Billiard Training for Beginners: A Simple 4 Week Plan

TLDR: Train one skill at a time. Week 1 is your stroke. Week 2 is aim. Week 3 is cue ball control. Week 4 puts it together in real games. Practice short and often.

What you will learn:

• A four week training plan
• Easy drills for each week
• How to track your progress

I have played pool for more than 50 years, and I have played in leagues and tournaments for more than 38 years. The players who get better fastest are not always the most gifted. They are the ones who train with a plan. Here is a simple plan for beginners.

Week 1: Build Your Stroke

Everything starts with a straight stroke.

Drill: Stroke over the line. Put the cue ball on a spot. Lay your cue along a straight line on the table, like the line between two diamonds. Take slow, smooth strokes. Watch that the tip stays on the line.

Drill: Cue ball down and back. Shoot the cue ball straight up the table so it hits the far rail and comes back to your tip. If it comes back crooked, your stroke went crooked.

Do these for about 15 minutes, three or four days this week.

Week 2: Learn to Aim

Drill: Straight-in shots. Put an object ball a short distance from a corner pocket. Put the cue ball in a straight line behind it. Shoot ten. Count how many go in. Move the balls farther apart when it gets easy.

Drill: Small cuts. Now move the cue ball a little off the line. Use the ghost ball idea. Picture a ball touching the object ball on the line to the pocket. Aim at that picture.

Write down your score each day.

Week 3: Control the Cue Ball

Making a ball is half the job. The other half is where the cue ball goes next.

Drill: Stop shot. On a straight-in shot, hit the cue ball just a little below center with a firm stroke. Try to make the cue ball stop where the object ball was.

Drill: Speed control. Shoot the cue ball up and down the table with no object ball. Try to stop it near the end rail without touching it. This teaches touch.

Week 4: Play Real Games

Now put it all together.

• Play 8-ball or 9-ball against a friend or by yourself.
• After each game, think about one shot you missed. Why did you miss it?
• Set that shot up and shoot it five more times.

This turns your misses into lessons.

How to Track Progress

Keep a small notebook in your case. Write the date, the drill, and your score. Look back after a month. Seeing your scores go up is a great feeling. It also shows you what still needs work.

Tips That Help Beginners

• Chalk often.
• Stay down after the shot until the ball stops.
• Do not change five things at once. Fix one.
• Take breaks. A tired arm makes bad strokes.

Get More Help

I have free lessons in my Pool School and videos on my YouTube channel. Use them along with this plan.

FAQ

How often should a beginner practice pool?
Short sessions a few times a week work well. Steady practice beats one long day.

What is the most important skill for beginners?
A straight stroke. Everything else builds on it.

Should I practice alone or play games?
Both. Drills build skill. Games teach you to use it.

When should I learn spin?
After your center hit is solid. Week 3 starts you on it with the stop shot.

Summary

Billiard training for beginners works best with a plan. Build your stroke, then aim, then cue ball control, then play games. Keep score, fix one thing at a time, and keep at it.

About the Author

I am Ted Mauro. I have played pool for more than 50 years and in leagues and tournaments for more than 38 years.