left vs right handed pool
ned...
even learning the basics... I have been carefully following the thread on what
'brand' of cue everyone likes because I am going to buy one of my own pretty soon (I
have been borrowing my boyfriend's Meucci).
So I need some advice from the experts about what may not be a problem at all but
want to be sure:
I do almost everything in life right handed and for some reason I feel a lot more
comfortable playing pool left handed. I get better control with the cue and the
bridge with my right hand is much more stable and comfortable than with my left. If
a shot is awkward to do left handed, I will switch the cue to my right and find I can
make an ok shot right handed but do much better left handed. Have others experienced
this? Being just a beginner, would I be better off forcing myself to play right
handed because I will be a better player down the road? Should I ALWAYS play left
handed OR right handed but not both?
thanks,
ned.
LEON3MN
From: "ned..." <nedo...@ingr.com>
Date: Fri, 05 Apr 1996 15:19:01 -0600
Message-ID: <31658E...@ingr.com>
thanks,
ned.
I am, I guess, your polar opposite. I do most everything Ieft handed,
except play pool. Like you, it felt more comfortable playing with my
none-dominant hand. Now, after 30 years, I don't think it's time to
change, to see if I play better the other way. I know of at least two
others who play with their none-dominant hand, and they both shoot at a
high level. Neither is thinking of changing at this point, either.
So my advise is to just shoot with on the side that's most comfortable,
and develop your skills from that side. It never hurts, though, to learn
to shoot at least adequately from the "wrong" side so that a bridge is
seldom needed.
LeonW
doctor
>
> I just started playing serious pool in the last couple months so I have
> barely BEGUN even learning the basics... I have been carefully following
> the thread on what 'brand' of cue everyone likes because I am going to buy
> one of my own pretty soon (I have been borrowing my boyfriend's Meucci).
> So I need some advice from the experts about what may not be a problem at
> all but want to be sure:
>
> I do almost everything in life right handed and for some reason I feel a
> lot more comfortable playing pool left handed. I get better control with
> the cue and the bridge with my right hand is much more stable and
> comfortable than with my left. If a shot is awkward to do left handed, I
> will switch the cue to my right and find I can make an ok shot right handed
> but do much better left handed. Have others experienced this? Being just a
> beginner, would I be better off forcing myself to play right handed because
> I will be a better player down the road? Should I ALWAYS play left handed
> OR right handed but not both?
> thanks,
> ned.
I have heard tell that Mike Siegel is actually right handed and yet plays
pool left handed (although I can't affirm the validity of this statement). A
friend and local player does everything left handed except playing pool -
also quite well (He's won many state championships, including practically
every event in the BCA Nationals.)
The point to this is that you should shoot however you feel comfortable and
confident. In developing their games with the "opposite" hand, these players
have also enjoyed the advantage of being able to switch hands for a shot
without needing to use the rake (mechanical bridge, crutch, newbie-pole, etc.
etc.) Myself, I have had to work on developing the skill of shooting with my
"opposite" hand. If you can control your cue better with your left hand and
feel more confident shooting that way then do so. At the same time, you
might also want to cultivate your stroke with your other arm. Something you
could do is to play against yourself - left vs right and see which one you're
more consistant with. It's hard to "get into it" at first, but after a
while, you'll be surprised at how competetive you can get playing against
yourself - and how much you learn.
doc
Jonas Znidarsic
> I have heard tell that Mike Siegel is actually right handed and yet plays
> pool left handed (although I can't affirm the validity of this statement).
A
BTW, there's something about Mike Sigel that few peolpe notices. Watch him
use the rake! As a lefthanded player, when he shoots with the rake, he does
it RIGHTHANDED. Now that is the weirdest thing to see!
And that brings somethig else to my mind. I used to play people for dough
lefthanded (for handicap reasons) using that stupid looking Luther Lassiter
lefthanded bridge (with the back of the hand lying flat on the table). Using
that technique is stupid-looking and awkward enough to appear as an easy mark
(and everybody loves a handicap to beat a superior player ). However, on
critical shots one can switch hands and shoot with that stupid-looking bridge
righthanded.
Nobody would *ever* notice.
Jonas
P.S. My dough-shooting days are over, this post was meant as a helping tip to
potential marks, not as a new weapon for new would-be hustlers. :-)
--
*** Who is General Failure and why is he reading my disk? ***
Jonas Znidarsic
http://www.jonas.eunet.si
Anne Mayes
> >
> > I just started playing serious pool in the last couple months so I have
> > barely BEGUN even learning the basics... I have been carefully following
> > the thread on what 'brand' of cue everyone likes because I am going to buy
> > one of my own pretty soon (I have been borrowing my boyfriend's Meucci).
> > So I need some advice from the experts about what may not be a problem at
> > all but want to be sure:
> >
> > I do almost everything in life right handed and for some reason I feel a
> > lot more comfortable playing pool left handed. I get better control with
> > the cue and the bridge with my right hand is much more stable and
> > comfortable than with my left. If a shot is awkward to do left handed, I
> > will switch the cue to my right and find I can make an ok shot right handed
> > but do much better left handed. Have others experienced this? Being just a
> > beginner, would I be better off forcing myself to play right handed because
> > I will be a better player down the road? Should I ALWAYS play left handed
> > OR right handed but not both?
> > thanks,
> > ned.
>
I have a student who is right hand dominant and shoots 80% or more of her shots
left handed. When I started working with her she was doing all of the exercises
left handed. For her fifth lesson I gave the 3-ball exercise to practice, and
observed her for about an hour. During that time she shot about 15% of the shots
right handed. When she was finished I asked her about it. Her reply was much the
same as your comments. She simply feels more comfortable playing left handed, and
for shots that would be awkward for her due to body position or stretching around
the table, she simply switches hands.
I see no problem with this and wish I had the same flexibility. My advice - be
pleased that you have the ability to shoot with both hands, develop whichever you
feel most comfortable with, and practice using the other for those shots where it
may be more convenient.
Best Wishes, Anne
Victor Engel
>I just started playing serious pool in the last couple months so I have barely BEGUN
>even learning the basics... I have been carefully following the thread on what
>'brand' of cue everyone likes because I am going to buy one of my own pretty soon (I
>have been borrowing my boyfriend's Meucci).
>
>So I need some advice from the experts about what may not be a problem at all but
>want to be sure:
>
>I do almost everything in life right handed and for some reason I feel a lot more
>comfortable playing pool left handed. I get better control with the cue and the
>bridge with my right hand is much more stable and comfortable than with my left. If
>a shot is awkward to do left handed, I will switch the cue to my right and find I can
>make an ok shot right handed but do much better left handed. Have others experienced
>this? Being just a beginner, would I be better off forcing myself to play right
>handed because I will be a better player down the road? Should I ALWAYS play left
>handed OR right handed but not both?
>
>
>thanks,
>ned.
When I first started playing pool about three years ago, I decided from
the start to be ambidextrous, and have never regretted it. In fact, when
there is nobody to play with, I play my left hand against my right. Being
able to play with either hand has obvious advantages for particular
shots. You don't have to do any of that crazy contortionist twisting.
Victor Engel
http://www.onr.com/user/lights/updown.html
Ron Shepard
[...]
> BTW, there's something about Mike Sigel that few peolpe notices. Watch him
> use the rake! As a lefthanded player, when he shoots with the rake, he does
> it RIGHTHANDED. Now that is the weirdest thing to see! [...]
This is not uncommon. Many players seem to think that holding the bridge
handle is more important than the cue stick, and hold it with their
dominant hand. Or perhaps they first pick up the bridge with their
dominant hand, and can't figure out how to switch back when they shoot.
$.02 -Ron Shepard
Bob Jewett
: I have heard tell that Mike Siegel is actually right handed and yet plays
: pool left handed (although I can't affirm the validity of this statement).
I heard that he started playing right handed and swithched over. At
the 1980 San Francisco Nine Ball Open, Sigel and Keith McCready matched
up "opposite handed," with Sigel playing right and McCready left.
They both played better than they had been playing in the tournament.
Bob Jewett
Tarl Roger Kudrick
: > > barely BEGUN even learning the basics... I have been carefully following
: > > I do almost everything in life right handed and for some reason I feel a
: > > lot more comfortable playing pool left handed. I get better control with
I have been playing serious pool for a little over 3 years, and
I've won three non-pro tournaments (and failed to win at least 30 others).
I am just like you: right-handed in life, left-handed in pool.
I wondered about it too until I learned about Mike Sigel. He won
more tournaments in the 1980's than anyone else (supposedly), is a member
of the BCA Hall of Fame, and...you guessed it...is right-handed in life
and left-handed in pool.
You are in good company. In fact, my Dad is left-handed in life,
and RIGHT-handed in pool. Go figure.
--Tarl Roger Kudrick
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|ta...@access.digex.net
"You get what you settle for." |
Thelma, in "Thelma and Louise" |"He is an individual, and they're always
|trying." A No. 2 in "The Prisoner"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Victor Engel
>I heard that he started playing right handed and swithched over. At
>the 1980 San Francisco Nine Ball Open, Sigel and Keith McCready matched
>up "opposite handed," with Sigel playing right and McCready left.
>They both played better than they had been playing in the tournament.
>
>Bob Jewett
>
I have found that when I play with my weak hand, I aim more carefully and
have a better follow through. I think this is because, psychologically, I
am more confident with my "strong" hand and therefore slack off.
Victor Engel