Different shots / strokes

[mjantti]

Do you people have different strokes for different shots ? For instance, do you change your grip/stance depending if you have to shoot force follow/draw or stun shot or whatever ?

I've noticed that when shooting near the rail, I grip the cue a little bit closer to the joint and use a shorter backstroke. And, when shooting over a ball (so called chinese snooker) I grip the cue a little bit tighter. When shooting a long and hard draw, my grip is slightly more loose and relaxed. When shooting a 14.1 break shot with angle, my chin isn't so close to the cue.

Do you have similar differences on different shots ?

 

[Jon]

Do you people have different strokes for different shots ? For instance, do you change your grip/stance depending if you have to shoot force follow/draw or stun shot or whatever ?

I've noticed that when shooting near the rail, I grip the cue a little bit closer to the joint and use a shorter backstroke. And, when shooting over a ball (so called chinese snooker) I grip the cue a little bit tighter. When shooting a long and hard draw, my grip is slightly more loose and relaxed. When shooting a 14.1 break shot with angle, my chin isn't so close to the cue.

Do you have similar differences on different shots ?

Well, when i'm on or really close to the rail, i move my grip hand forward (towards the joint), and the same thing for when shooting over a ball. When it's a long shot, my chin is almost on the cue (sometimes touching on the back stroke.) On short shots, shorter bridge, and around 6-8" off the cue. A lot of people have a different "setup" for different shots and don't even know it...

Thanks,

Jon

 

[Bluewolf]

Well, when i'm on or really close to the rail, i move my grip hand forward (towards the joint), and the same thing for when shooting over a ball. When it's a long shot, my chin is almost on the cue (sometimes touching on the back stroke.) On short shots, shorter bridge, and around 6-8" off the cue. A lot of people have a different "setup" for different shots and don't even know it...

Thanks,

Jon

I guess I am not much help but i do use shorter bridges over balls or shooting off the rail. Sometimes I find myself using a shorter bridge, though I do not know why, so my brain must think that on that shot, more accuracy is required. I also look at the cb last on over the ball and draw shots.

Laura

 

[bill190]

For draw/stun shots, I grip the butt at the very back and use an 11 inch closed bridge and shoot as level as possible.

For break, I use a loose grip and closed bridge.

Near the rail shots, I try to get the longest bridge possible, but can't always do that. Do whatever works and is comfortable.

Jump shots, light "dart throwing" two or three finger grip on butt.

Otherwise open 10 or 11 inch bridge.

 

[CaptainJR]

I've learnt through my teacher to use my grip tightness to help adjust the amount of draw I want. Lighter grip = less draw.

 

[Bluewolf]

I've learnt through my teacher to use my grip tightness to help adjust the amount of draw I want. Lighter grip = less draw.

What kind of draw are you using? The low and level one or a different type?

Laura

 

[Bob Jewett]

I've learnt through my teacher to use my grip tightness to help adjust the amount of draw I want. Lighter grip = less draw.

Bud Harris, the former US 3-C champ taught just the opposite: A lighter grip gets more spin on the ball. My own belief is that how far off-center you hit the cue ball is much, much more important than the tightness of your grip.

 

[CaptainJR]

Bud Harris, the former US 3-C champ taught just the opposite: A lighter grip gets more spin on the ball. My own belief is that how far off-center you hit the cue ball is much, much more important than the tightness of your grip.

I'm not a pro, maybe I have a peculiar stoke or something, but I get more draw with a slightly firmer grip.

Yes, I would agree that how far off center has more effect, then I use grip tightness to fine tune after setting how much off center.

What kind of draw are you using? The low and level one or a different type?

Laura

I use slight to medium low, level, follow through draw. Unless I'm trying to do something out of the ordinary. I do have a big draw when I want it, so I have to stay away from very low cue position or I can end up much farther back than I wanted to be.

 

[mjantti]

Captain, maybe you are just more accurate with a tight grip and create more spin. If you want to have an extreme draw, you will definitely get better results with a loose grip. I think loose grip will give you slightly more velocity on the impact at the cueball compared to tight grip with the same "swing of arm".

 

[DeadPoked]

There is a guy that I know, who's opinion I somewhat respect, that always tells me that I don't hold my grip tight enough. He says to ever get a powerful stroke that I will need to tighten my grip. I've read a lot of instructional books and they all seem to say to not grip to tight to where you eliminate your wrist action. I've tried tightening my grip and it never seems to feel right. So I just revert back to what feels natural. I am not sure if I might be limiting myself though.

 

[mjantti]

There is a guy that I know, who's opinion I somewhat respect, that always tells me that I don't hold my grip tight enough. He says to ever get a powerful stroke that I will need to tighten my grip. I've read a lot of instructional books and they all seem to say to not grip to tight to where you eliminate your wrist action. I've tried tightening my grip and it never seems to feel right. So I just revert back to what feels natural. I am not sure if I might be limiting myself though.

Maybe the tight grip works for the guy... but I would rather follow the instructions in countless books than some guy's advice.

Loose grip is not only great in spinning the cueball, it works much better on hard shots as well. I can't see anyone having a good, solid and accurate hard shot with a tight grip.

 

[Zims Rack]

For draw/stun shots, I grip the butt at the very back and use an 11 inch closed bridge and shoot as level as possible.

Bill- When the CB is about a diamond from the OB, do you still use this method for the draw shot? Wouldn't that draw the CB too far, how do you control the distance of the CB on a draw shot?

Zim

 

[Zims Rack]

grip pressure...

How tight should you hold your cue during the stroking movements? Here's something to TRY! It just might work for most of you.
Put your hands to your side. Move your grip hand and elbow to a 90 degree angle (as if holding a glass). Place your cue in the grip hand with tip pointing to the floor and butt to the ceiling. Hold your cue where the forearm and handle join. Now...slowly loosen your grip until the cue slides thru your hand and stops about 3/4 the way up the handle or even the end of the handle. Do this about 5 times. Remember the pressure that your hand had when holding the cue as it slid thru your hand, now maintain that feeling during your stroke and even when you contact the CB!

Let me know what you felt and what your results are...
Zim

 

[bill190]

Bill- When the CB is about a diamond from the OB, do you still use this method for the draw shot? Wouldn't that draw the CB too far, how do you control the distance of the CB on a draw shot?

Zim

Yes, I always use an 11" closed bridge and hand all the way back on the butt of the cue, shooting as level as possible.

About 6 months ago, I got disgusted with my draw shots because they were going too far back or I would have no idea how far back the cue ball would go. I spent months working on this problem.

First I concentrated on my cue. I experimented with different sizes of shafts (13mm, 12mm, 11mm, etc.), different brands/types of tips, and different shapes of tips. The problems I encountered was the surface and shape of my old tip not being consistent. Then I found the best tip for draw, but this was not good for all around playing, etc. I settled on a 12.5mm Moori Q with a dime shape. (Best for draw *and* all around playing.)

Next was to keep the shape of my tip the *same* shape at all times. (The Moori tip keeps its surface the same at all times pretty good and retains chalk the same at all times very well. Also retains its shape very well.) I use a 1/2" Electrical PVC pipe cut in half with 220 grit sandpaper to keep my tip a dime shape. I found a similar product for sale (Road Player Shaper) here...
http://playpool.com/store/shop.php

So now I was shooting my draw shots *always* with the same shaped tip, *always* same tip surface texture, and *always* same amount of chalk (I always chalk well before each draw shot, especially sides).

Then next was practice. I practiced and practiced and practiced. Mostly with the object balls across the middle of the table and cue ball one diamond away. Always using the same 11" bridge, hand on back of butt, and shooting as level as possible. I got to where I could vary the amount of draw I got *very* predictably. Just a few inches back, one diamond, or the whole table.

Now what I'm doing exactly to accomplish this, I'm not sure! It's just kind of automatic now. I think I'm varying the amount of follow through as well as the speed of my stroke. Actually, now that I think about it, that is exactly what I'm doing. Because I can hit the cue ball slowly with a long follow through and the cue ball will go back several diamonds. (If you don't follow through, you of course get little or no draw.)

So for a 2" draw back, I'm not following through very much, just a little and also not stroking very fast. For a draw shot with the object ball all the way at the other end of the table, I follow through all the way until my tip touches the cloth and add a lot of speed to the stroke. In-between is variations of the above.

Anyway I go to all this work and can predictably draw back may cue ball an exact distance almost every time. Then I go to play in a tournament and they have new Valley pool tables with "Teflon" coated cloth! This totally messed up my draw shot distances! Something about the Teflon? Also I need to practice on tables with different cloth for a while before I get adjusted to them. Other than that, I'm quite happy with my draw shots now.

 

[Zims Rack]

Interesting! Wouldn't it be much easier and more accurate to just decrease your backstroke by decreasing the gap between CB and OB? This will still allow you to maintain the same stroke speed and backswing speed but create a more accurate speed outcome in the stroke distance! Why use muscles if you don't have to?
Just a suggestion!
Zim

 

[Rod]

There are a number of types of strokes. To execute well it should be one that compliments the shot. Including bridge length and where the handle is held.

Regarding grip pressure and such. I'm in favor of a light grip. However it doesn't always need to be light. More important is constant pressure. What you start out with should be near the same at impact. If you want to hold a bit tighter, fine but keep it consistant. If you like loose fine but don't tighten at impact. That is a huge reason shots are missed or go wrong.

Rodd

 

[Rickw]

I have tried all manners of grips, bridges, and stances. I find that a loose grip is the preferred grip for me. My game has gone up substantially since adopting that style of grip several years ago. I believe the stick will move faster if you thrust it and then let it go at the end of your stroke and I think that is the essence of stroke, speed or velocity of the stick going through the cb. I know that I can get much more stroke on the cb when throw the cue into the cb even for relatively short shots.

I also choke up on the cue on short shots. When you shoot off the rail, try dropping your elbow and shoot through the cb more. I think this helps to shoot in a more straight line. If you tighten your grip, you will then have to tighten your arm and this is not a good thing to do when the pressure is on. Don't take my word for it, just ask the pros because that's where I got the info from; several of the pros have said this in BD over the years. Besides, if you tighten up during a long and pressure-filled match, you'll be worn out in no time.