Did anyones game get better after getting a predator?

[desertshark]

I must be exact opposite of the op... I gave away a Predator shaft after I got my ss360. I can draw with it too... But then again I could probably throw some draw with broomstick.

It's psychological. I wanted a Joss N7 since I saw the movie in the 80's. Once I got it I felt better about playing and my game improved because my confidence improved.

Shoot with what you like and what makes you feel good.

 

[cardiac kid]

I've been playing for 52 years with regular shafts and I have learned to pocket balls pretty good and I am unwilling to learn all over again with an LD shaft.Anyway they are insanely over priced in my opinion.
And before the LD crowd jumps me I am also a cheap skate.

You took the words right out of my mouth. Luckily for you I just got home from the dentist.

I've played for just over 55 years. We're both in the same boat. Even if you could prove to me an LD shaft was better, doubt if I would ever change.

For your information, I'll bet my friends will tell you I'm cheaper than you. So there!!!!

Lyn

 

[CJ Wiley]

Once you become advanced you will need to learn how to USE deflection

I've been playing for 52 years with regular shafts and I have learned to pocket balls pretty good and I am unwilling to learn all over again with an LD shaft.Anyway they are insanely over priced in my opinion.
And before the LD crowd jumps me I am also a cheap skate.

Yeah, for the cheapest route you can just take your shaft down to under 12.5 and get less deflection. Many players think deflection is a "bad thing," however, it's just because they haven't learned how to use it as an asset.

Once you become advanced you will need to learn how to USE deflection, not try to avoid it. Golfers, and baseball pitchers don't avoid spin, they use it to create a bigger "pocket" or "zone" which positively effects margin of error.

 

[Shapechaser]

CJ,
Does the path of the CB make the pocket bigger or are you more referencing the fact that if you can "deflect" the CB then you have more lines with which to make contact with or pocket the OB? Thanks, Steve

PS....and if this is what you mean then you could obtain these same lines with slight elevation and english but with less accuracy than a regular shaft?

 

[jackpot]

LD shafts

I've played with all kinds. To me it is eaiser to judge deflection
than spin. I bought a predator and it sounded like a piece of cracked
plastic everytime I hit a ball. The OB sounded better but was still
too much spin for me. When the pressure is on I know how much it
will deflect depending on how hard I hit it. With the ld shafts I had
to be freestrokin to play good with it. If I had to get up from the chair
after a long wait and come with a shot I didn't feel like I could just
cinch it. But sure a lot of people like them and either play better or feel
they do and thats all that matters in the long run anyway.
jack

 

[CJ Wiley]

it's better to make the cue ball go one direction

CJ,
Does the path of the CB make the pocket bigger or are you more referencing the fact that if you can "deflect" the CB then you have more lines with which to make contact with or pocket the OB? Thanks, Steve

PS....and if this is what you mean then you could obtain these same lines with slight elevation and english but with less accuracy than a regular shaft?

I'm saying it's better to make the cue ball go one direction (that you learn to control) than to try to keep it from moving {off line} at all.

I guess a good example is if you didn't throw darts, because you knew you always threw (veered) to the left of the target 6 inches, you would have a nice "zone" to the target if you aimed 6 inches to the right every time. This is, in many ways better than trying to make yourself throw straight, because that may not even be possible.

When the players I train see that hitting just a hair inside throws the cue ball off enough to effect the object ball a few inches it's a "wake up call". Hitting the center every time is very difficult and come to find out, it's not even desirable.

It's better to favor a hair to the inside of the cue ball and play the natural deflection rather than trying to fight against it. That way if you are off one way it defects more and you hit one side of the pocket and if you error the other way you will hit the center of the cue ball and the object ball will still go in the other side of the pocket.

I call this the "3 Part Pocket System" and it utilizes the Inside Approach to make it happen. I call this the "Touch of Inside Technique". www.cjwiley.com 'The Game is the Teacher' CJ Wiley

 

[jeffj2h]

I play with an OB shaft. I tested it out before buying and convinced myself that 1) it was lower deflecting then my standard hard maple shaft, and 2) my pocketing percentage in much higher on test shots that required lots of english. But I have no idea if i've won more games or not since i got it. What if it made my game 10% better. The problem is my game swings 30%, 40%, or 50% depending on the night. Sometimes I'm shooting the lights out and would take on any APA SL7 in 8-ball, and sometimes I'm hoping they don't match me up with that scary looking SL4.

 

[Ryansnell]

I feel like the first month I used a predator I felt like I made balls better but after that it seemed like I couldn't make a ball, and I went through the same thing with an ob1... It could've just been a confidence thing because they both hit great so like I said I'm not really sure. I'm thinking of trying an ob classic shortly and If I get the same results I won't use them anymore. Maybe third times a charm.

 

[jeffj2h]

Another thought to add to the confusion of getting an LD shaft: In TAR podcast #24, John Schmidt said when he switched to an LD shaft it killed him for two years on the pro tour because he was not used to it. When I met Mike Massey he said it took him six months to adapt to an LD shaft. Both still use an LD shaft today. When I switched to an LD shaft I did not notice any such adapting period. I practiced with it and believe I learned to compensate ok. I think it's because players like Schmidt and Massey miss so rarely that when they switched shafts they notice if all the sudden they miss a few shots. Even as an APA SL6 in 8-ball I still usually miss a few shots every game. So I could not perceive a difference.

 

[robsnotes4u]

I have heard from more tan one pro player that there are shots they can do with my original Josey shaft tat they can not do with a low deflection shaft.

As for predator, I couldn't stand the shaft, the feel wasn't to my liking. I used an OB2 which I really like until i played with a Jacoby Hybrid.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[CJ Wiley]

"game swings" can be controlled with a couple of adjustments.

I play with an OB shaft. I tested it out before buying and convinced myself that 1) it was lower deflecting then my standard hard maple shaft, and 2) my pocketing percentage in much higher on test shots that required lots of english. But I have no idea if i've won more games or not since i got it. What if it made my game 10% better. The problem is my game swings 30%, 40%, or 50% depending on the night. Sometimes I'm shooting the lights out and would take on any APA SL7 in 8-ball, and sometimes I'm hoping they don't match me up with that scary looking SL4.

You're in Frisco? These "game swings" can be controlled with a couple of adjustments. I'll be over at the Billiard Den this weekend, I'll be glad to help you out (complimentary), the solution will be easy to adjust to, it's almost always about how you're hitting the cue ball, nothing else.

A group of us local Dallas players were talking about this last night, the level of play in Dallas/Ft. Worth is at an all time low. I may start doing some free seminars at the local pool rooms to "jump start" the playing levels soon. PM me if you don't want this to be public and I'll coordinate with you in the near future.

 

[Shapechaser]

CJ, Thanks for your explanation. I've heard you use that saying before and did not understand you. I think now I understand.

To the OP, I think we are all individuals with our own quirks and characteristics. So what works for one may not work for another or may work better. In the end its trial and error with your "gear". I believe if you buy anything whether its gear, lessons or media and you can learn from it then you have taken a positive step. And my game did improve with a predator shaft.

 

[measureman]

You took the words right out of my mouth. Luckily for you I just got home from the dentist.

I've played for just over 55 years. We're both in the same boat. Even if you could prove to me an LD shaft was better, doubt if I would ever change.

For your information, I'll bet my friends will tell you I'm cheaper than you. So there!!!!

Lyn

I duct taped my slippers that were falling apart. Kids bought me new ones for Xmas. I pick up pennies. I play with a Lucasi.

 

[Harold Smith]

I noticed an improvement in my long shots.--Smitty

 

[naji]

I'm about to get a predator did anyones game get better? Notice big diff cuz of that shafts they have? Notice diff from a cheaper cue too a predator?

Prodigy,
In order to be consistent in pool you have to know all the variables that contributes a successful shot making; there are at least 15-20 variables that have to be accounted for before you pull trigger; true cue characteristic is one or couple of them. The more of these variables you eliminate before the shot begins the easier it gets. It is unfortunate that pool has at least 4000 shots possibilities using only one cue; mainly due to including shots with all kind of spin; should we remove spin from this number of possibilities the number will go way down, No matter what cue you use, there will be a decision making for where, how to aim, how long or short your bridge, how hard the hit...and others. One should experiment with as many cues as possible to understand what cues behaviors weather LD or HD, house cue, $10.00 cue, friends' cues..Ones cue selection is decided, now you have to deal with one less variable of the many, of which the hardest of all is focus, because itself is a variable of the state of mind, not to forget luck!
Best of luck.

 

[SCCues]

Predator User

I play with Predator shafts and you couldn't have described using Predator shafts any better versus a solid maple shaft. It's all up to the player as far as which type of shaft works better for them. I actually prefer the hit of a solid maple shaft over the hit of my Predator shaft, but all different shots considered I play better with my Predator shaft than I do with my solid maple shaft. When I shoot with my solid maple shaft and use side spin I have to think more about aiming and how much to allow for deflection, but with my Predator shaft I just aim and shoot. It makes me play more consistently and that's big in pool.

James

I switched to a predator (and later to an OB when the shaft broke).
I like and recommend low deflection shafts to people. I think they're great.

But there are some important things to understand:

• It's a myth that they somehow give you extra side spin, better draw, or better control.
All they do is change where you have to aim. There's no shot you can make with a predator shaft
that you couldn't make with a decent house stick.
You just point the house stick in a slightly different direction before you swing.

• "Control" is up to the player. If you want to draw the cue ball 6 inches on 1 shot,
and 12 inches on another, the only way you'll accomplish that is with practice.
The stick can't give it to you.

• When you first get it, you are practically guaranteed to play WORSE.
Because you're adjusting to a new cue and the line of aim for spin shots will be quite different.
You'll miss balls you normally don't miss.

Eventually you'll figure out where you need to aim with the new cue and then you'll be back to normal.
And then, hopefully, you'll improve even further.

• If you decide you like it and want to stick with it,
then just sell your old one. Get rid of it. Avoid the mistake hundreds of players make...
they miss a ball and blame the stick, then they switch back to the old one and make a few.
They decide the new stick sucks and they want to return to the old one.
Then they miss a ball with the old one and go back to the predator.
I've seen guys torture themselves for MONTHS with this lousy habit.
Don't do it, it will only hurt your game to keep switching. Pick a cue and stick to it.

• Ultimately it's the indian and not the arrow.
You shouldn't expect a sudden jump in skill even after you get used to it.
Most players improve pretty gradually... months and years, not weeks.

 

[BelleBelle]

People say you get more spin on the cue ball or can draw it better. What I wanna know is how can that be? Wouldn't the type of leather tip be more important in this case than the shaft? The cue ball doesn't know what type of shaft you have it only does what you make it do. Is there any scientific studies on this? Or is it just a matter of opinion? Thanks

 

[CreeDo]

People say you get more spin on the cue ball or can draw it better. What I wanna know is how can that be? Wouldn't the type of leather tip be more important in this case than the shaft? The cue ball doesn't know what type of shaft you have it only does what you make it do. Is there any scientific studies on this? Or is it just a matter of opinion? Thanks

Yes, there have been studies.

http://billiards.colostate.edu/threads/cue.html#spin
And here's the science behind it:
http://billiards.colostate.edu/technical_proofs/new/TP_B-7.pdf

Bottom line: at an absolute maximum, using an amount of sidespin you'd never try in a game, you get 2% more spin.

But people believe what they want to believe, and what they want to believe is that their 200 dollar shaft gives them some special advantage that the other guys don't have.

 

[BelleBelle]

Thanks CreeDo. 2%? Is that really noticeable? I personally don't play with a LD shaft, have tried them but it wasn't for me. Maybe if I had played with one when I first started I would like it

 

[cardiac kid]

Yes, there have been studies.

http://billiards.colostate.edu/threads/cue.html#spin
And here's the science behind it:
http://billiards.colostate.edu/technical_proofs/new/TP_B-7.pdf

Bottom line: at an absolute maximum, using an amount of sidespin you'd never try in a game, you get 2% more spin.

But people believe what they want to believe, and what they want to believe is that their 200 dollar shaft gives them some special advantage that the other guys don't have.

CreeDo.

Again I say "No one ever lost a buck underestimating the intelligence of the American public!" Thanks to HLM. This is the epitome of promotion over common sense.

Lyn