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When you wish to improve your skills in pool, as in anything else, it is important to combine a lot of practice with some good drills. Everyone differs in their level of skill and their desire to improve, therefore every drill must be personalized to enhance whatever is lacking in a shooter's game.

Every player boasts a few select shots that he plays very well. Conversely, there are shots that he may find particularly uncomfortable and difficult. It is vital to work on mastering those shots you feel unsure about, but it is essential to give those that you feel good about some practice time during your drill session, as well.

It is helpful to begin your drill session with shots that you are comfortable and proficient at shooting. This helps to warm you up while building up our confidence, as psychological well-being is as crucial to your game as any other factor. When you've pocketed a sufficient number of balls (or, when you begin to get bored), it's time to increase the difficulty. When setting up your favorite shot try positioning the cue ball slightly altered from its usual spot, increasing the margin incrementally as you become comfortable and adept at pocketing the ball from that angle. Beginning again with your favorite shot, work on increasing or decreasing the distance from the ball in each of the positions you carried out previously. This is a helpful way to ease into shooting shots that are harder for you.

While the previous drills are important for addressing your aim, it is necessary to learn to hit the cue ball in a way that will position it, after contact, where it needs to be for the next shot, as well. To perform this task successfully a pool player must work on using English and speed to determine the outcome of the shot. A good drill for improving this skill is to position three or four balls equidistant, but at different angles, from a single pocket. Place the cue ball so it is situated to hit either the far right or the far left ball into the pocket. The goal is to make the shot while "drawing" the cue ball back and to the side, lining it up for a shot on the next adjacent ball until all three (or four) have been pocketed successfully. This drill will aid in your ability to "leave" yourself a shot on your next object ball during a game.

One of the most difficult shots to pocket can often be the straight shot, especially when there is a large amount of green (space) between the cue ball and the object ball. One method that might help improve your aim in this instance is to begin by placing the cue ball within only a few inches of the object ball. Practice the shot at that distance until you are proficient at pocketing it; increasing the distance in increments, as before, until you feel comfortable with each.

Another somewhat controversial way to practice this shot is to aim ONLY the cue ball straight into the pocket, as if the object ball were invisible. (Note: this only works if the cue ball and the object ball are almost perfectly in line to the pocket.)

If you take the time to research the many available resources (the Internet, books, videos) you'll find that there are hundreds of drills to address deficiencies in your game. When you're striving to improve, it's best to go to the experts for help. You'll find a plethora of informative books that professional pool players have written outlining their experiences and their expertise. Any amateur pool player will benefit greatly from the wisdom of these insights.

Learn more about this author, Jillynne G.
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