What is wrong with deflection?

Matt_24

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What’s wrong with deflection? Most of the best players I’ve known used normal shafts. Go.
 
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I'm fine with deflection.

There really isn't too much of a difference unless you use a Predator shaft.

The rest claim lower deflection but there is very little difference.




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What’s wrong with deflection? Most of the best players I’ve known used normal shafts. Go.

nothing is wrong with it
it is what it is ,,,as the saying goes
its just a variable to deal with when you are using spin
how much you like to or want to deal with this variable helps determine
what type of shaft you choose
 
In my opinion low deflection shafts aren't better, they are just different. For many decades I have built into my game compensating for deflection. I did get a low deflection shaft for one of my cues some time ago and after trying to reinvent my game put it away and never use it. Younger players and those new to the game can probably benefit the most but this old timer will stick with what he knows. ;)
 
Shooting an arrow in a crosswind - would you rather have more or less crosswind?

pj
chgo

ANSWER
In competition I want exactly as much as I had while training.

PONTIFICATING
If I am starting young, I want less so I can learn with less compensation in mind. But in the case of even a CF shaft, it has some. Some is enough to affect your shots.

Full hits: throw (from spin) affects the outcome more than deflection

Thin hits: deflection affects the outcome more than throw (from spin)

I’ve learned that even with a LD shaft you have to be aware of the impact deflection has on a shot. Not accounting for it can lead to a miss.


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There has been a lot of great players that did fine with out ever worring about it...
 
Shooting an arrow in a crosswind - would you rather have more or less crosswind?

pj
chgo

Terrible analogy. The higher the wind, the more my movement gets masked. I can get closer to my prey to negate the wind. But you’re not a hunter, you’re the prey. Wouldn’t expect you to understand. Shooting uphill vs downhill maybe? What type of bow am I using? Am I using a long bow to shoot the arrow or a short bow?

Deflection in pool is because of people trying to use a parallel shift for spin on long shots with power. Use a pivot, find your shafts sweet spot and go to town.
 
ANSWER
In competition I want exactly as much as I had while training.
Sure, but that's about what you're used to, not the pros/cons of squirt itself.

If I am starting young, I want less
That's about squirt.

The only good argument I've heard in favor of more squirt (other than "it's what I'm used to") is if your bridge length matches your squirt pivot length, then backhand English works best (and it's more forgiving of stroke errors). I think they match more often with non-low-squirt shafts.

pj
chgo
 
I'm fine with deflection. I am also fine with compensating for windage with firearms and casting my Ambassadeurs for bass fishing. If the wind makes me miss my target or put my lure way up in a tree or miss the pocket a little I ain't gonna cry about it. I ain't a pro at any of 'em but I have a whole lotta fun!
 
Shooting an arrow in a crosswind - would you rather have more or less crosswind?

pj
chgo

Depends if a crosswind is always consistent.. My cue shaft deflection is.
Never heard of low deflection years ago.. new drivers hit the ball further
new golf balls fly further... If you don't believe it read a 1962 Golf Digest.

Every year you can drive a golf ball 10 yards father.... from about 1956.
450 yard par 4 golf holes should be cake today... but they're still too far.
Low deflection cues will not make anyone play better.... It's a mind set
If you think a LD shaft makes a difference it probably will.... Maybe not.

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Everything has deflection, after one understand this, the only difference is how much.

Less deflection is easier to learn--but once learned it is becomes unconscious.

There it is, short and simple.

Let me know when someone produces a cue with zero deflection, that might get the wallet out for a new shaft.

Until then, it's all about how the cue feels when played.
 
Hits 'em Hard...That is just not true. There are many reasons for the possibility/probability of squirt/deflection. All cues squirt...some less than others. Whether you aim and pivot, or use a parallel shift are not among the reasons for squirt. Either way can used to compensate for squirt/deflection. Squirt is used to describe what the CB does...deflection is used to describe what the cue stick does.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

Deflection in pool is because of people trying to use a parallel shift for spin on long shots with power. Use a pivot, find your shafts sweet spot and go to town.
 
If you play enough pool and play it well, you will do fine with your chosen shaft selection in either case. Those who struggle and even begin to worry about changing the "type of shaft" they use are just over thinkers and will forever be under performers. I consider myself a very good player and there are players I could never beat, even if their cue was straight off the house rack of any poolroom or bar room. Those who look for excuses will always find one that they think fits - let's ask Willie how much his cue deflected the cue ball after his 500+ ball run , he would look at you like you had two heads! Really good players adapt, inconsistent players often look in the wrong directions to compensate for their lack of ability, focus,desire, and/or commitment.
 
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Sure, but that's about what you're used to, not the pros/cons of squirt itself.


That's about squirt.

The only good argument I've heard in favor of more squirt (other than "it's what I'm used to") is if your bridge length matches your squirt pivot length, then backhand English works best (and it's more forgiving of stroke errors). I think they match more often with non-low-squirt shafts.

pj
chgo

I play with the Jacoby Hybrid and chose it for this precise reason. My bridge
length is around 12inches and it matches the ideal pivot point for those shafts. I feel I'm
getting the best of both worlds. When I start getting some considerable distance to spin to then I break out the BHE to reduce the allowance if any.
 
I think a better question that each player needs to ask is, "How much squirt do I want my cue to have?"

I've used a low-squirt cue since about 1980 so it's hard for me to play with heavy-ferruled solid maple shafts.

I have seen a prototype shaft that seemed to me to have negative squirt. I would probably have a very long adjustment period if I tried to play with that shaft.

Clearly there are shafts that squirt too much for anyone, and my experience above shows that there are also shafts that squirt too little for probably nearly everyone. Each player has to figure out how much is right for him.
 
Squirt is used to describe what the CB does...deflection is used to describe what the cue stick does.



Scott Lee

http://poolknowledge.com


Even that’s not entirely true.

“Squirt” and “Cueball Deflection” mean the same thing: how much an off center hit will send the cueball off the shooting line. This affects the outcome of the shot.

“Cue Stick Deflection”, “Stiffness” and “Flex” mostly mean the same thing: How much the shaft will deviate off the shooting line after impact with the cueball. This affects the feel of the shot.

“Low Deflection Cue” is a term introduced to market a cue that imparts low squirt. It does not have anything to do with stiffness. Because cue manufacturers marketed sticks this way so successfully, “Deflection” (without specifying cueball vs. stick) always means “Squirt” and is referring to the cueball.


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I have seen a prototype shaft that seemed to me to have negative squirt.
Did it just "seem" that way (maybe because it had much less CB deflection than expected), or did it actually have negative squirt? I'd like to see that.

Regards,
Dave
 
Did it just "seem" that way (maybe because it had much less CB deflection than expected), or did it actually have negative squirt? I'd like to see that.

Regards,
Dave

I think it was just perception.

When I first played I was loaned a "fancy jointed cue stick" by a friend who got it as a present but didn't use it at all. I first learned side spin with that stick. One time I was at a pool hall without the stick so I got one off the wall. It was really strange because that house stick seemed to make the cue ball swerve well over my line of aim.

I figured out later that my friend's cue had great steaming piles of squirt. It may have had a metal screw keeping the ferrule on. Fortunately for me, the cue was stolen out of my cue locker not much later and more fortunately, my friend didn't care.
 
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