessing his decisions while down in the shot. In the worst case he will completely overthink things like spin, aiming and stroke. So it’s very difficult to figure out whether the mistake was in the shot preparation, execution - or both. But even when they aren’t changing anything consciously:
A shot played with fear will never result in the intended stroke.
This leads to only one conclusion. The outcome of the shot, whether it lands in your favor or not, must be viewed with detachment. Instead of pegging missed or made balls as successes or failures, the real triumph is in a stroke executed precisely as envisioned.
A missed shot shouldn't be seen as a failure but rather a reflection of the game's inherent unpredictability and an opportunity for growth. The true essence of enjoyment isn't just in sinking the ball; it's in the keen observation, the artistry, and the continuous evolution of your skills. The heart of this game isn't anchored in the anxiety of mistakes but in the sheer delight of playing, observation, and progress.
Cheers,
Shari