Best Instructional YouTube Video For Shooting Off The Cushion Recommendations?

C

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
After playing pool for 50+ years, I am now absolutely terrified by shots off the cushion, or even when my cue ball is within 2-3 inches of the cushion and I’m shooting perpendicular to the cushion. I realize nobody loves these shots if they can be avoided, but the younger players in here that are far less skilled than me seem to have no trouble with them like I do.

It doesn’t matter if it’s an absolutely simple shot virtually straight in the side or the corner, I just can’t seem to consistently deliver a straight stroke and often miss these shots. I know they never bothered me before to the extent that they do now, and I know at this point it has become largely mental.

You certainly can’t play good pool when you have this kind of fear when your positioning sometimes dictates that you have to shoot a shot off the rail, particularly if it’s the 9-ball.

Any advice on something any of you have found that worked for you, or on any instructional YouTube videos on this topic you have found to be of benefit would be greatly appreciated – thanks!
 
Paul Potier told me there are only a couple of times when you should look at the cue ball last. Shooting off the rail is one of them. Particularly effective shooting across the table.

A closed bridge also helps.
 
This is one of the places where having knowledge of a slip stroke helps a ton. I generally shoot as far back on the rail as possible or even hanging off of the outside of the rail with only fingertips on the rail stretching the bridge all I can. Using a slip stroke also gives a freer relaxed stroke.

Since you have let the shots get in your head another thing to do is tell yourself you love these shots when one comes up. Gonna have to shoot these shots in practice until they are just another shot for you again.

Hu
 
JC said:
Paul Potier told me there are only a couple of times when you should look at the cue ball last. Shooting off the rail is one of them. Particularly effective shooting across the table.

A closed bridge also helps.
Click to expand...
I will experiment with both these suggestions - thanks!
 
One thing I've tried is when playing practice games is to put any ball in hand up against a rail. Forces me to practice these shots more as I miss too many from my point of view. A couple weeks ago I played on a table with wide level rails and had almost no trouble at all.
Quite a difference from the Gandy I usually play on with thinner rails that curve downward as they approach the edge. I need to develop a better bridge for these, but playing only once or twice a week doesn't allow much consistentcy.
 
gerard soriano said:
I agree,
I teach people when shooting off the rail never ever have a pause in your stroke works wonders IMHO
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That’s exactly what the short Jimmy Reid YouTube video stresses of most importance when shooting shots with the cue ball frozen on the rail. I am experimenting with it some right now and seeming to do a little better by doing that as well as a closed bridge and choking up with the grip hand on the cue.

I’m finding the closed bridge really crowds the cue ball and doesn’t allow much room for a backstroke, but it’s still feeling better for me than the open bridge. It’s just going to take a lot of practice sessions doing this before I can get over this fear.
 
ChrisinNC said:
That’s exactly what the short Jimmy Reid YouTube video stresses of most importance when shooting shots with the cue ball frozen on the rail. I am experimenting with it some right now and seeming to do a little better by doing that as well as a closed bridge and choking up with the grip hand on the cue.

I’m finding the closed bridge really crowds the cue ball and doesn’t allow much room for a backstroke, but it’s still feeling better for me than the open bridge. It’s just going to take a lot of practice sessions doing this before I can get over this fear.
Click to expand...
This is how I was shown to do it to keep the tip on center and on the cue ball. Finger tips way out on the edge of the table. The closed bridge keeps the tip from slipping off the top to allow me a smooth follow through.

 
I find using an LD shaft, especially the stiffer CF ones like Revo and Mezz one, helps with over the ball and cushion shots. When shooting off the rail it helps me if I elevate a few degrees, I feel the hit is more solid.
 
I discovered that some cushion tops bend down towards the table a bit. This can ruin a good bridge.

To compensate, I use two fingers inn my bridge to lift the cue a hair off the cushion so it strokes straighter than if laying on the bent rail.

If that makes sense. It helped me with a couple of shots I just kept missing.


Jeff Livingston
 
JC said:
Paul Potier told me there are only a couple of times when you should look at the cue ball last. Shooting off the rail is one of them. Particularly effective shooting across the table.

A closed bridge also helps.
Click to expand...
The problem I find with a closed bridge is you are crowding the cue ball. With a closed bridge on the rail, your bridge hand is a visual distraction / obstruction from being able to use the line of the shaft to help line up your cue to where you are aiming on the object ball.
 
JC said:
Paul Potier told me there are only a couple of times when you should look at the cue ball last. Shooting off the rail is one of them. Particularly effective shooting across the table.

A closed bridge also helps.
Click to expand...
Big thumbs up.
I also recall a story he told of a person that he played even with in practice and his finding out that he played cue ball last.
When I made the switch 8 years ago, the close to the rail shot was the first that showed me how much better I could do watching the tip go through the cue ball. Being accustomed to that makes jump shot accuracy easier.
I found Paul’s insightful commentary spot on when working with the girls video of a match.
 
ChrisinNC said:
The problem I find with a closed bridge is you are crowding the cue ball. With a closed bridge on the rail, your bridge hand is a visual distraction / obstruction from being able to use the line of the shaft to help line up your cue to where you are aiming on the object ball.
Click to expand...
Your aiming should pretty much be complete within the necessary margin of error lining up your stance and prior to even dropping your hand down on the rail. It takes some getting used to but once it clicks it's worth it.
gregcantrall said:
Big thumbs up.
I also recall a story he told of a person that he played even with in practice and his finding out that he played cue ball last.
When I made the switch 8 years ago, the close to the rail shot was the first that showed me how much better I could do watching the tip go through the cue ball. Being accustomed to that makes jump shot accuracy easier.
I found Paul’s insightful commentary spot on when working with the girls video of a match.
Click to expand...
If your alignment is good in your pre shot routine there is no reason you cannot look at the cue ball last on every shot. Many good players do as Paul noted. I find moving my eyes forward to the object ball in sync with the stroke has a really good feel once you practice and coordinate it.

Paul also told me he looks at the cue ball last on the break shot. And of course the jump.
 
ChrisinNC said:
That’s exactly what the short Jimmy Reid YouTube video stresses of most importance when shooting shots with the cue ball frozen on the rail. I am experimenting with it some right now and seeming to do a little better by doing that as well as a closed bridge and choking up with the grip hand on the cue.

I’m finding the closed bridge really crowds the cue ball and doesn’t allow much room for a backstroke, but it’s still feeling better for me than the open bridge. It’s just going to take a lot of practice sessions doing this before I can get over this fear.
Click to expand...
I dont like shooting a ball off of the rail with a closed bridge but I do tend to grip the cue tighter with my back hand when the cue ball is on the rail. I also eliminate pauses when on the rail, stroke slower but deliberate, a look at the cue last on real long shots, shorter shots I look at object ball last. A lot of this same stuff I do when jacked close to another ball too.
 
JC said:
Paul Potier told me there are only a couple of times when you should look at the cue ball last. Shooting off the rail is one of them. Particularly effective shooting across the table.

A closed bridge also helps.
Click to expand...

Spot on, that's how I do it.
 
JC said:
Your aiming should pretty much be complete within the necessary margin of error lining up your stance and prior to even dropping your hand down on the rail. It takes some getting used to but once it clicks it's worth it.

If your alignment is good in your pre shot routine there is no reason you cannot look at the cue ball last on every shot. Many good players do as Paul noted. I find moving my eyes forward to the object ball in sync with the stroke has a really good feel once you practice and coordinate it.

Paul also told me he looks at the cue ball last on the break shot. And of course the jump.
Click to expand...
The bold is very similar to the way I was playing at first. I experienced good success that way. Then I took some time off and upon returning to the game, I found the levels elusive and it was not fun. The transition to cue ball last enabled me to achieve the same and perhaps even a greater level of performance. My endurance is suspect though:wink:
 
As to the closed bridge: Corey’s power draw off the rail was executed with an open bridge. But that is some advanced shit!
 
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