The pre-shot routine is a much-discussed and written phenomenon in golf, and just as important as it is in golf, it’s in billiards.
An effective pre-shot routine will lead to consistency in your game and successful results time after time. There are many items on your physical checklist that you need to get done in a short amount of time and if you also need a solid mental pre-shot routine so you can focus on the task at hand which is about achieving both Ball and cue ball to go and land where you want.
Clear thinking is above everything. Know with clarity what you’re working on with every shot. That being said, build clear thinking into your routine. This could be classified as a (pre)pre shot routine. Thinking about your strategy, even if it’s just a visual look at the table to see the pattern so you know with confidence what your first shot will be, is crucial to playing pool games consistently and against strong opponents to win. To keep them in the chair, you should be clear about your playing strategy.
Once you’ve decided on a shot, you should make that shot clear. You’ll never be a great positional player if you don’t choose exactly where you want the cue ball to land. You’ll also have a slower time adjusting to table conditions when your goals are blurry at best.
Now that you have a clear understanding of what you’re up to, it’s time to get set up. This is the start of the actual pre-shot routine, and it starts with your feet. Especially your back foot. You need to be aware of your back foot and its position in relation to your shot. This helps set your pose for the entire shot. Both feet are really involved, so let’s call this your footwork.
Good footwork is essential to play pool at the highest level. Most people do this on autopilot and it works for them. Even professionals do it on autopilot. The difference is that a top pro has put thought and time into getting their footwork as good as possible so their auto mode is inherently great and conducive to playing a consistent run-out pool.
The best foot training out there can only be guided by the best planning or visualization for the shot. Keep that in mind. What you want to do is line up your feet the correct distance from the cue ball on each shot so the rest of your pre-shot routine can happen in the correct sequence and order. So start thinking about the distance between your feet and the cue ball and focus on getting it right before each shot.
Enjoy and see how this awareness helps your consistency in playing pool!
See you soon…
Max Eberle
Thanks to Max Eberle | #PreShot #Routine #Beginning #consistency #playing #billiards
