Easier To Make Most Shots With Draw?

[ddadams]

I know for ME the reason this is true is when I first started playing I thought draw was super cool because it was "hard" to do well.

So I practiced it more. And more and more. And then needed to actually get accurate with how straight I cued aiming at bottom to get less hops.

Now I can draw better than a lot of guys I know and I cue straighter with draw than top or center.

Just my experience.

 

[Ralph Kramden]

NOT TRUE!

randyg

randyg ... I didn't say to hit the OB hard or draw the CB... I said a slight draw... so there isn't any CB stun.
If you can tell us a better way to minimize skid, and start the OB rolling sooner, many ears will be listening.
A slight amount of draw or follow minimizes OB skid more than a dead ball contact using stun. Again IMO.
.

 

[Sloppy Pockets]

Interesting, I do not have that experience. No problem with a slight draw but my accuracy suffers with a significant draw. My favorite shot is just a touch of follow so it has a natural roll and this how I feel I'm most accurate.

I played all through my youth using nothing but stop shots or a bit of follow. Seemed like the best way to move the CB around playing 8-ball. Real draw was non-existent in my game. After working on my draw, it's gotten to where it's my preferred way to make a shot because I can hit the ball so much better if I strike it below the center.

Lately I've been noticing a lot of really good players are using follow a lot more than I thought they were. I've been trying to go back to using the top of the CB more lately, but my accuracy is just not there with it. Very frustrating, but I'm sticking with it for now.

 

[3andstop]

Well, the bottom middle of the cue ball, where it touches the table is dead center on the vertical axis, which may aid in proper shot alignment and avoiding unintended side spin which can throw the OB off causing you to miss.

Watch Efren, lots of times he cues and aligns with draw, right down to the table, and then on his final stroke may hit with follow. In fact, lots of good players do this. The only part of the CB that contacts the table is dead vertical center, a good alignment helper for shots.

Someone said hitting the CB below horizontal center starts the OB off with roll rather than slide. I agree with this and it may help the OB leaving on a truer path.

I think it also may help with confidence on a lot of close shots because the CB is controlled and held better. I know I feel this way with little short shots in straight pool. We feel better about not loosing the CB.

All that being said, if I have a longer shot that I'm not comfortable making, I like using above horizontal center on the vertical axis best to make the shot. That's my cinch stroke.

 

[book collector]

I would say pocket speed with center high gives the best roll of the object ball


1

I have read that in several books , always believed it was true .
They explained it as getting perfect roll as soon as possible on the cueball by using high.
One day I was playing and missed a long shot with that method and an old champion was watching.
He said "try using low on that shot , not draw "low".
I used to miss them and could never figure out why.
Some were probably due to roll off of the table on long ones or a little deflection or squirt but when I just slid the cueball at it with pocket speed , I started making 80 or 90 % of them.
May just have been a placebo , but it sure helped me .
Thanks Butch

 

[Johnnyt]

I played all through my youth using nothing but stop shots or a bit of follow. Seemed like the best way to move the CB around playing 8-ball. Real draw was non-existent in my game. After working on my draw, it's gotten to where it's my preferred way to make a shot because I can hit the ball so much better if I strike it below the center.

Lately I've been noticing a lot of really good players are using follow a lot more than I thought they were. I've been trying to go back to using the top of the CB more lately, but my accuracy is just not there with it. Very frustrating, but I'm sticking with it for now.

One size does not fit all. If it goes in the pocket and we get position...that's all that matters to me. Too much, "It will only work my way on here". Johnnyt

 

[Mrdodd72]

Skill level

I have observed that the novice and league players tend to over use the draw, and it becomes their go to english. But the advanced and professional player use much more pocket-speed and follow than the "bangers." It all boils down to what your comfortable with; although certain "styles" seem to result in greater consistency.

 

[ronscuba]

I have observed that the novice and league players tend to over use the draw, and it becomes their go to english. But the advanced and professional player use much more pocket-speed and follow than the "bangers." It all boils down to what your comfortable with; although certain "styles" seem to result in greater consistency.

Wonder why.

I recently starting playing at several different pool halls. I notice a big difference in how different cue balls draw. Some much easier than others to the point it affects my game until I adjust. I'm starting to use less draw purely because it's easier to predict and control follow/rolling CB.

I wonder if this is part of players developing a preference for draw, rolling, follow.

 

[Mrdodd72]

I believe that it is a natural process for most (not all). If a player is serious about advancing beyond being a good league player, they often study advanced players. If they study theses players in person or by video, they'll work touch/speed and follow into a greater percentage of their shots, and lighten up in using draw on every shot. If I witness a really good shot-maker who uses draw on most shots, I feel that I can probably out maneuver and safety them to win the match.

 

[Scaramouche]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxfzmCpwNH8

 

[Straightpool_99]

I disagree. I do not think it is easier to make most shots with draw. In the beginning, when learning to play most people use too much draw. Mostly because beginners tend to undercut shots, and shooting with draw there is less throw (because of the spin and often slightly higher speed). After you learn to play center pocket with all kinds of spin and speed I don't think it is true that draw is easier anymore. I shoot as many shots as I can with slight top spin/stun/stun-draw (all close to true center) not because it is easier to pocket, but because the cue ball path is predictable. I might (and will mostly) go off both the vertical and horisontal center, but I try to stay close to both.

In fact I will argue that there is a slight perceptual illusion when using draw, that can cause you to hit the cueball off center unintentionally. I have no proof of this other than having it explained to me by experienced players and having experimented with it.

The only kinds of shots where I use draw especially to pocket the ball is if the object ball is close to the rail and I have to graze the rail into a half obscured pocket with slow object ball speed. In these cases a very low, slow speed draw shot will ensure a clean contact (no skid) with this slow speed (obviously only if the cueball and object ball are quite close). If I can't use draw on these I'll use slight outside (it doesn't put the correct english on the object ball in all cases, and the amount is pretty unsignificant anyway, but it does help get a clean contact).

The only thing I've found to make pocketing most balls more predictable is to be absolutely sure of what kind of spin I'm using before I get down on the shot. That frees my mind to focus only on aiming the shot and "forget" about the spin, in fact I think this is the main mechanism at work here. Snooker players tend to play balls "plain ball" (just above center) if they are just cinching the ball, pool players often use draw instead. I think it is mostly about using the spin you are used to, and thus "free up" your mind to concentrate on the pot.

 

[RandyinHawaii]

I find it much easier to control the cue ball with follow than with draw.

 

[Mikjary]

...The only thing I've found to make pocketing most balls more predictable is to be absolutely sure of what kind of spin I'm using before I get down on the shot. That frees my mind to focus only on aiming the shot and "forget" about the spin, in fact I think this is the main mechanism at work here. Snooker players tend to play balls "plain ball" (just above center) if they are just cinching the ball, pool players often use draw instead. I think it is mostly about using the spin you are used to, and thus "free up" your mind to concentrate on the pot.

Good post, especially this part.

Best,
Mike