I have been working on my draw shot for some time now and about 2 months ago something clicked and I can draw the ball back with no problem now . What is the best way to control how far back I want to draw my shot. Is it in my cue speed or in my cue tip placement (high or low)on the cue .
Controlling draw
- Thread starter ROG
- Start date
Work on tip position in conjunction with speed. Work on "normal" reference shots from 1, 2, and 3 diamonds away from the object ball and learn what various amounts of english and speed will do for you now, may have to be adjusted as the quality of your draw stroke improves over time.
Get the progressive practice drills from Bob Jewett's site (sfbilliards.com), they are great for fine tuning your control and building that muscle memory for stop, draw, and follow shots.
Scott
Get the progressive practice drills from Bob Jewett's site (sfbilliards.com), they are great for fine tuning your control and building that muscle memory for stop, draw, and follow shots.
Scott
Roger...Hmmm...clicked 2 months ago...and I was there about 4 months ago...hmmm! LOL All kidding aside, if you're used to shooting with your personal template that we measured the first time, and remeasured the second time...you should have a 'grooved' range of motion in your stroke. Your tip starts and stops in the same places, regardless of tip position or velocity of the cue stick (this applies to "normal" shots...what we call SOP). You have your own personal finish...the question is whether it has become subconscious, or not? Until you have your natural swing down, and have practiced Mother Drill 5, it's just trial and error to try and figure speed out. Once your brain understands your range of motion, it will train the biceps to be able to react on command, regardless of cue speed (I showed you 10 speeds, with the same stroke). Once you can deliver the cue subconsciously at any speed, tip positions and some dedicated practice yield huge results. MD 6 & 7 show the results that Randyg was talking about (tangent lines at draw speeds). It's all in your comfort level with your stroke, Roger! Hope this helps!
Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
This is what I did years ago...maybe it will help you, maybe not. You want to strive for shooting all shots at the same speed. Of course, you can't succeed at that , but the majority of shots can be shot at a certain speed. When you know that speed, and have it set subconsciously, then you can start to learn what the cb reaction is with different tip placements.
Most shots, I want to be about 3 diamonds from the ob. Gives a little leeway in speed control and position play. Knowing that, I know exactly where to hit the cb to get a stop or stun shot from that distance at the speed I normally use. From there, you can go down one more tip from a stop shot, at the same standard speed, and learn how far the cb will draw. Then do it with two tips lower.
Now, you have a standard to go by. If you need more draw, you just apply more speed. Takes practice, but it gives you a baseline to go off of. Of course, you have to hit the cb precisely, not just where you "think" you are hitting it.
Most shots, I want to be about 3 diamonds from the ob. Gives a little leeway in speed control and position play. Knowing that, I know exactly where to hit the cb to get a stop or stun shot from that distance at the speed I normally use. From there, you can go down one more tip from a stop shot, at the same standard speed, and learn how far the cb will draw. Then do it with two tips lower.
Now, you have a standard to go by. If you need more draw, you just apply more speed. Takes practice, but it gives you a baseline to go off of. Of course, you have to hit the cb precisely, not just where you "think" you are hitting it.
I'll opine but I'm not trying to distract you from the drills and advice suggested--this is more for other readers with the same question.
To control draw distance with great precision, it's easier to use a speed of stroke you are sure of--like your personal "medium pace"--and then adjust the tip specifically. Oversimplifying here, but if Medium is "5", Break is "10" and fairly soft is "1", I'd personally rather hit a 5-speed X.X tips below center than stroke a 3.65 at the usual draw spot and etc.
I like Dominic Esposito's set of 10 stroke speeds. Any player can take them to their home table and cloth and calculate from there...
To control draw distance with great precision, it's easier to use a speed of stroke you are sure of--like your personal "medium pace"--and then adjust the tip specifically. Oversimplifying here, but if Medium is "5", Break is "10" and fairly soft is "1", I'd personally rather hit a 5-speed X.X tips below center than stroke a 3.65 at the usual draw spot and etc.
I like Dominic Esposito's set of 10 stroke speeds. Any player can take them to their home table and cloth and calculate from there...
Jimmy Reid
US Open 9 Ball Champion
It is both. If you shoot real low, you don't have to shoot too hard to draw it back. If you shoot higher, you have to shoot harder to draw it back.
This is covered in my No Time For Negative 2 hr-dvd. For sale now on ebay for $29.99.
Best of Luck !
This is covered in my No Time For Negative 2 hr-dvd. For sale now on ebay for $29.99.
Best of Luck !
Here is a column by Dr. Dave on the "Wagon Wheel Drill" http://billiards.colostate.edu/bd_articles/2012/june12.pdf
If you do the drill, you will find as mentioned by others that you will have to vary both the height and the speed to make the cue ball go where you want if there is any cut angle. If the shot is straight, and only then, are you free to trade off tip height and stick speed without changing the angle of the return of the cue ball.
One thing that will help to control shots at the soft end of the spectrum is to shorten your bridge. For some shots, I recommend under six inches from hand to cue ball.
Just want to say thanks for the help
Scott - After my last lesson with you I worked hard on improving my stroke . What really made the difference was using a close bridge , witch was hard for me because I've used an open bridge ever since I've been a kid . It took me about 2 months to get used to it and that's what made all the difference in my draw .
I guess I'm going to have to keep working on it , In my head having a constant and adjusting speed or tip height is the way to go but that's the toolmaker in me
Scott - After my last lesson with you I worked hard on improving my stroke . What really made the difference was using a close bridge , witch was hard for me because I've used an open bridge ever since I've been a kid . It took me about 2 months to get used to it and that's what made all the difference in my draw .
I guess I'm going to have to keep working on it , In my head having a constant and adjusting speed or tip height is the way to go but that's the toolmaker in me
Draw Control Method
ROG,
I have a method that I practice from time to time that helps some.
I put a ball 1 diamond away from the corner pocket beside the long rail. Then I put the cue ball 2 diamonds from it and draw the ball back 1 diamond distance several times as I make the shot to calibrate my stroke.
Then I double the distance to 4 diamonds from the object ball with the cue ball and I shoot the shot with the same stroke as before.
What I have found is that where you were getting 1 diamond of draw you will now get 1/2 diamond or a little less.
This gives you something to hang onto and you can practice different distances if you like and double them up differently.
Works well for me once when I was practicing this from time to time I drew a ball in a friendly game toward a pocket and stopped it a 5 diamonds distance in front of the hole to get shape. Im sure I hit a luck shot but I had an idea in my mind of what that 5 diamond stroke was supposed to feel like and it turned out I was right.
ROG,
I have a method that I practice from time to time that helps some.
I put a ball 1 diamond away from the corner pocket beside the long rail. Then I put the cue ball 2 diamonds from it and draw the ball back 1 diamond distance several times as I make the shot to calibrate my stroke.
Then I double the distance to 4 diamonds from the object ball with the cue ball and I shoot the shot with the same stroke as before.
What I have found is that where you were getting 1 diamond of draw you will now get 1/2 diamond or a little less.
This gives you something to hang onto and you can practice different distances if you like and double them up differently.
Works well for me once when I was practicing this from time to time I drew a ball in a friendly game toward a pocket and stopped it a 5 diamonds distance in front of the hole to get shape. Im sure I hit a luck shot but I had an idea in my mind of what that 5 diamond stroke was supposed to feel like and it turned out I was right.
This is just my $.02 and i am sure some will jump my case for saying this.
To become better you have to do one thing - work at it. So, why not try this method:
PRACTICE THOSE DRAW SHOTS 10,000 TIMES!!
Mike
To become better you have to do one thing - work at it. So, why not try this method:
PRACTICE THOSE DRAW SHOTS 10,000 TIMES!!
Mike
Here's how I learned to control the speed of my draw stroke.
Just set up a straight in shot near the side rail. Put a coin or piece of chalk on the rail to where you want to draw the ball. Try to hit that mark.
Start off easy, and gradually increase distance between the OB and CB.
Just set up a straight in shot near the side rail. Put a coin or piece of chalk on the rail to where you want to draw the ball. Try to hit that mark.
Start off easy, and gradually increase distance between the OB and CB.
That's like a progressive practice without the two-way adjustment. Here is a description of progressive practice: http://www.sfbilliards.com/progpract.pdf