hopping cue ball

Wheels33 · Oct 13, 2015

Hi there,

I notice that the odd time on shots, my cue ball does a little tiny hop on contact with the object ball.

I'm not talking on the break.....during a regular shot on a medium stroke.

I assume that I want to avoid doing that since it's not a very clean hit, just wondering what that's an indication of when the cue ball jumps like that.

rrick33 · Oct 13, 2015

If the cue ball is taking a hop upon contact with the object ball, it suggests that the cue ball is not in contact with the fabric when it strikes the object ball.

This is usually the case when you strike the cue ball with an elevated cue stick and have sufficient speed to cause the cue ball to skip or bounce as it approaches the object ball.

If the object ball is relatively close to the cue ball when you stroke the shot, you can get the same effect with relatively little speed but the common denominator is an elevated cue stick causing the cue ball to bounce prior to contact with the object ball.

Many players who attempt to apply draw with an elevated cue stick can unwittingly strike the cue ball a bit high and close to the cue balls center of gravity. This is almost like attempting an unintentional jump shot and causes the cue ball to hop along the table bed.

On the other hand, if you're striking the cue ball too low you can be scooping the cue ball and create the same effect as well.

Wheels33 · Oct 13, 2015

rrick33 said:
If the cue ball is taking a hop upon contact with the object ball, it suggests that the cue ball is not in contact with the fabric when it strikes the object ball.

This is usually the case when you strike the cue ball with an elevated cue stick and have sufficient speed to cause the cue ball to skip or bounce as it approaches the object ball.

If the object ball is relatively close to the cue ball when you stroke the shot, you can get the same effect with relatively little speed but the common denominator is an elevated cue stick causing the cue ball to bounce prior to contact with the object ball.

Many players who attempt to apply draw with an elevated cue stick can unwittingly strike the cue ball a bit high and close to the cue balls center of gravity. This is almost like attempting an unintentional jump shot and causes the cue ball to hop along the table bed.

On the other hand, if you're striking the cue ball too low you can be scooping the cue ball and create the same effect as well.

I thought I had a pretty level cue stick.

I notice it on shots where the cue ball is about 1 to 2 feet away from the OB. When it happens, I feel that I'm poking at the ball more instead of stroking through the ball.

That poke along with an elevated cue must be skipping it along the table then.

I'll shoot some video and see what's going on with the level of my cue stick.

Thanks!

rrick33 · Oct 13, 2015

Wheels33 said:
I thought I had a pretty level cue stick.

I notice it on shots where the cue ball is about 1 to 2 feet away from the OB. When it happens, I feel that I'm poking at the ball more instead of stroking through the ball.

That poke along with an elevated cue must be skipping it along the table then.

I'll shoot some video and see what's going on with the level of my cue stick.

Thanks!

If when you say "poking at the ball" equates to a jab stroke....this could very easily create an effect that will cause the cue ball to hop slightly upon contact.

Keep in mind that even a slight elevation of 5 or 6 inches in the back of the cue stick aimed into the center of gravity or below on the cue ball can cause the cue ball to hop if there is sufficient speed.

Do you use a lot of forearm when you deliver your stroke as is often the case with a jab stroke?

Cardigan Kid · Oct 13, 2015

Wheels33 said:
I thought I had a pretty level cue stick.

I notice it on shots where the cue ball is about 1 to 2 feet away from the OB. When it happens, I feel that I'm poking at the ball more instead of stroking through the ball.

That poke along with an elevated cue must be skipping it along the table then.

I'll shoot some video and see what's going on with the level of my cue stick.

Thanks!

I may be wrong, but isn't what you are experiencing called "cling" when the balls are dirty, maybe do to some errant chalk, the cue ball will literally climb up on the object ball and appear to hop.

At other times, the object ball will skid, and you hear that ugly clunk like it wasn't a good hit.

And the odds of this happening are greater with lower speed shots. At higher speed, the cling is taken out of the equation.

Solution is to clean the equipment, or hit with more speed.

On a side note, I always thought that's why the Filipino style is so fluid with moving the cue many rails to get shape, because with the conditions they play in (high humidity, etc) they have to hit with speed to make good contact. Soft shots are more risky than hitting with speed and going multiple rails for position.

FranCrimi · Oct 14, 2015

Cardigan Kid said:
I may be wrong, but isn't what you are experiencing called "cling" when the balls are dirty, maybe do to some errant chalk, the cue ball will literally climb up on the object ball and appear to hop.

At other times, the object ball will skid, and you hear that ugly clunk like it wasn't a good hit.

And the odds of this happening are greater with lower speed shots. At higher speed, the cling is taken out of the equation.

Solution is to clean the equipment, or hit with more speed.

On a side note, I always thought that's why the Filipino style is so fluid with moving the cue many rails to get shape, because with the conditions they play in (high humidity, etc) they have to hit with speed to make good contact. Soft shots are more risky than hitting with speed and going multiple rails for position.

That's what I was thinking, too. Hard to tell exactly --- without seeing it, but cleaning the equipment would be a good start.

Pidge · Oct 14, 2015

Could be equipment, could be you are digging down on the cue ball. In English pool, the CB is 1/8" smaller than the object balls... Playing with topspin and a bit of speed, or a stun run through of any speed causes the cue ball to hop.. Because it is smaller to get pushed into the bed of the table and hop up. I've had force follow shots hop into the air nearly 2ft before because of this. It could be that you are experiencing an absurd amount of kicks. Excessive friction between the balls can cause a kick and one or both of the balls involved hop up slightly usually resulting in a miss on the thick side or the cue ball having all the pace taking from it and landing way short.

Fundamentally speaking, a little trick I use on English pool tables is when playing shots with power or a lot of topspin I grip the cue with my pinky and ring finger on the follow through transferring the cue from index and thumb grip to pinky and ring grip., and the thumb and index finger release somewhere between contact and the end of the follow through. This really limits and usually stops the cue ball hop. It must make me cue through the ball more level.

Wheels33 · Oct 16, 2015

Cardigan Kid said:
I may be wrong, but isn't what you are experiencing called "cling" when the balls are dirty, maybe do to some errant chalk, the cue ball will literally climb up on the object ball and appear to hop.

At other times, the object ball will skid, and you hear that ugly clunk like it wasn't a good hit.

And the odds of this happening are greater with lower speed shots. At higher speed, the cling is taken out of the equation.

Solution is to clean the equipment, or hit with more speed.

On a side note, I always thought that's why the Filipino style is so fluid with moving the cue many rails to get shape, because with the conditions they play in (high humidity, etc) they have to hit with speed to make good contact. Soft shots are more risky than hitting with speed and going multiple rails for position.

That's a good point, my equipment is not the cleanest. My table is in the garage....it's hard to keep up with cleaning sometimes.

I've never thought about cling affecting the ball vertically like that.....makes sense.

Wheels33 · Oct 16, 2015

Pidge said:
Could be equipment, could be you are digging down on the cue ball. In English pool, the CB is 1/8" smaller than the object balls... Playing with topspin and a bit of speed, or a stun run through of any speed causes the cue ball to hop.. Because it is smaller to get pushed into the bed of the table and hop up. I've had force follow shots hop into the air nearly 2ft before because of this. It could be that you are experiencing an absurd amount of kicks. Excessive friction between the balls can cause a kick and one or both of the balls involved hop up slightly usually resulting in a miss on the thick side or the cue ball having all the pace taking from it and landing way short.

Fundamentally speaking, a little trick I use on English pool tables is when playing shots with power or a lot of topspin I grip the cue with my pinky and ring finger on the follow through transferring the cue from index and thumb grip to pinky and ring grip., and the thumb and index finger release somewhere between contact and the end of the follow through. This really limits and usually stops the cue ball hop. It must make me cue through the ball more level.

Just curious, if my stoke is smooth and level and experiencing excessive friction because of table conditions is that where I'd want to put gearing english on the cue ball to alleviate the friction?

Pidge · Oct 17, 2015

Depends on how bad the balls are. It will help you lessen the effect definitely on a majority of shots but it adds other complications, like missing a lot of pots due to miscalculations using the English.

First I would just give the balls a visual check for differences in size... Particularly the cue ball. Then take an old rag to the pool Hall and give every ball a quick wipe with it and give the cue ball a very good wipe. Clean the cue ball every 3 or 4 racks. I'd check the playing surface for any bits of chalk, big bits of chalk will also cause balls to go airborne. Again, a quick 10 second wipe of the cloth will help.

Scott Lee · Oct 25, 2015

Rest the back of your cuestick on the rail, when the tip is at the CB. That's how level you want your cue to be, in general.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

Wheels33 said:
I thought I had a pretty level cue stick.

I notice it on shots where the cue ball is about 1 to 2 feet away from the OB. When it happens, I feel that I'm poking at the ball more instead of stroking through the ball.

That poke along with an elevated cue must be skipping it along the table then.

I'll shoot some video and see what's going on with the level of my cue stick.

Thanks!

hopping cue ball

Wheels33

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rrick33

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rrick33

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Cardigan Kid

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FranCrimi

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Pidge

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Wheels33

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Wheels33

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