be honest, who really uses center ball ?

[Cannonball55]

As much as we were taught to do years and years ago ....

Hi,

i realize that most pool players ( and us pool playing impersonators ) all learned the importance of addressing the cue ball in the center when we all began playing pool. I find it interesting that in our progression to higher levels of skill, we quickly understood the value of mastering spin, draw, follow etc; all the while using center ball less and less . We all understand that the cue ball can be manipulated to do all all of these things even if struck in the center ( depending on stroke and velocity ) but the point i am making is that in today's pool, it's all about inside english and stun; and if you're playing 9ball, spin and draw reign supreme

It's a different game then it was 30 years ago, back when a lot of the instructional books preached center ball, center ball, center ball, center ball, center ball, center ball . Back in those days clay balls were used and players of yesteryear did indeed use more center ball . I think classic players like Buddy Hall and Jim Rempe are truely exceptional because they maintained their high level of play through the change of time ( and pool table equipment ) especially rempe, he definetly represents traditional text book style of play, addressing center cue ball the majority of the time .

It's just funny how times and styles have changed along with equipment . Notice how many of today's top players are all over the cue ball.

 

[Saggy]

I think mastering center ball is extremly important before you can move on in your game. It is that whole center ball knowledge that make the application of English easier to understand. In essense you gotta crawl before you can walk.

 

[pooltchr]

Years ago, the game was 14.1...it's a different world today. That being said, many students who come through our school are surprised to find out that while they think they know where center ball is, they have a hard time actually hitting the cue ball there. It's something we all should work on from time to time. If you can't hit center ball, how in the world can you measure how far off center you are hitting for the desired spin?

Steve

 

[worriedbeef]

occaisionally if i have a straight in shot and i need to kill the cue ball dead - but apart from that i don't use it. always a touch of outside at the very least on a shot, if i'm not drawing, following, or inside english-ing the cue ball.

Sigel i think says a similar thing - you should never use dead centre ball unless you particularly need it. there's just no reason to. a touch of outside will give you a more natural collision and will also reduce the chances of a skid. i think this is one of the reasons also why snooker players get so many more skids (they call them kicks) than pool players do - a hell of a lot of snooker shots are slow(ish) rolled cuts with pure centre ball which increases the likelyhood of a kick.

finally, using centre ball instead of a touch of outside is illogical because it reduces your margin for error - if you don't get your tip placement perfect on the cue ball and are off by even a couple millimetres, then you put inside english on the ball which could cause you to miss the shot.

 

[skins]

i use very little center ball. i learned a long time ago it's very hard to hit the center of a ball. you're most likely gonna' put some sort of spin on the ball so why not learn to work with it. it did wonders for my game...........


skins ---------- is a little off center anyway......

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

i use very little center ball. i learned a long time ago it's very hard to hit the center of a ball. you're most likely gonna' put some sort of spin on the ball so why not learn to work with it. it did wonders for my game...........


skins ---------- is a little off center anyway......

Good answer.

 

[PKM]

As much as we were taught to do years and years ago ....

Hi,

i realize that most pool players ( and us pool playing impersonators ) all learned the importance of addressing the cue ball in the center when we all began playing pool. I find it interesting that in our progression to higher levels of skill, we quickly understood the value of mastering spin, draw, follow etc; all the while using center ball less and less . We all understand that the cue ball can be manipulated to do all all of these things even if struck in the center ( depending on stroke and velocity ) but the point i am making is that in today's pool, it's all about inside english and stun; and if you're playing 9ball, spin and draw reign supreme

I assume you mean not using English, most people would consider draw and follow to still be center ball (as shorthand for center axis). I'm still a banger, so I don't use much English yet - still learning.

 

[skins]

........... If you can't hit center ball, how in the world can you measure how far off center you are hitting for the desired spin?

Steve

imo if a player is still "measuring" how far they need for spin then they shouldn't be trying to use it at all!...........imo the best way to really "understand" the center ball/english game is to just plain play allot.....

skins ----------- thinks sometimes theres no better teacher than experience.......

 

[halhoule]

Pool

i realize that most pool players ( and us pool playing impersonators ) all learned the importance of addressing the cue ball in the center when we all began playing pool. I find it interesting that in our progression to higher levels of skill, we quickly understood the value of mastering spin, draw, follow etc; all the while using center ball less and less . We all understand that the cue ball can be manipulated to do all all of these things even if struck in the center ( depending on stroke and velocity ) but the point i am making is that in today's pool, it's all about inside english and stun; and if you're playing 9ball, spin and draw reign supreme
YOU ARE SO WRONG/ YOU MISSED THE PIVOT,
It's a different game then it was 30 years ago, back when a lot of the instructional books preached center ball, center ball, center ball, center ball, center ball, center ball . Back in those days clay balls were used and players of yesteryear did indeed use more center ball . I think classic players like Buddy Hall and Jim Rempe are truely exceptional because they maintained their high level of play through the change of time ( and pool table equipment ) especially rempe, he definetly represents traditional text book style of play, addressing center cue ball the majority of the time .

 

[halhoule]

Pool

YOU ARE SO WRONG/ YOU MISSED THE PIVOT,
It's a different game then it was 30 years ago, back when a lot of the instructional books preached center ball, center ball, center ball, center ball, center ball, center ball . Back in those days clay balls were used and players of yesteryear did indeed use more center ball . I think classic players like Buddy Hall and Jim Rempe are truely exceptional because they maintained their high level of play through the change of time ( and pool table equipment ) especially rempe, he definetly represents traditional text book style of play, addressing center cue ball the majority of the time .

 

[jason]

I can use draw, spin, follow, masse, left, right, with a high level of skill. I know them all, but the most important shot of all is center ball. When I mean center ball, I mean a little top center, a little bottom center, or just center period.

 

[s0lidz]

Finding center ball is good for stroke development. If you can hit the very center of the cue ball while looking at the object ball, you're shooting pretty straight. This is why its good for beginners to practice this.

Other than that, I rarely hit center ball. Even on stop shots I always hit a bit lower on the cue ball.

 

[halhoule]

Keep Trying Guys

i realize that most pool players ( and us pool playing impersonators ) all learned the importance of addressing the cue ball in the center when we all began playing pool. I find it interesting that in our progression to higher levels of skill, we quickly understood the value of mastering spin, draw, follow etc; all the while using center ball less and less . We all understand that the cue ball can be manipulated to do all all of these things even if struck in the center ( depending on stroke and velocity ) but the point i am making is that in today's pool, it's all about inside english and stun; and if you're playing 9ball, spin and draw reign supreme
YOU ARE SO WRONG/ YOU MISSED THE PIVOT,
It's a different game then it was 30 years ago, back when a lot of the instructional books preached center ball, center ball, center ball, center ball, center ball, center ball . Back in those days clay balls were used and players of yesteryear did indeed use more center ball . I think classic players like Buddy Hall and Jim Rempe are truely exceptional because ./QUOTE] KEEP TRYING GUYS. HAL

 

[halhoule]

Pool

Finding center ball is good for stroke development. If you can hit the very center of the cue ball while looking at the object ball, you're shooting pretty straight. This is why its good for beginners to practice this.

Other than that, I rarely hit center ball. Even on stop shots I always hit a bit lower on the cue ball.

WHAT A PITY.

 

[ironman]

WHAT A PITY.

Let's face it here. Most when learning are all impressed by the spinning cue ball. Thusly it becomes a very bad habit. Most can't hit center ball because they feel like they are shooting only half a shot.

As Danny Medina told me years ago when he was in his prime, "when you need a doctor, got see the middle of the cue ball."

Not only can few these days play with center ball, most can't play without hitting across the cue ball, meaning aiming right and hitting left. Please explain how someone can master this yet not make balls hitting the middle of the cue ball.

 

[Zoltor]

Hitting the center of the cb still has It's use, however with higher lv play, your placement of the cb becomes very important, and how often do you need the cb to stay when it hits the ob(not very I bet)?

PS. There are times where It's still useful, and is important to learn even today.

 

[Cannonball55]

because of the many different tangent lines u incur when playing position for balls it really depends on the desired path of cue ball travel after contact to determine where u should aim on the cueball . There are several aiming systems that depend soley on the tangent line . Several severe angle cut shots are executed better with the center - to - edge technique

 

[Cannonball55]

there are several shots that are just executed better with spin. running or "helping" english does wonders when u are shooting at a ball down the rail. I use a low cue ball on the majority of my shots because draw puts a forward momentum on the object ball and gives it a better chance to get in the pocket.

 

[TXsouthpaw]

Whats center ball?



J/k

 

[Cannonball55]

Whats center ball?



J/k

if you're asking me you're asking the wrong guy . I have no clue