Re: Maintaining Quality Practice

Ed McCune wrote:
I have only gone into the city to play twice this summer and so have mostly been just keeping my game up by practicing at home. I live too far from any real pool and have too much to do to go in more often until the fall.

The problem I have is keeping my attention sharp enough to have quality practices (as Bob would say). I start out good for about 20 minutes, then i start getting lazy and sloppy. Not taking my time and walking the table on all shots. Not waiting until I accept the shot before shooting. I end up making lazy stupid mistakes (not noticing possible, and obvious, fail points while playing the ghost because I'm just not interested enough.

No matter how I structure things this happens. What can I do to stay focused or should I even bother? Maybe i should just not play at all over the summer? Shorten the practices? (I only go an hour now). Give my wife $5 every time I lose to the ghost?

Ed

I rarely practice -- although my game could use it -- as I just plain get bored. I also get tired and stiff, because instead of my normal routine, after a few shots I end up just walking up to the cue ball, getting down, aiming and shooting. I can't seem to force myself to walk around, look at the shot, and commit myself to making sure it goes in.

I did practice a little yesterday, with the goal of predicting more accurately the path and resting spot of the cue ball. I don't know how most people do this, but my usual routine is sort of just looking at the shot and figuring out where the cue ball will end up. Yesterday I was looking at impact angles on every shot, projecting the cue ball path with the english I planned on applying and so on. It did help, by slowing me down and making me think. We'll see if it gets me out of my recent slump. (My teammates think it's a recurring slump.)

Sooo, maybe what we all need is another online Fargo "tournament"? I'd be happy to help organize...

Dean
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