bald spot after miscue

[Williebetmore]

If the tip is well-chalked, the miscue will be a result of hitting too far off center. On draw shots, to hit the cloth first, the cue stick would have to be pointed outside the edge of the cue ball. While people who can't play a lick might have this problem, I think anyone who can draw well more than half their attempts has already figured out that if the stick points out beyond the edge of the cue ball, the shot will not go well.

As for why you get chalk on the cloth, you've got a real treat in store. Watch the brief clip from the Austrian high-speed video which is available in several places including the shooter's home page: http://www.bskunion.at/efler.htm

Especially note what the chalk does and what the tip does on the shot from the side. The full video DVD is still offered on the link above.

BJ,
Many thanks for the link. I had seen it before; but definitely worth seeing again (how in the heck do you remember where to find all this stuff??).

The slow motion draw shot was great; though I think it confirmed my suspicions. The top of the cue tip is definitely striking well inside the edge of the cueball; but the bottom of the cuetip on a very low hit is definitely striking the cloth very quickly after the top of the tip makes contact. It would take only a miniscule error in contact point to have the bottom of the cue tip hit the cloth before the top of the cue tip hits the ball.

I'm a bit surprised you haven't seen this type of miscue from better players (since I've heard that you do some PAT testing). In administering the PAT 2 to some professional players; I've seen such miscues on the second set of power draws (trying to draw the cue ball 5 diamonds back, when the cue ball and object ball are 4 diamonds apart).

I do think even better players can make this type of error when seeking a hit near the outer limits of the "miscue zone" (JMO, I would defer to your experience); I can't even imagine the pro players not having trouble with the PAT 3 (I think they have to draw all the way back to the head rail with similar starting positions....seems brutally difficult to me).

 

[enzo]

well, i appreciate all the responses. i think the "rubbing" the chalk off as opposed to the chalk being crushed between the tip and cb is the answer personally, just never thought of it.

additional info for those interested..... ive heard that some years at the sands, there are high levels of miscues among the finest players. i didnt think anything of this until about a year ago....... i was playing a lot and you know how it is when you play a lot, you get really in tune. anyway, we had a dry santa ana condition, and i was DEFINITELY (100% in my mind) getting miscues on hits that would have been good 1 or 2 days prior, and they were prevalent. and if you think about it, it's sry at the sands tournament, right? my current thoughts on this are dry conditions make miscuing easier because super dry chalk doesn't apply as well. it's strange because this is in direct opposition to what many think, ie slightly wet or damp chalk will cause miscues. interesting either way, but that's what i think.