Controlling the Draw

[berlowmj]

My draw has never been anything spectacular, however today I played on a table which either had new cloth or had just been scrupulously brushed & vacuumed. I was pleased when I drew the ball with sufficient power to break several dense clusters. However, I was dismayed when I drew it much farther than I intended & lost position.

What steps can I take to control my draw?

 

[Deadon]

Be more consious of how low you are cueing and the speed of the cue. The speed of your cue/shot will usually be reflected by the length of your backswing.

Randyg and Scott Lee teach an interesting way to work with this. Simply put, you number your speed based on the number of diamonds the cue ball travels. Starts at about one table length for a 1 and 1 table +1 diamond for a 2 and so forth. It isn't that tough to work on. Helps on lags also. Once you feel how hard a 1 speed shot is, you draw the ball with a one. From one diamond from the object ball, it will draw a certain length every time provided it is hit with a 1 speed and cued at the same spot. Assuming, of course your stroke is consistent.

Example, If I use a 1 speed stroke and strike the cueball with max low, if the object ball is 1 diamond away and I hit full ball, my cue ball will draw back 1 diamond, always, on my regular table of course.

The point is, a little instruction will help give you some tangible measurements to work with to integrate into an understanding and develop your own feel for these shots. Hope Randy and Scott don't mind if I tried to explain something and I may have totally messed it up.

Mike

 

[berlowmj]

Thanks

Be more consious of how low you are cueing and the speed of the cue. The speed of your cue/shot will usually be reflected by the length of your backswing.

Randyg and Scott Lee teach an interesting way to work with this. Simply put, you number your speed based on the number of diamonds the cue ball travels. Starts at about one table length for a 1 and 1 table +1 diamond for a 2 and so forth. It isn't that tough to work on. Helps on lags also. Once you feel how hard a 1 speed shot is, you draw the ball with a one. From one diamond from the object ball, it will draw a certain length every time provided it is hit with a 1 speed and cued at the same spot. Assuming, of course your stroke is consistent.

Example, If I use a 1 speed stroke and strike the cueball with max low, if the object ball is 1 diamond away and I hit full ball, my cue ball will draw back 1 diamond, always, on my regular table of course.

The point is, a little instruction will help give you some tangible measurements to work with to integrate into an understanding and develop your own feel for these shots. Hope Randy and Scott don't mind if I tried to explain something and I may have totally messed it up.

Mike

I will experiment tomorrow. Thanks for the detailed explanation. I have not seen this issue covered in books I have read.

 

[Scott Lee]

Be more consious of how low you are cueing and the speed of the cue. The speed of your cue/shot will usually be reflected by the length of your backswing.

Randyg and Scott Lee teach an interesting way to work with this. Simply put, you number your speed based on the number of diamonds the cue ball travels. Starts at about one table length for a 1 and 1 table +1 diamond for a 2 and so forth. It isn't that tough to work on. Helps on lags also. Once you feel how hard a 1 speed shot is, you draw the ball with a one. From one diamond from the object ball, it will draw a certain length every time provided it is hit with a 1 speed and cued at the same spot. Assuming, of course your stroke is consistent.

Example, If I use a 1 speed stroke and strike the cueball with max low, if the object ball is 1 diamond away and I hit full ball, my cue ball will draw back 1 diamond, always, on my regular table of course.

The point is, a little instruction will help give you some tangible measurements to work with to integrate into an understanding and develop your own feel for these shots. Hope Randy and Scott don't mind if I tried to explain something and I may have totally messed it up.

Mike

Very good Mike...for a table length draw (from one diamond away, it would correspond to around a 4-5 speed (which is a pretty normal stroke speed for many players). For anyone interested, I will be teaching this system on our Cue Tech room table, at the Riviera, next week.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

 

[Andrew Manning]

Of course it should be noted that stroke speed is only half the battle. The two most relevant variables are speed of stroke and how low you hit the CB. You have to be hitting the CB very consistently in exactly the same spot, and then you can learn, for that exact tip offset, how much stroke speed to use for different lengths of draw.

-Andrew

 

[3kushn]

You simply need to practice these types of shots. To achieve precision you need to set up drills that require it. One suggestion is to set up a shot (remember to mark the ball positions) and try to make a carom either to a CERTAIN spot on the table, cushion or to another ball. Your CB must stop at the Specific spot rather than a Large General Area.

A master archer doesn't aim for the Bull, he aims for DEAD CENTER of the Bull.

Nobody will ever be perfect but it's hard to improve unless you try.

 

[rikdee]

Another variable

Of course it should be noted that stroke speed is only half the battle. The two most relevant variables are speed of stroke and how low you hit the CB. You have to be hitting the CB very consistently in exactly the same spot, and then you can learn, for that exact tip offset, how much stroke speed to use for different lengths of draw.

-Andrew

I would also add the wristiness of the stroke as a controllable aspect. Carom billiards is a good example: a lively draw versus a deadball draw, the latter being not quite as snappy.

 

[MichaelKendall]

Anyone have tips for hitting draw shots from almost the entire table length.

 

[Bob Jewett]

Anyone have tips for hitting draw shots from almost the entire table length.

Yes. Work up to it. At each step, try to make the shot as effortless as you can. If you are hitting the ball hard and a long distance, you might try hitting just a little higher on the cue ball. It gets the cue ball there faster even if it doesn't start with as much draw.

 

[Nekdo]

Set up, look at your elbow if your allignment is ok, and stroke through the cb.It is VERY important that you dont move.With power draw most of us put a ľittle bodyˇin the shot.You don`t have to hit balls hard at all.Concentrate on your stroke not on power.Power has very little to do with draw shots.

 

[KMRUNOUT]

I am not the worlds greatest player by any stretch, but I draw pretty well. Here is why:

1) DO NOT TRY!! The worst thing you can do for a draw stroke is try to muscle the cue or cue ball. This tenses all your muscles and greatly reduces both the power and accuracy of your draw. Try to develop a feeling of extreme looseness. When you are practice stroking, you should try to be aware of complete relaxation in your arm. Any muscles tensing is generally bad. Believe it or not, you really don't have to push very hard to get tons of draw. The most important thing is speed of cuetip and accuracy of hit on the cueball. When I try to draw a LOT, there is a strong tendency for my arm to want to tense up and really PUSH. This destroys your stroke, and often leads to missed shots. Really try to focus on NOT clenching your arm and harder when stroking. Loose arm, loose grip, loose stroke.
2) I have spent a TON of time on a particular drill. It works like this. I set up an object ball about a balls width from the left side rail, one diamond back from the far corner pocket. (For righties). I place the cueball one diamond away from the object ball, straight in. I take a piece of notebook paper and place it beside the line I am shooting on, so that the center of the paper is beside the cueball starting position. This basically shows me a "target zone" about 11" long. This is pretty generous. You can use whatever you want for a target. The goal is to shoot the ball in and draw back to the starting location. (Or within the target range. My piece of paper means I can be up to 5.5" away from the taget and it si still a "good" shot.) When I can do this 3 times in a row, I move the target back one diamond. So now I am drawing back 1 diamond past where I started. When I do this 3 times in a row, I move one more diamond back. When I can do 3 in a row drawing back to the last diamond, now I move the cue ball starting location back one diamond. At this new position, I draw back one diamond, two, three, etc. Eventually I will be starting with the cueball 6 diamonds away from the object ball, and drawing back 6 diamonds. When you can do this 3 times in a row, you have an excellent draw stroke. To complete this drill could take all day, depending on your ability. But do it many times, and your draw accuracy will get pretty awesome. Don't forget, the goal isn't to draw past the target, but right to the target.

Hope this helps,

Kerry

 

[Luxury]

Anyone have tips for hitting draw shots from almost the entire table length.

I spent an hour straight trying to shoot a ball that is one diamond from the corner pocket and the cue in the kitchen and the goal was to draw back and hit the cushion. I couldn't do it for so many tries but at the end of the hour I figured it out and now I do it at the beginning of my practice sessions to make sure I never forget it.

The # 1 ingredient FOR ME was timing the big snap of the wrist right as the tip is going THROUGH the cue ball.

Level stick is huge too.

 

[JoeW]

KMrunout's drill is a similar to mine with one exception. I place a piece of chalk where I want the cue to land. The goal is to just touch but not move the chalk. It is tough to do and makes you feel great when you hit it perfectly.

It is also cool to try to estimate the angle of return on a draw from various positions when the OB is not straight in.

Another one that is lots of fun is to draw, hit the rail and return to the chalk.

Did you know that the balls roll faster from the head of the table than they do from the foot of the table. There is a one diamond difference. Place a ball on the rail in the seam so it is just balanced between the table and the rubber. barely nudge it off the rail and you will see that from the head of the table it rolls three diamonds. From the foot rail it rolls two diamonds. So the direction of the shot (up or down table) effects the amount of return on follow or draw. Travel distance was determined on my GCIII with Simonis 860.

Obviously I practice alone too much

 

[SPINDOKTOR]

I agree with alot of whats been said, most times you really dont need a super stroke to draw the ball, you must practice accuracy with your tip placement on the cue ball. to me this is far more important that power concerning draw. Yes at distance you need more power, Likely if you cant draw the ball the length of the table its a flaw in your stroke. The best way I know to cure this is to do this exercise. use a 6" bridge, lay your hand flat on the table and lay the shaft on your thumb, thats the distance off the table you want your cue, It looks like your going to miss cue, using a 6" bridge, place the object ball a diamond away. strike the cue ball, If you stroke straight through the cue ball will come back at you with athourity. and you do not have to hit the cue ball hard, concentrate on sending the tip through the cue ball on that plane, do not hit the cloth, spend an hour on this and you will improve your draw stroke. I do this on occasion if im having trouble using draw. I do use a cheap stick incase I do miss cue I dont mess up the tip on my playing cue.

This will train your stroke to hit the extremities of the cue ball, after awhile you'll wonder how people miss cue at all. You can then strike the cue ball with confidence and a good stroke, the result is a very powerful draw stroke indeed, try it, and let me know if it worked out for ya.


SPINDOKTOR

 

[SPINDOKTOR]

Double post...

 

[Mike in MN]

Of course it should be noted that stroke speed is only half the battle. The two most relevant variables are speed of stroke and how low you hit the CB. You have to be hitting the CB very consistently in exactly the same spot, and then you can learn, for that exact tip offset, how much stroke speed to use for different lengths of draw.

-Andrew

This is very very true. What I would recommend is investing in the Jim Rempe training ball and working with that. It has markings that give you a visual aid on where to hit the ball in order to gain more draw, follow, spin, etc. I think you can get them from about any billiards catalog and I'm sure there are a handful on eBay. Learning how to hit the cue ball consistently is a very valuable resource, and nothing helped me more than practicing with the Rempe ball.

 

[DoomCue]

Frankly, I'm surprised at some of the advice in this thread advocating a "wrist snap" or "wristiness." First of all, what is a wrist snap or wristiness? Second, why should a draw shot be treated any differently than a stun or follow shot? Does the CB really care about your wrist?

Like Andrew, I think there are only two main things of concern - tip offset and velocity. If you're having a problem drawing the ball, don't change your stroke, change one or both of those things.

-djb

 

[Andrew Manning]

Frankly, I'm surprised at some of the advice in this thread advocating a "wrist snap" or "wristiness." First of all, what is a wrist snap or wristiness? Second, why should a draw shot be treated any differently than a stun or follow shot? Does the CB really care about your wrist?

Like Andrew, I think there are only two main things of concern - tip offset and velocity. If you're having a problem drawing the ball, don't change your stroke, change one or both of those things.

-djb

Yeah, I'm just getting back to this thread, but I have to say I advise strongly against using very much wrist action in the stroke. Some great players do it, no doubt, but some of the best strokes in the world don't use it meaning you don't need it. Corey Deuel might have the best draw stroke on the planet, and he doesn't get much wrist involved.

The key is velocity. A "lively" wrist action is just a trick to spike the velocity of the stroke right at impact. However, through avoiding tension in the stroke and learning how to apply smooth, hard, bicep contraction without allowing any other muscles to tense and hold the stroke back, you can put an incredible amount of velocity into the stroke, and it's far easier to be precise with this kind of stroke than with a wrist snap. Fewer moving parts, far simpler kinesiology. Better control.

Now that's not to say, as David does, that you shouldn't change your stroke. If you can't draw the ball well, it's likely that your stroke could use some improvement, because it's likely you're not doing it like I just described. Alignment issues can make it impossible to stroke well with an isolated bicep contraction, because if you're not aligned right, your bicep's not pulling in the right direction, and you have to get other muscle tension involved to straighten it out. So changes might be necessary to get the right stroke.

But what I think David was trying to say, is once you find that stroke, use it on every shot. It's not just power draw, it works for everything. Using a smooth, tension-free, uninhibited bicep contraction, without much wrist movement (not that you should lock it into place; you should let your wrist hang naturally through your stroke), is the best way to gain precision and control of every stroke. The only exception I know of is extremely soft shots, where you do want to shorten your stroke drastically, and you often can't just let your bicep pull, because you have to hold the cue speed way down.

-Andrew

 

[pete lafond]

Anyone have tips for hitting draw shots from almost the entire table length.

Years ago when I started, the "Babe" Cranfield was showing me how to draw accurately. What he said is to only slightly raise the butt of your cue stick. He explained it as "digging" the CB into the felt, not trying to just spin the ball. It is a complete forward motion, not a jab where you see some players pulling their cue back.

Anyway, it worked for me. Most importantly, it is a much easier draw to control. If done right, you can invoke the same "Pro" like draws as you have seen in Cory's shots. Key is always all the way through the shot no matter draw, follow or stop.

 

[Rod]

Yeah, I'm just getting back to this thread, but I have to say I advise strongly against using very much wrist action in the stroke.

The key is velocity. A "lively" wrist action is just a trick to spike the velocity of the stroke right at impact.

-Andrew

Unless its lively on purpose, what you see is wrist movement that flows with a tension free swing. Its not my place to advise for or against, its a natural movement. As mentioned, some play with almost no wrist movement while others have more.

The term wrist snap however leads people to believe its a forced motion. If it is forced accuracy and c/b control will surely suffer. So no intentional wrist snap but there is nothing wrong with flowing wrist movement.

Rod