Lately, one question I keep hearing over and over from players is, “How do I improve my game?” They follow up with statements like, “My game seems to have hit a plateau,” or, “Sometimes I play great, but my game is not consistent.” Many players don’t know what to do next to improve. I’d like to offer some tips that might help you move to the next level.

     One key to improvement is to assess your weaknesses and work toward turning them into strengths. Perhaps you find yourself missing too many shots. Two common reasons for missing are:

1. You set up over the shot on the wrong line to pocket the shot.

2. You miss-hit the cue ball.

     Usually you get beat because you miss more balls than your opponent, so if this is your problem, addressing it should be your first priority.

     Good players will not shoot until they feel their alignment is good enough to pocket the ball. I don’t think you should be counting your strokes while you aim. A better aiming technique is to aim until you feel your aiming line is good enough to pocket the shot. Then go ahead and shoot, whether it is the fourth stroke or eighth stroke. For me, counting my strokes takes my focus away from aiming and destroys my rhythm. Plus, some shots are tougher to gauge and require a longer time to aim.

     If you miss a shot, and it doesn’t surprise you, it means you didn’t complete your aiming routine. If you thought you were going to miss it, you should still have been aiming, not shooting. Notice, in Diagram 1, the cut shot on the 1 ball for pocket B. When shooting, you will get one of three results on any shot. The path along orange Line 2, dead center, is what you need to follow consistently. Following green Line 3 means you contacted the 1 ball too full; red Line 1 means you contacted the 1 ball too thin.

     We tend to miss shots consistently the same way. What helps me improve my accuracy is to learn from prior misses what my tendencies are on the shot. Usually, I over cut this shot along Line 1. Knowing this fact, I can adjust and be more consistent. I’ll aim a little fuller than it looks like I should, knowing that for me, it is a slight optical illusion. Maybe it will be the same for you. However, the crucial thought here is to notice on each and every shot what your tendencies are. I try and aim the shot so the 1 ball clears Point A. If it clears Point A, I know it is in the pocket. A good system is to visualize an object ball inside the point of the pocket at point A. Aim to cut the 1 ball into the right part of the pocket, along yellow Line 1, so the object ball you’re visualizing will go in. That way, you give yourself some margin of error. For me this kind of thinking is critical to pocketing balls more consistently. It may sound like a minor point, but if you do not take care to be aware of what is happening when you aim, you cannot improve your aiming.

     Next, let’s look at the second major reason for missing; miss-hitting the cue ball. To fix this, look to the fundamentals. Developing a good stroke is probably the most important of the fundamentals. A good stroke will help you improve at a faster rate, and a bad stroke will make your game hit a brick wall. Key thoughts to developing a good stroke are:

1. Make it straight and consistent.

2. Go slow on the backstroke.

3. Add power on the forward stroke.

4. Follow through the cue ball.

5. When aiming, pause at the cue ball.

     Rest assured, however, that not too many players have perfectly straight strokes. My stroke tends to come a little inside-out, with the tip heading slightly to the right on the follow through. But, it is both close to straight and very consistent. If you go to a pro tournament, not all the strokes you’ll see there will be straight, but they’ll all be very consistent. That thought should give you a lot of confidence. You can go a long way in this game with a consistent stroke.

     Just remember to go slow on the backstroke. Since you have to stop the cue at the end of the backstroke, there is no need to go fast. Going slow helps you to stay in control. Concentrate on using power on the forward stroke. Your cue should accelerate through the cue ball and follow through past the point of impact. This helps your accuracy and power. Lastly, pausing at the cue ball when you are aiming and practice stroking will help you aim much more precisely.

     Hopefully you will pick up a tip or two in this article. If you do, your game should improve. Some additional ways to improve your game are:

1. Taking a lesson.

2. Watching the pros.

3. Playing with better players.

 Best of luck on improving your game,