Closed bridge advice

J

JNUTZ

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Okay so I'm just a mid level beginner. I can run 3-5 balls, and on a good night 6 maybe 7. (Usually play 9 ball)

I've been practicing a lot more now that I have my own table and things are getting even better.

My issue is that I really didn't start playing pool until just 3 years ago, late 20's. I always loved the game but never had any REAL mechanics.

I've always used an open bridge and I've been getting better with it but I'm starting to understand why I need the closed bridge on a lot more shots for stability and keeping my aim point exactly where I'm trying to aim.

My problem is that the closed bridge just doesn't feel natural for me and I've watched lots of videos and watched other players. I know how to do it but doesn't feel right, is this something that's going to come with more practice? I am sticking with it and trying to only use open bridge when on the rail or absolutely must.

I know a lot of you out there use open bridge and are pretty good with it, but I'm still building my mechanics up and want to maximize every tool out there. After I get my bridge set and get down on the ball I am more consistent with the closed bridge, so just wondering how long it took you guys to feel comfortable with it or was it just natural.

A little side not. I'm a left handed guy, but do a lot of things right handed, (shoot guns, and pool (unless I'm using the bridge) almost everything else is left handed.
 
I've always used a closed bridge primarily so I can't remember it ever being unnatural. But certainly I get that it feels foreign to you. I'm sure if you continue to practice it will being to fell natural to you as well. :wink:
 
Hi JNUT2,

happy new year^^- you wrote already, that you re feeling comfortable with the open bridge- this is very important and helpful. Usualy you can say that the *average advanced player* is using about 4-5 different bridges to play. But your question how long it may take is difficult to answer. It ll take so long as it takes :-)
I would just recommend to play some drills/patterns with closed bridge each day you re going to play. Use drills where you are feeling *most comfortable* with a closed bridge and as time goes by you ll feel also more comfortable on other shots where you thought before that it was a *bad feeling*. It s a bit about physical training for your hand/fingers.
Don t care too much about it- and i am very sure that you ll feel soon that you made a next step where you re feeling more and more comfortable.

Using the bridge where you re feeling good is the right one for you in my opinion. There are just some shots where the closed bridge helps-and those you ll master also soon my friend,

now comes the *BUT*: If you think that it is perhaps a technical problem- contact an instructor- he will fix THIS problem very fast and you ll profit a lifetime- billiards starting with fundamentals :-)

keep shooting and have fun,
lg from overseas,

Ingo
 
Ingo- Thanks for the advice, and I think you're right... I guess it's just learning as I play more, and I think that maybe it means I'm adding more weapons to my game.

I don't think it's a mechanics thing because I'm actually shooting well with the closed bridge it just feels foreign. But I'll just keep at it until it feels natural.
 
Good choice :)

that s the way it will work- just practising and having fun!

Ingo
 
Firstly, there are almost no shots in pool where you 100% require a closed bridge versus an open bridge. Many players, however, prefer the closed bridge because they might be letting their stroke out - where the closed bridge mitigates stroking errors.

When making a closed bridge, make sure your bridge is wrapped tightly around your cue (but absolutely does not affect the smoothness of the shaft moving through your hand) and then you should "anchor" your bridge by squishing it slighly into the table. Mind you, this doesn't mean you're leaning on your bridge hand or affecting the weight distribution of your stance; however, you want your bridge to be set firmly into place with a sensation that it's part of the table.

It's possible that your closed bridge feels unnatural because it's weak (loose around the shaft and set on the table in a wispy/limp fashion).

Max Eberle has some good ideas/concepts on the closed bridge. My concepts of the closed bridge were pretty much lifted from what he says because I think he's spot-on.

Dave
 
Repetition is your friend. There are many positively arthritic hand positions you may find yourself using. After years of playing, they won't be uncomfortable at all. They'll come naturally, sorta. Keep your open bridge handy though. Some times if I feel like my stroke is out of whack, when I switch back to the open bridge things smooth out again.
 
JNUTZ said:
Okay so I'm just a mid level beginner. I can run 3-5 balls, and on a good night 6 maybe 7. (Usually play 9 ball)

I've been practicing a lot more now that I have my own table and things are getting even better.

My issue is that I really didn't start playing pool until just 3 years ago, late 20's. I always loved the game but never had any REAL mechanics.

I've always used an open bridge and I've been getting better with it but I'm starting to understand why I need the closed bridge on a lot more shots for stability and keeping my aim point exactly where I'm trying to aim.

My problem is that the closed bridge just doesn't feel natural for me and I've watched lots of videos and watched other players. I know how to do it but doesn't feel right, is this something that's going to come with more practice? I am sticking with it and trying to only use open bridge when on the rail or absolutely must.

I know a lot of you out there use open bridge and are pretty good with it, but I'm still building my mechanics up and want to maximize every tool out there. After I get my bridge set and get down on the ball I am more consistent with the closed bridge, so just wondering how long it took you guys to feel comfortable with it or was it just natural.

A little side not. I'm a left handed guy, but do a lot of things right handed, (shoot guns, and pool (unless I'm using the bridge) almost everything else is left handed.
Click to expand...

u can do mostly everything u need to do on the table with an open bridge....except for power break super draw and crazy break out shots.....i say u learn and get comfortable with a closed bridge because we all need all the tools to play the game to the best of our ability but i reccommend open bridge for 90% of everything u do at the level you are at right now.....u have a better line of sight on the shot with an open bridge and u get in less trouble...
 
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