Tried and True (Tip 1 of 2)

Years ago, as my pool game was developing, I made two minor enhancements to my fundamentals. The changes were simple and did not take long to incorporate. However, the results were tremendous! My consistency improved dramatically and my game immediately sky rocketed. These were the two most valuable pool tips I have ever received and I want to share them with you. Continue reading for Tip #1, but you'll have to wait until next month for the other one.

Tip #1 - On Your Mark, Get "SET"!
If you pay close attention to just about any professional or any top level player, you can almost always tell when they're about to pull the trigger. After they address the shot and go through all their warm-up strokes, everything comes together and it's almost like they take a deep breath before they shoot. The cue stick goes right up to the cue ball and stops before they shoot. This is what many instructors call the "SET" position.

The SET position is the moment at the end of your warm-up strokes when you freeze in the forward stroking position and refocus your eyes on the exact contact point of the object ball. This moment could last a half second up to a few seconds depending on the difficulty of the shot. The length of your SET is entirely up to you. The important part is that you do not pull back to shoot until you're fully committed and ready to fire.

Here are some benefits of the SET:
1. It allows your eyes to focus on the precise contact point in which you are aiming.
2. It avoids prematurely stroking the cue ball before you're ready.
3. It allows your mind and body to separate the warm-up strokes from the final stroke.

Many players naturally have a SET in their routine. If you do not, try to be conscious of this moment the next time you address a shot, particularly on a more difficult shot. You'll be amazed at how much just incorporating an extra second of focus can increase the accuracy of your aiming and the consistency of your shot-making.

Develop a pronounced SET and do not shoot the shot until you are completely ready to fire. Commit to incorporating this into your game for June and you'll be ready for next month's Tried and True Tip #2.

This tip was shared with me by the BCA certified instructors at Cue-Tech in Dallas, Texas.