🟢 The basics always win.
In snooker, the flashy shots, the crowd-pleasers, the six colour clearance — they make for great moments. But week after week, the players who win more frames (and more matches) are the ones who get the basics right: the stance, the grip, the bridge, the cue-action, the aim. The fundamentals.
If you return to those basics every session, polish them, respect them, you build the foundation. When pressure comes, when nerves show, when the table runs tricky — it’s the basics that hold you up.
I know because I’ve done it in the Oxshott league in some frames potting balls under pressure and it’s been down to sticking with the basics and helped Oxshott A win a league title in 2024/5…
So this week either on a table or at home:
• Check your stance: are you balanced, grounded, comfortable?
• Check your grip: is your hand relaxed, your cue stable?
• Check your bridge: is it firm and consistent so it doesn’t move?
• Check your cue action: is your stroke smooth, true, straight?
• Check your aim: are you focusing on contact, path, alignment?
Master the simple things. They’re simple because they work.
And on the day that everything else seems to wobble — the basics won’t. They will win – regardless of the result…
A top coach in Brian Cox @Surrey Snooker Academy told me that and it has resonated ever since…
I played at Walton Snooker Centre in Hersham in the 90s and 2000s before I had coaching.
Woking from 2015 – 2024 and had top coaching with Cox there but was forced out.
I then went to Oxshott and won a League title in 2024/25.
DITTY: WPBSA Level 3 and SightRight Coach Cox is still the youngest player to have made a ton – in the Boston League…We confirmed this through telephone with the Boston League that Cox’s ton in that League many years ago was indeed still the record in that League.
Next on the agenda – a look at Oxshott – the club where I play at now…
A club rich with History since 1910 – some good players there now – some who have made quality breaks in the 60 – 70 bracket – and a player that’s name ends in Champion who founded the club – he was indeed a Champion in many ways than one.
I’ve looked on the British Newspaper Archive with many DITTYS on the Oxshott League and also found one interesting story that was never followed up. I am still trying to follow it now…