Advice from Dennis Hatch - Taking Your Time

I eluded the other day in my blog that Dennis Hatch gave some advice to a friend of mine during the ACS Nationals.

Well, here it is!  I finally had time to write this up.  :)

He noticed that a friend of mine two-stroked her shots and shot real fast.

Now, everyone in the world has given tips to my friend (and all fast players), not to two-stroke.

They will say, "stroke the ball more.  Take your time."

 

I heard this a thousand times myself the first ten years I played pool (or more, lol)

Or, they will try to be more specific: "Take 5 strokes before you shoot.  That will help you from two-stroking."

BUT.  This is what Dennis told her:

"Stroke 4 times, then shoot."

Then he adds, "Stroke 1."

(then he paused for a second)

then he said, "Stroke 2"

(then he paused for another second)

Then, "Stroke 3."

(then he paused again)

"stroke 4."

(yes, he paused again)

Then he said, "Then shoot."

She replied, "okay, thanks.  I understand.  Stroke 1, 2, 3, 4, then shoot."

"No,"  He shook his head very politely.

 

"No, that's not what I said."

 

 And he repeated himself:

"Stroke 1."

(then he paused for about second)

then he said, "Stroke 2"

(then he paused for another second)

Then, "Stroke 3."

(then he paused again)

"stroke 4."

(yes, he paused again)

Then he said, "Then shoot."

 

She looked at him intrigued.  And I looked at him intrigued.   And then her and I looked at each other.  WOW.

The next morning (she was my roommate), she woke up and as she was getting ready, she repeated what he said and HOW he said it, with ALL the pauses and everything!

 

"Stroke 1."

(then she paused for about second)

then she said, "Stroke 2"

(then she paused for another second)

Then, "Stroke 3."

(then she paused again)

"stroke 4."

(yes, she paused again)

Then she said, "Then shoot.  I got it!"

I told Dennis later that day that the WAY he said and DESCRIBED the 5 strokes was so key and spot on.

I know I will learn from this exchange for the rest of my life.

Even the other day when I was explaining not to whack at a ball to a girlfriend, I got out of my seat, and motioned how to have a smooth stroke on a tough shot.  Visualization and the WAY you word things is obviously key to get your point across.  AND, for the person to remember it better.

I bet a thousand people have told my friend to stroke more, or stroke 5 times, or take your time.  But the way Dennis explained it, using pauses in his explanation, and having her repeat it WITH pauses will be instrumental in her game and she will remember it a LOT more than just "hey, stroke more."

 

 Dennis Hatch from BonusBall