Over, under or center

Would you rather hit:

  • Below center

    Votes: 50 62.5%

  • Above center

    Votes: 19 23.8%

  • Center

    Votes: 6 7.5%

  • Question can't be answered

    Votes: 6 7.5%
  • Total voters
    80
PGHteacher

PGHteacher

John Fischer
Silver Member
I know there are those that will come up with all kinds of "this can't be answered" answers, that's fine I will try to accommodate you as best I can, I am talking about "hairs" of tip offset; you know mms. Byrne said in his Standard book that "most players in their heart of hearts would rather hit below than above center." I am just wondering how true that is, or if it is true at all.

I am talking about shots that have little or no positional considerations.
 
I hit above center most of the time, not follow, per see; just enough that the CB rolls immediately without skidding down table.

WHen I want follow I hit higher, when I want stun I hit lower, when I want draw I hit lower still. It all depends on what you are trying to do with the CB.
 
MitchAlsup said:
I hit above center most of the time, not follow, per see; just enough that the CB rolls immediately without skidding down table.

WHen I want follow I hit higher, when I want stun I hit lower, when I want draw I hit lower still. It all depends on what you are trying to do with the CB.
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Well I expect this is true of everyone (or at least most), read the bold & underlined. You might have missed that.

PGHteacher said:
I know there are those that will come up with all kinds of "this can't be answered" answers, that's fine I will try to accommodate you as best I can, I am talking about "hairs" of tip offset; you know mms. Byrne said in his Standard book that "most players in their heart of hearts would rather hit below than above center." I am just wondering how true that is, or if it is true at all.

I am talking about shots that have little or no positional considerations.
Click to expand...
 
If I'm shooting at the money ball and there is nothing to consider for position, I will shoot low on the cueball (stop shot). I can't say I know a lot about what causes skids. All I know is, most of my skids happen when I follow. The occasions when I use center or follow are usually when I plan on using the entire pocket and I'm hitting the ball softly.
 
Jude Rosenstock said:
If I'm shooting at the money ball and there is nothing to consider for position, I will shoot low on the cueball (stop shot). I can't say I know a lot about what causes skids. All I know is, most of my skids happen when I follow. The occasions when I use center or follow are usually when I plan on using the entire pocket and I'm hitting the ball softly.
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Me to, exactly.
 
If I am not worried about position (or scratching) I like natural center to just above center...keep it simple with the bread and butter stroke letting the cue ball follow its natural path that doesn't require a little something extra in the "thinking" department to execute the shot that may cause me to miss it.
 
I voted above center but I would like to add only slightly above. It really depends on the shot but if all things are equal I feel I get the most accurate roll by hitting slightly above center.

Good question BTW.
 
As I said on the prior thread, for me it's a little bit of follow and a medium speed stroke. This is assuming I'm shooting the money ball and am not concerned about position or about a scratch.
 
TSW said:
As I said on the prior thread, for me it's a little bit of follow and a medium speed stroke. This is assuming I'm shooting the money ball and am not concerned about position or about a scratch.
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Yes I know you are the reason for the poll and I have to say I am a little surprised by the result I would have thought it would lean to below, it seems to be dead even; I am glad for your post in the other thread to, thanks for your posts.
 
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pwd72s said:
"draw for show...follow for the dough"...
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I've always considered this saying pretty dumb. There are a lot of feel-good sayings in pool that in the real world are just crap.

Freddie <~~~ as dumb as they get.
 
PGHteacher said:
Yes I know you are the reason for the poll and I have to say I am a little surprised by the result I would have thought it would lean to below, it seems to be dead even; I am glad for your post in the other thread to, thanks for your posts.
Click to expand...

I'm surprised too! :)

Thanks for setting up the poll.
 
It's actually kind of tough to answer because even if you are just cinching the shot, with no care for position... you still always think about scratching.

If I got on my game ball ok, and it's near the foot spot... and I'm not on the rail, not especially straight or angled... I tend to put it down firmly and a little below center.

Firmly so it doesn't skid or roll off, a touch below center because... if I hit firmly with top, who knows how the top will bend the cue ball path, maybe it scratches in the side or something. If I use center, it should go on the tangent line, but maybe cloth friction causes it to pick up top and it doesn't go exactly where I expect. So... if I absolutely need a predictable outcome I go a bit below center to ensure I get that natural stun action.

If I'm stretching, and it's a bit thin, hitting low feels awkward to me and I want to roll it in rather than try to hit it crisply.

Overall, a 'stoppy' shot is the most comfortable to me, and I personally hit stop shots a bit below center, because then you need less force.
 
pwd72s said:
"draw for show...follow for the dough"...
Click to expand...

Cornerman said:
I've always considered this saying pretty dumb. There are a lot of feel-good sayings in pool that in the real world are just crap.

Freddie <~~~ as dumb as they get.
Click to expand...

Yea my dad said the same thing he even made a mockery of such things by saying.

"Just remember these 2 sayings and you'll be fine" 1. "Hit it thin and you're sure to win" 2. "Hit it thick; that's the trick". It took me years to figure out what he was actually saying. You could say "follow for show.. draw for the dough" and it still works, maybe not as well but I bet one could come up with a cute litle saying that IS just as good, memorable or better.
 
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CreeDo said:
It's actually kind of tough to answer because even if you are just cinching the shot, with no care for position... you still always think about scratching.
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Take this shot; you come to the $ ball where a 1/2 ball hit puts it center pocket, you can reach it easily, the OB is 1/2 a diamond from the pocket and the CB is 1/2 a diamond away from the OB. Most players aren't going to put english on this (notice I said most). Most are going to hit this with somewhere between a human hairs and a tips worth of follow or draw or hit it centerball.

Me I am between the 3x human hair and 1/2mm of below center camp. From the rest of your post you are just like me.


CreeDo said:
If I got on my game ball ok, and it's near the foot spot... and I'm not on the rail, not especially straight or angled... I tend to put it down firmly and a little below center.

Firmly so it doesn't skid or roll off, a touch below center because... if I hit firmly with top, who knows how the top will bend the cue ball path, maybe it scratches in the side or something. If I use center, it should go on the tangent line, but maybe cloth friction causes it to pick up top and it doesn't go exactly where I expect. So... if I absolutely need a predictable outcome I go a bit below center to ensure I get that natural stun action.

If I'm stretching, and it's a bit thin, hitting low feels awkward to me and I want to roll it in rather than try to hit it crisply.

Overall, a 'stoppy' shot is the most comfortable to me, and I personally hit stop shots a bit below center, because then you need less force.
Click to expand...
 
IDK.

If it was fairly straight, I'd probably hit some type of stop shot, hair low in most cases.

If it's a cut on the money ball I typically use a little outside english and whatever minimal amount of high/low/center it would take to feel comfortable about where I'm going to leave the CB.
 
MitchAlsup said:
I hit above center most of the time, not follow, per see; just enough that the CB rolls immediately without skidding down table.

WHen I want follow I hit higher, when I want stun I hit lower, when I want draw I hit lower still. It all depends on what you are trying to do with the CB.
Click to expand...

MitchAlsup:

IMO you have given the best answer, and for the right reason. If "positional considerations" are of no consequence, why wouldn't anyone want to hit just a little above center for most of their shots? Hitting at the center line, or below, starts the cue ball off with a skid, which means it is then easier for it to be forced off of its intended line of travel and can lead to a mis-hit on the object ball.

However, a straight-in shot on the money ball could be another matter.

Roger
 
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