How To Develop Consistency?

By Dominic Esposito

Take your time but pace yourself. Your attention is on both the table and the shot!

What causes you to break and start running balls only to get horribly out of line on the winning ball?

What causes a player to dog the winning ball in the jaw of the pocket?

When are you finally going to get sick and tired of only being consistent at being inconsistent? If you’re response to my jabbing questions is, “I only play pool for the enjoyment of it. I’m not all caught up with having to practice and trying to become some kind of a pool champion.” You’re in luck! You don’t have to read any more of this article and you can go on to the next one.

On the other hand, If you want to learn a thing or two to change your inconsistencies, you need to roll up your sleeves and dig in to this lesson.

The first and most common problem inconsistent players suffer from is called, “Nopaceosis”. Meaning, they don’t benefit from their playing pace. It mostly benefits their opponent. We’ll examine two drills designed to establish a rock solid playing pace you can build up your game with.

1. Set up a full rack of balls on the bottom rail and leave the rack around them.

2. Place one ball from the rack at the top end of the table and set up the cut shot with the SPM

cue ball as shown on both tables 1 and 2. Make it a simple 30 to 40 degree cut angle.

3. Shoot the ball into corner pocket A, like it is the final ball to win the U. S. Open. Be sure to chalk your stick and use you whole pre-shot routine to address every shot. Pocket the ball and cause the cue ball to lightly tap the rack at the other end of the table.

4. Walk ALL THE WAY AROUND THE TABLE from the same side you were shooting from). The balls stay in the rack so you can’t use your stick to slide the balls to you. This defeats the purpose of the drill.

5. As you come around to the rack, pick up another ball and the cue ball, walk back up to the top of the table and reset the shot and pocket the ball into the opposite pocket B.

6. Again, chalk your stick, use you whole address form, take sure aim and shoot this next ball into corner pocket B, like it too, is the final ball to win the U. S. Open.

7. Repeat steps 4 & 5 until you finish the entire rack.

Do Drills 1 and 2 a total of 5 times each day for 30 days. From this, you will develop a fluid and beneficial pace of playing as you’re at the table. Each rack should take no longer than 12 to 15 minutes. This will build your consistency.