Is a Straight Stroke All That Important?

[lfigueroa]

IMO, there are straight strokes, and then... there are straight strokes.

For the vast majority of players, anything vaguely resembling a straight stroke is good enough to play a few times a week, or in a league. After all, people can make an amazing number of balls with crooked strokes, opposite-handed, with mechanical bridges, one-handed, and of course, even no-handed.



Some of us that spend many hours playing (and hoping to play at the higher levels), exhaust a considerable amount of time on the practice table, in front of mirrors, with odd gadgets and Coke bottles, chasing down the elusive straight stroke. Until, perhaps, we discover that a straight stroke, in and of itself, isn't good enough. IOW, just because you stroke perfectly straight playing air pool, or going in and out of a bottle, or even with actual pool balls, isn't the secret.



I think the reason for that is that any player can make the cue travel on a perfectly straight track, using many different methods or techniques. Put another way, you can produce a perfectly straight stroke using a wide variety of stroke mechanics -- different stances, bridges, grips, head heights, crooked or bent bridge arms, grip arm alignments, pinkies on or off, etc. But it has to be a straight (or even crooked stroke for that matter) that produces the desired/expected results for your hypothesis, each time you shoot at a pool ball. The object balls need to be going in the pockets and the cue ball has to be going where you want and expect it to go. I think that's the secret. I'm not so sure it's important if the stroke that accomplishes that is straight, crooked, a swoop, or a dip.

What say you -- is a straight stroke all that important?



Lou Figueroa

 

[randyg]

Only under pressure!
randyg

 

[Patrick Johnson]

IMO, there are straight strokes, and then... there are straight strokes.

For the vast majority of players, anything vaguely resembling a straight stroke is good enough to play a few times a week, or in a league. After all, people can make an amazing number of balls with crooked strokes, opposite-handed, with mechanical bridges, one-handed, and of course, even no-handed.



Some of us that spend many hours playing (and hoping to play at the higher levels), exhaust a considerable amount of time on the practice table, in front of mirrors, with odd gadgets and Coke bottles, chasing down the elusive straight stroke. Until, perhaps, we discover that a straight stroke, in and of itself, isn't good enough. IOW, just because you stroke perfectly straight playing air pool, or going in and out of a bottle, or even with actual pool balls, isn't the secret.



I think the reason for that is that any player can make the cue travel on a perfectly straight track, using many different methods or techniques. Put another way, you can produce a perfectly straight stroke using a wide variety of stroke mechanics -- different stances, bridges, grips, head heights, crooked or bent bridge arms, grip arm alignments, pinkies on or off, etc. But it has to be a straight (or even crooked stroke for that matter) that produces the desired/expected results for your hypothesis, each time you shoot at a pool ball. The object balls need to be going in the pockets and the cue ball has to be going where you want and expect it to go. I think that's the secret. I'm not so sure it's important if the stroke that accomplishes that is straight, crooked, a swoop, or a dip.

What say you -- is a straight stroke all that important?



Lou Figueroa

A straight stroke is a means to an end, not the end itself. If you consistently make the cue ball do what you want, your stroke is effective.

But...

If you're not a "natural", then a straight stroke will take you farther and quicker.

pj
chgo

 

[Neil]

IMO, there are straight strokes, and then... there are straight strokes.

For the vast majority of players, anything vaguely resembling a straight stroke is good enough to play a few times a week, or in a league. After all, people can make an amazing number of balls with crooked strokes, opposite-handed, with mechanical bridges, one-handed, and of course, even no-handed.



Some of us that spend many hours playing (and hoping to play at the higher levels), exhaust a considerable amount of time on the practice table, in front of mirrors, with odd gadgets and Coke bottles, chasing down the elusive straight stroke. Until, perhaps, we discover that a straight stroke, in and of itself, isn't good enough. IOW, just because you stroke perfectly straight playing air pool, or going in and out of a bottle, or even with actual pool balls, isn't the secret.



I think the reason for that is that any player can make the cue travel on a perfectly straight track, using many different methods or techniques. Put another way, you can produce a perfectly straight stroke using a wide variety of stroke mechanics -- different stances, bridges, grips, head heights, crooked or bent bridge arms, grip arm alignments, pinkies on or off, etc. But it has to be a straight (or even crooked stroke for that matter) that produces the desired/expected results for your hypothesis, each time you shoot at a pool ball. The object balls need to be going in the pockets and the cue ball has to be going where you want and expect it to go. I think that's the secret. I'm not so sure it's important if the stroke that accomplishes that is straight, crooked, a swoop, or a dip.

What say you -- is a straight stroke all that important?



Lou Figueroa

.............

 

[Fast Lenny]

A straighter stroke is more important the larger the table gets and the tighter the pockets get, on a bar table its just a joke really, seems everyone can run out.

 

[Neil]

You are completely correct in saying that the end result of balls going where desired is the only thing that matters.

The problem is that debasing a straight stroke is pretty shortsighted. Think of it like this: You and two other guys start out in LA and I tell you to walk to Timbuktu. I give you nothing except a few pairs of shoes. Second guy I give a globe and a compass. Last guy I give a compass and a stack of maps. Who gets to Timbuktu first?

The trick is to recognize the point of diminishing returns. To use the above example, I could give another guy a gps, but that really isn't going to get him to timbuktu faster than roadmaps (providing one knows how to use maps).

So, no, a straight stroke is not necessary at all. It is, however a great tool which helps a person recognize where other things are going wrong.

dld

..............

 

[RRfireblade]

I think 2 things.....

A "straight stroke" is a subjective term and I think you may underestimate the ability to deliver it consistently.

This subject has been covered many times before and my opinion is still the same.

The specifics of a persons stroke are largely unimportant. The most important factor above all else is that the stroke, whatever it may be, is delivered consistently and precisely where intended each and every time and at will under any amount of pressure.

That is the ultimate goal regardless of what it looks like when you get there.

 

[KRJ]

A straighter stroke is more important the larger the table gets and the tighter the pockets get, on a bar table its just a joke really, seems everyone can run out.

The 9 foot tables will eventually show the player without a straight stroke even though he does not know about his "problem"..... I know guys that can hit balls in at will from 2, 3 or 4 diamonds away... get them any farther and their little "nuances" start to show up and they sell out quickly. That little hitch is not gonna make you miss from 2 feet away, but from 6 feet or more, the problem really magnifies.

Must be why a lot of "poor" and "average" players say they HATE straight in shots..... heck, I wish every shot I had was straight in... assuming the leave would leave me straight in on the next one, and so forth. I'd be a champion

 

[decent dennis]

You are completely correct in saying that the end result of balls going where desired is the only thing that matters.

The problem is that debasing a straight stroke is pretty shortsighted. Think of it like this: You and two other guys start out in LA and I tell you to walk to Timbuktu. I give you nothing except a few pairs of shoes. Second guy I give a globe and a compass. Last guy I give a compass and a stack of maps. Who gets to Timbuktu first?

The trick is to recognize the point of diminishing returns. To use the above example, I could give another guy a gps, but that really isn't going to get him to timbuktu faster than roadmaps (providing one knows how to use maps).

So, no, a straight stroke is not necessary at all. It is, however a great tool which helps a person recognize where other things are going wrong.

dld

So, who got there first?

 

[RRfireblade]

So, who got there first?

The guy who already knows the way.

 

[nine_ball6970]

The 9 foot tables will eventually show the player without a straight stroke even though he does not know about his "problem"..... I know guys that can hit balls in at will from 2, 3 or 4 diamonds away... get them any farther and their little "nuances" start to show up and they sell out quickly. That little hitch is not gonna make you miss from 2 feet away, but from 6 feet or more, the problem really magnifies.

Must be why a lot of "poor" and "average" players say they HATE straight in shots..... heck, I wish every shot I had was straight in... assuming the leave would leave me straight in on the next one, and so forth. I'd be a champion

+1. I play much better on bar tables than 9 footers for this reason. I am getting better though because of stronger cue ball control. Its that tiny bit of unintended english that gets balls to rattle on 9 footers when I have loner shots on the majority of misses. I didn't even know there was aproblem earlier on when all of my play was on barboxes. lol

 

[bbb]

to get the object ball to go in the pocket and the cue ball
do what you tell it
you need accurracy and consistency in hitting the cue ball in exactly the spot you intend with the correct amount of force and to hit your desired target (object ball ) in exactly where you aim
a straight stroke helps tremendously to be able to accomplish that on a consistent, repetitive, and reliable manner and under pressure
can it be done in other ways yes but my guess is not for the majority of players and especially ones that cant put in the time to have a multiple moving part stroke become so ingrained to be consistent
jmho
icbw

 

[pt109]

You are completely correct in saying that the end result of balls going where desired is the only thing that matters.

The problem is that debasing a straight stroke is pretty shortsighted. Think of it like this: You and two other guys start out in LA and I tell you to walk to Timbuktu. I give you nothing except a few pairs of shoes. Second guy I give a globe and a compass. Last guy I give a compass and a stack of maps. Who gets to Timbuktu first?

The trick is to recognize the point of diminishing returns. To use the above example, I could give another guy a gps, but that really isn't going to get him to timbuktu faster than roadmaps (providing one knows how to use maps).

So, no, a straight stroke is not necessary at all. It is, however a great tool which helps a person recognize where other things are going wrong.

dld

Post of the day, in my opinion, dld......
...but it's still early...

 

[Scaramouche]

A straight stroke doesn't help if you don't hit the cue ball in the proper spot, or if you can't aim to hit the object ball in the proper spot.

A straight stroke just eliminates one of the variables that can lead to an undesirable result.

 

[pwd72s]

A straight stroke doesn't help if you don't hit the cue ball in the proper spot, or if you can't aim to hit the object ball in the proper spot.

A straight stroke just eliminates one of the variables that can lead to an undesirable result.

Spot on...Oh, so damned many variables! :smile:

 

[Jdale]

IMO, there are straight strokes, and then... there are straight strokes.

For the vast majority of players, anything vaguely resembling a straight stroke is good enough to play a few times a week, or in a league. After all, people can make an amazing number of balls with crooked strokes, opposite-handed, with mechanical bridges, one-handed, and of course, even no-handed.



Some of us that spend many hours playing (and hoping to play at the higher levels), exhaust a considerable amount of time on the practice table, in front of mirrors, with odd gadgets and Coke bottles, chasing down the elusive straight stroke. Until, perhaps, we discover that a straight stroke, in and of itself, isn't good enough. IOW, just because you stroke perfectly straight playing air pool, or going in and out of a bottle, or even with actual pool balls, isn't the secret.



I think the reason for that is that any player can make the cue travel on a perfectly straight track, using many different methods or techniques. Put another way, you can produce a perfectly straight stroke using a wide variety of stroke mechanics -- different stances, bridges, grips, head heights, crooked or bent bridge arms, grip arm alignments, pinkies on or off, etc. But it has to be a straight (or even crooked stroke for that matter) that produces the desired/expected results for your hypothesis, each time you shoot at a pool ball. The object balls need to be going in the pockets and the cue ball has to be going where you want and expect it to go. I think that's the secret. I'm not so sure it's important if the stroke that accomplishes that is straight, crooked, a swoop, or a dip.

What say you -- is a straight stroke all that important?



Lou Figueroa

A straight stroke is important but, more important is the ability to make the cue ball travel from point "A" to point "B". Sometimes the cue ball travels in a straight line, sometimes it curves and doesn't follow a straight line. The player who shoot's the cue ball from point "A" to point "B" with or without english pockets more balls.
Dale

 

[Maniac]

I've seen some of the greatest players alive waving a cuestick around like a flag in a 50 mph windstorm. But when their tip makes contact with the cueball and the following 6 to 10 inches of follow-through occur, that cuestick is moving in as straight-a-line as is humanly possible.

In my opinion the stroke only needs to be straight from the point-of-contact of the cueball until the end of the follow-through.

I don't know what it is they do, but it seems to me that the better players can just put something "extra" on the cueball at that moment of contact and still maintain a straight follow-through that I just cannot seem to get done.

Maniac

 

[KRJ]

A straight stroke doesn't help if you don't hit the cue ball in the proper spot, or if you can't aim to hit the object ball in the proper spot.

A straight stroke just eliminates one of the variables that can lead to an undesirable result.

Hence the problem. Without a "straight stroke" it does not matter how good your aim is, nor how well you hit the object ball in the "intended" place.

The stroke is much harder to learn and/or teach than to aim or hit center cue ball, and thus why so many have a problem with the so-called fatal "straight in shot".....

 

[sfleinen]

A straight stroke is a means to an end, not the end itself. If you consistently make the cue ball do what you want, your stroke is effective.

But...

If you're not a "natural", then a straight stroke will take you farther and quicker.

pj
chgo

A straight stroke doesn't help if you don't hit the cue ball in the proper spot, or if you can't aim to hit the object ball in the proper spot.

A straight stroke just eliminates one of the variables that can lead to an undesirable result.

Posts of the thread, IMHO.

A straight stroke is all about removing variables. Swooping, hooking, hitching, etc. are all variables that have to be personally mastered to get the delivery such that the cue ball goes where you want it, every time. It gets to be a timing issue.

The larger the table, and the tighter the pockets, the more important a reliable, repeatable stroke is. That's why in snooker, you'll find those players focusing a considerable amount more time in muscle-memorizing a straight stroke than they do in, say, aiming.

On a barbox, anyone can get away with the most godawful-looking strokes. The mushy cushions and black-hole pockets (e.g. Valley table) allow even John/Jane Q. Public to pocket balls with ease. But put that player on a snooker table, or even a regular 9-foot pool table, and watch what happens.

I personally would rather spend the time to learn how to deliver a cue in the simplest, straightest, most repeatable manner, than try to master timing issues with any inherent flaws (e.g. hooks, hitches) in the delivery, the source of which was never identified.

And looking back, I'm glad I did. I can count on my stroke to consistently deliver the cue ball to what I'm aiming at, with a minimum of "I aimed here, why did the cue ball go there?" problems.

-Sean

 

[Jaden]

Straight stroke may not be the end all to the quest, however....

IMO, there are straight strokes, and then... there are straight strokes.

For the vast majority of players, anything vaguely resembling a straight stroke is good enough to play a few times a week, or in a league. After all, people can make an amazing number of balls with crooked strokes, opposite-handed, with mechanical bridges, one-handed, and of course, even no-handed.



Some of us that spend many hours playing (and hoping to play at the higher levels), exhaust a considerable amount of time on the practice table, in front of mirrors, with odd gadgets and Coke bottles, chasing down the elusive straight stroke. Until, perhaps, we discover that a straight stroke, in and of itself, isn't good enough. IOW, just because you stroke perfectly straight playing air pool, or going in and out of a bottle, or even with actual pool balls, isn't the secret.



I think the reason for that is that any player can make the cue travel on a perfectly straight track, using many different methods or techniques. Put another way, you can produce a perfectly straight stroke using a wide variety of stroke mechanics -- different stances, bridges, grips, head heights, crooked or bent bridge arms, grip arm alignments, pinkies on or off, etc. But it has to be a straight (or even crooked stroke for that matter) that produces the desired/expected results for your hypothesis, each time you shoot at a pool ball. The object balls need to be going in the pockets and the cue ball has to be going where you want and expect it to go. I think that's the secret. I'm not so sure it's important if the stroke that accomplishes that is straight, crooked, a swoop, or a dip.

What say you -- is a straight stroke all that important?



Lou Figueroa

What is the end all to the quest is knowing where you are hitting the ball with accuracy and repeat-ability.

The only way to truly be aware of where you're hitting the ball with accuracy is to have a straight stroke.

It doesn't matter how many balls you can make with a screwed up stroke. You won't be able to repeatedly make the balls and have the CB do what you want it to.

Jaden