Are men intrinsically better than women at pool?
In general, men do have an advantage in pool for some of the following reasons, some of which are societal and not intrinsic:
- Men generally have more experiences through their childhood (sports, physical play, building and taking things apart, video games, etc.) that help improve eye-hand coordination and spatial skills.
- Men generally have more strength and faster-twitch muscles that make it easier to execute many shots (especially power shots) with more accuracy, control, and consistency.
- Men potentially have evolutionary benefits from historically being hunters (which required good spatial perception, planning, singular focus, stoicism, fearlessness, etc.).
- A woman with a large chest can be limited in stance possibilities (just like a man with a large belly or lack of flexibility).
- Men are generally taller, which can offer advantages with perspective and reach, but many (if not most) top pros are short.
- Men are generally more competitive and self-confident, and they hate losing.
Regardless, there is no intrinsic reason why individual females with the right upbringing, experiences, motivation, and attitude cannot excel at pool. Here are some supporting arguments:
The most important attributes for playing pool at a top level can be found on the what it takes to play like a pro page.
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