Aiming for power draw

[TXDiver]

I know power draw is not the best tool for reliable and consistent shape on the next ball but dang it’s sexy when you see someone hit a ball at the opposite end of the table and draw the cue ball back with enough power to get back to the short rail or even hit two rails. Also, I feel like when you can consistently draw well (shape notwithstanding), you have a good stroke. So I have been practicing draw and power draw off and on for a couple of years. I have watched a lot of YouTube videos on draw and power draw and it seems like every one says that among other key factors to power draw, you need to have a long bridge and hit as low as possible. I have tried and tried to hit low with various bridge lengths, no shoulder drop, with shoulder drop, relaxed, loose grip, level cue, etc, etc. I can’t do it consistently. Probably 2 out of 3 launch off the table. I thought if I could hit low, my draw would be much more powerful. I have given up trying to hit low and have gone back to the way I was taught 40 years ago which is one tip below center with about a 9”-10” bridge. With one tip below center, I can fairly consistently hit a ball cross table 4 diamonds away and draw the cue ball back to the short rail. That’s good enough for me. Maybe when I change my cloth out to Simonis 860HR, I’ll get a little more distance.

So why are all the guys with YouTube channels telling everyone to hit as low as possible? Does anyone still advocate the old one tip below center aiming point?

 

[Willowbrook Wolfy]

I don’t make my bridge any longer on a power draw. Bridge length only needs to be increased if you aren’t capable of hitting the ball hard enough with a regular length stroke. If you need a longer bridge you’d be what they call a pus arm in baseball…….in my opinion anyway.

 

[smiling_Hans]

Below center and shoot through and down.

Or

Aim low with cue as parallel to to the table and shoot through.

The second method won’t produce the “power draw” you ask for unless you’re close to inject ball.

I shoot with the first method.

A good draw shot is more touch than power. They look great but I don’t see many people draw straight back or at least I don’t. I’m actually too reliant on pushing the ball too much. Which takes a lot of effort. I will start playing the rails. Lately I haven’t been playing the rails as I should. Just shot making. I play with a cheap cue that shoots great but the shaft sucks in other departments. A lot more effort if I play heavy English which is normally how I play.

 

[Willowbrook Wolfy]

Oh, and by the way, if you increase your bridge length, you should probably also hold back further on the cue for a longer back stroke. That way your stance will stay normal. Or something to that effect.

 

[TXDiver]

Oh, and by the way, if you increase your bridge length, you should probably also hold back further on the cue for a longer back stroke. That way your stance will stay normal. Or something to that effect.

Yes, that’s what the YouTube guys say. Tried it. It doesn’t work for me. I’m sticking with my one tip below center method and shoot through the ball like shooter said. For the longest time, I thought something must be wrong with my stroke because I can’t shoot ultra low like other people.

 

[smiling_Hans]

Yes, that’s what the YouTube guys say. Tried it. It doesn’t work for me. I’m sticking with my one tip below center method and shoot through the ball like shooter said. For the longest time, I thought something must be wrong with my stroke because I can’t shoot ultra low like other people.

You are shooting it properly. I think execution may be the issue which I believe you will correct. It’s a natural game. Do what makes you feel confident. YouTube guys are giving the right methods but there are more than one method to shooting pool.

 

[Willowbrook Wolfy]

Yes, that’s what the YouTube guys say. Tried it. It doesn’t work for me. I’m sticking with my one tip below center method and shoot through the ball like shooter said. For the longest time, I thought something must be wrong with my stroke because I can’t shoot ultra low like other people.

Well I probably should’ve explained better. Do you shoot a force follow with a longer bridge? They are the same shot. Raise up a bit(1” or 2” can help a lot more than you think)on the draw and you won’t need to hit as low.

 

[TXDiver]

Well I probably should’ve explained better. Do you shoot a force follow with a longer bridge? They are the same shot. Raise up a bit(1” or 2” can help a lot more than you think)on the draw and you won’t need to hit as low.

I never really put much thought into my force follow shots. They seem to come more naturally to me than draw and I can hit pretty high on the cue ball without mis-cuing. However, I probably do use a slightly longer bridge than normal but I don’t hold the cue any further back. Also on force follow, I prefer an open bridge.

 

[7stud]

1. 0.5 times the radius of the CB = miscue limit, so halfway between the middle of the CB and the table.
2. Max draw occurs at 0.35 - 0.40 times radius of CB.
3. To get more draw, you need to hit the CB harder.

The radius of a CB is 1.125", and 0.40 times the radius is 0.45", which is 11.43 mm. So if your tip is 11.5mm wide, then max draw occurs when striking the cue ball a little less than one tip width below the center of the CB.

https://billiards.colostate.edu/bd_articles/2009/april09.pdf

 

[tim913]

You have to go through the CB before the CB moves. I know that’s impossible but it’s how it feels. CB doesn’t need to be struck harder My “finish” is on my chest so I just think of getting to “ finish” faster and don’t even look at CB so I go through it smoothly, it seems to hesitate for a second and then come back, Don’t jump up, stay down and just go through the CB.

 

[Willowbrook Wolfy]

I never really put much thought into my force follow shots. They seem to come more naturally to me than draw and I can hit pretty high on the cue ball without mis-cuing. However, I probably do use a slightly longer bridge than normal but I don’t hold the cue any further back. Also on force follow, I prefer an open bridge.

Maybe try setting up for a force follow then drawing instead with that same bridge.

 

[straightline]

Scuff the tip and instead of chalk, apply silicone caulk. Caulk not chalk What happens?

 

[skiergd011013]

The condition of your tip, and the cloth makes a huge difference in draw. I recently had my tip re-shaped to make it more concaved......from a "nickle" to a "dime", i guess, and draw takes half the effort as it did prior. If the cloth is old, nasty, chalk covered bar table cloth, big draw shots are very difficult and unlikely. I can go to hit a big draw shot and watch the cueball stop dead on dirty tables. On clean equipment, it draws like the table is ice.

 

[TXDiver]

The condition of your tip, and the cloth makes a huge difference in draw. I recently had my tip re-shaped to make it more concaved......from a "nickle" to a "dime", i guess, and draw takes half the effort as it did prior. If the cloth is old, nasty, chalk covered bar table cloth, big draw shots are very difficult and unlikely. I can go to hit a big draw shot and watch the cueball stop dead on dirty tables. On clean equipment, it draws like the table is ice.

Yes, I keep a dime shape on my cues. The Cuetec shaper in this pic is awesome. I put it on the ground, hold it with my feet, hold the cue upside down in the shaper and work the cue back and forth in my hands like I’m trying to start a fire.

 

[skiergd011013]

Yes, I keep a dime shape on my cues. The Cuetec shaper in this pic is awesome. I put it on the ground, hold it with my feet, hold the cue upside down in the shaper and work the cue back and forth in my hands like I’m trying to start a fire.
View attachment 757795

Try cueing into a narrow plastic water bottle opening. Do your full length strokes into it, cueing deep inside the bottle. Many people "think" they are hitting the cueball where they intend, but are not. You should be able to do this without touching any of the bottle. If you have an error or wobble in your stroke, you will touch the bottle with your cue. Jasmin ouschan did a video on this.

 

[TXDiver]

Try cueing into a narrow plastic water bottle opening. Do your full length strokes into it, cueing deep inside the bottle. Many people "think" they are hitting the cueball where they intend, but are not. You should be able to do this without touching any of the bottle. If you have an error or wobble in your stroke, you will touch the bottle with your cue. Jasmin ouschan did a video on this.

I learned that trick 40 years ago with a beer bottle. Stroke is straight.

 

[Zerksies]

very loose grip is needed. If you tighten up that super sexy power draw is just draw

 

[skiergd011013]

very loose grip is needed. If you tighten up that super sexy power draw is just draw

how loose is very loose? fingertip- only loose like bustamante? I hold it "the baby bird" method. Firm enough that it is under full control and doesnt slip, but not a tight death grip on it. I actually grip the cue tight while getting down on the shot and into position, and then loosen up the grip when i start stroking. You dont want to drop that baby bird, but you dont want to squeeze it and hurt it. I have tried the extremely light grips before and could not control the cue and had zero feel for the shot. I can draw the cueball 9 foot table length.

 

[td873]

Q: Just to understand what you're getting and what you want, what number reflects your draw amount on this shot [shooting the 8 one diamond away]? And where do you want to end up? For example, if you can consistently shoot the 8 (from one diamond away) and draw to the short rail and back to the side pocket, that would be pretty decent draw.

-td

 

[maha]

if you hit in the same spot you get the same draw basically. the speed of the stick has almost all the effect.

try snapping your wrist to speed it up.

like a golfer does with his wrists.