Had a lesson with Earl yesterday..

Thunderball

Thunderball

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Figured you fine folks might be interested in how he's doing.

Two of my buddies and I headed down to Greenville for a few hours of instruction yesterday.I had set this up a few weeks ago through Mike G.....I got the impression that three guys at once was atypical at best,but Earl was cool with it so off we went.

For us it was just an hour and a half drive and we pulled in right on time at 12:00 and spent three hours with Earl.

We had a great time.I had never met the man before so there was some upside to just hanging out with one of the best to ever play.He was very attentive and engaging and full of information.

One thing you guys might find funny (if you already know him) is he said just as we were getting started "I'm a gimmick guy" lol.Now I knew that already and I guess a lot of people do,but it amused me a bit that not only did he know it himself,but was really comfortable just saying it outloud.

As far as Earl himself,he's hitting em pretty dam good by his own estimation.Mike agreed that he is really playing well at the moment.
I have to agree,but who am I to say...I have no idea how bad his game is when its off,I know dam well he has a hellova stroke and can work a cue ball in ways I've never seen in person.

As far as his current "gimmicks".His bridge hand has the standard slick glove with the tips cut out.His back hand is also gloved,but with a "grippy" glove....perhaps intended for tennis (see the photo).
He played all day with a big block of tape inside of his brige hand glove and he swore this was the greatest thing ever iho.Elevation of the bridge hand,however slight,is the intent.

His cue was made by mike,but to Earls design.16.7 ounces with a very thin shaft with most of the taper happening right after the joint.The grip is actually tennis racket wrap.....no I'm not kidding.....the word wilson can be read on it twice lol....but he loved the thing.

I'll add the photo and some more later as I'm out of time for now.
 
So how was the lesson? Did you gain any info that will help improve your game?


Southpaw
 
Thunderball said:
Figured you fine folks might be interested in how he's doing.

Two of my buddies and I headed down to Greenville for a few hours of instruction yesterday.I had set this up a few weeks ago through Mike G.....I got the impression that three guys at once was atypical at best,but Earl was cool with it so off we went.

For us it was just an hour and a half drive and we pulled in right on time at 12:00 and spent three hours with Earl.

We had a great time.I had never met the man before so there was some upside to just hanging out with one of the best to ever play.He was very attentive and engaging and full of information.

One thing you guys might find funny (if you already know him) is he said just as we were getting started "I'm a gimmick guy" lol.Now I knew that already and I guess a lot of people do,but it amused me a bit that not only did he know it himself,but was really comfortable just saying it outloud.

As far as Earl himself,he's hitting em pretty dam good by his own estimation.Mike agreed that he is really playing well at the moment.
I have to agree,but who am I to say...I have no idea how bad his game is when its off,I know dam well he has a hellova stroke and can work a cue ball in ways I've never seen in person.

As far as his current "gimmicks".His bridge hand has the standard slick glove with the tips cut out.His back hand is also gloved,but with a "grippy" glove....perhaps intended for tennis (see the photo).
He played all day with a big block of tape inside of his brige hand glove and he swore this was the greatest thing ever iho.Elevation of the bridge hand,however slight,is the intent.

His cue was made by mike,but to Earls design.16.7 ounces with a very thin shaft with most of the taper happening right after the joint.The grip is actually tennis racket wrap.....no I'm not kidding.....the word wilson can be read on it twice lol....but he loved the thing.

I'll add the photo and some more later as I'm out of time for now.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the great update on your lesson with Earl Strickland. I am definitely looking forward to the pics.

I have always thought of Earl as a perfectionist. I have seen practicing the same shot until he gets it right, trying to acclimate himself on various equipment when he's in competition.

A 16.7-ounce cue stick? Man, I had no idea that Earl played with such a light cue. My boyfriend's cue is just the opposite, over 20 ounces, but he's really into forward balance, "feels," and grips. Plus, he holds his cue stick a little funny! :D Cigar Tom Hanover from Dundalk, Maryland, plays with a shaft on his cue that has about the same circumference as a pencil. It must work for him, and he's definitely a trend-setter. Everybody in his pool room enjoys the same size shaft on their cues.

Different strokes for different folks, I guess! :p

Don't forget the pics! ;)
JAM
 
Also, I hope you got a picture of Earl's brand-new cue. My better half was wondering what kind of joint it has. I was told that Earl used to play with the older Meucci cue sticks, and they had a lot of deflection in them at that time. I guess Earl loves a little whip in his shots. :)

JAM
 
16.7 oz, wow but with a stroke like Earls a light cue will go throught the CB effortessly, i can understand that, its hard for me to explain this i'll do my best: to me the heavier the cue the more work the cue does and the less I do, so for someone like Earl its perhaps better to take the cue out of the game somewhat by making it lighter thus letting earl have more control and not the cue making the control.
 
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cue weight

So now we need a tennis buff to tell us how much weight the tennis grip adds to his cue. Perhaps that is why he orders it so light from Mike? I really have no idea but I'll ask him at the Open.
 
That's still is a very light cue. But he's a champion so I guess he knows what works for him. My Viking was 18 oz...but probably more like 17.8oz after 15 years of sanding it. The cue was starting to look like a giant needle. Johnnyt
 
Overall I can't say "how" the lesson was to be honest.It was kinda sporatic and moved for subject to subject pretty fast,but hell,we had three guys and three hours so I just find it hard to grade.If were just me for four hours I'd grade it as honestly as possiblefor you guys,but it wasn't so its hard to say....but I liked it.

Would I do it again?....dam right.

Heres the pic....I'm guessing you will figure out which one is tball lol.

001uc4.jpg
 
I need to add that this happened at Mike Gulyassy's house.Got to meet him as well and after the lesson we got a tour through his shop and quite a few minutes of really interesting conversation with him as well.

Very down to earth kinda guy who makes some gorgeous cues.I had know idea what he was putting out till I saw em.....crazy nice stuff.WOW.

Everything about the day was cool.
 
JAM said:
Also, I hope you got a picture of Earl's brand-new cue. My better half was wondering what kind of joint it has. I was told that Earl used to play with the older Meucci cue sticks, and they had a lot of deflection in them at that time. I guess Earl loves a little whip in his shots. :)

JAM
Click to expand...
I was at a tournament a little over a month ago in Charleston, SC and Earl played in that tournament. I noticed Earl was using a OB-1 shaft on his cue and the butt was not fancy at all. I assume that the butt was made by Mike Guluassy with a modified tapered OB-1 shaft to Earl's specs.
 
Fatboy said:
16.7 oz, wow but with a stroke like Earls a light cue will go throught the CB effortessly, i can understand that, its hard for me to explain this i'll do my best: to me the heavier the cue the more work the cue does and the less I do, so for someone like Earl its perhaps better to take the cue out of the game somewhat by making it lighter thus letting earl have more control and not the cue making the control.
Click to expand...
This makes a lot of sense to me and I think a heavy cue would take away from Earl's game. The light cues allow a stroke like Earl's to do the work with great feedback and I think a heavier cue would help someone with a weaker stroke.
 
Also, I hope you got a picture of Earl's brand-new cue. My better half was wondering what kind of joint it has. I was told that Earl used to play with the older Meucci cue sticks, and they had a lot of deflection in them at that time. I guess Earl loves a little whip in his shots.
Click to expand...

I wish I had,but I didn't.

Whippy is the right discription though...at least imo.
 
Thunderball said:
Figured you fine folks might be interested in how he's doing.

Two of my buddies and I headed down to Greenville for a few hours of instruction yesterday.I had set this up a few weeks ago through Mike G.....I got the impression that three guys at once was atypical at best,but Earl was cool with it so off we went.

For us it was just an hour and a half drive and we pulled in right on time at 12:00 and spent three hours with Earl.

We had a great time.I had never met the man before so there was some upside to just hanging out with one of the best to ever play.He was very attentive and engaging and full of information.

One thing you guys might find funny (if you already know him) is he said just as we were getting started "I'm a gimmick guy" lol.Now I knew that already and I guess a lot of people do,but it amused me a bit that not only did he know it himself,but was really comfortable just saying it outloud.

As far as Earl himself,he's hitting em pretty dam good by his own estimation.Mike agreed that he is really playing well at the moment.
I have to agree,but who am I to say...I have no idea how bad his game is when its off,I know dam well he has a hellova stroke and can work a cue ball in ways I've never seen in person.

As far as his current "gimmicks".His bridge hand has the standard slick glove with the tips cut out.His back hand is also gloved,but with a "grippy" glove....perhaps intended for tennis (see the photo).
He played all day with a big block of tape inside of his brige hand glove and he swore this was the greatest thing ever iho.Elevation of the bridge hand,however slight,is the intent.

His cue was made by mike,but to Earls design.16.7 ounces with a very thin shaft with most of the taper happening right after the joint.The grip is actually tennis racket wrap.....no I'm not kidding.....the word wilson can be read on it twice lol....but he loved the thing.

I'll add the photo and some more later as I'm out of time for now.
Click to expand...

Some day Earl will come walking into a tournament looking like a mummy with a bullet proof vest on. Maybe a "Hannibal Lecter" mask too, to cut out the outside "interference".

Sorry, it's just my imagination going wild. Where is Corvette when you need him? Pictures please Vette.
 
Fatboy said:
16.7 oz, wow but with a stroke like Earls a light cue will go throught the CB effortessly, i can understand that, its hard for me to explain this i'll do my best: to me the heavier the cue the more work the cue does and the less I do, so for someone like Earl its perhaps better to take the cue out of the game somewhat by making it lighter thus letting earl have more control and not the cue making the control.
Click to expand...
16.7 oz is almost exactly what my cue weighs with an OB-1 shaft and I love the way mine feels and plays. No tennis racket grip though. Maybe I need to try that! :)

I would love to have a lesson with Earl though, congratulations.
 
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Earl has been giving a bunch of lessons here lately. I have noticed several people posting their experience. I am glad to see Earl active in the game still. When he was living in Florida I rarely heard of or saw him playing. I was there for over a year when he was there and never knew of him giving any lessons. Maybe he will have some good finishes this year at the US Open and Derby cause I will be at both of these and like to see Earl do well. Congrads on your lessons.
 
SCCues said:
This makes a lot of sense to me and I think a heavy cue would take away from Earl's game. The light cues allow a stroke like Earl's to do the work with great feedback and I think a heavier cue would help someone with a weaker stroke.
Click to expand...

My boyfriend's cue is a heavy cue, and he strokes 'em pretty strong. In fact, he can execute shots that others wouldn't even attempt and make 'em. I will ask him when he wakes up why he likes a heavier cue.

The Boar cue guy, Tony, in fact, told him that he noticed that he has a double-fulcrum stroke, much like Efren Reyes, even though he's a side-winder. According to Tony, not all players have the double fulcrum, and it is one of the best attributes in anyone's stroke to have it.

Please don't ask me to explain "double fulcrum" because I can't. :o :eek: :p :D

JAM
 
Thunderball said:
Overall I can't say "how" the lesson was to be honest.It was kinda sporatic and moved for subject to subject pretty fast,but hell,we had three guys and three hours so I just find it hard to grade.If were just me for four hours I'd grade it as honestly as possiblefor you guys,but it wasn't so its hard to say....but I liked it.

Would I do it again?....dam right.

Heres the pic....I'm guessing you will figure out which one is tball lol.

001uc4.jpg
Click to expand...


Thanks for the great pic! Earl looks happy, now that he's playing with a real cue. It's a bonus, too, that it is American-made. USA, all the way! ;)

JAM
 
Your welcome.

And for who ever mentioned ob-1, thats what earl is using as well but it has been turned down A LOT.Elkmaster tip if anyone is interested.He said he tried about 50 tips before frinding "the hit" that made this cue great.

Ya know...ordinarily,I 'd assume someone were exagerating by a good bit if they said they swapped 50 tips out till they found the feel they wanted.After spending an afternoon with Earl,I don't doubt it for a minute lol.
 
JAM said:
Thanks for the great pic! Earl looks happy, now that he's playing with a real cue. It's a bonus, too, that it is American-made. USA, all the way! ;)

JAM
Click to expand...

It is nice to see him smiling and not such a sour puss.
 
Pretty sure thats a racquetball glove, very sticky and tacky, definitely would still provide a frim grip in the sweatiest hands..what its made for...
 
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