Why Is This A Hard Shot For Me?

DrCue'sProtege

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've been playing a little the last few days. Broke some racks of 9-Ball today and one rack I ended up with this shot on the 7B. Using the red dotted/measles CB I attempted to draw it back to about where the plain white CB is but I left it where the gray CB is and I had a tough cut on the 8B. Plus as a result I needed to use a little inside English to get position on the 9B. Anyway, I missed the cut on the 8B because I didn't draw it back enough.

Is this hard for anybody else? Any thoughts/tips on how I can get better at this type of draw shot? And please, DO NOT tell me I should have cheated the pocket and gone around the table because the 7B was too deep for that.

r/DCP

https://pad-v1.chalkysticks.com/2c9a1
 

Imac007

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've been playing a little the last few days. Broke some racks of 9-Ball today and one rack I ended up with this shot on the 7B. Using the red dotted/measles CB I attempted to draw it back to about where the plain white CB is but I left it where the gray CB is and I had a tough cut on the 8B. Plus as a result I needed to use a little inside English to get position on the 9B. Anyway, I missed the cut on the 8B because I didn't draw it back enough.

Is this hard for anybody else? Any thoughts/tips on how I can get better at this type of draw shot? And please, DO NOT tell me I should have cheated the pocket and gone around the table because the 7B was too deep for that.

r/DCP

https://pad-v1.chalkysticks.com/2c9a1

A draw shot across a pool table requires an downwards angled cue. Many players sense unconsciously that the downward angle puts them in danger of a miscue.

Jeremy Jones when commentating frequently refers to shot keys. Each shot has them, even the simplest. For this I have a few.
1) the part of the tip that contacts the ball on a draw shot is the top - take care to pick a low enough contact point
2) a level cue action does not mean a horizontal, parallel to the table bed travel (beware the scoop and airborne cue ball if you try to move from angled to horizontal) look at the cue plane from the side and get a sense of stayIng on plane right to the table bed
3) Use more draw - drawing this type of shot back to the side cushion and off has a larger margin of error. It also requires a fuller follow through.
4) Can you use a soft draw and pull the ball back a ball width or two? Start from a precise draw motor skill memory as a reference. Then make adjustments from the known. You need to zero in on the contact height and pace precisely.
 

evergruven

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've been playing a little the last few days. Broke some racks of 9-Ball today and one rack I ended up with this shot on the 7B. Using the red dotted/measles CB I attempted to draw it back to about where the plain white CB is but I left it where the gray CB is and I had a tough cut on the 8B. Plus as a result I needed to use a little inside English to get position on the 9B. Anyway, I missed the cut on the 8B because I didn't draw it back enough.

Is this hard for anybody else? Any thoughts/tips on how I can get better at this type of draw shot? And please, DO NOT tell me I should have cheated the pocket and gone around the table because the 7B was too deep for that.

r/DCP

https://pad-v1.chalkysticks.com/2c9a1

not an instructor
I sometimes have trouble with this shot..something about it when it's hanging in the pocket like that..
it's not a short distance to draw tho
you got ~2.25ft to get to the ball, then bring it back almost half a table length (if 9ft. table)
helps to hit it accurate too..I think it's easy to miss this left/right
and missing it even a little bit kills your draw
I like stabbing it if the cb is close to the ob, but if I have room (like you do here)
I'm hitting with a level cue, maybe overdrawing it to hit the rail (since you got a little angle)
like you tho, I'm still figuring it out
and I also haven't hit a ball in three months, so I'm passing the salt shaker, along with these words:thumbup:
 

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
A draw shot across a pool table requires an downwards angled cue.
Only because the butt will be over the rail, so it can’t physically be truly horizontal - but keep your cue as level as possible.

I suggest practicing with a striped ball as your CB, with the stripe horizontal like an equator to show you how low to hit (right on the bottom edge of the stripe). Look at the CB last when hitting it and check the chalk mark afterwards to be sure you hit where you aimed.

pj
chgo
 

bbb

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
no its not hard for me
i am coming off the rail
usually you dont get enough draw because
you are not hitting low enough
you are not accelerating thru the ball
this suggestion from PJ is a good one
i bolded the part for emphasis
...."I suggest practicing with a striped ball as your CB, with the stripe horizontal like an equator to show you how low to hit (right on the bottom edge of the stripe). Look at the CB last when hitting it and check the chalk mark afterwards to be sure you hit where you aimed...".
.......
many times you are hitting higher than you thought
 
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Double-Dave

Developing cue-addict
Silver Member
In my opinion it is a fairly large mistake to try to play that particular shot without hitting the long rail and bouncing back out. Playing it like that increases the margin of error substantially.
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
... Plus as a result I needed to use a little inside English to get position on the 9B. ... And please, DO NOT tell me I should have cheated the pocket and gone around the table because the 7B was too deep for that.

r/DCP

https://pad-v1.chalkysticks.com/2c9a1
First point: in the position you ended up with I think you don't need to use side spin to get down for the nine ball. Try going across the table twice using just follow.

Second point: As drawn, there is no problem coming off the right side of the 7B with right stun to go to the right end rail and ending up near the side rail not far from the side pocket. Try it.

As for your actual question, set up the shot as a progressive practice. As Mac suggested, at the beginning with short shots, work on the softest shot that will get the cue ball to go far enough which means as far below center as you can hit without occasional miscues.
 

DrCue'sProtege

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
First point: in the position you ended up with I think you don't need to use side spin to get down for the nine ball. Try going across the table twice using just follow.

Second point: As drawn, there is no problem coming off the right side of the 7B with right stun to go to the right end rail and ending up near the side rail not far from the side pocket. Try it.

As for your actual question, set up the shot as a progressive practice. As Mac suggested, at the beginning with short shots, work on the softest shot that will get the cue ball to go far enough which means as far below center as you can hit without occasional miscues.

Bob,

In regards to your 1st point - I just set the shot up and did what you said. I guess you learn something every day. The high CB got me position.

In regards to your 3rd point - I've done the progressive practice with this shot probably over 1,000 times. For some reason though I keep hosing it up.

r/Mike
 

BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
Here's some advice given to me one day on the golf course by a scratch golfer buddy of mine. It also applies to pool when it comes to hitting a draw shot.

I had topped two shots in row, the bottom edge of the club face striking the top of the ball instead of coming down its backside. It's a very ugly and frustrating thing to do. I got back in the cart and asked my buddy what in the hell I was doing wrong, and he thought for a few seconds, enough of a delay in his response to make me really listen. I thought for sure I was going to get a great lesson about my golf swing, something that would bring more consistency. This guy plays in the 70's, so any advice from him would be great. Finally he said..... "Swing lower."

He laughed. I laughed. But I started swinging lower and didn't top another ball throughout the rest of the round.

Practice striking the cb lower. Use a spotted cb or a stripe ball so you can see where the tip hits on each shot (chalk mark left on the ball). You might find that you're thinking you're hitting very low, but really you're just hitting a little lower than center ball, and all you have to do is "swing lower".
 
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