Training Drills
In pool, most games are lost rather than won. This means missing a shot that you can and should pocket but, faltered on executing provides
extra opportunities for the opponent.
If you virtually never miss these two shots above, you are very tough to beat, due to minimizing unforced errors.
These shots deserve supreme respect and mental focus or errors occur nearly immediately if you just go through the motions.
TRAINING EXERCISE
Concentrate on the quality stroke delivery rather than pocketing the ball. Feel for the fluid transition from backswing into the fore swing as
anything abrupt or quick will contribute to accuracy errors.
This mental emphasis on the six step shooting system reinforces the priority of using a quality stroke delivery. However performing the shooting
system does not mean that you never miss shots, it means that you miss less.
Half Ball hit drill
This is an example of an “easy shot” that many players feel they would never miss but that is incorrect.
Place the cue just left of the second diamond of the short rail and in line with the side pocket.
Place the object ball just left of the second diamond on the short rail and in line with the third diamond of the long rail.
See the image to aid in placement.
Try to shoot this precise set up 90 times per day for 5 days while focusing on the stroke delivery. After 5 days you will
be very pleased with the tangible effects of this effort.
Slight Ball hit drill
This is an example of an “easy shot” that many players feel they would never miss but that is incorrect.
Place the cue in line with the first diamond of the short rail and almost in line with the side pocket (about half a diamond up).
Place the object ball just past the second diamond on the short rail and just above the third diamond of the long rail. See the image
to aid in placement.
Try to shoot this precise set up 90 times per day for 5 days while focusing on the stroke delivery. After 5 days you will
be very pleased with the tangible effects of this effort.
