Straight In Shots
- Thread starter Tennesseejoe
- Start date
We usually smoke the asses of guys that can't work the ball... I'm at least 4-5 years out of stroke but the game I play is not the game I bet you or Pidge or some of the other guys play.... I may hit the pool room tomorrow night... Would 25 in a row suffice using TOI??. I'll set the camera up over the pocket and aim at the tripod leg from a dead straight in and use an offset (toi) to keep from hitting it.. Even out of stroke I can likely pull that off on camera..
God I wish I could be you. It must be friggin' awesome to be that good. I envy you to the point it hurts. I don't think setting up the camera will do you any justice. You need several camera angles, slow motion shots, cameras moving over the table, and even that won't be enough!
What game do you play exactly? Is it tiddly winks? I bet it's tiddly winks.
EDIT- I've had another idea of how to make this even better. Slow, meaningful, deep, dramatic intro music. Just something to build the tension and suspense of what greatness we are about to witness. Thank you.
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Simple... Set up a camera and shoot the shot... Would love to see your efforts..So far Driven is the only one to show.. I am saying I can use an offset, out of stroke and at least pull off 25 in a row... I'll even say I can do it within an hour of setting up the camera.... And no you can't be "me"... It would definitely cheapen the brand...... Man up and get a cam or shut the f up... Either of those "ups" work for me......
Nice for you!! But the principle to better deal with a lower number of variables is fundamental when it goes about highest rates of repeatability. Especially at straight in strokes TOI is the worst thing you can practice.
Brilliant. Sounds like the tip offset is working wonders for you. So far my non-tip offset arse has accumulated several 147's, several 200+ runs and a couple of 300+ runs. If you can shoot 25 straight shots with a tip off set, that's great, until you can make a 147 with a tip off set I don't really care. I have no intentions of setting up a camera at the pool hall, or at home. Wouldn't want the girlfriend thinking I've been filming 'naughty things on the table whilst she's been out, and I simply don't want to be one of those tools that film themselves at the hall. But feel free to do it yourself, I wont judge!
Old Nine Baller
Banned
Yes, but you've got to remember what they say; nobody ever went broke underestimating the gullibility of the American public.
The people who would use TOI on any shot and say it works simply couldn't find centerball with a roadmap, Lewis & Clark and Sacajawea. They are hitting off-center but the TOI takes them nearer to center, they just don't know it because they don't know where center is anyway. Very few players in the history of pool are known as great centerball shooters. Cole Dickson was one.
The hucksters hawking their DVD's about the greatness of TOI, particularly on a straight in shot are simply taking advantage of people who would be better off learning a proper stance, straight stroke, good grip and finally, a solid bridge. Selling a "trick" to suckers is easier than actually helping them.
All of the players who think they can hit centerball should do a little experiment. Next time you're in a poolroom ask the counterman if he has any cues that are missing tips. If yes then ask if you can borrow one. Take a knife or razor blade and shave off any tip remnants, you want a raw ferrule. Then put balls on the table and try to run out with centerball. Most of you won't have a clue where to actually aim at balls that aren't straight in. I did this 35 years ago a learned a lot and I'll guarantee you that you'll learn a lot too.
ONB
Mike Massey is releasing his sure stroke ''slip on tip'' that is plastic and conical. One slip on is for beginners, the other for advanced. During the shot, if you don't hit the center of the cue ball you'll miscue every time. His tip is even more difficult to Not miscue than a raw ferrule, but it makes the players realize where center ball actually is and isn't.
When final back swinging after pause at CB, most of the times they are actually hitting center of CB, but side way not 100% perpendicular (depending on the speed could be between 3 to 15 degrees off the line of the shot) ! which causes the spin and steer, more evident on long follow through, and when using high deflection shaft..proper stance, straight stroke, good grip and finally, a solid bridge sure the way, but a player has to start from scratch, and extremely hard to start all over; it will take long long time to adjust; for those that shoot 3 to 5 hrs a week, it is not going to work? a small change like TOI really provide aid/fix why not.
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A lot of good info in this thread too.
For me the problem with staight in shots comes down to every liitle flaw that surfaces when we face them. They require "perfect" execution, related to every factor involved, from technical point of view to the position results wanted.
I'm not sure if they get harder because players are expected to make them, I know that since there is no large margin of execution error (I'm not talking about margins in OB-CB contact) this makes those kind of shots a good test for everyone.
From practical point of view and playing experience I would suggest that one may give some attention to the release of the stroke, watching the shaft following through in a straight line after contact. Ralph Souquet suggested that for the break shot in 8-9-10ball, it could be used for straight in shots as well.
Also, from the era of the old timers we already have the suggestion of not playing "too soft", in order to avoid slight deviations, as long as we play "center spin" anyway.
Nick Varner suggested to have a critical mind about what we expect from the shot in terms of position, it's better to play a stop shot on a long straight in shot rather than trying to draw full table length. Most of the times it's not really necessary and leaving a tougher position for the next ball provides better chances of run out compared to lowering the percentage of the straight in shot by trying to do "too much".
Finally, besides the well known practice test of shooting straight across table from the foot spot, having the CB returning to the tip of the cue, I would doubt the significance of any results outside competition. The real test is "on the field", and if you can't perform what is expected there then there is something that you need to work on, with a few exceptions that bring limits to the outcome for all players, for eg tough conditions. At the same time you need to remember that nobody is expected to perform 100%, take one shot at a time and move on.
Best of luck with your practice and progress.
Petros
For me the problem with staight in shots comes down to every liitle flaw that surfaces when we face them. They require "perfect" execution, related to every factor involved, from technical point of view to the position results wanted.
I'm not sure if they get harder because players are expected to make them, I know that since there is no large margin of execution error (I'm not talking about margins in OB-CB contact) this makes those kind of shots a good test for everyone.
From practical point of view and playing experience I would suggest that one may give some attention to the release of the stroke, watching the shaft following through in a straight line after contact. Ralph Souquet suggested that for the break shot in 8-9-10ball, it could be used for straight in shots as well.
Also, from the era of the old timers we already have the suggestion of not playing "too soft", in order to avoid slight deviations, as long as we play "center spin" anyway.
Nick Varner suggested to have a critical mind about what we expect from the shot in terms of position, it's better to play a stop shot on a long straight in shot rather than trying to draw full table length. Most of the times it's not really necessary and leaving a tougher position for the next ball provides better chances of run out compared to lowering the percentage of the straight in shot by trying to do "too much".
Finally, besides the well known practice test of shooting straight across table from the foot spot, having the CB returning to the tip of the cue, I would doubt the significance of any results outside competition. The real test is "on the field", and if you can't perform what is expected there then there is something that you need to work on, with a few exceptions that bring limits to the outcome for all players, for eg tough conditions. At the same time you need to remember that nobody is expected to perform 100%, take one shot at a time and move on.
Best of luck with your practice and progress.
Petros
The real test is "on the field", you said it. But i like to add, with consistency over five times, five different days, a week or so a part.
I dont want to even read about this topic. They were about all i practiced for 10 years, read everything and maybe made one out of 8 or so. Yes that bad. Use to Piss me off that everyone said they were the hardest but then those same people would set them up and just drill them in. Id probably still be playing if could ever make one.
After working with TOI for many months, I use it on a percentage of shots during a rack. Some racks 20%, some racks 60%.
I don't usually use it for pocketing balls. I use it to create angles and position play. I could make the ball with no spin without worrying about position. There are times that floating the cue ball is easier than throwing the object ball in and spinning the cue ball.
I still use center ball and outside spin. The main thing is that I've learned quite a few new position patterns with TOI. I like not turning the cue ball loose, if possible, and I've gained a tool to do that.
Best,
Mike
I don't usually use it for pocketing balls. I use it to create angles and position play. I could make the ball with no spin without worrying about position. There are times that floating the cue ball is easier than throwing the object ball in and spinning the cue ball.
I still use center ball and outside spin. The main thing is that I've learned quite a few new position patterns with TOI. I like not turning the cue ball loose, if possible, and I've gained a tool to do that.
Best,
Mike
I didn't read this entire thread, but I have a suggestion that has helped me with straight in shots as well as some angle shots where the CB is on the rail near a side pocket and you have to pocket a ball softly into a corner when it is say, near the rack area. I have a bad habit of too tight a grip at times on the cue stick.
Straight in shots are very sensitive to ever so tiny a movement of the cue tip at contact. Anyway, try this and play with it for a little while, and see if it isn't a tool to help you gain some measure of confidence with straight in shots.
Of course hold your cue loosely, but, upon coming in contact with the CB on your forward stroke, about 1 inch from the CB, let go of the cue stick almost completely (release your grip, whatever there is of it) and let it balance and continue forward though the CB while riding on the pad of your middle finger only, nothing else. The release is subtle and you don't have to open your hand like you're stretching it out, merely, subtly, release any touch from the butt except your middle finger pad, and smoothly continue to stroke through the cue ball with the inertia of the stroke.
This little change, for me, makes long straight ins much more high percentage. It may or may not work for you but it certainly will eliminate any tiny muscle clenching that may divert that cue tip microscopically and increase precision.
It works well from the rail on long shots also.
Straight in shots are very sensitive to ever so tiny a movement of the cue tip at contact. Anyway, try this and play with it for a little while, and see if it isn't a tool to help you gain some measure of confidence with straight in shots.
Of course hold your cue loosely, but, upon coming in contact with the CB on your forward stroke, about 1 inch from the CB, let go of the cue stick almost completely (release your grip, whatever there is of it) and let it balance and continue forward though the CB while riding on the pad of your middle finger only, nothing else. The release is subtle and you don't have to open your hand like you're stretching it out, merely, subtly, release any touch from the butt except your middle finger pad, and smoothly continue to stroke through the cue ball with the inertia of the stroke.
This little change, for me, makes long straight ins much more high percentage. It may or may not work for you but it certainly will eliminate any tiny muscle clenching that may divert that cue tip microscopically and increase precision.
It works well from the rail on long shots also.
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Old Nine Baller
Banned
We had an interesting thread on "throwing" the cue (a "stroke slip" as opposed to a "slip stroke") about 6 years ago: http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=109237