Johnny Henson, Professor Pool
I feel one of the main reasons players never reach their full playing ability is lapse of focus while playing.
Every time you miss a shot when you are playing, think about the reason why you missed. Why did you fail to leave your cue ball where it needed to be for the next shot? It could be that you did not take the time to properly aim the shot, or you did not do your pre-shot routine, or you did not properly set up for the shot, or you did not execute your normal shot routine. You may have moved while shooting the shot. You may have changed your mind about something in the middle of the shot. You get the idea that there are many things you can do wrong while shooting a shot, but all of these are symptoms of ‘lapse of focus’ while playing.
Have you ever missed a shot you should be able to make 50 times in a row with no problem? You most likely took it for granted and did not focus on the shot. When you lose focus you really don’t do anything right or correct on that particular shot. You may be lucky and pocket the ball but you will not be so lucky the next shot you lose your focus on.
Professional players have high focus on every shot they shoot, regardless if it is an easy or a very hard shot. They play much more relaxed under pressure or on high pressure shots because their focus is consistent from shot to shot and game to game. Players that go from low, medium, or high focus are never very consistent. These players are never comfortable on the high pressure shots. They are ‘the chokers.’ If you work on improving your focus to high focus on every shot and every game in a short period of time your game will go to the next level. Good luck and play well. The quickest way I recommend to improve your game is to seek out a professional PBIA or ACS instructor in your state or city.
Contact me or my partner and fellow PBIA and ACS instructor, Steve Farmer, for more information about our classes and mentorship programs. Send an email to shootyourbestpool@gmail.com or call 623-377-0042. Visit our website at BilliardUniversity.com.