Dr. Dave Pool Lesson – Day 2 in Fort Collins

If you haven't read Day 1, you may click here to read it first! Starting Day 2 of My Dr. Dave Pool Lesson with the MoFUDAT Drill

Wednesday was another very productive six-hour Dr Dave pool lesson in Fort Collins. We began with the MoFUDAT drill, which turned out to be especially valuable for me. Earlier we had determined that my nose must be aligned slightly to the left of the cue in order for my vision to be truly straight.

Dr. Dave Alciatore and Captain Bill Travis

The drill begins standing up, lining up the shot with my nose and eye in that new correct position. As I bend down, the nose and eye must remain fixed to stay aligned with the shot. The cue ball is struck with lag speed so that it travels straight to the exact center of the target on the far rail, then returns to the tip of the cue.

After each stroke I must freeze—watching that the cue ball hits dead center and that my stick finishes perfectly straight on the table.

It’s not just about the hit, though. As I lower into position, I also have to check that my new bridge is set up properly, that the stroke length is the new 10–12 inches, and that my grip is loose and relaxed. My body must stay still—no rising elbow, no lifting head, no tightening shoulders—so the only thing moving is the lower arm, swinging like a pendulum. Finally, there’s the smooth acceleration through the cue ball to complete the stroke.

This is a drill I need to start every practice session with until the eye alignment and stroke feel completely natural. As it improves at slow speed, I’ll gradually work up to higher speeds. Done right, it should drastically improve both my aim and pocketing.

Diagnosing Problems with Draw Shots

We also spent significant time on draw drills—everything from short draws of a few inches to drawing the cue ball straight across the table into the pocket. I was miscuing frequently, and the cause wasn’t obvious. There were several possibilities, so Dave recorded my strokes on video, and we studied them in slow motion.

We eventually pinpointed the main problem: my right-hand middle finger was tightening during the stroke, which lifted the back of the cue just enough to drop the tip too low and cause a miscue. Once that was identified, the solution was clear—stay relaxed and prevent the grip hand from tightening. It took time to diagnose, but it was time well spent.

Learning the 30- and 90-Degree Rules

We then moved into the 30-degree rule and the 90-degree tangent line rule—two key systems for predicting cue ball paths after contact. Using center-ball follow, stun, or draw, we looked at how the cue ball reacts from different angles. With backspin, the behavior changes again. I understand the 30- and 90-degree rules well, and those will be easier for me to apply, but I’ll need much more study and practice on the draw angles.

Runout Drills and BU Demonstration

Before that, we had also worked on runout drills—choosing the right pattern of balls and positioning the cue ball correctly for each shot in the sequence. This was excellent practice for planning ahead, not just pocketing balls one by one.

We were running short on time, so Dave wrapped up with a demonstration of one of the BU exams, showing how it can be done without any side spin—just by understanding where the cue ball will go using follow, stun, or draw.

The Home Study Practice Document

One of the most valuable parts of the day wasn’t even on the table: throughout the session, Dave was building an email document for me to use at home. In it, he listed each problem area we covered, along with the drills and exercises to correct them. Each section includes notes, links to explanations, and instructional videos.

The “Home Study Practice Document” is organized into:

• General

• Technical Advice

• Practice Advice

• Studying Advice

• Future Work
  

Put into academic terms, it’s like receiving two years’ worth of coursework—possibly enough to take a player to the 500–600 Fargo range if studied and practiced diligently.

Dr. Dave using his notes to develop the homework

As I wrote in Part 1 of this blog, this two-day, 12-hour private lesson with Dr. Dave was absolutely worth the time, effort, and expense. If a player is serious about learning the game and improving at a faster pace, this caliber of instruction is invaluable.

Dr. Dave is probably the best instructor in the business today, and the body of knowledge he’s built over 22 years—his website with hundreds of videos, plus his books—has no equal.

Am I glad I spent four days, including travel, for this 12-hour private lesson session with Dr. Dave at his Billiard University? You bet I am. In fact, I’m already considering doing it again a year from now.

If you're considering taking Dr Dave's private lesson sessions, be reminded that he is usually always booked three months in advance - so plan ahead!