Grip too loose?

MagicMcNamara

Registered
So I’ve been playing for about 8 years. I’m noticing in the past year my grip has been allowing the cue to slide through my hand every single shot I play. And now that I’ve switched from leather to linen it’s much more noticeable to me. I feel like when I try to do the “v grip” it’s way too tight for me. So I’m just looking for some help on what I should do. I’ve been analyzing Shane Van Boening, Jayson Shaw, Darren Appleton and none of them let the cue slip through ever. I’ll attach pictures of my grip. There’s always light between my webbing and the butt, and I always let the cue go on the follow through.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/LRwUFknhNrtv8Rbf6

https://photos.app.goo.gl/TDhzQ56pMQanBM7h8

https://photos.app.goo.gl/9TyC8eJWfPtbqKDd8
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
So I’ve been playing for about 8 years. I’m noticing in the past year my grip has been allowing the cue to slide through my hand every single shot I play. And now that I’ve switched from leather to linen it’s much more noticeable to me. I feel like when I try to do the “v grip” it’s way too tight for me. So I’m just looking for some help on what I should do. I’ve been analyzing Shane Van Boening, Jayson Shaw, Darren Appleton and none of them let the cue slip through ever. I’ll attach pictures of my grip. There’s always light between my webbing and the butt, and I always let the cue go on the follow through.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/LRwUFknhNrtv8Rbf6

https://photos.app.goo.gl/TDhzQ56pMQanBM7h8

https://photos.app.goo.gl/9TyC8eJWfPtbqKDd8

It shouldn't slip, ever. I recommend no daylight. Linen is a lousy material for a wrap. Leather can also be slippery in dry weather. If you will not close your grip, get a rubber grip like the carom players use.
 

Dan White

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So I’ve been playing for about 8 years. I’m noticing in the past year my grip has been allowing the cue to slide through my hand every single shot I play.

How hard to you hit the ball? I can almost guarantee you that your grip is not looser than mine and the cue (linen wrap) rarely slips through my hand.
 

MagicMcNamara

Registered
It shouldn't slip, ever. I recommend no daylight. Linen is a lousy material for a wrap. Leather can also be slippery in dry weather. If you will not close your grip, get a rubber grip like the carom players use.

I live in eastern Canada, right on the ocean. My hands sweat a lot most times. I really dislike the linen, it was a mistake to switch from leather to this. I'm going to try and get a stacked leather wrap on this cue in the next month or so. Right now my focus is changing the muscle memory in my grip hand to just cradle all my fingers around the cue and make sure there's no light between my webbing and the butt.

How hard to you hit the ball? I can almost guarantee you that your grip is not looser than mine and the cue (linen wrap) rarely slips through my hand.

It isn't necessarily that I'm holding is that loosely, it's more so that my pinky finger and my ring finger has some tension in them and it was causing me to do weird things. Also I would let go of the cue as I went through the cueball.. so i'm just trying to rework the muscle memory now to have more solid contact and timing through the cueball.
 

CocoboloCowboy

Cowboys are my hero's
Silver Member
Lots of people I see trying o improve do the death grip thing at end of stroke, send tip off in some strange direction. Missing shots.
 

BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
How hard to you hit the ball? I can almost guarantee you that your grip is not looser than mine and the cue (linen wrap) rarely slips through my hand.

Yeah....a good linen wrap, unlike the old cheap silky nylon or smooth leather or "pleather", has a good gripping texture and typically doesn't slip unless you release all pressure and allow the cue to slip through your hand.
 
Last edited:

BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
Here is the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYlcTS-6l2k&t=182s

The play isn't stellar but you can definitely see what i'm doing with my grip. The first rack you can see how my pinky has tension in it and also that I let my cue slide through my hand on every shot.

As long as the cue delivery is spot on, and you have complete control of the cue (it's not flopping around all over the place), it shouldn't make a difference. I mean, the cue does the work, and the less influence your grip hand and stroke arm has in that final delivery of the cue the better. If you're consistent, and you're playing well, I wouldn't change it.

Some instructors will want you to conform to whatever they've been certified to teach, or whatever they prefer or favor. But I think the better ones have enough good judgment not to mess with things that really have very little impact on performance. As long as the stroke is on and the cue contacts the cb accurately, it's not problematic, it's cosmetic. Unless, of course, during the forward stroke (before the tip strikes the cb) you feel the cue slipping, then it's problematic and needs corrected.
 

MagicMcNamara

Registered
Yeah....a good linen wrap, unlike the old cheap silky nylon or smooth leather or "pleather", has a good gripping texture and typically doesn't slip unless you release all pressure and allow the cue to slip through your hand.

So my linen wrap is a Mezz linen wrap, it's very slippery. I just genuinely dislike linen, thought it didn't matter when I decided to go from a leather predator to this Mezz about 4 weeks ago. It's definitely uncomfortable for me when i'm griping the cue.

As long as the cue delivery is spot on, and you have complete control of the cue (it's not flopping around all over the place), it shouldn't make a difference. I mean, the cue does the work, and the less influence your grip hand and stroke arm has in that final delivery of the cue the better. If you're consistent, and you're playing well, I wouldn't change it.

Some instructors will want you to conform to whatever they've been certified to teach, or whatever they prefer or favor. But I think the better ones have enough good judgment not to mess with things that really have very little impact on performance. As long as the stroke is on and the cue contacts the cb accurately, it's not problematic, it's cosmetic. Unless, of course, during the forward stroke (before the tip strikes the cb) you feel the cue slipping, then it's problematic and needs corrected.

There are definitely instructors here that have different opinions but I used to never let my grip slip and I never had this random tension in it either. I went away to a different province for about 6-7 months and I couldn't play pool for that period of time and it just messed me up for when I came back to the game. So, I prefer the timing of not letting the cue slip through my hand and right now the problem is the tension and the slipping. If it works for others that's fine but it does not work for me. My timing is quite off more often than not and my strike through the cueball isn't what I want it to be. Consistency is the biggest thing for me and if i'm all over the place with my cueball and my break control it's just not working for me.
 

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
As long as the cue delivery is spot on, and you have complete control of the cue (it's not flopping around all over the place), [the cue slipping through your grip at contact] shouldn't make a difference.
I agree. In fact, it might be the best way to keep your grip out of the equation, ensuring a straight delivery all the way through the ball without any "grabbing". Some good players do it that way on purpose.

pj
chgo
 

BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
So my linen wrap is a Mezz linen wrap, it's very slippery. I just genuinely dislike linen, thought it didn't matter when I decided to go from a leather predator to this Mezz about 4 weeks ago. It's definitely uncomfortable for me when i'm griping the cue.



There are definitely instructors here that have different opinions but I used to never let my grip slip and I never had this random tension in it either. I went away to a different province for about 6-7 months and I couldn't play pool for that period of time and it just messed me up for when I came back to the game. So, I prefer the timing of not letting the cue slip through my hand and right now the problem is the tension and the slipping. If it works for others that's fine but it does not work for me. My timing is quite off more often than not and my strike through the cueball isn't what I want it to be. Consistency is the biggest thing for me and if i'm all over the place with my cueball and my break control it's just not working for me.

I understand. If it's uncomfortable or feels messed up then you'll have to try a little tighter grip like Bob Jewett mentioned.

I like my Mezz linen wrap. It has a waxy-like texture that I don't find slick at all. But I grip the cue a little tighter than you. I remember reading years ago, grip it like it's a baby bird, just tight enough to keep it from getting away, but not so tight that you smother it or crush it.
 

MagicMcNamara

Registered
I agree. In fact, it might be the best way to keep your grip out of the equation, ensuring a straight delivery all the way through the ball without any "grabbing". Some good players do it that way on purpose.

pj
chgo

I will say that is the most comfortable way for me. Now that i've been trying to tighten the grip up it really feels like I am death gripping the cue. It's going off line, i'm getting no action on the cueball, my accuracy is terrible and I feel like im punching the cueball. Can't be right. There has to be some in between here that i'm not able to understand how to apply to my grip.

I understand. If it's uncomfortable or feels messed up then you'll have to try a little tighter grip like Bob Jewett mentioned.

I like my Mezz linen wrap. It has a waxy-like texture that I don't find slick at all. But I grip the cue a little tighter than you. I remember reading years ago, grip it like it's a baby bird, just tight enough to keep it from getting away, but not so tight that you smother it or crush it.

I wish I had held a baby bird. I understand but I think my problem is that I have nobody who actually knows how to correct it here in my city so it's like a guessing game. I understand everything everybody is saying on here but I don't seem to be able to apply it properly. It's the most confusing fundamental for me, it's very difficult to change right now without physical assistance
 

Scott Lee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Some of those instructors know exactly what they're talking about...and some other don't. There are many factors that can and do influence the accuracy and performance of your stroke process. The best instructors (certified or not) know how to communicate effectively with their students, and use video analysis to help the student "see" their issues. In your lingo, 'cosmetic' issues can have serious detriments to repeatability as well.

Scott Lee
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour

Some instructors will want you to conform to whatever they've been certified to teach, or whatever they prefer or favor. But I think the better ones have enough good judgment not to mess with things that really have very little impact on performance. As long as the stroke is on and the cue contacts the cb accurately, it's not problematic, it's cosmetic. Unless, of course, during the forward stroke (before the tip strikes the cb) you feel the cue slipping, then it's problematic and needs corrected.
 

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
I will say that is the most comfortable way for me. Now that i've been trying to tighten the grip up it really feels like I am death gripping the cue. It's going off line, i'm getting no action on the cueball, my accuracy is terrible and I feel like im punching the cueball. Can't be right. There has to be some in between here that i'm not able to understand how to apply to my grip.
I wrap all my fingers loosely around the cue, but my thumb and forefinger are the only ones gripping it. The other fingers open and close slightly with the back and forth strokes (as the cue pivots up and down in my thumb/forefinger grip) and are just there to keep my hand in that relaxed "parallel" position which allows the most naturally straight stroke at all speeds (for me).

pj
chgo
 

BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
....... It's the most confusing fundamental for me, it's very difficult to change right now without physical assistance

When a musician is working on a certain technique, or when a golfer is working on a backswing, they do it with very slow, deliberate conscious control. They have to learn it this way whether they are worldclass performers or beginners. Learning or developing something new, or correcting/changing something you've already developed, takes deliberate thought and deliberate muscle control at first, over and over and over until the movements no longer feel awkward and you're no longer thinking about it because you're just doing it. And you're exactly right -- it's very difficult to do!

But if you have no resources, like a local Scott Lee or other good instructor, then you are limited on options. You either have to keep working on it with very deliberate/conscious efforts until you start feeling more comfortable with a slightly firmer grip, or you have to accept that you're likely going to keep doing what you're doing.
 

FranCrimi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here is the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYlcTS-6l2k&t=182s

The play isn't stellar but you can definitely see what i'm doing with my grip. The first rack you can see how my pinky has tension in it and also that I let my cue slide through my hand on every shot.

You're opening your fingers on the way back and then grabbing the cue on the way forward. It's okay to feel your hand as your arm swings but you're prioritizing your hand instead of your arm which is really what swings the cue. Focus more on your arm movement and just let your hand go along for the ride.
 

Knels

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
You're opening your fingers on the way back and then grabbing the cue on the way forward. It's okay to feel your hand as your arm swings but you're prioritizing your hand instead of your arm which is really what swings the cue. Focus more on your arm movement and just let your hand go along for the ride.

This is great advice thx
 
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