Anyone have this stroke problem that perplexes me...?
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Here is what came to my mind when I read your post.
Just for fun, see if it gets better two handed but just cradling the butt along the first joints of your fingers (most weight on the first two fingers) and not letting any other part of your hand touch the butt, while consciously exaggerating a slowly accelerating smooth follow through.
Just for fun, see if it gets better two handed but just cradling the butt along the first joints of your fingers (most weight on the first two fingers) and not letting any other part of your hand touch the butt, while consciously exaggerating a slowly accelerating smooth follow through.
I'll add if you're using a closed bridge then to try an open one with 3 and Stop's suggested technique. Switching to an open bridge or a longer bridge length on a closed bridge has really helped me see things better and hit more consistently near the center of the cue ball to get that ball down the path I'm intending on sending it.
It could just be that one handed you see the CB path. CB and OB contact points easier with your bridge hand out of the way. It could also be that your bridge hand is moving during your two handed technique or that you are standing up in your shot a little prematurely therefore altering your bridge hand location or shape, aim and stroke fluidity. Can you tell I have the same problem or at least now it's only occasionally? lol
Good luck in removing this annoyance from your game. I'm sure it'll be a thing of the past soon.
Good shooting to you!
Kevin
It could just be that one handed you see the CB path. CB and OB contact points easier with your bridge hand out of the way. It could also be that your bridge hand is moving during your two handed technique or that you are standing up in your shot a little prematurely therefore altering your bridge hand location or shape, aim and stroke fluidity. Can you tell I have the same problem or at least now it's only occasionally? lol
Good luck in removing this annoyance from your game. I'm sure it'll be a thing of the past soon.
Good shooting to you!
Kevin
That feels good, but can't honestly say it helps my consistancy.Thanks.
I use an open bridge, and I think you're right about seeing the line better with the bridge hand out of the way. Now I've got to try to determine if my bridge hand is the problem.
Ive heard stories of ppl shooting this way for the cash before brother, it just feels more natural to some like that. I cant even play one handed off the rail so Im prob not the best person to comment, I do think your problem is normal though.
I saw a guy do it that way in a usppa tourney once. I just thought he was saying "screw it", I'm out so what the hell.
I like what you say here but would like to add that when shooting one handed you are not in the same stance as you are when you're using both. When shooting one handed to tend to stand a little more erect....hehe, I said erect. Seriously though, Minnesota Fats stood damn near straight up when he shot. The OP may want to look into how he's standing when he's shooting one handed and try to emulate that when using both.
MULLY
It sounds like your bridge hand is messing up your alignment or getting in the way of your stroke. When it is out of the way (one-handed) you have room to follow through. You need to figure out a way to position your body and bridge hand so that you have plenty of room to stroke. Perhaps try standing more sideways, or moving your stroking arm elbow away from your body? Just theorizing as I've never heard of such a thing before.....
Like Mikey Frost says: this is kind of normal to several ppl.
At least my statement:
You re aligning (in your personal case) perfectly if you re going down to the shot to play it one-armed.
And you re NOT aligning perfectly if you re going down to make the shot 2-handed.
That s it!
If you have the chance to meet up with a guy, who is really expirienced (for the case you want to fix this really), do it. It can be just a minor alignment problem- perhaps you re just few inches off. Maybe your bridge is poor.
lg from overseas,
ingo
At least my statement:
You re aligning (in your personal case) perfectly if you re going down to the shot to play it one-armed.
And you re NOT aligning perfectly if you re going down to make the shot 2-handed.
That s it!
If you have the chance to meet up with a guy, who is really expirienced (for the case you want to fix this really), do it. It can be just a minor alignment problem- perhaps you re just few inches off. Maybe your bridge is poor.
lg from overseas,
ingo
I'm working on exactly that now. Could be the answer.
I'm definitely no instructor...but this was the first thing that came to my mind...mess around with your "height" when down on the shot...I've noticed that when I try to get down too far, I have all kinds of issues going awry...when I raise up about 4-5 inches, I'm able to see the line a lot better...
Don’t see where the “problem” is, I have seen this a bunch over the years (if we are talking about the same thing). The only really odd ball in this respect was a local money player. He held the cue like a spear and just popped those long ones in it was pretty strange.
If you view it as a problem (and I don’t see why; but to each his own). Train yourself to shoot with your non-dexterous arm, get a cue extension and carry around a moose bridge head. However that isn’t what my suggestion is; unless it is truly bothering you. Why try to fix something that isn’t broken? I am sure you are talking about the “once in a blue moon” shot. But please correct me is I am wrong.
Am I missing something?
I'll restate it. For a fact, my basics look pretty good when getting ready to stroke (2-handed). Line it up. stroke it straight back(I think),straight through(I think), and usually strike cb slightly right of center..enough to make me miss. I know it's right of center, because cb always has right spin after contact with ob. One-handed stroking doesn't result in side-spin.So with all the input from everyone, I think I have to somehow combine the best aspects of my one-handed stroke with a conventional stroke. My aim is o.k..
Ok I was missing something, sorry. Folks have given you some ways that might fix whatever is wrong but my guess is you need a video of yourself to see what the problem is. Good luck with this one; I will be interested in how it gets solved; nice post BTW and interesting problem to.
I'm assuming you're talking about straight in or nearly straight in shots with plenty of green from CB to OB and OB to pocket. Those shots have a very narrow margin of error, so they are easily missed if anything causes the CB to deviate from the correct line. That could be due an aiming problem, but if the shot is straight in, it's pretty easy to see the correct line from any angle, so it's usually a stroke problem. Any deflection or swerve is magnified, so shooting these shots reliably calls for a dead straight stroke.
Once you've figured out how to shoot one-handed off the rail, doing so actually helps you keep your stroke straight because you don't have a bridge to pivot the cue on; if you do, your cue will slide along the rail and you'll miscue.
I've known a couple of players that will just shoot these shots one-handed, but I think the better solution is to take what works from shooting one-handed and apply it to a two-handed stroke:
Once you've figured out how to shoot one-handed off the rail, doing so actually helps you keep your stroke straight because you don't have a bridge to pivot the cue on; if you do, your cue will slide along the rail and you'll miscue.
I've known a couple of players that will just shoot these shots one-handed, but I think the better solution is to take what works from shooting one-handed and apply it to a two-handed stroke:
- Make sure you relax your grip.
- Don't try to spin the CB for position.
- Focus on delivering the cue straight through the CB with a long follow through.
Matt...I agree with your first two points. What's a long followthrough?
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
stroke problem?
I have an astigmatism in my dominant eye & sometimes shoot one handed to knid of get my aim & feel back but... I too have had an occastional problem on certain types of long shots that I found were related to the stroke. When U r shooting a long shot U r usually nearer the rail & this usually causes U to raise the butt end even if just slightly. I am 5'9" tall & what this does is knid of crams my arm hang so... what I have to consciously do is adjust my stance by turning a little to my right as I am right handed. This takes out what I call hooking in my stroke. It works for me. Also, keep in mind that that little bit of jack up could cause the cue ball to bounce a bit so you might want to stay away from any intentional side english if possible. Hope this helps.
I have an astigmatism in my dominant eye & sometimes shoot one handed to knid of get my aim & feel back but... I too have had an occastional problem on certain types of long shots that I found were related to the stroke. When U r shooting a long shot U r usually nearer the rail & this usually causes U to raise the butt end even if just slightly. I am 5'9" tall & what this does is knid of crams my arm hang so... what I have to consciously do is adjust my stance by turning a little to my right as I am right handed. This takes out what I call hooking in my stroke. It works for me. Also, keep in mind that that little bit of jack up could cause the cue ball to bounce a bit so you might want to stay away from any intentional side english if possible. Hope this helps.
Probably nothing beyond what you would consider a normal follow through on a good stroke, but it helps me and some other players I have helped with this shot to consciously exaggerate the follow through so the tip of the cue comes through the CB straight and finishes the stroke pointing at the OB.
I've also described it as throwing the cue at the CB and just gripping it enough to keep the cue from flying across the table. In my case, I have more of a piston stroke than a pendulum stroke, so the "throwing motion" description is very close to what I actually do.
For those difficult shots off the rail, I do what Allison Fisher recommends: choke up, bend my bridge arm.
I have to also have zero hand pressure (as I think this is what may be causing a twisting action) and I feel like I am pushing through the ball. Using no english is best.
I have to also have zero hand pressure (as I think this is what may be causing a twisting action) and I feel like I am pushing through the ball. Using no english is best.