After playing only APA masters for years, I recently also joined a handicap team. I've been having a lot of fun meeting new people and coaching during timeouts and such. Watching the matches I see players with the same issues, over and over. Here are some of the most common problems I’ve seen and some suggestions.
Anyone have other examples?
1) Shooting hangers too thick
Very common to see a player shoot a long distance hanger too thick, and the rolling ball spin results in the CB hitting the OB, then end rail, and dying on the end rail.
Suggestion: Practice shooting hangers with a ¼ ball hit, with no english. Set up a hanger at the foot spot end of the table, and shoot ¼ ball shots with the CB at various spots along the head string. You’ll see the pattern and it will revolutionize how you shoot hangers. For example, a ¼ ball hit shot from the head spot, will return the CB to the head spot.
Suggestion: Watch Dr. Dave’s recent video on shooting hangers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSltfCgKUtw
2) Having fundamental misunderstandings about CB english
Example 1: The player wants to shoot a ball in, hit 1 or more rails, and they know the path they want the CB to take to the next shot, but they don’t know if that requires left or right english. This is like getting in a car and not knowing which way to turn the steering wheel.
Suggestion: Set up various simple 25 degree cut shots, where the CB will hit a rail after the shot, and try the shot with every type of spin, imaging the CB as a clock face. The reason for the 25 degree angle is it’s often possible to get anywhere on the table if you have a 25 degree cut, so an experienced player very often leaves themselves with a 25 degree cut.
Example 2: The player does not know whether the CB is spinning, sliding, or what to create draw or a stop shot.
Suggestion: Using just a striped ball, show the player the 3 phases of a ball hit with draw. Put the stripe on the head spot, with the stripes aligned sideways, and shoot a draw shot down the table (with no OB). They will see the stripes spinning backwards, then sliding, then spinning forward. Shoot the shot with various speeds. They will see that with a harder hit, the sliding phase occurs farther down the table, and matching the sliding phase with the OB is how you create a stop shot effect. Explain the sliding phase can be adjusted either by adjusting your speed or how low on the CB you hit it.
3) Not hitting low enough when attempting draw
Example 1: The player uses a level cue but only a half-tip or so of low. Maybe they are afraid of miscuing?
Example 2: The player elevates both the butt of the cue and the tip of the cue, so they are shooting slightly down on the ball, but not hitting low enough.
Suggestion: Have the player line up on a shot, with their cue in their draw position. Point out that it’s the top of the cue tip that hits the CB, and that they can actually push the tip a lot lower. Grab the tip and softly push it down so they can see they’ve got another half inch.
Suggestion: Here is a trick Bert Kinister uses to show a student they can safely use 3 tips of left/right english without miscuing. It helps you get over the mental fear of using so much english. Showing someone this might also help convince them they can go lower on the ball without miscuing. Firmly hold the CB down on the table, using both hands. Have the player chalk up, then using their normal stance and bridging, press the cue against the CB with 3 tips of english. Holding the cue against the CB, have them press harder and harder. They can press with an amazing amount of force and the cue will not slide off the CB.
4) Hitting the CB too hard
This is extremely common. I’ve tried suggestions like “shoot that shot 50% softer than you think you should” and it never works.
Suggestion: Randy G teaches to shorten your bridge length. For a super soft shot, use a 1 inch bridge. But any bridge shortening will help. It prevents you from using a fast, jerky, piston like, practice stroke. If a player uses long, fast practice strokes, it’s just about impossible for them to suddenly slow their stroke up for the actual shot.
Suggestion: If you use your normal bridge length, just shorten your backstroke. Dr. Dave discusses this here (18 minute mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5KLgkYSBzE
5) Elevating the cue too much
Players don’t realize they are doing this, and it creates swerve errors in their shots. Usually it’s just the butt they are elevating too much but I’ve occasionally seen someone using a very high bridge on every shot, which creates the above mentioned draw problem.
6) Awkward closed bridge
Often new players (SL2-SL3) have this issue. Their index finger rests on top of the cue shaft instead of wrapping around the shaft and resting on their thumb. This creates a lot of friction between their index finger and the shaft and you can see the shaft wobbling all over the place during their practice strokes.
Suggestion: Practice a closed bridge for 10-15 minutes a day, at home. Even on a kitchen table. Also when sitting around, hold your hand out and practice creating a closed bridge. Doing this for a week or two will create a solid bridge. Once it’s rock solid, use a closed bridge when playing. Until then, use an open bridge (but note you may need to practice an open bridge as well, to make it solid).
7) Not recognizing classic scratch shots, or thinking a shot is a scratch when it’s nowhere close to being a scratch shot
The most classic scratch shot would be a side pocket hanger that’s a 30 degree cut or anything higher.
Suggestion: Point out the ghost ball position for the shot, and how to judge the tangent line. From there it’s possible to judge whether follow or draw is needed to bend the CB path away from a scratch. Or for the side pocket hanger, shooting the OB extra thick or thin, or shooting super soft.
Suggestion: Dr. Dave’s 30-degree “peace sign” looks like a useful tool for judging the CB path over a wide range of angles. He discusses it in the above video.
-Jeff
Anyone have other examples?
1) Shooting hangers too thick
Very common to see a player shoot a long distance hanger too thick, and the rolling ball spin results in the CB hitting the OB, then end rail, and dying on the end rail.
Suggestion: Practice shooting hangers with a ¼ ball hit, with no english. Set up a hanger at the foot spot end of the table, and shoot ¼ ball shots with the CB at various spots along the head string. You’ll see the pattern and it will revolutionize how you shoot hangers. For example, a ¼ ball hit shot from the head spot, will return the CB to the head spot.
Suggestion: Watch Dr. Dave’s recent video on shooting hangers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSltfCgKUtw
2) Having fundamental misunderstandings about CB english
Example 1: The player wants to shoot a ball in, hit 1 or more rails, and they know the path they want the CB to take to the next shot, but they don’t know if that requires left or right english. This is like getting in a car and not knowing which way to turn the steering wheel.
Suggestion: Set up various simple 25 degree cut shots, where the CB will hit a rail after the shot, and try the shot with every type of spin, imaging the CB as a clock face. The reason for the 25 degree angle is it’s often possible to get anywhere on the table if you have a 25 degree cut, so an experienced player very often leaves themselves with a 25 degree cut.
Example 2: The player does not know whether the CB is spinning, sliding, or what to create draw or a stop shot.
Suggestion: Using just a striped ball, show the player the 3 phases of a ball hit with draw. Put the stripe on the head spot, with the stripes aligned sideways, and shoot a draw shot down the table (with no OB). They will see the stripes spinning backwards, then sliding, then spinning forward. Shoot the shot with various speeds. They will see that with a harder hit, the sliding phase occurs farther down the table, and matching the sliding phase with the OB is how you create a stop shot effect. Explain the sliding phase can be adjusted either by adjusting your speed or how low on the CB you hit it.
3) Not hitting low enough when attempting draw
Example 1: The player uses a level cue but only a half-tip or so of low. Maybe they are afraid of miscuing?
Example 2: The player elevates both the butt of the cue and the tip of the cue, so they are shooting slightly down on the ball, but not hitting low enough.
Suggestion: Have the player line up on a shot, with their cue in their draw position. Point out that it’s the top of the cue tip that hits the CB, and that they can actually push the tip a lot lower. Grab the tip and softly push it down so they can see they’ve got another half inch.
Suggestion: Here is a trick Bert Kinister uses to show a student they can safely use 3 tips of left/right english without miscuing. It helps you get over the mental fear of using so much english. Showing someone this might also help convince them they can go lower on the ball without miscuing. Firmly hold the CB down on the table, using both hands. Have the player chalk up, then using their normal stance and bridging, press the cue against the CB with 3 tips of english. Holding the cue against the CB, have them press harder and harder. They can press with an amazing amount of force and the cue will not slide off the CB.
4) Hitting the CB too hard
This is extremely common. I’ve tried suggestions like “shoot that shot 50% softer than you think you should” and it never works.
Suggestion: Randy G teaches to shorten your bridge length. For a super soft shot, use a 1 inch bridge. But any bridge shortening will help. It prevents you from using a fast, jerky, piston like, practice stroke. If a player uses long, fast practice strokes, it’s just about impossible for them to suddenly slow their stroke up for the actual shot.
Suggestion: If you use your normal bridge length, just shorten your backstroke. Dr. Dave discusses this here (18 minute mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5KLgkYSBzE
5) Elevating the cue too much
Players don’t realize they are doing this, and it creates swerve errors in their shots. Usually it’s just the butt they are elevating too much but I’ve occasionally seen someone using a very high bridge on every shot, which creates the above mentioned draw problem.
6) Awkward closed bridge
Often new players (SL2-SL3) have this issue. Their index finger rests on top of the cue shaft instead of wrapping around the shaft and resting on their thumb. This creates a lot of friction between their index finger and the shaft and you can see the shaft wobbling all over the place during their practice strokes.
Suggestion: Practice a closed bridge for 10-15 minutes a day, at home. Even on a kitchen table. Also when sitting around, hold your hand out and practice creating a closed bridge. Doing this for a week or two will create a solid bridge. Once it’s rock solid, use a closed bridge when playing. Until then, use an open bridge (but note you may need to practice an open bridge as well, to make it solid).
7) Not recognizing classic scratch shots, or thinking a shot is a scratch when it’s nowhere close to being a scratch shot
The most classic scratch shot would be a side pocket hanger that’s a 30 degree cut or anything higher.
Suggestion: Point out the ghost ball position for the shot, and how to judge the tangent line. From there it’s possible to judge whether follow or draw is needed to bend the CB path away from a scratch. Or for the side pocket hanger, shooting the OB extra thick or thin, or shooting super soft.
Suggestion: Dr. Dave’s 30-degree “peace sign” looks like a useful tool for judging the CB path over a wide range of angles. He discusses it in the above video.
-Jeff
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