One missed pot, and you're back in your chair watching them clear up.
Sports psychology for snooker players from amateur level to the World Tour. Players including European Masters Champion Jimmy Robertson and International Champion Ricky Walden.
does this scenario seem familiar?
Snooker is the sport that punishes the wandering mind like no other. Plenty of time to think between shots. Plenty of time for one bad miss to start preying on you.
Before the next visit to the table, you've talked yourself out of form. The cueing's gone. The pocket's shrunk. Your opponent is hoovering up your points while you sit and watch.
YOU'RE NOT PLAYING THE TABLE. YOU'RE PLAYING YOUR LAST MISS.
the problem isn’t your swing
When you're playing well, you're going to pot every ball. The white dances to your tune. You see three shots ahead while staying fully in the moment. The pocket looks the size of a bucket.
When you're off, the same pocket shrinks with every visit. The cueing's out of sync. The line from ball to pocket disappears. And you've no idea why.
Coaches can fix your stance, your bridge, your cue action. Very few coaches have the training to fix the way you're thinking between shots.
YOU CAN'T OUT-PRACTISE A CONFIDENCE PROBLEM.
THE PATTERNS I SEE AGAIN AND AGAIN
1: The slow opponent. You're a quick player. They take forever over every shot. Each look at the table builds your impatience. The harder you try to stay in rhythm, the further out of rhythm you feel.
2: The practice-room player. Knocking in tons with no fuss in practice. The moment you walk into a tournament, the groove disappears. You can't find the player who was on that practice table an hour ago.
3: The unglamorous away match. Back room in a tour event. Unpredictable table. Poor lighting. No atmosphere. No motivation. You're on the next plane home, having lost to a player you know you've got more talent than.
4: The pressure to win. You're on tour. Results haven't been there. You need this final frame against a top player. And instead of staying in the moment, you're thinking about what happens if you win. Fifty points on the board. You break down on the blue. They're in.
FOUR DIFFERENT PROBLEMS. ONE ROOT CAUSE: THE WAY YOU'RE THINKING BETWEEN SHOTS.
Success Stories
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Ewen Ferguson
Three times DP World Tour winner
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Colin Montgomerie
Senior Masters Woburn 2014
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Connor Syme
DP World Tour Winner
How I Can Help
One conversation first.
A call where I get a feel for your game, where it's breaking down, and what's actually causing it.
No commitment beyond that — a bit like trying out a new club from the pro shop before you buy.
If we both think we can work together, we go from there.
The aim is simple: get your scorecard reflecting your actual ability, and get you enjoying your golf again.