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 Donny Lutz Pool & Billiards
Instruction THINKING ABOUT POOL LESSONS? Walk into any pool table on a busy evening and you will likely see someone giving pool lessons. It will likely be a young man trying to coach a young woman who is a first-time player. The “student” will be struggling to even hit the cue ball because of terrible fundamentals, but the “teacher” will be trying to impress her with his skills by showing her how to draw the cue ball. I can relate to this situation. Back in the 1960s, I thought I knew a bit about pool and actually managed a brand new billiard center for one summer. I offered lessons and did my best to teach the basics, but I was not a qualified instructor. I probably confused as many of my students as I helped, but I muddled on anyway. By the ‘80s my teaching skills had improved enough to actually give a decent lesson, and I finally became a BCA Certified Instructor in 1993. I had attended clinics and workshops offered by Mosconi, “Fats”, Jerry Briesath and others, and spent countless hours watching the great players on television and in person. With previous experience as a Certified Bowling Instructor and classroom teacher, I had a well-trained eye for fundamentals and a knack for explaining both mechanics and strategy. I also learned why most players struggle with the game for years or give it up in frustration for lack of proper instruction. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard novice players say, “I plan on getting a lesson, but I want to practice more first”. Obviously, this is a poor strategy. Practicing before getting a lesson is doing things backward. The typical novice will be simply practicing bad habits that become harder and harder to get rid of the longer they put off that lesson. Another common excuse is, “I want to get a lesson but I can’t afford it right now”. I often hear this from folks with an expensive drink in their hand, who are spending ample dollars playing anyway. Most of these people don’t really see the value in lessons and think they can learn on their own simply by playing. A simple fact: Playing games of 8-ball or 9-ball with friends is fun, but not the best way to improve one’s game. When your “practice” involves just playing games, your improvement will be a very slow process. Any good player will tell you that you improve your game by working on fundamentals and advanced skills by doing exercises and drills, not just by playing games. When you miss a shot in a game, the error is recorded in your memory bank with no correction attached. The next time you see that shot, you will still not know how to make it. When practicing alone (or with a qualified coach), one can repeat a missed shot until it becomes routine and the recent memories of that shot will be of correctly executed attempts rather than misses. Regarding the drinking. I was once a heavy drinker, so I understand folks who drink when they play. But if you practice while drinking and usually play while drinking, don't expect to suddenly be able to play well “sober” when you find yourself in an important game. And the excuse that, “I play better with a few drinks” is generally an excuse to drink and an excuse to miss when the shooter admits, “I just had one too many”. Observation is a great way to learn the game of pool, but most novices simply watch the balls after the cue ball is struck, paying little attention to the mechanics or strategy of the shooter they hope to emulate. Certified Instructors are not just good players, they have attended workshops that also teach teaching skills. They will see faults that the amateur “teacher” will not see. That young girl who was struggling to hit the cue ball was likely holding the cue incorrectly; her “coach” may not notice this and his efforts will be in vain. Becoming a good player involves much more than making more balls drop into a pocket. It’s really learning to make the cue ball do what you want it to, and making strategic decisions that increase your chances of winning the game. With proper instruction the novice loses bad habits and acquires good ones. The successful student listens closely, practices diligently, and learns skills in the proper sequence. It’s very difficult to learn the game on one’s own. The first step to becoming a better player is realizing that:
THE BEST AND FASTEST WAY TO LEARN THE GAME OF POCKET BILLIARDS IS BY TAKING LESSONS FROM A CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR.
POOL LESSONS from Certified Instructor, Donny Lutz....named one of Pool & Billiard Magazine's TOP 20 Instructors in 2009.
Take the D.P.S.T! Donny's Pool Skills Test! A 20-minute print-out assessment of your pool skills based on 13 criteria. Results show where the student needs the most work. Fee is $5, which is deducted from subsequent lessons. Most Certified Instructors charge from $40 to $100 an hour for lessons. Donny's rates are $20 an hour or three hours for $40. There are special discount rates for teams. The best bargain is two players for two hours for a total of $50.
Handouts include:
Donny's lessons are unique in that he teaches cue ball control before pocketing balls, and his 8-ball strategy sessions include 15 varieties of defensive shots. For more info, contact Donny by email or call (352) 336-9461.
Donny Lutz Pool |