How many years did you play pool before you learned about deflection?
DEFLECTION
- Thread starter Tennesseejoe
- Start date
I don't know for sure, but probably 3 or 4 years at least. Nobody in this town would show you anything in the 1960s . I know when I started using Bob Byrnes videos and Ray Martins book. My game skyrocketed in a year. Then Gradys kicks and one pocket info, I did pay for lessons from a broke road man and he showed me a mountain of stuff, but I forgot a lot of it, should have taped it. He showed me a fractional banking system that made him almost never miss a bank, I just didn't get it. How long for you?
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Probably inside the first year. I don't recall having a word for it. I think I used to lump all that under "curve".
George the Greek
Well-known member
I learned about it 55 years ago the first time I tried to cut the black off the spot into the corner from the brown spot on a snooker table. After seeing what reaction/path the CB was taking with all the siding I was putting on it I bought some shafts and had them turned to different mm"s and a taper that I liked. The CB would hit the rail btwn the corner and side pocket so I knew I had a ton of RH side on it.
smiling_Hans
Well-known member
Not sure but I somehow picked it up because I always aim off center when using English to compensate.
I had difficulties switching to a carbon shaft because I can now aim straight.
Anyways after playing with carbon and going back to a hard maple shaft I no longer aim off center to compensate. You can say the carbon shafts were a training aid.
While deflection does exist but it has no effect on my game any longer.
I have a high deflection shaft in my case. It’s Michigan maple. LOL. I miss a lot with it. I keep it in the bag because sometimes I gamble and my friends need to use a cue.
I knew it existed about a year in when I had learned how to play with a borrowed stick that had a ton of squirt. I had to use a house stick and it seemed to have negative squirt (and it sort of did in comparison). I managed to luck into a low-squirt shaft in 1980 and have not gone back.
I didn't understand what caused it until the great revelation from high speed videos around 1998.
smiling_Hans
Well-known member
I may have seen this video. I started playing in ‘96 and sneaking into pool halls then. There was a meucci video explaining this too.
Didn’t think anything of it in ‘96 except long shots drifted depending on the English I was using. I started compensating and the rest is history. Somewhere throughout my playing days I was using a Meucci because a friend owned one and he always let me borrow his cue. At the time it felt like nothing I ever shot with. It shot very good.
Many cues from then till my 10 year hiatus from the game to now playing with Mezz and a Tasc being built for me.
The verdict? It doesn’t affect my game as much as I thought it would. My low deflection mezz is great but I rather have an expensive fancy cue.
smiling_Hans
Well-known member
I think Deflection is a topic matter that should have been incorporated in training or learning how to play.
It would have sped up the process. A lot of people can play pool but they still miss shots due to deflection and they don’t know why or can’t even aim to compensate it. That’s a game within itself. It’s rarely talked about and in my opinion the true art and secret of pool.
We can explain to someone how to hit a ball and what English to put and it stops there.
I never hear people say well if you put bottom left English on this shot then you need to adjust your aim because it’s not really hitting where you’re aiming.
The professional equipment have helped or hurt young and new players. A lot of times I see unnecessary English or some crazy English coming off a rail. At the same time they can pocket bals with ease. Those unnecessary 3 rail shapes. They do it just because.
It would have sped up the process. A lot of people can play pool but they still miss shots due to deflection and they don’t know why or can’t even aim to compensate it. That’s a game within itself. It’s rarely talked about and in my opinion the true art and secret of pool.
We can explain to someone how to hit a ball and what English to put and it stops there.
I never hear people say well if you put bottom left English on this shot then you need to adjust your aim because it’s not really hitting where you’re aiming.
The professional equipment have helped or hurt young and new players. A lot of times I see unnecessary English or some crazy English coming off a rail. At the same time they can pocket bals with ease. Those unnecessary 3 rail shapes. They do it just because.
maybe half a year in. my friend and teacher knew a lot. but within about 2 years, the 314-1 became accessible and affordable. so learn, unlearn i guess
smiling_Hans
Well-known member
Those are damn good shafts.
Ummm... There is a book on billiards from 1835 that illustrates deflection (squirt), swerve, and backhand english (BHE). It has been known for a long time.
And I think pretty much all current instructors discuss it as part of their basic lessons.
smiling_Hans
Well-known member
I hope so.
I’ve seen some students will fully loaded bags that will make a pro happy. They are ready to compete and I like that.
Same here. Didn't call it deflection back then either. Compensation for English was a mouthful, but did the job.
Where was that?? Do you recall??
That threw me the first time I hit with CF.Not sure but I somehow picked it up because I always aim off center when using English to compensate.
I had difficulties switching to a carbon shaft because I can now aim straight.
Anyways after playing with carbon and going back to a hard maple shaft I no longer aim off center to compensate. You can say the carbon shafts were a training aid.
While deflection does exist but it has no effect on my game any longer.
I have a high deflection shaft in my case. It’s Michigan maple. LOL. I miss a lot with it. I keep it in the bag because sometimes I gamble and my friends need to use a cue.
I've got an old Meucci that a buddy nicknamed 'Noah's Ark' for how much deflection it has!!
Arch.
where was I when I learned it ,or where in the information? I think I know what you mean but I'm not sure?
It kinda rang a bell and I'll leave it at that.