In squeezing at contact, watch out for the "grabby grabbies"!
BeiberLvr...If you were actually tightening up after contact, it wouldn't have any effect, because the CB would already be gone off the tip. The key is to keep the cradle pressure consistent, from the start of the backswing, through the transition to the forward accelerated stroke, to the end of your natural finish.
Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
BeiberLvr:
I agree with Scott's observations, especially about keeping the cradle pressure constant. The problem with opening/closing the hand, or tightening the grip, or even "gentle squeezing" at contact with the cue ball, is that this introduces a TIMING ISSUE into your stroke. What I mean, is that you have to time the "squeeze" -- either consciously or subconsciously. There are two problems with this:
1. You've just introduced another variable into your stroke -- something that is dynamic or changes depending on where your grip hand is during the stroke. The problem with this particular variable, is that it can go awry when you're under duress -- e.g. under lots of pressure during a tournament, league match, or a strong gambling session. "What can go awry?" you ask? Something I like to refer to as the "grabby grabbies" -- where instead of a well-timed soft squeeze at contact with the cue ball, you instead have the hand exaggerating the motion (again, remember the pressure-cooker situation!), the timing gets thrown off, and you don't even know it.
2. Remember the hand is of asymmetrical design -- meaning, you have the thumb on one side of the cue, and the fingers of the hand on the other side, as well as curled under. The process of the hand "squeezing" is an asymmetrical motion as well. Try this to see what I mean -- position your hand in front of your face, fully open, as if you're going to bring it down onto the table in "karate chop" fashion. Now, gently and slowly close your hand onto an imaginary cue butt (as if the cue butt was planted in your eye and you're trying to grip it to pull it out). Notice that in this motion, the thumb barely moves (in the side-to-side motion, anyway), and the fingers do all the motion of curling that cradle around that imaginary cue butt. If you're doing this with your right hand, you'll see that the fingers have a habit of introducing a "yaw" effect -- of pushing the cue butt inwards toward your body -- towards the thumb. While you're relaxed and just practicing, you can compensate for this -- and you probably already do. But put some pressure upon ya, and watch what happens -- especially if the motion is exaggerated and the "grabby grabbies" creep in!
That's why instructors who specialize in stroke recommend the cradle -- a non-changing one. The style of cradle I use, I like to call a "cage." Meaning, I form a strong "cage" around the cue butt with my fingers and thumb (a complete "sleeve" if you will), but the cue butt just rests inside that sleeve using only gravity. And, you can see daylight around 3/4 of the cue butt's surface where it rests in the "sleeve" (the bottom 1/4 is of course resting upon the bottom of the "sleeve"). Most of the motion comes from the elbow, naturally, but I can (and do) use my wrist. But even when using my wrist, the "cage" ("sleeve") that my fingers and thumb form around the cue is strong, and never changes or deforms. Certainly no squeezing, and definitely no "grabby grabbies" even under pressure!
The caveat with my "cage" grip? The grip area on the cue has to be of a, well, "grippy" material, like wrapless (the best in my experience), stack leather, carom rubber grip, or just plain leather. Certainly no irish linen -- the cue slides too much. A linen-wrapped cue is nearly useless to me, because my "cage" cradle requires that "tack" (tackiness/grippiness) that wrapless, stack leather, rubber, or plain leather gives. I can definitely live with that caveat, though.
Hope this helps!
-Sean
