The shot makers’ stage is the first experience you have in your journey. The next stage is to master the four strokes. In the third stage, we deal with cue ball speed. In the fourth stage you must master self. I was able to bring Suzanne Bosselman from a beginner to a world-class player in 14 months simply by taking her through each stage o­ne step at a time. We did not waste time in haphazard practice. If you are o­n the right path, you will pass through each stage. Most players today lack cue ball speed control. They simply do not practice this fine art. If they get the cue ball in the right lane, they are happy. And most of the times, they are successful with their next shot. But the run begins to break down as they progress through the rack. The last three balls turn them into shot makers. They are tempted to think this causes their anxiety, when in fact, they got out of line early and had to wing it the rest of the way. The shots got tougher, and this made them nervous. If you study the situation closely, you will see that they missed position somewhere along the way and are now in a battle to stay at the table. Of course they are nervous. Their trouble comes from lack of cue ball speed control. When you practice the third stage of pocket billiards, you should consider it a missed shot if you are not within two feet of your next object ball. You must see the entire shot. The shot ends when you pocket a ball and place the cue ball into a desired location. My students play a game where you give up ball-in-hand if you are not within two feet of your next object ball. It really helps in mastering the third stage. You need to be able to see the entire shot. Play Scotch doubles whenever you can. By setting up your partner, you are learning to see the entire shot. After a while, you get use to playing great position. What the mind sees, it can repeat. If you are content to make the shot and simply get a glimpse of the next shot, you are building a poor foundation to your game. In our journey, we will miss position many times, and when we do, we are tempted to go back to just making the shot. Don't do that. Make the commitment to pass through the third stage. If you are content with a long shot, you will wear out in tournaments. As you approach the final four, you will be exhausted from dealing with all the tough shots you have left for yourself. Winning takes a complete performance. Spend a lot of time in the third stage. Be specific in your practice. Pay attention to what you are doing. You strengthen what you focus o­n. I visited Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Waco, South Padre Island, Arlington, Fort Worth, Corpus Christi, and Odessa o­n my recent Texas tour. In my workshops around the country, players often ask about what to practice. Felix Martinez brought along his entire team to my workshop at Clicks Billiards in Dallas, TX, to learn about the four stages of pocket billiards. Players are interested in what they can do to improve their game. In my book, "The Lesson," I have many patterns to work o­n, but there is always o­ne answer I give. I tell them they must practice o­ne of the four stages of pocket billiards. Work o­n shot making. Work o­n the four strokes of pool. Work o­n cue ball speed control. Work o­n mastering self. When you see the shot, shoot the shot, don't back away. Deliver the proper stroke, and let the results be what they are. If you back away, you will set the stage for a mediocre performance. Be strong in your desire to play this game at its highest level. Name the shot. Lean into the shot. Focus o­n where you will hit the cue ball, focus o­n where you will hit the object ball, name your stoke, and feel the speed of the shot. Rock back and forth, and deliver the shot as it is called for. Many players take years to develop great cue ball speed control. You can cut this time down by working specifically o­n this fine art. Get “The Lesson” and begin your serious training. I'll see you in the finals.

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