Johnny Henson, Professor Pool
There are three things that can help every billiard player play much better in a short period of time
1. Players must realize that they can’t teach themselves. Books, videos, and the tip of the day from other players will never replace having lessons from a professional instructor.
2. Hiring a professional instructor to help you with your game long term. Think of your instructor as your coach or mentor and try to develop a long–term relationship with them. A good instructor can teach you more about what you are doing wrong in just 2 hours than what you will learn in years as a player. Over time this teaching is game–changing. Think of having just one golf lesson. Now think of having a golf lesson every week for 3 months.
3. Practice what your instructor is teaching you. You may have to practice the correct way of doing something for 3 months or longer, and over thousands of shots before the new and correct way of doing something is your automatic or subconscious way of doing it.
I tell my students: My ability to show you what you’re doing wrong and teach you how to do it correctly is not a problem. Your ability to practice what I teach you until you master it is going to be our biggest problem. Trying to improve your billiard game without serious practice between lessons, is like never going to the driving range between golf lessons. Men and women professional pool players have serious practice for 3 to 6 hours every day. Most amateur players either never practice much, or when they do it is not what I would consider serious practice.
To find a professional instructor in your area, go to the Billiard Congress of America website (bca-pool.com). Click Learn Pool, then click Find An Instructor, then click Locate An Instructor or PBIA Instructor (Professional Billiards Instructors Association), then type in your state to find instructors near you. Or you can go to the America Cue sport website (americancuesports.org). Click Find an Instructor then look for instructors near you.
Feel free to contact me or my partner and fellow PBIA and ACS instructor, Steve Farmer, for information about our classes and mentorship programs. Email us at shootyourbestpool@gmail.com or call 623-377-0042. Our website is BilliardUniversity.com.