Any advice for shooting short follow?

Samiel

Samiel

Sea Player
Silver Member
I'm mainly thinking of this shot for Straight Pool, but it comes up in other games as well. I have a problem shooting shots that require just a small (3-4 inches) of follow. As I see it, there are two main techniques...

1. Shoot softly with follow
2. Shoot to hit a stop shot a few inches before the object ball

For the most part, I'll do #1, but if the table conditions are bad, you risk rolloff. For #2, I think I just need to practice it more because I'm not comfortable with it.

Does anyone have any tips or other techniques they use to execute a short follow shot?
 
You can also try to use a medium pace stroke with 1/2 tip above the equator. This takes practice (just like any other shot), but it's a useful shot to know. When you get the high-speed wobbles (aka nervousness), medium pace strokes are easier to control. Knowing that, I try not to slow-roll unless I really don't have a choice.

-djb
 
under good table conditions i prefer the drag draw shot, under rough conditions or if i am quite a distance from the object ball, i like just stunning right before the object ball.
 
DoomCue said:
You can also try to use a medium pace stroke with 1/2 tip above the equator. This takes practice (just like any other shot), but it's a useful shot to know. When you get the high-speed wobbles (aka nervousness), medium pace strokes are easier to control. Knowing that, I try not to slow-roll unless I really don't have a choice.

-djb
Click to expand...

I think Robert Bryne calls this "stun run through".
 
I'd like to have $1 for every time I've needed to roll the cue ball forward exactly 1 ball width after contacting the object ball. It's not easy.
 
On Propoolvideo.com, there is a match where Buddy Hall shoots a shot where he hits it very solid and then follows the cue ball about 3 - 4 inches. (#2) The position he was playing had to be perfect. (I actually thought it was the wrong shot, but I guess if you're Buddy Hall, you can play position like that.) But you should watch it a couple times, I think it might help a little. (and even if it doesn't help, it is still something beautiful to see executed as effortlessly as he did)
 
Samiel said:
I'm mainly thinking of this shot for Straight Pool, but it comes up in other games as well. I have a problem shooting shots that require just a small (3-4 inches) of follow. As I see it, there are two main techniques...

1. Shoot softly with follow
2. Shoot to hit a stop shot a few inches before the object ball

For the most part, I'll do #1, but if the table conditions are bad, you risk rolloff. For #2, I think I just need to practice it more because I'm not comfortable with it.

Does anyone have any tips or other techniques they use to execute a short follow shot?
Click to expand...
Practice, practice, practice. Practice both #1 and #2 for 15-20 minutes every day (or at least 2 or 3 times a week). Practice shooting from different distances between the cue-ball and OB, and varying the distancce you want the cue-ball to go after contact with the OB. The Most Important thing to do when practicing anything in pool and in life, is to Be Honest With Yourself. But remember to focus when practicing, and if you find yourself lazily hitting the ball w/o aiming fully it is time to stop the drill that you are on and move on to something different. The next time you practice pick-up where you left-off from the previous practice.

Remember:
No Practice is better than Bad Practice. [Not practicing is more benificial than practicing bad(i.e. not putting forth effort)]
 
Samiel said:
I'm mainly thinking of this shot for Straight Pool, but it comes up in other games as well. I have a problem shooting shots that require just a small (3-4 inches) of follow. As I see it, there are two main techniques...

1. Shoot softly with follow
2. Shoot to hit a stop shot a few inches before the object ball

For the most part, I'll do #1, but if the table conditions are bad, you risk rolloff. For #2, I think I just need to practice it more because I'm not comfortable with it.

Does anyone have any tips or other techniques they use to execute a short follow shot?
Click to expand...

You're correct, #2 requires a little practice to develop some comfort wth it. I would suggest you approach short follow shots as follows:

Shooting softly with follow should, IMHO, be mostly reserved for short shots where neither the cueball or object ball have to travel very far. Doing this at distances longer than a couple diamonds introduces too much chance for roll-off, and it reduces accuracy, since a medium or medium-hard stroke is more accurate, for most people, than slow rolling the ball.

I don't like using a stop shot that runs out of slide on longer shots, because it is too speed sensitive. A little too hard and you stop; or a little too soft and you roll past your intended spot. The better method, in my opinion, is to hit a quarter to half-tip above center with a firmer stroke. Developing this will help your ability to control the rock with stun/follow on angled shots (I hope you know what I mean). This is one of the many shots that requires you to use the often under-utilized interior of the cue ball. Naturally, of course, this same process can be applied to draw.
 
For 3 or 4 inches I like the drag draw stroke and for an inch I like an easy stun. If for example the OB is 18" from the pocket and the CB is only a few feet from the OB there are times when rolling it feels right also.
 
Sounds like #2 is almost everyone's favorite way to go! :p

I figure I'll just have to practice this until I get comfortable with it.
 
VIProfessor said:
You're correct, #2 requires a little practice to develop some comfort wth it. I would suggest you approach short follow shots as follows:

Shooting softly with follow should, IMHO, be mostly reserved for short shots where neither the cueball or object ball have to travel very far. Doing this at distances longer than a couple diamonds introduces too much chance for roll-off, and it reduces accuracy, since a medium or medium-hard stroke is more accurate, for most people, than slow rolling the ball.

I don't like using a stop shot that runs out of slide on longer shots, because it is too speed sensitive. A little too hard and you stop; or a little too soft and you roll past your intended spot. The better method, in my opinion, is to hit a quarter to half-tip above center with a firmer stroke. Developing this will help your ability to control the rock with stun/follow on angled shots (I hope you know what I mean). This is one of the many shots that requires you to use the often under-utilized interior of the cue ball. Naturally, of course, this same process can be applied to draw.
Click to expand...

email me at

randyg@poolschool.com

I will share some info with you.....SPF=randyg
 
Depending on distance between the ob and cb, sometimes I prefer to strike the cb with soft draw. This delays the forward momentum of the cb and with practice you can follow short distances easily.
 
Samiel said:
Sounds like #2 is almost everyone's favorite way to go! :p

I figure I'll just have to practice this until I get comfortable with it.
Click to expand...

I first determine the swing speed (the less the better) that removes any chance of roll off of my object ball, from here I build my shot thinking as my goal of every shot is to minmize cue ball movement. Next...whether it be roll, punch or stun shot...I determine which bridge which works best. Next...make the ball and get out.
KIS
 
Last edited:
You got lots good advice from all, maybe even Randy G but the rest of us will never know. Here's my 2 cents worth. The short follow shot is where you'll have the greatest chance of skid occurring. This happens the most in 14.1 where these shots come up often.

PM me I will share some info with you.....Paul Mon
 
one thing to remember about this shot is you dont necessarily have to hit the cue ball with top english.with proper speed control you can use bottom and still roll up a little bit.if you dont think so , watch bustamante play. he cues low on every shot.
 
Stay near the center and use speed to control the distance, I use no more than a half of tip on these shots even if I stun or just let the ball roll. What you dont want is the tip contacting the cue ball to long on this perticular shot. Bad things happen. so dont P U S H the shot.



SPINDOKTOR
 
I like to base this type of shot on the fact that when shooting medium speed and center ball (in essense, a stun shot), the cue ball will slide for approximately 2 diamonds before taking on forward roll due to the rolling friction of the cloth... Based on this, I then determine how low to hit whitey (if beyond 2 diamonds)... or how high to hit whitey (if less than 2 diamonds) to get whitey to follow the object ball by a couple of ball widths. How high or how low depends on the distance between whitey and the object ball... and I shoot the shot with medium speed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top