Bar box Help? Speed control and drills? Stroke?

[tuffstuff07]

I have been struggling with adjusting my speed on the bar box lately. Have been hitting everything to hard it seems like and I lose track of the cue ball.

I have an 8 foot table at home with Simonis on it which is the same cloth the valley bar boxes have on them. Are there any drills or anything I can practice at home? Or do I need to change my stroke up for the bar box?

 

[7forlife]

Both. Drills are for pocketing balls and learning cue ball path and such. My suggestion to you would be (a) if you like drills then work with one that teaches/emphasize on "feel"
(B) shorten up your bridge. "This prevents you from over hitting balls, you will still need to practice what that speed and your "natural" stroke/speed result in"
(C) play more on bar box

 

[Johnnyt]

I have been struggling with adjusting my speed on the bar box lately. Have been hitting everything to hard it seems like and I lose track of the cue ball.

I have an 8 foot table at home with Simonis on it which is the same cloth the valley bar boxes have on them. Are there any drills or anything I can practice at home? Or do I need to change my stroke up for the bar box?

If the Simonis is pulled tight and the table is in a low humidity place...forget about stopping W/O using the rails for brakes. Johnnyt

 

[tuffstuff07]

If the Simonis is pulled tight and the table is in a low humidity place...forget about stopping W/O using the rails for brakes. Johnnyt

Starting to wonder if this is the case. I went through like a spurt and into a slump now. I was shooting good on sunday nights but for some reason on apa nights I just struggle.

 

[CreeDo]

This is something I recently came to understand, watching a MASSIVE barbox tournament
(actually several tournaments) at Super Billiards Expo.

On a barbox, trying to get close to the ball and playing your usual 9-footer shape
is asking for trouble. Stop trying to get close to the ball.

On a big table, leaving a shot that is 3/4 the length of the table
(like CB on the kitchen line, object ball halfway between the CB and the far corner pocket)
is often unacceptible and you can miss it. It's a tester.

So if a stop shot lands you on that kitchen line, you really need to draw a foot or two
closer to the next ball, which means you need nice draw speed control.

But on a barbox, CB on the same kitchen line, OB midway between you and the pocket...
that's something you almost can't miss. It's pretty easy.
So, screw it, just do a stop shot. You don't need to mess with that draw speed control
and risk overcooking it and ending up with a really thin cut or bank.

I'm not saying you'll never need speed control on a bar table, it's important of course.
What I'm saying is, learn to play "settle shape" a little more often on the bar table.
Just try it, on almost every shot going 1 or 2 rails, playing shape mostly for the corners,
and leave yourself "long" on purpose but with a focus on getting just the right angle.

You might find what you see as a "long" shot changes and you're not actually settling
when you do this.

 

[randyg]

I have been struggling with adjusting my speed on the bar box lately. Have been hitting everything to hard it seems like and I lose track of the cue ball.

I have an 8 foot table at home with Simonis on it which is the same cloth the valley bar boxes have on them. Are there any drills or anything I can practice at home? Or do I need to change my stroke up for the bar box?

I have some good ideas for you.
What City do you live in?

randyg

 

[tuffstuff07]

This is something I recently came to understand, watching a MASSIVE barbox tournament
(actually several tournaments) at Super Billiards Expo.

On a barbox, trying to get close to the ball and playing your usual 9-footer shape
is asking for trouble. Stop trying to get close to the ball.

On a big table, leaving a shot that is 3/4 the length of the table
(like CB on the kitchen line, object ball halfway between the CB and the far corner pocket)
is often unacceptible and you can miss it. It's a tester.

So if a stop shot lands you on that kitchen line, you really need to draw a foot or two
closer to the next ball, which means you need nice draw speed control.

But on a barbox, CB on the same kitchen line, OB midway between you and the pocket...
that's something you almost can't miss. It's pretty easy.
So, screw it, just do a stop shot. You don't need to mess with that draw speed control
and risk overcooking it and ending up with a really thin cut or bank.

I'm not saying you'll never need speed control on a bar table, it's important of course.
What I'm saying is, learn to play "settle shape" a little more often on the bar table.
Just try it, on almost every shot going 1 or 2 rails, playing shape mostly for the corners,
and leave yourself "long" on purpose but with a focus on getting just the right angle.

You might find what you see as a "long" shot changes and you're not actually settling
when you do this.

I will keep this in mind.