At what CB Speed, how hard is the hit?

[BilliardsAbout]

Hi Rick,

What most probably happens? What do you mean?

I'm not recommending a follow shot on the 15 but rather a tap or rap shot (I'll think of a more common name for it when I can--it's killing me--) on the 15 where you cue as if for very high follow but just tap the cue ball. Whitey isn't really going anywhere after impact. There's gotta be somebody who does these little along the long rail strokes and can remember the name...

 

[ENGLISH!]

Hi Rick,

What most probably happens? What do you mean?

I'm not recommending a follow shot on the 15 but rather a tap or rap shot (I'll think of a more common name for it when I can--it's killing me--) on the 15 where you cue as if for very high follow but just tap the cue ball. Whitey isn't really going anywhere after impact. There's gotta be somebody who does these little along the long rail strokes and can remember the name...

Okay,

I took a look at the shot.

What I was referring to in the earlier post was your description in your last sentence of what 'amateurs' do & the cue ball goes down table 'with' the OB.

I don't name all the shots that I know, but I shoot that one with an open bridge & just my hand & fingers & as I said, I let the tip come up if I want the cue ball to move a bit forward without fouling the CB & am not hitting low for another reason.

Best,
Rick

 

[Colin Colenso]

Sorry, I can be a little curt when I post to forums. Some people call it British follow or force follow when you go way above center ball on the vertical axis and pound the ball hard--go way high almost to miscue level with your cue tip on the vertical axis and "tap" or "punch" or "rap" the cue ball. For that 15-ball, a small backstroke and a little "rap".

This of course doesn't change the physics of the shot but can be used as a cueing technique for its aid in alignment and when you get the feel of the punch right and the speed--this stroke helps a lot of amateurs I've assisted who struggle with running balls down the line with the cue ball just off the object ball and a near straight-ahead shot.

I'd agree with high follow/ topspin as the best way to play this shot, though I'd be happy to play it with a touch of follow and heavy inside english, post back hand pivoting as it will throw along the same line give or take a few mm.

Stun is to be avoided like the plague due to the throw. Attempting gearing outside english is dangerous also as the variability is very high with speed and amount of outside applied.

An experienced player may play soft follow with a touch of outside if position demands minimizing CB movement. If played right, the throw will be the same as the punch high follow, hence the same aim.

There is a bit of a myth that gets around concerning overspin with high follow. Some think force follow shots have overspin, whereby they are spinning forward faster than natural roll. Tests have shown that hitting extremely high (over 70 of CB height) on the CB can produce slight overspin, but cloth friction turns overspin into natural roll within several inches. In the case of the shot being discussed, slight overspin is possible, but it wouldn't change position or throw significantly, so no real need to hit the CB above 70% of its height, unless one wants to stroke it in a way that avoids a double hit perhaps, or perhaps as a way to make sure to avoid a tendency to swoop low into the CB which will reduce the ration of follow and hence increase the amount of undercutting throw.

 

[BilliardsAbout]

Bingo! Yes.

British or "super" force follow jumps the cue ball and tends to kill it... it doesn't roll forever, quite the contrary. Going up high is also used as an aiming aid for some players--I know a few who like the top of the ball the way others like to aim or even practice stroke down toward the base of the balls.