An odd discovery

I did shoot a video and I believe the problem is poor stroking with the short bridge length required on these shots.

My stroke is generally pretty straight with a normal bridge length and follow through. But was horrendous on this excercise.

It's funny how something random like this can expose major fundamental issues a person isn't even aware of.

Here is the video. It's so ugly it's hard to watch. Hard to believe I'm a 600 fargo. $10 nine ball anyone?:embarrassed2:

https://youtu.be/hV61CwL2Pfw
Could it be your hip is crowding your stroke, causing you to subconsciously steer around it with your grip hand?

pj <- been there done that
chgo
 
I did shoot a video and I believe the problem is poor stroking with the short bridge length required on these shots.

My stroke is generally pretty straight with a normal bridge length and follow through. But was horrendous on this excercise.

It's funny how something random like this can expose major fundamental issues a person isn't even aware of.

Here is the video. It's so ugly it's hard to watch. Hard to believe I'm a 600 fargo. $10 nine ball anyone?:embarrassed2:

https://youtu.be/hV61CwL2Pfw

Looks to me that youre hitting a little left on the cb each stroke.

Could be that your uncomfortable with the bridging, could be a predisposition to hitting with left.

How well do you do if you hit the cb long table off the spot to the center diamond on the opposite short rail (cb should come straight back into your tip)?
 
You definitely follow through to the left, as noted by the previous poster.
Nice tape to show it if you look carefully. You also have a punch stroke,
and may want to find a way to take the grip variable out of the equation
to work on a more fluid motion. JMHO

I have had any and all problems with my stroke, some I still do, some
I have overcome.

Good luck in the fight.

td
 
most people don't hit the cue ball where they think they do

I made the discovery that when I was out of stroke or hadn't deliberately tuned it out, I hit the cue ball just a touch high left, a little bit more high than left. A little work tuned it out but go a few weeks without hitting, test again, once more hitting that gnat's butt high left.

Inquiring minds wanted to know and all of that so I tested other people, asking them to try to make a shot with fresh chalk on their stick and a clean ball I was testing with. I didn't tell them what I was testing. Without fail, from "C" player to shortstop, nobody hit the cue ball where intended! Two exceptions to the rule, one not even a "C" player, a banger that played once or twice a year. The other a moderately skilled player. They were the only two people tested that looked at the cue ball last.

When the players were retested and told the object was to see where they hit the cue ball most hit where they meant to. However, the vast majority of players don't hit the cue ball where they think they do in normal play! They aren't all over the place, they hit consistently off like my tiny bit high left. We all learn to compensate for the slight error but I suspect that it is one reason we all tend to cut a little better to one side or the other.

If you don't have one of the training cue balls the nine ball gives you a small target to shoot at to use as a test ball. Use the small hole in the nine and set it up center cue ball and for left and right english. High and low left and right. Do you move over the same distance right and left when you mean to apply a tip and a half of english? The same distance up and down? Very few do.

Getting something like Joe Villalpando's PoolIQ training ball where you can see where the tip is really hitting would be a valuable training aid for almost all of us. He also has the best training tapes I have seen at PoolIQ.net to plug my friend's products. Some videos might be as good, I haven't seen them all but I can say Joe's are great. A sidetrack there, most striped balls will let you turn the stripe horizontal and vertical and let you test each direction for error one at a time, the training ball just lets you work on both at once.

Hu
 
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I second the idea of simply hitting straight down the length of the table and looking for the cue to come straight back...it's pure instant feedback. Oh, and either get a measles ball for this or use a striped ball.
 
I agree with a couple of posts about definitely putting a little unintentional left spin on each shot. Slowing the video down to 0.25x speed makes it easy to spot every time. It must be something you do only when the cue is elevated more than normal, as your straight up and back shots from the spot show no unintented cb spin.

This makes for an interesting stroke test to check for inconsistencies between elevated and non-elevated strokes.
 
I agree with a couple of posts about definitely putting a little unintentional left spin on each shot. Slowing the video down to 0.25x speed makes it easy to spot every time. It must be something you do only when the cue is elevated more than normal, as your straight up and back shots from the spot show no unintented cb spin.

This makes for an interesting stroke test to check for inconsistencies between elevated and non-elevated strokes.

I'm not sure if it's the elevation or the shorter bridge length and I was not aware that I was doing it prior to noticing the kicking differences and then I immediately concluded it has to be my stroke since the one and only RKC set up my table.

Thanks for noticing that I did mention my stroke is straight under normal circumstances. No way I could play at even my modest level if my stroke was that wonky all the time.

I wonder how many shots I have not executed correctly under the same kind of circumstances as the shot I was doing there which comes up frequently in play.

The good news is I can fix it now that I see it. Even if I did notice by accident.

This makes me think we could all benefit not just from filming our normal game but concentrate on the shots where we have to deviate, which are also the run killers.

Don't accept that you missed because it was tougher. Maybe it's tougher because you aren't executing it as normal.

One of the things I love about pool is it's ability for improvement incrementally over time if you try. But you have to look for it and have an open mind.
 
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The old straight stroke test I like is put the CB on the foot
spot, shoot the CB straight over the head spot towards
center diamond, staying down in shooting position.

The CB ideally will come straight back and hit your
cue tip... you can also let the CB come back and see
if it rolls over the foot spot and hit center diamond.

$.02
 
The old straight stroke test I like is put the CB on the foot
spot, shoot the CB straight over the head spot towards
center diamond, staying down in shooting position.

The CB ideally will come straight back and hit your
cue tip... you can also let the CB come back and see
if it rolls over the foot spot and hit center diamond.

$.02

I'm working on a variation of this after seeing myself. Cue ball a chalk width off end rail center diamond up through both spots and back with a slightly elevated cue. Shortened bridge length due to limitations of space.

Never did this before. Try it you may be surprised at the results.
 
I'm working on a variation of this after seeing myself. Cue ball a chalk width off end rail center diamond up through both spots and back with a slightly elevated cue. Shortened bridge length due to limitations of space.

Never did this before. Try it you may be surprised at the results.

Great idea. Your "discovery" didn't show up using the old foot spot up and back stroke check. Let us know if it shows up with the cb near the rail. You've got me curious....gonna check this out later at my house to see if I might discover something similar. Thanks!
 
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I'm working on a variation of this after seeing myself. Cue ball a chalk width off end rail center diamond up through both spots and back with a slightly elevated cue. Shortened bridge length due to limitations of space.

Never did this before. Try it you may be surprised at the results.

So your bridge hand is on the rail? I'll try that one as well.. the one I
mentioned is either closed or open bridge on the table, as usual.
I think I got that one from Buddy Hall.

Another shot I have to practice to stay tuned up are CB froze on
the rail shots.. those can be rack stoppers:rolleyes:
 
I did shoot a video and I believe the problem is poor stroking with the short bridge length required on these shots.
My stroke is generally pretty straight with a normal bridge length and follow through. But was horrendous on this excercise.
It's funny how something random like this can expose major fundamental issues a person isn't even aware of.
Here is the video. It's so ugly it's hard to watch. Hard to believe I'm a 600 fargo. $10 nine ball anyone?:embarrassed2:
https://youtu.be/hV61CwL2Pfw
I'm guessing (I am NOT an instructor) that the short bridge position and being wedged in that corner pocket is causing your stroke to not be as straight as usual.
I notice that when looking at the cue stick after you've completed the shot and the cue ball is on its way, the front end of the stick looks as if it is pushing off to one side.??
I suppose that could cause the problem, if it is a problem.
One thing for sure, it's consistent...instead of being all over the place. Which is easier to "fix". At least that's what I've read from some of the experts.
Just my opinion...I know ZERO about coaching anyone.
 
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