Gripping the cue to tight on impact

M

Mcdermott1981

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have recently noticed that when I am down on a shot and the cue is ready for impact with the cue ball, I tighten my grip and almost squeeze the cue! I know this is hurting my accuracy and I am not able to get the desired English that is intended.

Does anybody have any tips to help? It seems like most of the top pro's loosen their grip significantly before hitting the cue ball.

Are you supposed to keep the same grip from start to finish, or start with a tighter grip and loose it up before impact?
 
Grip

I think it varies for everybody. I took a lesson from Randy G a couple years ago and the most important thing is that you hit the cue ball where you aim- example bottom left etc. in most cases the cue does the majority of the work for you. The only extra needed action would be for example snapping your wrist in a draw shot.
Hope this helps
 
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Buy some Avery Reinforcement Labels (donut hole stickers). Put one on your table near the head spot. Gather all 15 balls near that sticker. Put a ball on the sticker. Hit that ball straight into a pocket like an intentional scratch. Put another ball on the sticker. Repeat 1000 times or so. Put zero focus on aiming. Each time focus on a loose grip on back swing, smooth stroke (no muscle), loose grip on forward swing, and long exaggerated follow through. For extra credit, repeat the drill in different scenarios: short soft stroke, long firm stroke, draw stroke, follow stroke, extreme side spin, etc. Really burn into your muscle memory what it feels like to stroke your stick smoothly with no extra muscle tension in your arm or hand. Then use that when playing. Muscle tension usually occurs when not confident in a shot. This can help you keep a fluid stroke whether you’re confident or not.


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Loose grip always. You want to think of delivering the cue into the cue ball as a sort of throwing motion. your hands only remain in contact with the cue stick so you can maintain control of it after delivery. Even for power draw shots a loose grip is necessary for accuracy. What happens when you grip the cue tightly is that you end up pushing the cue through the ball and are steering it with you back hand. Neither of these things are good for accuracy. Loose grip and natural follow through, always!

A "wrist snap" is not necessary to impart backspin on the cue ball. tip position, the initial speed at which you accelerate the cue and how well you follow through will dictate the quality of the spin that is imparted. Proper tip position and good follow through not "wrist snap". The reason a "wrist snap" may help some people is that it is a mechanism that is correcting some other sub conscious error in hitting the proper tip position on the cue ball, or what you think of as a "wrist snap" may just be the natural motion of accelerating the cue stick faster than normal. Either way the important things are tip position and follow through.

The way I taught myself to do this was to make it part of my pre shot routine. I would tell myself every time to loosen my grip and I would verify it was loose as I made my final "practice" strokes.
 
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Mcdermott1981 said:
I have recently noticed that when I am down on a shot and the cue is ready for impact with the cue ball, I tighten my grip and almost squeeze the cue! I know this is hurting my accuracy and I am not able to get the desired English that is intended.

Does anybody have any tips to help? It seems like most of the top pro's loosen their grip significantly before hitting the cue ball.

Are you supposed to keep the same grip from start to finish, or start with a tighter grip and loose it up before impact?
Click to expand...
Keeping the same grip from start to finish avoids moving the tip offline as you hit the ball (or doing something goofy to compensate). I had a hard time (most do) curing my tendency to grip the cue harder at the end of the stroke (anticipating the impact), so I developed a grip that starts out tighter so I don't feel the need to change it mid-stroke. Not a lot tighter, just enough to avoid the urge to "brace for impact".

This is contrary to common wisdom about the grip - most recommend a light grip, and I don't disagree. But this worked better for me.

pj
chgo
 
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Put spikes on the cue. You will soon have a much lighter grip.

On hard shots you need to grip it a bit tighter or the cue will fly out of your hand, the trick is to not twist when you do that and not let the rest of your body or arm move too much. A lot of missing I see is because people can't stay still on the shot, or if they can on some, they tend to jump or move into a harder stroke. Try gripping the cue a bit tighter to begin with and have a more controlled arm motion, I am going to guess you normally a have a light grip and a flowing stroke like Efren is that correct?

More practice doing it the right way will help you :thumbup:;)

Checked on the thread again, this is on ALL shots, or just those needing a bit of speed? If all shots, ignore the grip tighter advice, but it still depends on how your stoke is normally.
 
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Varner used to say, hold the butt of the cue like your holding a 12oz can of soda w/o crushing it. Take a look at a video of Bustamante's grip.
 
Patrick Johnson said:
Keeping the same grip from start to finish avoids moving the tip offline as you hit the ball (or doing something goofy to compensate). I had a hard time (most do) curing my tendency to grip the cue harder at the end of the stroke (anticipating the impact), so I developed a grip that starts out tighter so I don't feel the need to change it mid-stroke. Not a lot tighter, just enough to avoid the urge to "brace for impact".

This is contrary to common wisdom about the grip - most recommend a light grip, and I don't disagree. But this worked better for me.

pj
chgo
Click to expand...

I have a feeling that’s what Wu does...you’re in good company.

Personally, I use a full range of grips...many shots, you could pull the cue right outta my
hand...but some shots, I tighten on impact...like throwing a knockout punch.
...not anything I decided on, it just happens when I play a lot.
 
Two things....
I like using a leather wrap on my cue. No slip with minimal grip.

And I try to imagine I'm throwing a dart. Once the cue is started, I imagine in my mind that the cue is traveling through space before it makes contact with the cue ball. If you can implant that in your mind, a good follow through will.....follow. lol
 
erhino41 said:
Loose grip always. You want to think of delivering the cue into the cue ball as a sort of throwing motion. your hands only remain in contact with the cue stick so you can maintain control of it after delivery. Even for power draw shots a loose grip is necessary for accuracy. What happens when you grip the cue tightly is that you end up pushing the cue through the ball and are steering it with you back hand. Neither of these things are good for accuracy. Loose grip and natural follow through, always



A "wrist snap" is not necessary to impart backspin on the cue ball. tip position, the initial speed at which you accelerate the cue and how well you follow through will dictate the quality of the spin that is imparted. Proper tip position and good follow through not "wrist snap". The reason a "wrist snap" may help some people is that it is a mechanism that is correcting some other sub conscious error in hitting the proper tip position on the cue ball, or what you think of as a "wrist snap" may just be the natural motion of accelerating the cue stick faster than normal. Either way the important things are tip position and follow through.

The way I taught myself to do this was to make it part of my pre shot routine. I would tell myself every time to loosen my grip and I would verify it was loose as I made my final "practice" strokes.
Click to expand...

I mentioned this on another thread a few days ago. A loose grip works good for me. Sometimes it feels like I'm throwing my cue at the cue ball and then catching it before it slips through my grip. Follow through is important. But sometimes it depends on the shot.

I do notice I tighten my grip at the point of contact with the cue ball, but mainly so I don't let go of my stick. I've dropped my cue on the table lately but that's more due to age and physical problems.

:wave3:
 
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I'm really light on my cue to the point of almost a slip stroke. I have never seen a real good ball potter with a death grip. Not that it can't be done...if Allen Hopkins could be successful than you can almost make anything work (except Charles Barkley).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-_Oji3mLV4
 
Nick B said:
I'm really light on my cue to the point of almost a slip stroke. I have never seen a real good ball potter with a death grip.
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I think there's some room between really light and death grip that doesn't get discussed much. For some (like me) the lightest possible grip isn't the one most conducive to a straight-through stroke at all speeds.

Not that you meant otherwise - just tossing it in the discussion.

pj
chgo
 
Watch a thousand pros and you will see a thousand different grips and strokes. My notion has always been; don't over-amp the delivery stroke - grip assumptions notwithstanding. It's amazing what a smooth, well timed stroke can accomplish on any given shot. Stay down and hit through with an accelerating motion, regardless of the required speed. A light grip is usually best. Watch Neils.
 
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I had a problem with too tight a grip for the 1st 50 years of playing. I blame it on working on an ice truck from 13 to 16. Weight lifting from 14 to 19. Boxing from 8 to 23. Plus, all my jobs required heavy lifting and gripping tools tight. Johnnyt

PS: I solved the problem wit a bit of weed.
 
Patrick Johnson said:
I think there's some room between really light and death grip that doesn't get discussed much. For some (like me) the lightest possible grip isn't the one most conducive to a straight-through stroke at all speeds.

Not that you meant otherwise - just tossing it in the discussion.

pj
chgo
Click to expand...

Oh agreed. I vary my grip for different shots and effects (as well as where I hold my cue). The point I'm making is the more common mistake is too tight and this in turn hurts the overall range of motion and smoothness of stroke.

As a side note...Welcome back our long missed and esteemed contributor...Mr. J.
 
Nick B said:
Oh agreed. I vary my grip for different shots and effects (as well as where I hold my cue). The point I'm making is the more common mistake is too tight and this in turn hurts the overall range of motion and smoothness of stroke.

As a side note...Welcome back our long missed and esteemed contributor...Mr. J.
Click to expand...
Thanks, Nick. I was esteemed at first, but I got over it. :)

See you soon, I hope.

pj
chgo
 
Johnnyt said:
I had a problem with too tight a grip for the 1st 50 years of playing. I blame it on working on an ice truck from 13 to 16. Weight lifting from 14 to 19. Boxing from 8 to 23. Plus, all my jobs required heavy lifting and gripping tools tight. Johnnyt

PS: I solved the problem wit a bit of weed.
Click to expand...
All of the above except an ice truck, but double the weed! LOL
 
I think that there’s room for different grips but if you’re CHANGING your grip mid swing then I’d consider that a flaw. My gut tells me that smells of other problems involving a bad stroke. Adding muscle tension in your hand makes me think you’d also be adding muscle tension in your arm. I’d suspect there’s probably not as smooth of a delivery as there should be. Anything ranging from punching the ball, pushing the ball, or just pulling off alignment.


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Thank you for all the positive responses!!! I will definitely have to watch that video by Barry. For the most part, everybody seems mention the fact of just being consistent no matter how you grip the cue. That is what I am not doing. I start out with a light grip and right before impact, I have found myself squeezing the cue and in turn missing routine shots.

I was talking with a friend last night and told him along with the grip issue, on many shots I find myself being uncomfortable with my stance. I have to readjust several times before I get comfortable. My buddy took a lesson last year from a very seasoned pool instructor and said to visualize your shot before you address the ball and get down on the shot with the angle that you will be shooting at.

All great advice!!

Thanks guys!
 
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