Techniques
- Thread starter lfigueroa
- Start date
For me, no. Although, I have an open mind to someone that wants to be an advocate for this practice.
The closest thing I do is a unique measuring system for a one rail kick after the break in one pocket, but I don't think this is the sort of thing your question was really asking about.
kollegedave
No, I get what you're saying, David, but it's something else.
It's perhaps a certain bank, a particular cut shot, or even just the position of the CB on a certain shot that a player (you) may have found a particular technique that enhances their quality of execution.
BTW, are you going to the Derby this year?
Lou Figueroa
l
There are a few shots that I don’t think I could get the timing right if I shot the normal way. The inside English shot where you got just too much angle on a cut shot in the corner, and you don’t want to lose the cue ball up table. What McCready called the Dipsy Doodle shot. When I shoot it, it feels like I’m dropping the cue into the cue ball instead of giving a normal stroke.
There are several special techniques you can use when the cue ball is close to the object ball both for aiming and stroking.
I have spoken of this before, but Grady watched me playing someone and later told me that on long straightish in shots, to get in your stance and lean forward, so your weight is on your lead leg, It really helped me pocket those balls better
On long shots, where the cue ball and object ball are very close to each other.
This works for me when there is not much of a cut, but you still need to determine how much and that has always been tricky due to the close proximity of the two balls.
I have developed a feel for just shooting the cue ball into the object ball straight with right or left spin.
The amount of spin and the speed of the shot will help determine how much the cue ball will throw the object ball. It also seems to help with the dreaded double kiss.
This works for me when there is not much of a cut, but you still need to determine how much and that has always been tricky due to the close proximity of the two balls.
I have developed a feel for just shooting the cue ball into the object ball straight with right or left spin.
The amount of spin and the speed of the shot will help determine how much the cue ball will throw the object ball. It also seems to help with the dreaded double kiss.
When I’m tree topped over an obstacle ball, I know I need to jack up the cue to shoot. As a habit, I also choke up on the cue significantly so that my grip hand isn’t as far upward in space. Sometimes I choke up almost to the joint.
When I’m shooting off the rail and the cueball is on the rail, I’ll make a point to cinch the shot and take my medicine on the result. But to execute the cinch, I favor a very short backswing.
For those 90-degree spin off the rail shots, I make a point to learn the deflection of my shaft enough to use shaft-based aiming. Ideally I can use 2 or more tips of spin into the ball and just align the edge of my shaft to the edge of the object ball to aim it. I had that down to the point of being able to trust it. When I switched to low deflection, I had to memorize a new alignment where the edge of the shaft was outside the object ball just a little. But in general I don’t use shaft-based aiming for any other shots.
When I’m shooting off the rail and the cueball is on the rail, I’ll make a point to cinch the shot and take my medicine on the result. But to execute the cinch, I favor a very short backswing.
For those 90-degree spin off the rail shots, I make a point to learn the deflection of my shaft enough to use shaft-based aiming. Ideally I can use 2 or more tips of spin into the ball and just align the edge of my shaft to the edge of the object ball to aim it. I had that down to the point of being able to trust it. When I switched to low deflection, I had to memorize a new alignment where the edge of the shaft was outside the object ball just a little. But in general I don’t use shaft-based aiming for any other shots.
This one is pretty obvious but I don't see anyone do it. Seems they'd rather feel/spin the shot/pocket/table instead.
Simply size up the shot from above and shoot in the same direction as the connecting tangent. Crude diagram but CPG tightens it up considerably; Center Ball of course, as english will put the probabilities back into feel.
There was a shot I was miscuing on for years. A slight draw, with almost a full hit, just barely off straight in. I changed to looking at the CB last on this shot, and I think its fixed my issue.
Placebo, and/or knock on wood
Placebo, and/or knock on wood
That’s a great example of a shot I stand up over the shot when sizing it up. It’s not your normal shot where you’re some steps away from the table, sizing it up, half-squatting low to see the contact point alignment, stepping into the shot, dropping low, and resting your chin on your cue. This is one well suited from approaching every aspect of the shot from a higher vantage point.
Absolutely.
I think that many players use the wrist snap draw stroke when the CB and OB are fairly close to each other and you just want to draw back a short distance. This can be a normal deviation from a shooter's longer straight through draw stroke when the CB and OB have greater distance .
My snap back draw stroke is very different from my normal stroking technique. The old timer- Johnny Holiday gives a great analysis of this in one of his older publications- " Position Play for High Runs"
My snap back draw stroke is very different from my normal stroking technique. The old timer- Johnny Holiday gives a great analysis of this in one of his older publications- " Position Play for High Runs"
I remember reading on here about taking extra time on long, straight in shots. Don't remember all the specifics from that person's original post, but it was about going through your normal PSR, getting down, and then just when you'd normally make the shot, wait and look at it from that position for an extra 3-5 seconds. He said that it upped the percentages for him. I've started doing that on the long shots, and some longer shots that have a slight angle too. For me, it feels like there are some tiny little fine tuning adjustments that seem to fall into place in those extra few seconds that ups my success rate. At this point, it adds confidence too, which is always a nice feeling when taking a shot.
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