having trouble hitting high on the cue ball

[mgonfishn]

not sure why, but my draw stroke has recently improved 10 fold, but i cant seem to get a strong follow stroke. ive been using the rempe training ball, and the chalk mark is barely higher than the center of the cue ball.. its driving me crazy, i feel like im aiming it right and at teh last second compensate... Any advice on how to consistently be able to hit just under the miscue limit while following the cue ball?... has anyone had this problem, and if so how did they address the issue?
thanks

 

[Neil]

..............

 

[Mark Avlon]

The quick answer is to use a pendulum stroke with a bridge high enough for the follow you want. Keep in mind that you only need to go up 7/10 of the way up the cue ball.

The best solution is to get a checkup with an instructor. They can quickly identify where the problem is and help you make the necessary corrections.

 

[pooltchr]

It could be that your perception of above center is off. Remember, when you are aiming below center, you can see the upper edge of the tip, which is the part of the tip that will actually make contact. (You aren't hitting the ball with the center of the tip unless you are shooting center ball) When you are shooting above center, it is the bottom of the tip that will make contact. The bottom of the tip is roughly 13mm BELOW the part of the tip you can see when you are on the shot. It's lower than you think.

Take it to the extreme. Keep moving up on the ball until you reach the point where the top miscues over the top of the cue ball. Then back down until you make good contact. Learn to visualize the bottom edge of your tip. While it may look like you are aiming too high on the cue ball, the reality says something different.

What you see, isn't what you get when it comes to applying topspin.

Steve

 

[Bob Jewett]

not sure why, but my draw stroke has recently improved 10 fold, but i cant seem to get a strong follow stroke. ive been using the rempe training ball, and the chalk mark is barely higher than the center of the cue ball.. its driving me crazy, i feel like im aiming it right and at teh last second compensate... Any advice on how to consistently be able to hit just under the miscue limit while following the cue ball?... has anyone had this problem, and if so how did they address the issue?
thanks

It's from elbow movement before the shot, almost certainly. Try playing follow shots from the rail with the cue ball close to the rail. This will at least force you to hit high. In the open table, try using a much shorter bridge. After your follow returns, work back towards your normal stance/bridge.

 

[mgonfishn]

Thank you, i will try all of your suggestions on my next practice...
this forum is truly great
mark

 

[pooltchr]

Bob. If he is hitting lower on the cue ball than planned, wouldn't an elbow drop actually cause the tip to hit higher on the cue ball? To hit lower than planned, he would have to be raising his elbow, which I would think would be quite unlikely.

There could be several things causing the problem, but since he said his draw shot seems to be working, but is hittling lower than expected on follow shots, I tried to find a possibility other than stroke mechanics. If he has a stroke problem, I would expect it to manifest itself in his draw shot as well as follow.

Steve

 

[Bob Jewett]

Bob. If he is hitting lower on the cue ball than planned, wouldn't an elbow drop actually cause the tip to hit higher on the cue ball? To hit lower than planned, he would have to be raising his elbow, which I would think would be quite unlikely. ...

While it's unlikely, some people do have that problem. I had one student who could only draw the ball by addressing the middle of the cue ball and then raising his elbow during the stroke. At first when I got him to address the ball where he intended to hit, he would always miscue because he would still raise his elbow. This was a middle-aged guy who had done that for years and years.

 

[mgonfishn]

i was a little curious of that myself, i remember from an instructor, that when you do not drop your elbow the tip ends up hitting the felt... so in theory i can see me gettin higher on the cueball with only a shorter bridge. i tend to use a bridge of about 9.5 inches or so, and i do notice that my set position is much higher than the chalk mark that i leave. Im sure shortening my brige, as well as raising my bridge hand would help, however it is very uncomfortable. Perhaps i should try a small elbow drop ? Obviously nothing dramatic..

 

[pooltchr]

If you are hitting lower than your set position, it's entirely possible you are raising up during the shot without realising it. Obviously, if you are using a pendilum stroke and hitting the ball somewhere other than your set position, there is some unwanted movement somewhere that you may not even be aware of.

Try a video camera and see if you can spot anything, or get with a good instructor who can help you pinpoint the cause of the problem.

Steve

 

[Neil]

................

 

[pooltchr]

Good point. And I think this thread shows just how many different causes there can be to a single problem. This is why the best advice is usually to actually see a qualified instructor. On the forum, all we can do is suggest various possibilities. None of us can know for sure without seeing someone actually shooting.

Steve

 

[Scott Lee]

Absolutely Steve...and just to "qualify" what a 'qualified instructor' is, at least imo...I think it should mean someone who uses video review, as part of their training program. If they don't use video review, you might want to look for another instructor (or perhaps not...it is, however, a very powerful teaching tool!). We instructors are trained observers, but there's NOTHING like seeing yourself on tv...especially in slow motion...to drive a point home, or diagnose an error.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Good point. And I think this thread shows just how many different causes there can be to a single problem. This is why the best advice is usually to actually see a qualified instructor. On the forum, all we can do is suggest various possibilities. None of us can know for sure without seeing someone actually shooting.

Steve