If you are a table shuffleboard fan, then you may have heard of Shuffleboard legend Roadhouse Billy Mays. He has a repertoire of tricks that he can do. If you watch his techniques, you can learn how to play the game of table shuffleboard better than your opponent. Shuffleboard legend Roadhouse Billy Mays has a YouTube video that is only over a couple minutes, but if you watch it carefully, you will see that he has total control over the weights and it looks like he can control exactly where they end up.
In watching his shots, you will see that he seems to use a lot of English, side-wheeling and control when placing his shots. Perfecting these techniques can help you score more points. For those that play table shuffleboard, Roadhouse Billy Mays is a person who has practiced these shots over a period of years, but learning how to put a reverse spin on the weights by using English is involved in a lot of his shots.
Cherry Side Tables
To apply English, the thumb and forefinger are used to put a back spin on the weight. This takes practice because the weight can actually slow down enough to keep from going off the end, but too much English and it will backtrack in the point values, which is not what you are after. Getting used to the surface of the table and practicing how much force and English you need is the key to this control. Because English puts a braking action on the forward movement of the weight, you just want to make sure it makes it far enough down the shuffleboard table.
Another trick Shuffleboard legend Roadhouse Billy Mays uses is the side-wheeling technique, where he will shoot from the side of the table, using his third and fourth fingers to "guide" the weight down the table. Much like bowling, table shuffleboard is a lot about knowing where to start with a controlled spin or angle on the weight to place it where you want it and in a space that will be too risky for your opponent to knock off. Along the sides can be a safe bet, but you don't want to end up in the gutter, so practice can make perfect on this type of controlled shot.
If you listen to Shuffleboard legend Roadhouse Billy Mays, he says it is easy to play table shuffleboard and he certainly makes it look that way. The key is using the techniques to get the right amount of force, and control where you place the weight for the best scoring possibility. This can take quite a bit of practice. The best players will have a home shuffleboard table. If you have your sight on becoming a professional in table shuffleboard, you will probably want to get one of the best tables that are the closest to tournament tables. The better quality wood tables are made of solid maple, cherry, walnut and kiln-dried with polymer finishes to keep the table slick.
A good table, good techniques and practice are the keys to learn how to play table shuffleboard as good as Shuffleboard legend Roadhouse Billy Mays. Practice the skills of putting English on your shots and use side-wheeling for control.