Does natural angle only happen when you roll the ball with a center hit? If you hit a little above center with different speeds, wouldn't that change the angle?
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- Thread starter dr_dave
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If you hit the cue ball dead center and medium speed, within a couple of feet, the cue ball is rolling smoothly on the cloth. Rolling smoothly on the cloth is the maximum follow you are ever going to get on the cue ball. If you hit the cue ball a little above center, it will have natural roll a little sooner. If you hit it for average follow, it will be rolling smoothly sooner still. And if you hit the cue ball a little below half way from center to the top, it will be rolling smoothly right off the tip.
The huge advantage of a rolling cue ball is that you can predict the exact angle it will take off the object ball for any particular cut. That angle does not change with cloth or distance as long as the cue ball is rolling smoothly. The angle doesn't even change with speed, but a fast shot will slide over a little before the cue ball takes its destined angle.
If you want to learn the natural rolling angle of the cue ball, play the first five shots of the Wagon Wheel drill: