Can't seem to finish straight..

MOJOE

MOJOE

Work Hard, Be Humble. jbk
Silver Member
Ok, here goes. I've had lessons and I play at a pretty high level, B+ at least, but one thing drives me nuts..

No matter what I work on, grip, shoulder line, stance, etc. this always happens.

When I perform my practice strokes, smooth as a whistle, straight as an arrow all the way to the end of my follow through..

When I hit the actual CB on any shot with any stroke at all, my cue tip finishes to the left of the stroke follow through line. I video tape myself for feedback often, I can't seem to lick this.

My hip is not in the way. I played a streamed match that was recorded at a GSBT event last weekend and you can see what I mean. Watch my shooting arm at the end of some of my shots, I'm the older guy. My right arm pops way out OFTEN.. I still make 99% of my shots but this is driving me crazy. Here is the link to my latest match..

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/20519486

Any feedback from the instructors is appreciated. I've had a lesson with Scott Lee a few years back, he is excellent by the way.
 
Sounds like a tight grip problem.
When you grip the cue your hand has to turn in the middle of your stroke. This will cause your cue stick to go sideways.

my opinion
randyg
 
MOJOE said:
Ok, here goes. I've had lessons and I play at a pretty high level, B+ at least, but one thing drives me nuts..

No matter what I work on, grip, shoulder line, stance, etc. this always happens.

When I perform my practice strokes, smooth as a whistle, straight as an arrow all the way to the end of my follow through..

When I hit the actual CB on any shot with any stroke at all, my cue tip finishes to the left of the stroke follow through line. I video tape myself for feedback often, I can't seem to lick this.

My hip is not in the way. I played a streamed match that was recorded at a GSBT event last weekend and you can see what I mean. Watch my shooting arm at the end of some of my shots, I'm the older guy. My right arm pops way out OFTEN.. I still make 99% of my shots but this is driving me crazy. Here is the link to my latest match..

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/20519486

Any feedback from the instructors is appreciated. I've had a lesson with Scott Lee a few years back, he is excellent by the way.
Click to expand...

He hits a shot at about the 2 minute mark which demonstrates his "flaw". I am no pool instructor but my focus would be on lightening the grip and finding a proper stopping point for the stroke.
 
I was just discussing this with a buddy of mine the other day. I too have this "problem", didn't used to before I took a long break since I distinctly remember the shaft following through straight through to the target. I probably play very similar to you as well, and like you it drives me nuts! I'm happy with pretty much everything else in my setup, stroke, etc. except this.

I watched your vid at the 2 minute mark as someone said. Your move looks a little more severe than mine, at least on that shot, but it's similar. Unforunately I don't have any clear video of me playing, just cell phone footage with bad lighting, but if anyone wants to look through for any shots that might show the issue the video is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIRDvMNioEg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I've heard a few suggestions - grip pressure, alignment, etc. I don't think I grip the cue too tightly, if anything I've relaxed even more lately, no change. I thought maybe it was some subtle thing in my stance or alignment, something causing me to unconsciously move my arm out or hand in on the follow through. But I've tried shifting my stance around, opening and closing my shoulders, etc., no effect.

Several top players have said not to worry about it, if the balls are dropping and there isn't any residual english on the shots then it's after the shot and no biggie. I have a hard time accepting that, it's a visual thing that bugs me and makes me think something is crooked. If I start thinking about it it can be distracting, so I try not to think about it too much...

Who knows, maybe I am gripping the cue a bit on the follow through, or my elbow is a bit outside or something. Curious to see any other responses.

Scott
Member of the left strokers club...
 
Last edited:
Scott,

Wow, your post sounds just about identical to how I feel.. I've worked on grip pressure, alignment, stance and just about everything else fundamental and still have the issue.

I too make balls fine most of the time but it's driving me crazy as I know I should be coming through straighter. Stan Shuffet suggested that my hand was too close to my hip when I had a lesson with him a couple of years ago, I've since changed my stance so that's not an issue and still have the same troubles.

If you figure anything out, let me know. I'll do the same for you.

I appreciate your reply! Looking forward to others!!

Joey
 
Could be grip pressure, but I am not sure. You really need to reflect on what you feel when you do this.

I am wondering if you are just not quite ready to pull the trigger on the shot, but you do anyway and then do some last second adjustments during your final stroke.
 
Okay, not an instructor, but this is fascinating to me...I personally wouldn't sweat it if I were you. Your stroke as it is works just fine. The lateral movement is clearly after contact, for some reason, your stroke hand is swinging out after contact. It doesn't look grip related to me, but maybe something you unconsciously added to your stroke to compensate for something else? You could work on a finish position that ends up straight and work on following through to that, but your stance doesn't look like it lends itself to a finish position that would put your hand in a repeatable position (like hand to pectoral, etc.). Not sure it would be worth the effort, but if it's in your head, maybe you could work on a repeatable finish position that ends up straight (IMHO it would monkey with too much and isn't worth changing something that works fine for you).

On another point, I notice that your glasses have you bobbing your head from cue ball to object ball and back...are they bifocals or graduated lenses? Have you thought about billiard glasses? Then again, if it doesn't bother you, no problem!
 
It's not a flaw.... It's a method picked up for using back hand english before someone understands backhand english thoroughly..... If you at the right pivot point it's not hurting anything and it is a tool for your subconscious to make the balls do what you want them to do....

If you want to correct it concentrate on the conscious use of BHE and learning it completely and the swoop will go away.....
 
The head bobbing thing IS more troublesome... As long as you are square in your setup so that the headed raises and lowers on a single vertical plane it's a non issue as well... as soon there are side to side elements creeping into it it can and will be the start of a major slump......
 
Your grip is definitely too tight at times. There are many other things you could also improve upon. Visit an instructor, and they can fix you up quickly.
 
MOJOE, you don't always do it. I noticed that you don't do it (or do it to a much lesser degree) when you stay down on your shots. You do it every time you jump up. Sometimes I think you're in motion jumping up before the tip even hits the cue ball.

I definitely think it's associated with some sort of feeling of anxiety ---maybe you don't like the shot, or maybe you're just a little too wound up early in the match. Then as the match progresses and you settle down, you stay down on your shots better and it's not there nearly as much.

I bet if you practiced relaxation techniques and worked on really staying down on your shots, it might just go away.
 
Thanks for all of the comments, this has absolutely driven me nuts for quite a while now. When I quit thinking about it and just focus on a smooth delivery, I play lights out. Unfortunately, I think way too much.

I was not even aware of the head bobbing, I don't wear bifocals for my pool glasses but do for my work glasses, my eyes are shot.

I appreciate all of the advice, I will work on some relaxation techniques as Fran suggested, also try to focus on my head staying down.

I love this game so much, it sometimes drives me to the brink of insanity. I'm a perfectionist and that is not always a good thing..

Keep em' coming. Joey
 
Fran has the answer

MOJOE said:
Ok, here goes. I've had lessons and I play at a pretty high level, B+ at least, but one thing drives me nuts..

No matter what I work on, grip, shoulder line, stance, etc. this always happens.

When I perform my practice strokes, smooth as a whistle, straight as an arrow all the way to the end of my follow through..

When I hit the actual CB on any shot with any stroke at all, my cue tip finishes to the left of the stroke follow through line. I video tape myself for feedback often, I can't seem to lick this.

My hip is not in the way. I played a streamed match that was recorded at a GSBT event last weekend and you can see what I mean. Watch my shooting arm at the end of some of my shots, I'm the older guy. My right arm pops way out OFTEN.. I still make 99% of my shots but this is driving me crazy. Here is the link to my latest match..

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/20519486

Any feedback from the instructors is appreciated. I've had a lesson with Scott Lee a few years back, he is excellent by the way.
Click to expand...

Fran is correct. You have lots of head movement on your shot. Check out the thread on head movement.
Donny L
PBIA/ACS Instructor
Gainesville, Fl
 
Yea, mine is a bit different than Joe's. Mine is not from jumping up, and I don't wear glasses so no head bobbing, pretty sure I have very little if any head movement. Also not from BHE or swooping, as it's most noticeable on straight in shots. My cue doesn't finish left in the air but on the table, and just slightly left, but enough to notice. But then again I'm a perfectionist... :)

So if I were aiming at the corner pocket on a long straight in shot, when I finish my stroke my tip will be on the table 6 - 8 inches in front of where I started but not on a direct line to the corner, it would be pointing say an inch or two left of the pocket. So it's subtle, but not straight all the same. And like I said, didn't used to do this, so I have a feeling it's related to my setup, that maybe I'm just a little too close to my hip, or something in my arm/shoulder alignment is just slightly off, to where on a loose follow through my arm, elbow, or hand is finishing in line with where it naturally wants to be.

I'll try to capture some clear footage when I can with some help and post then, I'm sure it's hard to advise without seeing it.

Scott
 
MOJOE said:
Thanks for all of the comments, this has absolutely driven me nuts for quite a while now. When I quit thinking about it and just focus on a smooth delivery, I play lights out. Unfortunately, I think way too much.

I was not even aware of the head bobbing, I don't wear bifocals for my pool glasses but do for my work glasses, my eyes are shot.

I appreciate all of the advice, I will work on some relaxation techniques as Fran suggested, also try to focus on my head staying down.

I love this game so much, it sometimes drives me to the brink of insanity. I'm a perfectionist and that is not always a good thing..

Keep em' coming. Joey
Click to expand...

You sound almost exactly like me! When I finally do post a video, it will have to be with a bag over my head. :(
 
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