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AFter a layoff from pool, whether it’s three days or three months, things can feel foreign at first. Naturally, the longer the layoff, the more time it may take before everything feels comfortable again. As someone who once quit pool for 10 years, I promise that everything comes back, though at first it can feel a little scary.

As soon as we suspect that we’re a little cold, there’s a natural tendency to confirm that we still have it. So we set up and attempt difficult shots — long, thin cuts; jacked-up, table-length draw shots; severe, off-angle banks; and any other heroics that will assure us we’re okay with one successful attempt. The problem with this approach is that even at our best, we only make those shots occasionally, and repeated failure is no way to get back in stroke. And every miss reinforces the scary feeling we’re working to overcome.

Even some of the best skiers will begin a new season or a new day with an easy cruiser to get a handle on feel and timing before heading over to the suicide section of the mountain. And that’s what we must do also.

Comfort at the table comes when all the fundamentals fall into place naturally and easily, so we should begin with easy shots and focus on our fundamentals.

Making the same stance with our eyes on the object ball, so the shot is already aimed when the stance is complete.
Smooth, natural practice strokes with a definite pause before the last stroke.
A comfortable, light grip with no tension in the shooting hand.
Good follow-through with a release of grip tension and a hand that feels empty at the end of the shot.
Staying down, with eyes following the object ball to the pocket until the shot is complete.

Repeated success, i.e. pocketing balls with good fundamentals and timing, brings back the confidence quickly.

Diagram 1 shows a good shot to repeat. Shoot the 3 ball down the rail repeatedly, treating it each time as a tournament shot and touching every element of the pre-shot routine for each attempt. Shoot it at a comfortable, tournament speed, stay down and watch it throughout its journey to the pocket. Soon you’re immersed in the process of shooting, which inspires comfort. Concern for the shot’s result creates anxiety.