There are several things you should consider when you decide to take pool lessons.
Cost and convenience are secondary decisions. It takes “desire and determination.”
The most important element is you.
Are you personally ready to make a commitment? To be successful you need to be in for the long haul. You are about to embark on a journey to learn one of the most demanding and rewarding disciplines on the planet. The successful student will be able to enjoy one of the few sports that he can play the rest of his life. Do not have unrealistic expectations. You are not going to learn how to play pool well in a few weeks.
You must see your instructor on a regular basis.
It really will not do you much good to take just one lesson unless you are able to spend several days with your instructor you will not be able to follow up with questions or tweak what you have learned. The opposite is also true you need time to work on and digest what you have learned. Success in any field is directly related to how much time you are willing to spend alone perfecting what you have been taught.
I might work with a touring professional many days in a row but even then I tell him to go home and work on what he has learned. He will know when it is time to return. For amateurs one to two hours once a week is ideal if they do their homework. For every hour you spend with an instructor you should plan to work eight to ten more by yourself before you see him again.
Prepare for your lesson do not try to impress your instructor he needs to see how you truly play so he can address your real issues and help you become a better player. You need specific goals, do you want to be a run out player, or do you want to win more games with the ability you have? They are different things.
Learn to speak up. Your instructor should not do all of the talking or shooting. It is easy to talk without listening. He needs to know what you are feeling and thinking. You should not let him move onto a new subject until you are sure you understand what he has just showed you. You should be doing ninety eight percent of the shooting or more if you are not head for the door and keep your cash in your pocket.
Know your limitations even the best tour players cannot absorb much more than three ideas a lesson.
If he tries to give you more than that speak up, then take the three ideas he has given you and practice them so you will be ready for your next lesson.
You are wrong if you think taking a different lesson every day will help you will only go broke and clutter up your brain. You are correct if you dedicate yourself to learning what he has shown you this time so you can be ready to learn more next time.
Check out your instructor. Ask for references not credentials.
Photo: bellonieta/Flickr
Editor: Dana Gornall