Top 4 Mistakes Most Beginner Pool Players Make

Pool is a fun game that is great entertainment for anyone at any age. The game is simple, you put the balls in the holes and voila, you should win the game. However, if you’ve never played the game before there are probably a few aspects of the game that you haven’t thought about that will drastically increase your ability to play the game. Here are the top 4 mistakes most beginner players make and what you can do to avoid them.

Poor Bridge

A bridge is the hand your cue stick rests on while you are down on the shot. It helps create a smooth groove for your cue stick to go back and forth making it easier for you to aim your shots. A lot of beginner players have unstable bridges which makes their cue stick move around extensively when they are aiming. This can make you miss. To make a more stable bridge and make more shots, keep the palm of your hand on the table when you shoot. Putting your palm on the table no matter what your bridge type, is a quick, easy way to make sure you have a relatively stable bridge when you’re shooting. Even though it’s not possible to do so on every shot, you should try to do so whenever you can.

Not Chalking the Cue

Probably the most unanswered question when it comes to pool is why do I need chalk and what is it for? Chalk is super important when it comes to playing the game well. Its main purpose is to prevent miscues, which is when the cue stick slips off the cue ball causing you to miss a shot completely. The chalk helps create grip and friction between the cue stick and the cue ball which should give you a solid hit when you hit the ball.

Aiming While Down on The Shot

We’ve all done it. You get down on a shot and you can feel that your aim is off by a little bit, so you slightly adjust your aim to get an aiming line that feels correct. Even though this might seem like a good option, this is one of the most common reasons beginners miss. It’s too hard to sight your shot and adjust your aim while down on a shot. That’s why you often miss when you do this. The best you can do if you’re unsure about your aim is to get up off the shot, re-evaluate your aim while standing up, and then get back down on the shot on an aiming line you’re more comfortable with. This might seem like more work, but your shot making should noticeably improve if you do this consistently.

Not Having a Stable Stance

The final mistake many beginners make happens when they’re not sure what the right stance is to playing pool. Often players lean away from a shot or a scrunched too close to the shot. This creates poor balance which makes it difficult to stay standing let alone make a pool shot. The best advice for making more pool shots is to first find your aiming line. Then step onto that line and get down on the shot a comfortable distance from the cue ball. If you don’t feel comfortable that’s ok! Just get back up and re-adjust until you feel like you’re stable and ready to shoot. The great thing about pool is there are no time limits so feel free to take as much time as you want to make sure you have the best chance to make your next shot.

Categorised in: Pool Fundamentals