I was doing a drill yesterday in which I started with ball in hand and the first shot demanded I draw back very accurately about 4-6". My preference on this of course was not shooting with a low tip position and soft speed, but rather a medium speed and cue ball ever so slightly below center.
Straight back would have worked all right for position, but I found that I preferred setting the cue ball down so my shot was at a slight angle. I found myself wondering why I did this. In my gut it had to do with overcoming inertia. On a straight in shot the cue ball wants to stick dead, and it seems like it can take a fair amount of speed and draw to get it coming back. So many times I've wanted to draw back a few inches and have just stuck dead in place, or overdone it and came zipping back. But when I'm cutting the ball slightly the cue ball has some sideways energy to get it rolling, then it seems like it takes less energy to get it to dribble back of the tangent line. And it seems like I am very, very precise.
Is there something to this or is it all in my head?
Also, for what it's worth, I have a technique for drawing back 4-6" on straight in shots as well. I use enough draw to stop the cue ball on a ghost ball about a foot past where the object ball actually lies. At contact there is just the right amount of draw to come back a few inches. This has bailed me out of some tight spots. Still, I find a slight angle easier.
Straight back would have worked all right for position, but I found that I preferred setting the cue ball down so my shot was at a slight angle. I found myself wondering why I did this. In my gut it had to do with overcoming inertia. On a straight in shot the cue ball wants to stick dead, and it seems like it can take a fair amount of speed and draw to get it coming back. So many times I've wanted to draw back a few inches and have just stuck dead in place, or overdone it and came zipping back. But when I'm cutting the ball slightly the cue ball has some sideways energy to get it rolling, then it seems like it takes less energy to get it to dribble back of the tangent line. And it seems like I am very, very precise.
Is there something to this or is it all in my head?
Also, for what it's worth, I have a technique for drawing back 4-6" on straight in shots as well. I use enough draw to stop the cue ball on a ghost ball about a foot past where the object ball actually lies. At contact there is just the right amount of draw to come back a few inches. This has bailed me out of some tight spots. Still, I find a slight angle easier.
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