12 Pool Year Resolutions

The beginning of each new year is an opportunity to reflect on the past twelve months and to set new goals. If improving your pool game is on the docket, I’ve put together a down and dirty list of twelve simple things you can do to quickly start seeing progress. Pace yourself and tackle one a month or try them all at once. Whatever you decide, be patient with yourself and stick with it. Happy practicing!

#1 Chalk Mindfully

How does the way that I chalk improve my pool game? If you don’t know, then your current chalking technique could probably use some improvement. Taking the time to ensure you have adequate chalk coverage on the entire top, domed part of the tip is the first step to setting yourself up for success. How often are we supposed to chalk? Only before the shots we don’t want to miss. Incorporate this step into your pre-shot routine. Avoid drilling a hole in your chalk. Proper chalking will result in a relatively flat piece of chalk that will actually last you even longer.

#2 Step Forward Into the Shot

If you’re not already doing so, get into the habit of planting that back foot and stepping forward into the shot versus starting off too close to the table and stepping back with your back foot. You especially want to avoid coming across the shotline into the shot. This is a very important part of the shot process as you are setting the tone for the alignment of the shot. So, come down slowly and carefully with your eyes on the object ball keeping your head directly in the line of the shot.

#3 Focus on Your One Job

Once you’ve made all your decisions on what speed and tip position you’re planning to use, the only thing left to do is to execute. As you step into the shot, remember that you only have one job. That job is to pocket the ball, or whatever it was that you decided. You should not still be thinking about where the cue ball is going afterward or how you're going to shoot the shot. If you are, then stop and start over.

#4 Find the Table to Keep Your Cue Level

Many times, when I have students who tend to have excessive elevation in their cue, I remind them to lower the butt of their cue by “finding the table.” If you are guilty of this, before you even start with your warmup strokes, do a quick check to see how far the butt of your cue is from the rail of the table. For most all shots, particularly on a 7’ table, the bottom half of your cue will end up over the rail. Bend your knees or widen your stance to get your cue stick as level as possible. Remember, we adjust our tip position on the cue ball using our bridge hand, not by raising or lowering the butt of the cue.

#5 Relax the Grip

If you’re guilty of gripping too tightly on your cue, it can cause you to not contact the cue ball where you’re aiming. It can also cause you to hold on to some extra energy that should be going into that cueball. You should feel the bulk of the weight of the cue in two fingers, either your front two or middle two. Think of having full contact with the least amount of tension.

#6 Find the Target on the Target

Aiming is very intuitive. I’ve been teaching for nearly 20 years and in my experience, most people organically know where to aim on the object ball to pocket it. If I just threw out all 15 balls and took away the cue ball, most everyone can figure out where they need to strike each ball to pocket it without using the cue ball. When we add another sphere into the equation, that’s when things get a little more complicated. No matter what aiming system you’re using now, just make your target smaller. Instead of just aiming to pocket the ball, aim for a specific part of the pocket.

#7 Get Your Tip Closer

One of the most common errors I see with people who have trouble drawing the cue ball or getting it to respond the way they were expecting, is they don’t get their tip close enough to the cue ball. If you have any trouble with accuracy or controlling the cue ball, double check to see if you could get your tip any closer to the cue ball during your warmup strokes, most importantly, the final one, just before you pull the trigger.

#8 Focus Longer on the Target

Regardless of what eye pattern you use, for most shots, you’ll want to refocus your eyes back on the target on the object ball before pulling the trigger. Oftentimes, a player will look up at the object ball and fire, without giving their eyes enough time to really dial in on that “target on the target.” I don’t care how old or young you are, if you are looking for a smaller target to aim for, it’s going to take the elasticity in your eyes an extra moment to dial in. Give your eyes enough time to settle on that tiny molecule before you pull the trigger.

#9 Slow Down the Final Backstroke

Once you’ve found that spot and you’re ready to shoot, work on slowing down that final backstroke so you can ensure it’s coming straight back in the direction of the shotline. A phrase I’ve been using lately, to help remind my students to pull back slowly, is “Peanut butter aaaaand Jelly.” As you’re pulling back slowly, challenge yourself to fit the entire words “peanut butter” (said slowly) in your backstroke. Incorporate a separation of the tricep vs bicep in the back (that’s the “and”) and release that stroke for the “jelly.” If you have any peanut allergies you can substitute with almond butter.

#10 Stay Down Longer After the Shot

The shot is not over just because the cue ball has left your tip. Staying down longer after you’ve hit the ball is a great way to avoid jumping up and it’s also a great tool to help assess what may or may not have worked during the shot. Questions you can ask yourself after you’ve made contact with the cue ball: Was my grip relaxed? Did my tip come through straight? Did I accelerate through the ball? Did I hit the object ball where I was aiming? Did the cue ball do what I wanted? If the answer to any of these questions is no, then it’s a perfect opportunity to correct yourself for the next shot.

#11 Use Only What You Need

Do not shoot any shots faster (harder) than necessary. If your cue ball is more than two diamonds away from the object ball, consider bringing your tip a little lower so you can shoot the same shot with a little less speed to achieve the same results. Everytime we add speed to a shot, it makes the pocket smaller. Not only does it increase the chances of your mechanics falling apart, but it’s also much easier to rattle out of the pocket if you don’t enter the center of the pocket. Challenge yourself to shoot all shots with “pocket speed.”

#12 Take a Pool Lesson

Before you go any further and continue (potentially) building bad habits, get your stroke checked out by a professional. Visit the PBIA (Professional Billiard Instructors Association) website to search for an instructor near you (playbetterbilliards.com). If you don’t find an instructor near you or you’re looking for a more affordable option, consider getting a Professional Video Stroke Analysis with yours truly. By submitting three simple videos, we can see which mechanical flaws need to be addressed. Once you get pointed in the right direction, you can take your new skills to the table and start improving!

I hope you enjoyed these twelve quick tips. Add a few or add them all to your list of Pool Year Resolutions and start improving right away.

Samm Diep is a 4-time national billiard champion and Master-level certified Billiard Instructor. She’s available for in-person or remote lessons. Find her on Instagram @professionalbilliardinstructor or visit her website at sammdiep.com for more information.