Hey Matt,
I haven't written in quite some time, so forgive me for not keeping in touch. Our pool league and season is fast approaching, and I am really looking forward to it this year. I have been putting in some great practice lately, and I have been using many of the ideas you have given in my approach. It kind of surprises me how well I have been able to play in the past, because I always knew that there were quite of few of the fundamentals that I could do a lot better with in my game.
Now that I am making a conscious effort to smooth then out I am starting to really see some better results, and especially experiencing more consistency. The latter is one of the things I have always struggled with, but I know once my better fundamentals become second nature I will be able to find the zone a lot more often.
I have also been using the very slow drawback of the cue stick for my break you recommended and then firing through from the pause at the finish of the backstroke. It is very comfortable for me now, and a few nights ago I discovered that if I move my back hand forward and shorten up the stroke a bit that it helps me be much more accurate.
I still seem to get plenty of power, so I think that is also going to reap some rewards for me this year. My goal is to win a few major tournaments in my area this year. As a matter of fact, we had our first casino tournament a couple weeks ago, and I got off to a slow start in the main tourney, but I finished real strong and won seven matches in a row to win the second chance tournament. I think I could have won the main event if I had been a little sharper in the beginning, but I think most of it was due to not playing much for the last few months.
Anyway, I just wanted to give you an update. I really enjoy reading all your newsletters at About.com, and I take several tips out of them weekly. I hope you and your family are blessed, and I look forward to staying in touch more often throughout the upcoming season.
God bless you, Mike"
