Do you change your grip a lot?

Proper grip leads to proper stroke....Improper grip leads to improper stroke.....

I can't think you will be able to use the same exact grip for every pool stroke on the table...However...I think you want to keep your grips as consistent as possible so that your stroke and game are as consistent as possible

9Ballr said:

I have a very very lose grip but I notice when I do power draw shots that I tighten my grip and actually add fingers on the cue too.

I play about 90% of my shots with thumb plus two fingers, and they are very very lose, but on power draws I feel like I need to add the other two fingers and go a little tighter.

Do others do this as well? Or do you never change your grip?

I'm wondering if I should try to be 100% consistent regardless of speed and play with all fingers all the time or if I should keep doing what I'm doing?

Thanks for your suggestions.....

By the way for those who use very lose grip I highly recommend using wrapless cues. LOVE it.
Nothing has changed my game as much as switching over. My stroke is much more secure now.

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There's absolutely nothing wrong with changing grip pressures to match different shots and/or strokes.

Keep doing what you're doing and don't worry about it.

ONB

We like to think of the grip as a cradle. The cradle should remain consistent throughout the range of the stroke. A relaxed cradle is the key to higher accuracy and more speed in your stroke. Like Mosconi said, "A death grip on the butt end of the cue tends to deaden the cueball action."

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

I like to keep my cradle relaxed on every shot...even the break. The break is about speed and timing, not brute force. :thumbup: I'm a "whole hand" holder, on all shots, although there are many ways to cradle the cue. Nothing wrong with what you're doing.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

I have used several different grips as I have progressed through skill levels. Currently I use my entire hand and I really try to make sure that I do not change my grip. As far as grip pressure goes I use a little trick that I used when I used run quite often. When I would run I would have the tip of my thumb touching the tip of my pointer finger. I would try to imagine that I was holding a potato chip between them. I wanted to hold the chip, but not break it. My pool grip has the tip of my thumb touching the tip of my pointer and middle fingers. I use the same theory of holding a potato chip between them but not crushing it. I believe that the consistency of that grip has definitely helped me.

When shooting over a ball with an elevated cue, I usually grip the cue tighter. It gives me more accuracy, especially if you are concentrating only making the object ball. Otherwise as being said, there's nothing wrong with changing the grip pressure but you should stick with the same grip for consistency.

A loose grip is the one thing (that I know of) that has been a big problem for me, even after 60 years of playng. When I am aware of it praciticing I keep a loose grip, but even now playing alone I tend to let my grip get tighter and tighter playing the ghost or even trying for higher runs in 14.1. IMO it has a lot to do with working with my hands and lifting heavy things. I also use to compete weightlifting and carying heavy blocks of ice. I'm a lot better today than I was, but still catch myself holding the butt too tight. Trying to over power shots and a too tight of a grip causes a big percentage of my missed shots. Johnnyt

Loose grips are just as bad as too tight of a grip. There is a big margin for error in the middle ground of a firm grip so it confuses me why people don't opt for a firm grip. People say hold the cue like you're about to hit someone over the head with it....thats the perfect grip. The cue is nicely against the webbing between the thumb and index finger and remains in contact with it throughout the stroke so you need not apply any real pressure with the fingers to make it firm.

The thing with loose grips that don't have the cue in contact with the webbing is this....the hand clenches when you stroke, especially on firmer shots. Without stroking a ball just have the cue in your grip and clench your grip...notice what the tip does. It moves all over the place because it has too much room in the grip to move about.

9Ballr said:

Ken,
Does that mean you change it on your power draws?

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No...my power draw grip is the same as a normal speed stroke....However....on a power shot...I make extra sure my grip is correct (for the way I grip the cue) on that shot....I want to make sure my stroke remains straight with no deviations....

My grip pressures are the same also between a normal power stroke and power draw.....

NOTE: A tighter grip will lead to a tighter forearm.

One thing I did learn many moons ago was that the part you need to relax on a power draw is not your grip/hand....it is actually your forearm....you want your forearm relaxed and able to make a nice smooth long back stroke and forward stroke with out any "jerking" motion..........a normal grip will then work "naturally" in unison with the relaxed forearm....Power draw is really more about stroke "timing" more than it is actually about "power"

The example I use for pool grip pressure is similar to that of golf....grip the cue with your back hand only....hold the cue with your arm straight out and point the tip of the cue like you are pointing it at someone across the room.....hold it with just enough grip pressure to keep the cue level...that is all you need...really no more no less.....IMO

9Ballr,

I'm late, but if I had to pick one of the earlier posts to agree with, I'd pick Pidge's. I may not totally agree but much of what he said IMO is correct.

The thing is IF one is going to use a firmer grip one has to find the correct type of grip so that the cue can be delivered consistently on line.

Like Pidge said, take your grip & then tighten it & see what the cue does. Well you can find the grip, for you, again for you, that the tip does not move or moves little at all when the grip is tightened. Or said differently, set the cue on the line & then tighten the grip. You now have a new line. If that is the grip, then you need to adjust so that that line matches the shot line.

Consistent connection pressure to the cue is certainly desirable but sometimes not so easy to do with a 'loose' connection when hitting power shots.

As someone quoted Mosconi, a firm grip can kill the cue ball.

Everyone plays differently & we ALL do not use the same stoke. I think that 2nd. fact needs to be taken into consideration when considering any advice. Many give advice based on their type of stroke.

I used the same two point 'loose' connection for nearly 45 years, but since employing the Tough of Inside method introduced here by CJ Wiley my grip has evolved & I now am using what amounts to 3 different grips for 3 different types of shots. The reason is because the outcome for the 3 is better than if one grip were used for the three.

In golf we have different clubs for different shots & even then different grip pressures are used to obtain a different result.

Just something to consider.

I'd say keep doing what you're doing if it is working well for you & perhaps even look to see where you might expand on the operation.

Best Wishes to ALL,
Rick

it is "Tough" to have a good "Touch" using a loose grip.

"The Tough of Inside" - that's funny, and it is "Tough" to have a good "Touch" using a loose grip.....although on certain shots it is advantageous to use a "loose" grip...overall, I agree, it is best to use a grip that you can "mold" you hand.

It does appear that players like myself use a looser grip, and this is just an illusion. The fallacy of "letting the cue do the work" is very "miss" leading.....or "leads to missing". 'The Game is the Teacher'

ENGLISH! said:

9Ballr,

I'm late, but if I had to pick one of the earlier posts to agree with, I'd pick Pidge's. I may not totally agree but much of what he said IMO is correct.

The thing is IF one is going to use a firmer grip one has to find the correct type of grip so that the cue can be delivered consistently on line.

Like Pidge said, take your grip & then tighten it & see what the cue does. Well you can find the grip, for you, again for you, that the tip does not move or moves little at all when the grip is tightened. Or said differently, set the cue on the line & then tighten the grip. You now have a new line. If that is the grip, then you need to adjust so that that line matches the shot line.

Consistent connection pressure to the cue is certainly desirable but sometimes not so easy to do with a 'loose' connection when hitting power shots.

As someone quoted Mosconi, a firm grip can kill the cue ball.

Everyone plays differently & we ALL do not use the same stoke. I think that 2nd. fact needs to be taken into consideration when considering any advice. Many give advice based on their type of stroke.

I used the same two point 'loose' connection for nearly 45 years, but since employing the Tough of Inside method introduced here by CJ Wiley my grip has evolved & I now am using what amounts to 3 different grips for 3 different types of shots. The reason is because the outcome for the 3 is better than if one grip were used for the three.

In golf we have different clubs for different shots & even then different grip pressures are used to obtain a different result.

Just something to consider.

I'd say keep doing what you're doing if it is working well for you & perhaps even look to see where you might expand on the operation.

Best Wishes to ALL,
Rick

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Johnnyt said:

A loose grip is the one thing (that I know of) that has been a big problem for me, even after 60 years of playng. When I am aware of it praciticing I keep a loose grip, but even now playing alone I tend to let my grip get tighter and tighter playing the ghost or even trying for higher runs in 14.1. IMO it has a lot to do with working with my hands and lifting heavy things. I also use to compete weightlifting and carying heavy blocks of ice. I'm a lot better today than I was, but still catch myself holding the butt too tight. Trying to over power shots and a too tight of a grip causes a big percentage of my missed shots. Johnnyt

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Johnny ... You mean like this? :thumbup: