Shooting harder to improve accuracy - how many of you do it?

Push&Pool

Push&Pool

Professional Banger
Silver Member
Another thread had me thinking... when I feel my accuracy dropping, it usually happens during low-powered shots more intensely. My high-powered shooting is less affected by those oscillations, and I make more balls (in intended pockets) while letting the cue fly comparing to shooting at pocket speed. So I change my strategy in a way that allows me to hit almost any ball at high speed. It brought me some wins which would have otherwise eluded me. Who else has noticed and/or resorted to this behavior?
 
Interesting concept. I don't know how far I would take it. How would you play one pocket?
 
There shouldn’t be any difference. Just have to train your arm to deliver properly.

Your fix was a patch you’ll pay for later in some fashion


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Push&Pool said:
Another thread had me thinking... when I feel my accuracy dropping, it usually happens during low-powered shots more intensely. My high-powered shooting is less affected by those oscillations, and I make more balls (in intended pockets) while letting the cue fly comparing to shooting at pocket speed. So I change my strategy in a way that allows me to hit almost any ball at high speed. It brought me some wins which would have otherwise eluded me. Who else has noticed and/or resorted to this behavior?
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That's a bandaid - the cure is (of course) to learn to shoot accurately at every speed. I find my elbow position and grip are the most important variables in that equation - I work on "memorizing" the versions of those that work the same at all speeds.

pj
chgo
 
I cannot do it. I try when a table has roll, but it just don't work for me.

I may be mistaken, but didn't Mosconi say never hit a ball harder than necessary.
 
jimmyco said:
I cannot do it. I try when a table has roll, but it just don't work for me.



I may be mistaken, but didn't Mosconi say never hit a ball harder than necessary.
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Basically and it just takes proper practice.....can’t means won’t


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nataddrho said:
Interesting concept. I don't know how far I would take it. How would you play one pocket?
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Before you go any further, read this https://issuu.com/poolkillers81/docs/a_beginner_s_guide_to_8_ball_pool

This is what we are dealing with here as far as concepts of how to play.

The basic philosophy is that anything that is in pool now, including what equipment is called is "bad for players" and that hitting hard and relying on luck is the way to go.

This does actually have a bit of a truth in it, you have more accuracy with a firmer hit vs trying to hit a shot soft in several circumstances. I have seen way too many people do things with their stroke trying to hold up a ball instead of going a few rails for shape, like hit so soft they don't even get a rail contact and foul, or try to do some odd stroke and curve the cueball because they were not accurate with the hit. There is a difference between Hard and Firm though, too many players mistake hitting hard for a nice firm strike.
 
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hang-the-9 said:
Before you go any further, read this https://issuu.com/poolkillers81/docs/a_beginner_s_guide_to_8_ball_pool

This is what we are dealing with here as far as concepts of how to play.

The basic philosophy is that anything that is in pool now, including what equipment is called is "bad for players" and that hitting hard and relying on luck is the way to go.

This does actually have a bit of a truth in it, you have more accuracy with a firmer hit vs trying to hit a shot soft in several circumstances. I have seen way too many people do things with their stroke trying to hold up a ball instead of going a few rails for shape, like hit so soft they don't even get a rail contact and foul, or try to do some odd stroke and curve the cueball because they were not accurate with the hit. There is a difference between Hard and Firm though, too many players mistake hitting hard for a nice firm strike.
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I was going to say I hope no one runs this guy off because his stuff is hilarious, but I knew it was "ram shot" guy. That being said I agree there is actually some truth to this one. It's harder for me to make a good stroke when I'm trying to baby it rather than make a full normal hit. However, if you power up too much you're probably going to cross over to the other side of the bell curve.
 
StraightPoolIU said:
I was going to say I hope no one runs this guy off because his stuff is hilarious, but I knew it was "ram shot" guy. That being said I agree there is actually some truth to this one. It's harder for me to make a good stroke when I'm trying to baby it rather than make a full normal hit. However, if you power up too much you're probably going to cross over to the other side of the bell curve.
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Yes I’m the instance of over run to gain position or run on the short side I’d rather go farther to gain it, more room for speed error in my mind.

But that’s different than general soft shottery. And what the arm does and the odd things that can happen to the cb during a soft shot are not necessarily related....most players do have an issue with straight delivery when doing it slowly.


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As most have said what you describe is nothing more than a bandaid that will fall at the most inopportune time.

I have issues too. They are different from what you describe but the fix is the same:

High quality table time focused on the grip hand, elbow and stroke speed and pretty much in that order.

All of that means nothing if everything else is not (somewhat) in tune.

Good luck,

Rake
 
greyghost said:
Basically and it just takes proper practice.....can’t means won’t


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More often than not, when I try to hit hard, the ball rattles off the pocket liner and spits out. I am not doing something correctly.
 
jimmyco said:
More often than not, when I try to hit hard, the ball rattles off the pocket liner and spits out. I am not doing something correctly.
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Yes.....your stroke is not accurate enough. Your vision is fine so don’t go thinking you can’t aim, it’s 99% of the time our arm/delivery and alignment can influence that too. But generally often it’s just the stroke squirreling


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Push&Pool said:
Another thread had me thinking... when I feel my accuracy dropping, it usually happens during low-powered shots more intensely. My high-powered shooting is less affected by those oscillations, and I make more balls (in intended pockets) while letting the cue fly comparing to shooting at pocket speed. So I change my strategy in a way that allows me to hit almost any ball at high speed. It brought me some wins which would have otherwise eluded me. Who else has noticed and/or resorted to this behavior?
Click to expand...

When I had to take 90 days off Pool due to a foot operation I was struggling a bit first day or two and hit the balls harder making sure I was stroking straight, then it subsided.
 
greyghost said:
Yes I’m the instance of over run to gain position or run on the short side I’d rather go farther to gain it, more room for speed error in my mind.

But that’s different than general soft shottery. And what the arm does and the odd things that can happen to the cb during a soft shot are not necessarily related....most players do have an issue with straight delivery when doing it slowly.


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Click to expand...

Very true. I agree 100%.

IMO, most players spend far to little time on pocket speed drills.

The more time spent on pocket speed drills the more that is realized and understood about the cue ball and it's antics at odd speeds and angles.

I spend around 20 minutes a day on pocket speed drills and have done so for three months and it has helped me a great deal. I seldom miss a pocket speed shot nor do I get out of line on those close pocket speed shots as much as I did.

The biggest help from the speed drill I have been doing is: I know how the cue is going to react before I slow roll.......slide, throw...etc...etc.

Rake
 
For softer shots use a shorter back swing, the softer the shot the shorter the back swing. If you use a full back swing and attempt to hit soft you end up trying to hold up the speed of the cue and in doing so increase the chances you are going to pull the tip offline from the intended contact point. If you use a short back swing you don't give the cue enough time to build up momentum and can make a nice smooth soft stroke. On the softest of shots I will only pull the cue back maybe an inch or so.

You will see experienced players choose position options on certain shots that allow them to let their strokes out, but when necessary they will play a shot with whatever speed is required for the particular positional play needed. You may play patterns that limit the amount of softer strokes you need to play but in the end there will be many times when a soft shot is absolutely necessary.
 
I specifically built a setting into the DigiCue BLUE called "Finesse". When its turned on, it yells at you if you hit the ball too hard. It has four settings: Medium, medium soft, soft, and very soft.


This is for players who hit the ball too hard, and want to practice pocket speed shots. Pockets get bigger at pocket speed.
 
Push&Pool said:
Another thread had me thinking... when I feel my accuracy dropping, it usually happens during low-powered shots more intensely. My high-powered shooting is less affected by those oscillations, and I make more balls (in intended pockets) while letting the cue fly comparing to shooting at pocket speed. So I change my strategy in a way that allows me to hit almost any ball at high speed. It brought me some wins which would have otherwise eluded me. Who else has noticed and/or resorted to this behavior?
Click to expand...
Obviously the harder you hit the CB, the more accurate you have to be to make any shot - as the speed of the object ball increases, the smaller the pocket gets. I've always wondered why you often see top players (particularly younger ones) hammer the balls on all their shots while they are warming up before a match. I believe it is mostly showing off and an intimidation tactic rather than any other reason.

For me, when I'm nervous and struggling in a match, particularly on a fairly straight in easy 9-ball shot, sometimes I feel more comfortable hammering in the ball with a firm stroke as opposed to an easier stroke in which I might be more likely to have a little twitch / twist in my stroke causing me to miss it - otherwise known as choking. However, I wouldn't want to get in the habit of hitting the CB harder than necessary any other time, unless a positioning situation required it.
 
Seldom do I slow roll an easy shot on the last ball

I find that an average speed helps on shots that I don't need pocket speed
 
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