Dominic Esposito The Drill Instuctor

Another visit from the amazing Dominic Esposito, The Drill Instructor. Pay attention and straighten out your game

Last month, I told you that becoming a better pool player would take luck. Go back and check it out if you’re tuning in for the first time. You’ll recall from last month’s instruction article how “luck” is the acronym for applying Labor Under Correct Knowledge.

Is this mere clever billiards semantics? No, just truth made easy to understand. Actually, I’m training you to start a new methodology of thought. Why thinking you might well ask? Because 50% of this great sport called pocket billiards is played between your ears. The remaining 50% is the physical shot execution—the mechanics. If you’ve missed and thought or said, “I knew I was going to overcut that shot,” or “I shouldn’t have gotten into my stance until I decided on spin and speed” you know this fact.

Your knowledge of everything from how the balls will act and react, what the cue ball can and cannot do and why, to what your opponents may or may not do, plus much more, all determines how good you’ll get at the game, ever.

I turned pro at the tender age of 19. Long journeyman years have taught me there are three types of pool shooters. Keep in mind this is merely my opinion, even though I am right! Which kind are you?

First are the perpetual students who love to watch, learn, and shoot pool. While many things feel awkward at the tables even as the pool well of knowledge appears bottomless, your minds are sponges soaking up the good the sport offers. You students want to grow in your abilities and are the type who love my clinics and lessons before returning to enjoy “the journey of the rolls”.

The next type of player I’ve encountered are you fine shot makers. You hold a fair understanding of navigation through the rack but therefore tend to lock into offensive mode. If you are of the sort who has added to this a flaring temper when things don’t roll your way, you generally are not very teachable. Wanting to do it your way causes you to think trial and error are superior teachers to someone like me teaching you how to not make errors. I like to call them, Ball Bangers.

Finally, are the seasoned players. You’ve seen, stroked, and felt it all on the cloth, and so truly respect the sport of pool and billiards. Willing to learn something new, (really little you haven’t seen or done, though) you often believe you’ve forgotten more than the average player knows (truth is, you have). You still win despite this fact, and not because you’re a great shot maker. You simply manage to make just those shots needed to win. You are forever the pillars of our sport! Glad you’re here.

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We saw in our last lesson that if you want to be one or two balls better at this same time next year, then you need to write a plan with goals to make that happen. Your written plan need not be complicated, but it is necessary or you face a much harder time to become a seasoned player. But if you will do as I’m instructing, you’ll be more than good, you’ll be LUCKY.

You add the Y to your LUCK. The Y in LUCKY stands for You! Now put it all together, as it’s your job to go from getting better at pool to good. Apply the Labor Under Correct Knowledge Yourself. Labor Under Correct Knowledge Yourself – Yeah, I like that too.

This is what I want to help you understand with this month’s Pro Skill Drills instruction. Let’s continue from last month’s drills by again working your cue ball path predictability and speed control. Set the object ball along the bottom rail as shown above. After pocketing the 8-ball in the corner, get your cue ball to land up table on points A, B, C and D.

Listen to me, dear reader! The middle of the table at A and the three other sections of table you’re aiming for are critical if you want to shoot the winning 9-ball after the 8 ball.

On your first time through the ABCD sequence, freeze your object ball to the cushion. After, go one inch away then do the four shots again with the object ball two inches from the cushion. Your goal is to make the cue ball land on zones A through D 7 out of 10 times or more. Then you have begun mastering this Pro Skill Drill and performed the kind of workout I do to play at a high level.

Notice how the accuracy of making the cue ball land on the finishing point sharpens your cue ball path control, in addition to impacting your speed control skills. And remember when someone says, “You’re a great shot maker,” smile and reply, “Thanks, I really am LUCKY.” You and I know what we mean, and the best part of your knowing is not having to tell.

Visit more drills like this on my website and check these out. Remember to join me every Tuesday night at 8:00 PM EST on The Drill Instructor Facebook page for “The CLINIC”.