The Clock Drill / forced creativity

When I was a kid, I came up with a drill that helped me tremendously in learning CB creativity. I call it the Clock Drill and I have showed it to many people over the years who were trying to learn this game.

First, there are 4 things that control where the CB ends up, every single time you shoot.

Speed
English
Type of stroke ( there are three: follow, draw and punch )
Angle

There are countless combinations of these four. For me, it's all about simplicity, in the end. In other words, if I am playing perfectly ( yeah, I know, good luck on that ), I am only using three of the four on every shot: speed, angle and ( punch ) stroke. Yup, that means I am never using english. I am always hitting dead center on the CB ( Thus bunting whitey every shot ). But that is an ideal only. It's nearly impossible to accomplish.

That said, it is almost IMPOSSIBLE to hit dead center on the CB. Almost every time you cue whitey, whether you realize it or not, you are putting some type of english on it. So it stands to reason you need to know what english will do in any given situation, with any speed, any stroke, any angle.

So here we go... throw the balls up ( let's play 9 ball ) or break. Makes no difference. Shooting the 1 ball, use 12 o'clock ( high center ) english, regardless where the 2 is or what english you would normally use to get shape. Use all 3 of the other entities ( speed, stroke, angle ) as needed to get shape. The next shot ( regardless whether you make or miss the 1 ball ), cue 1 o'clock. The next shot, cue 2 o'clock. The next, 3 o'clock. And on and on, around the clock.

Now... you're preaching to the choir if you tell me that makes no sense whatsoever. I already know that. But, in chaos comes simplicity. And yes, if you tell me you cannot possibly get shape in a percentage of the attempts you will make? Preaching to the choir again. But what it does do is... it forces you to be creative. It forces you to come to understand the almost limitless variations there are to getting position, using all 4 entities in combination. It forces you to understand you almost ALWAYS have options. I guarantee it will expand your horizons in getting whitey to work for you.

Low500 said:

That's pretty good information.
Participants in any pool shooting endeavor need discipline tools.....this looks like a good one.
The know-it-alls will say (just as you predict) "that makes no sense"........and miss the point entirely.

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Yup... but, what the hell, right? :grin-square:

Rico said:

Someone should show this to Buddy he would be amazed.

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I heard a long time ago Buddy uses something to do with the clock as a drill but I don't think it's exactly this if I recall correctly. But I would go with whatever Buddy has to offer over anything I might have to say. He's won a few more tournaments than I... and a LOT more cash.

tim913 said:

I have not tried this nor do I understand it fully, it will probably make more sense after a couple of beers. What I do during my practice sessions is shoot a few racks using only
the center line of the ball...high, center, and low.....no side! During my 'coming up to speed' years It would have been nice during some pro sessions, where they had commentary, to explain their choices a little more. For example the commentator would say he's using low left, but that's it. Why not expand on that and say he's using low left because xxxxxx, and you don't want to use high or center left in this situation because xxxxxxx. I understand it now but it would have been nice to have someone explain not only the english being used on the shot, but also why you want to use that particular english vs another

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Using Center Line only is akin to the Clock Drill. It forces you to tap into your creativity using the same principle as the Clock. I'm sure it helped you a lot as you learned. Good move.

Chip Roberson said:

I'll have to try that there little drill. To add, must have been in my late teens when I discovered a way to get close to,center English, or closer that what I thought was center. When looking at the cue ball, the light above the table will only show the top side of the ball, center ball hit, for me was one tip below the shadow of the light from over the top of the cue ball. That was a sorta eureka moment after that came along.

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That's one of the things about this game I have ALWAYS loved... those *EUREKA* moments. They never come often enough but when they do pop up, it's always memorable.

DelawareDogs said:

This drill sounds like a home run to me! I'll have to give it a try next time I'm out.

It's a break from the norm, and you're right, it MaKeS you think of speed stroke and angle to get creative in getting shape.

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Yup... and try to not get discouraged, which some I've shown this to do. There absolutely will be shots where there is no way in hell you get shape using the english next up on the clock but give it a shot anyway. As you do it more and more, you'll start playing position in ways you've never imagined. And that, of course, is exactly the purpose of it. Good luck with it! :thumbup:

Patrick Johnson said:

I like it. Thinking outside the shape box can be very instructive - I try to practice it, but find myself falling into the same old shape habits. A "game" like this could be a good way to stick with it longer.

I don't think your idea overlaps Buddy Hall's clock concept much - I believe he teaches the clock concept as a way to consistently "measure" or "calibrate" spin.


My memorable acronym for this is ASS - for Angle, Spot & Speed ("Spot" is the tip/ball contact point, equivalent to your "English"). I think of different strokes as being different combinations of these same three variables.

pj
chgo

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Good stuff, Patrick, thanks for tossing it in.

I'll have to get more info on Buddy's drill. As I said, I heard about it many years ago and though I don't recall the specifics, I would have made a mental note if it had been similar to mine. Maybe someone here has more info on Buddy's? If so, please feel free to kick in with it.

franko said:

Thanks Mike I am looking forward to trying this out tomorrow.

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No problmeo, Franko. Let us know what you thought about it! It'll feel alien as s**t to begin with it. Don't give up, though!

Ok... I'm glad I researched this a bit as it was bothering me a little. I just pulled up Buddy's "Clock System" on Youtube. All he's using the clock for is to give the student the point on the CB face to cue in order to get the specific position he is outlining. Such as, instead of saying "Use bottom left english to go 2 rails, etc..." He is being much more specific by saying "Cue at 7:30 on the clock ( face of the CB ), medium stroke, 2 rails around the horn to get shape on the 6 ball ( etc )." That has nothing to do with this drill, which is, again, being forced to use the next position on the clock ( 12, then 1, then 2, then 3, etc ), regardless of what english you would normally use to play shape.

So... anyone who said they were giving this a shot today. Anything to report?

So, did any of you all who said you were gonna give this a shot, give this a shot this past weekend?

DelawareDogs said:

I did not even though i had the opportunity to. I was even thinking about it but wasn't in "drill practice" mode.
**Next time, mark those words**

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Duly marked!