phil in sofla
02-01-2004, 05:56 PM
When playing 9-ball, my natural leaves (not playing a two way shot or deliberate safe, just missing) routinely leave my opponent a tough shot. Not always, of course, but it isn't unusual for them to have to try to play safe or kick 3 or 4 times in a row even when I didn't play them safe once. (It really wears them down
First I attributed this to the pool gods (and they are fickle). Everybody gets lucky leaves, and I was getting a few, nothing exceptional, and opponents tend to forget THEIR lucky leaves or rolls. But it seemed to be too common to be only luck.
I'm now thinking it may be about the speed of stroke I use in 'average' situations where nothing special has to be done. I haven't really calibrated my stroke to lengths of the table, so I can't say how many lengths equivalent I'm hitting. It feels about lag speed, which is a soft stroke, but well above pocket speed. It doesn't leave the ball hanging, and it seems to leave good separation.
That doesn't seem like it would be enough, but I don't have many other alternate explanations. It's either this, or my subconscious has a safety game I didn't know about. That's hard to believe, personally, but maybe it isn't impossible.
I've only drilled on one speed, the Monk's 2-5-2 shot or whatever it is-- make a hanger side pocket shot from center table and go 3 rails back to the center of the table for another hanger on the other side, repeat in reverse, repeat. That may be the speed I'm talking about for my average shot.
I'm still resisting the speed theory, since too many other factors in play would seem to resist that alone having such a noticeable effect. Yet I also resist thinking I'm subconsciously adjusting my stroke or spin to get to hook zones I'm not even thinking about or trying for, for that reason (it's just shape on the next ball in these cases). Thoughts on this?
First I attributed this to the pool gods (and they are fickle). Everybody gets lucky leaves, and I was getting a few, nothing exceptional, and opponents tend to forget THEIR lucky leaves or rolls. But it seemed to be too common to be only luck.
I'm now thinking it may be about the speed of stroke I use in 'average' situations where nothing special has to be done. I haven't really calibrated my stroke to lengths of the table, so I can't say how many lengths equivalent I'm hitting. It feels about lag speed, which is a soft stroke, but well above pocket speed. It doesn't leave the ball hanging, and it seems to leave good separation.
That doesn't seem like it would be enough, but I don't have many other alternate explanations. It's either this, or my subconscious has a safety game I didn't know about. That's hard to believe, personally, but maybe it isn't impossible.
I've only drilled on one speed, the Monk's 2-5-2 shot or whatever it is-- make a hanger side pocket shot from center table and go 3 rails back to the center of the table for another hanger on the other side, repeat in reverse, repeat. That may be the speed I'm talking about for my average shot.
I'm still resisting the speed theory, since too many other factors in play would seem to resist that alone having such a noticeable effect. Yet I also resist thinking I'm subconsciously adjusting my stroke or spin to get to hook zones I'm not even thinking about or trying for, for that reason (it's just shape on the next ball in these cases). Thoughts on this?