Trouble drawing the ball?

Bryce1552

Bryce1552

Registered
I'm new to pool I just started playing about two weeks back and as I work through Dr.Dave's pool workout/test and another recommended by Cuedrills.com I notice my biggest weakness is drawing the ball. Any further than 2 1/2 diamonds away I cant seem to draw. I've been reading "play great pool" and I have focused a lot on getting a good sturdy stance and developing a pendulum swing with a loose grip but for whatever reason it seems I can't seem draw much or stop shot from full table length.

I think I've developed a preference for a soft shot and don't seem to have much power in my shots? I seem to have good control I can shoot full table length and have the ball return to the same spot my tip 8/10 times but I really don't seem to be able to develop the power/speed required for a strong draw.

Additionally the table im playing on has worsted felt similar to simonis it seems to have loosened slightly since installation a few weeks back if I place my have for a bridge, press down with weight and slide my bridge forward I can feel some movement in the cloth but it doesn't seem dramatically loose and I don't want to go blaming the table for my potentially flawed form.

I'm unsure how to proceed because I'm really trying to develop my fundamentals before proceeding to more complex practices/playing the ghost so I've been focusing on draw for my entire 1 1/2 hour practice time each day for the past week with nearly no progress and it only feels right to practice what I'm having the most trouble with rather than leaving it undeveloped.
 
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sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
As I've never seen you hit a ball, this is speculation, but based on my own observation, those who struggle most with the draw stroke are those who hit the cue ball low WITHOUT ALSO following through low. Yes, there is a point beyond which you can't go on the cue ball as you'll scoop it, but as an experiment, try focusing on following through lower and you might just create more underspin. As you seem to already realize, the further away the object ball, the harder you'll have to hit it to sustain the underspin.
 
Bryce1552

Bryce1552

Registered
Hmmm I've been working on that a bit and often times extend my follow to an almost exaggerated extent but this seems to cause my to drop my elbow something I've been told to avoid. It also seems my follow is sometimes higher than my contact point on the ball (after checking chalk marks on the ball) should I try to dive my cue towards the felt in my follow perhaps?

I'll try to take a video of me doing draw shots tomorrow morning to post to the forum.
 
sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
Bryce1552 said:
It also seems my follow is sometimes higher than my contact point on the ball (after checking chalk marks on the ball) should I try to dive my cue towards the felt in my follow perhaps?
Click to expand...

Yes, following through too high costs you underspin. Experiment with a lower follow through.
 
N

nine o nine

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Most likely elbow drop is the problem. Use a striped ball as a cue ball and with the stripe horizontal use the bottom of the stripe for tip contact reference. After your draw attempt look at the stripe ball. The chalk mark will tell you where you actually contacted the tip.If it's not where it should be you can go from there. Use as level a cue as possible and follow right through the cue ball to cloth beyond. Back spin is as important as speed and elbow drop will negate most of the back spin. Mitch
 
Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
Trouble with draw is always about one thing: not hitting low enough. The reason for that, especially for a new player, is that you're hitting the CB all over the place (relatively speaking), so if you really aim to hit as low as needed for good draw you'll hit too low too often and miscue.

For practice try looking at the exact spot you're trying to hit on the CB as you hit it. (Of course line up your aim extra carefully beforehand.)

How to know exactly where to hit the CB?

Practice draw shots with a striped ball as your "cue ball". Turn the stripe horizontal and try to hit right on the bottom edge of it - that's about where the miscue limit is. (Remember that with draw you're hitting on the top edge of your tip.)

Check your chalk mark after each shot to see how far off the mark you were - over time, as your stroke gets straighter and your "shot pattern" gets smaller, you'll hit it more and more reliably.

Keep your cue as level as possible.

pj
chgo
 
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Nine ... corner

Nine ... corner

BANNED
Silver Member
Black-Balled said:
Keep at it, it will come.
Click to expand...

All good suggestions. Hitting low, follow thru, keeping your cue as level as possible. Then BB's suggestion above. I remember when I was in your shoes and I kept at it and then all of a sudden I was drawing that rock like it had a string on it … you will too. I think people try and focus on one of the variables at the expense of the others. When all of a sudden you're doing all of them, voila! Good luck and as Black-Balled said, "Keep at it, it will come."
 
pt109

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
Bryce1552 said:
Hmmm I've been working on that a bit and often times extend my follow to an almost exaggerated extent but this seems to cause my to drop my elbow something I've been told to avoid. It also seems my follow is sometimes higher than my contact point on the ball (after checking chalk marks on the ball) should I try to dive my cue towards the felt in my follow perhaps?

I'll try to take a video of me doing draw shots tomorrow morning to post to the forum.
Click to expand...

Seems to me that you’re rushing things...you’ve been playing for two weeks, for heaven’s sake!
...you got a few thousand balls to hit to develop specific pool muscles.

I could play pool for hours when I was active....
...my arm got tired as hell playing darts for half an hour...muscles I wasn’t used to using.
 
Stew boo

Stew boo

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
My advice to you would be to get a lesson from a good instructor. He can get you started on the right foot with your mechanics and can really diagnose your flaws. As far as drawing the ball goes I have a few pointers that I think will help.
1. loose grip on cue butt

2. Focus on your cue tip and hitting as low as possible on the cue ball

3. Make sure you follow through and try to think of driving the cue tip down into the felt.

4. Focus on a smooth stoke and accelerate through the entire stoke (don't produce all your power at the beginning of shot)

5. Stay down

6. DO NOT TRY TO OVER POWER IT! Drawing the ball only takes a smooth to medium stroke if struck properly. Watch Earl Strickland execute a power draw, he can draw the ball the length of the table and make it look effortless.

7. Do not blame your equipment, as long as your tip is properly shaped and chalked you can draw the length of the table with about any cue. I have seen players hit miraculous draw shots with house cues

8. Practice, This is a very difficult game and it will take patience. If you are struggling and feeling frustrated take a break and calm down. Drawing the ball consistently is not easy and will take lots of practice
 
jay helfert

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
Bryce1552 said:
I'm new to pool I just started playing about two weeks back and as I work through Dr.Dave's pool workout/test and another recommended by Cuedrills.com I notice my biggest weakness is drawing the ball. Any further than 2 1/2 diamonds away I cant seem to draw. I've been reading "play great pool" and I have focused a lot on getting a good sturdy stance and developing a pendulum swing with a loose grip but for whatever reason it seems I can't seem draw much or stop shot from full table length.

I think I've developed a preference for a soft shot and don't seem to have much power in my shots? I seem to have good control I can shoot full table length and have the ball return to the same spot my tip 8/10 times but I really don't seem to be able to develop the power/speed required for a strong draw.

Additionally the table im playing on has worsted felt similar to simonis it seems to have loosened slightly since installation a few weeks back if I place my have for a bridge, press down with weight and slide my bridge forward I can feel some movement in the cloth but it doesn't seem dramatically loose and I don't want to go blaming the table for my potentially flawed form.

I'm unsure how to proceed because I'm really trying to develop my fundamentals before proceeding to more complex practices/playing the ghost so I've been focusing on draw for my entire 1 1/2 hour practice time each day for the past week with nearly no progress and it only feels right to practice what I'm having the most trouble with rather than leaving it undeveloped.
Click to expand...

Good news and bad news for you Bryce. The good news is that you are headed in the right direction to learn how to play this game. The bad news is that you need to hit about a MILLION balls to become reasonably proficient at it. Pool is no simple game that can be masteted by reading a few books, watching some DVD's and practicing an hour or so a couple of times a week.

ALL the good players have put years into developing their games, and they continue to learn and improve constantly. Yes, even players like Shane are looking for ways to draw the ball better and be better players!

Good luck in your quest!
 
Michael Andros

Michael Andros

tiny balls, GIANT pockets
Silver Member
Simply my opinion but I think you're saying you've only been playing for 2 weeks? If so, you need to ( and, again, just MHO ) relax and give yourself a HUGE break. I know people who've been playing for several *years* that can't draw the rock. You need to concentrate on addressing the ball properly, making a proper bridge, practicing bringing the cue straight back and straight forward ( by doing it a few thousand times, literally... at least ) and making solid contact with the tip of your cue in ( as close as you can get ) the dead center of the cue ball *every time* you shoot. As you gain experience and hand-eye coordination and learned muscle-memory, the more advanced stages of this game will fall into place. You're being way too hard on yourself and your expectations are wayyyyy too high for someone who's been playing for, basically, a few *days*.

Just my .02.

Best of luck in this crazy, beautiful game...
 
Cardigan Kid

Cardigan Kid

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Bryce1552 said:
I'm new to pool I just started playing about two weeks back and as I work through Dr.Dave's pool workout/test and another recommended by Cuedrills.com I notice my biggest weakness is drawing the ball. Any further than 2 1/2 diamonds away I cant seem to draw. I've been reading "play great pool" and I have focused a lot on getting a good sturdy stance and developing a pendulum swing with a loose grip but for whatever reason it seems I can't seem draw much or stop shot from full table length.

I think I've developed a preference for a soft shot and don't seem to have much power in my shots? I seem to have good control I can shoot full table length and have the ball return to the same spot my tip 8/10 times but I really don't seem to be able to develop the power/speed required for a strong draw.

Additionally the table im playing on has worsted felt similar to simonis it seems to have loosened slightly since installation a few weeks back if I place my have for a bridge, press down with weight and slide my bridge forward I can feel some movement in the cloth but it doesn't seem dramatically loose and I don't want to go blaming the table for my potentially flawed form.

I'm unsure how to proceed because I'm really trying to develop my fundamentals before proceeding to more complex practices/playing the ghost so I've been focusing on draw for my entire 1 1/2 hour practice time each day for the past week with nearly no progress and it only feels right to practice what I'm having the most trouble with rather than leaving it undeveloped.
Click to expand...


Watch and listen to this guy.....
Just do what he does.....

https://youtu.be/1KcpDg7IGsA

https://youtu.be/p2leG8P5gDg
 
Maniac

Maniac

2manyQ's
Silver Member
Just curious...how good are you at shooting stop-shots?

If you are capable of stopping the cue ball dead, then you are just a fraction away from being able to draw. A little lower on the cue ball with a tad bit more power and follow through will get you there. After you have stroked the cue ball, the tip of your cue should either be touching the cloth or just slightly above it. This will show if you are striking the cue ball with a level cue.

Also, don't try right off the bat trying to get 1/2 table-length draw. Set a goal of drawing a foot or so and go from there.

Maniac
 
couldnthinkof01

couldnthinkof01

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
One problem I used to have was rushing my back stroke.
Especially when I felt the need to juice the cueball.

To fix it I would take an unnaturally slow back swing
a 20 second pause and then accelerate through the ball.

I'm not so sure this is recommended but, it gave me
the feel I was looking for and I could get plenty of
action on the cueball much more accurately.

Over time the pause is much, much less
noticeable, maybe one second or so.

Practice and patience will serve you well.
 
Bob Jewett

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Bryce1552 said:
I'm new to pool I just started playing about two weeks back and as I work through Dr.Dave's pool workout/test and another recommended by Cuedrills.com I notice my biggest weakness is drawing the ball. ...

I'm unsure how to proceed because I'm really trying to develop my fundamentals before proceeding to more complex practices/playing the ghost so I've been focusing on draw for my entire 1 1/2 hour practice time each day for the past week with nearly no progress and it only feels right to practice what I'm having the most trouble with rather than leaving it undeveloped.
Click to expand...
I think you need to have someone look at what you are doing. For most of the students I have seen, draw is their largest weakness. Usually it's because they do not hit the cue ball low enough. For many of them a huge contributing problem is that they don't know how to chalk, so they get miscues and that forces them to hit closer to the center of the cue ball and then they are hopeless at all kinds of spin shots.

If you can shoot straight up the center of the table and hit the end cushion that you are shooting from twice (four table lengths), you have plenty of power for good draw shots.
 
JC

JC

Coos Cues
If you've only been playing for two weeks drawing the cue ball should not even be on your radar.

Having never seen you play my guess is you have nothing going on resembling pool fundamentals even if you watch videos and read books. You are not doing what you believe you are.

You are in the perfect position right now today to learn to do it right before doing it wrong
becomes a habit. For that you have my envy.

Get instruction from a reliable fundamentals coach before you worry about anything that's not dead center of the cue ball.

JMO

JC
 
Bryce1552

Bryce1552

Registered
Maniac said:
Just curious...how good are you at shooting stop-shots?

If you are capable of stopping the cue ball dead, then you are just a fraction away from being able to draw. A little lower on the cue ball with a tad bit more power and follow through will get you there. After you have stroked the cue ball, the tip of your cue should either be touching the cloth or just slightly above it. This will show if you are striking the cue ball with a level cue.

Also, don't try right off the bat trying to get 1/2 table-length draw. Set a goal of drawing a foot or so and go from there.

Maniac
Click to expand...
I'm able to hit a stop shot up to about 5/8th the table length but essentially im hitting the ball the same way I would if I intended to draw from that distance because a draw shot from that distance would only leave me with the ball stopped. if that makes sense. that's the maximum amount of backspin I can place on the ball
 
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