Help With Straight Stroke?

Zphix

Zphix

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So guys, I've reached a point where I'm irritated with my stroke. At the moment, it's straight-ish but there's enough wiggle room that I'm not happy with it.

I've looked at a ton of stuff online to try and find an answer but I'm pretty sure my shoulder is what's causing the problem. I've looked at Tom Simpsons stroke groover that keeps your elbow in place (so it can't drop and cause the shoulder rotate) but that didn't create a "fix" either.

As it is, I'm unsure of what else I can. Anybody have any suggestions?

EDIT: Although, When I shoot the spot shot to the 2nd diamond to get the cueball to contact my tip it comes back fine. This is why I say my stroke is straight-ish.
 
If you are struggling with this, try adding a pause for the tip at the cue ball and another pause in your transition from backstroke to forward. Really focus on a straight delivery.

I would incorporate that into a drill where you hit a ball into a pocket and have the cueball follow into the same pocket. Try that at various distances. Greater distances require greater focus, precision and accuracy. I think you’ll find where your hitches are if you commit to it. If musculature is a factor you can hope the repetition will strengthen and stabilize the muscles involved and burn-in some muscle memory.

When I started focusing on this I found I was addressing the cueball slightly left of center. The ball would pocket but slight deflection would send my cueball right of following it in.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
Go old school.
Get a coke bottle lay it horizontal on a kitchen table.
Stroke your shaft thru the bottle.Pool cue shaft,dont get confused.
Try not to hit anything but air.
 
Help with Straight Stroke

I recommend you shoot straight in long shots. When shooting a straight in shot your tip is pointing at the center of the cue ball and the center of the object ball and the center of the pocket since all three are on the same line of aim. Do you pre shot routine and on you final stroke have your tip stroke towards contact point on the object ball. This will keep you on the proper line of aim with your shaft instead of shooting the shaft somewhere in front of you.
 
TWOFORPOOL said:
I recommend you shoot straight in long shots. When shooting a straight in shot your tip is pointing at the center of the cue ball and the center of the object ball and the center of the pocket since all three are on the same line of aim. Do you pre shot routine and on you final stroke have your tip stroke towards contact point on the object ball. This will keep you on the proper line of aim with your shaft instead of shooting the shaft somewhere in front of you.
Click to expand...

Great advice! This has helped my stroke more than anything. Feels good when you can fill up a pocket shooting those long shots stopping CB. Get a rhythm going while doing this and it will burn in a straight stroke.
 
Post

Study snooker stroke, a few of those fundementals can be helpful with a pool stroke.


Rob.M
 
Master Instructor, Mr Scott Lee is in your area right now.

The SPF&F Stroke is the fastest and straightest way to learn.

Contact Scott at 773 55-7473

Great guy,
randyg
 
Use your phone to record yourself from all sides, being able to see yourself shoot is an eye opener for many players.
 
Zphix said:
So guys, I've reached a point where I'm irritated with my stroke. At the moment, it's straight-ish but there's enough wiggle room that I'm not happy with it.

I've looked at a ton of stuff online to try and find an answer but I'm pretty sure my shoulder is what's causing the problem. I've looked at Tom Simpsons stroke groover that keeps your elbow in place (so it can't drop and cause the shoulder rotate) but that didn't create a "fix" either.

As it is, I'm unsure of what else I can. Anybody have any suggestions?

EDIT: Although, When I shoot the spot shot to the 2nd diamond to get the cueball to contact my tip it comes back fine. This is why I say my stroke is straight-ish.
Click to expand...

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this. So simple and it works. :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGBFRln32uo&t=2s

John
 
TWOFORPOOL said:
I recommend you shoot straight in long shots. When shooting a straight in shot your tip is pointing at the center of the cue ball and the center of the object ball and the center of the pocket since all three are on the same line of aim. Do you pre shot routine and on you final stroke have your tip stroke towards contact point on the object ball. This will keep you on the proper line of aim with your shaft instead of shooting the shaft somewhere in front of you.
Click to expand...

This is great advice. I will add to do this diagonally into a corner pocket while you draw the cueball into the corner pocket under your cue. When you accomplish that you have hit the cue ball dead center and drawn the cue ball dead center. As straight as it can be. any English here will throw one or both balls off target.
 
THIS!!!!

I did this as a young teen. You can do it anywhere with a surface that's close to table height, and a cue.

IT WORKS

Do it for an hour a day. That will feel like an eternity, but remember you are developing a stroke that you will have for life.

If you don't have a smooth straight stroke in 2 months, join a league at your local Bowling Alley.

-von


measureman said:
Go old school.
Get a coke bottle lay it horizontal on a kitchen table.
Stroke your shaft thru the bottle.Pool cue shaft,dont get confused.
Try not to hit anything but air.
Click to expand...
 
VonRhett said:
THIS!!!!

I did this as a young teen. You can do it anywhere with a surface that's close to table height, and a cue.

IT WORKS

Do it for an hour a day. That will feel like an eternity, but remember you are developing a stroke that you will have for life.

If you don't have a smooth straight stroke in 2 months, join a league at your local Bowling Alley.

-von
Click to expand...

Absolutely correct. There are some instructors on here who will insist that a pendulumn stroke is best, but this is my main method of straightening up my stroke, and it has held up even when playing very few tournaments. On the few occasions I have had to play pros, my stroke has held up to the pressure.
 
ShortBusRuss said:
Absolutely correct. There are some instructors on here who will insist that a pendulumn stroke is best, but this is my main method of straightening up my stroke, and it has held up even when playing very few tournaments. On the few occasions I have had to play pros, my stroke has held up to the pressure.
Click to expand...

Agree Russ.

How many pros out here have a pure pendulum stroke? That's snooker stuff. As Nick V. told me, we are playing American pool, not snooker.

The only thing I might add about the coke bottle routine is whilst its a good thing to stroke back and forth, non stop, it is also a good thing to stroke into it like you are actually shooting a shot. And not back and forth constantly.

r/DCP
 
Zphix said:
So guys, I've reached a point where I'm irritated with my stroke. At the moment, it's straight-ish but there's enough wiggle room that I'm not happy with it.

I've looked at a ton of stuff online to try and find an answer but I'm pretty sure my shoulder is what's causing the problem. I've looked at Tom Simpsons stroke groover that keeps your elbow in place (so it can't drop and cause the shoulder rotate) but that didn't create a "fix" either.

As it is, I'm unsure of what else I can. Anybody have any suggestions?

EDIT: Although, When I shoot the spot shot to the 2nd diamond to get the cueball to contact my tip it comes back fine. This is why I say my stroke is straight-ish.
Click to expand...

I'm available for a first free lesson, often, only one lesson is needed to straighten your stroke, permanently. There are a variety of reasons for stroke hitches, we'll explore them.

Because some people, even touring pros, have a vertical loop to their stroke, which does not add unwanted horizontal movement, I do not recommend the Coke bottle drill for most players.

Shooting a ball to the rail and back does not help unless the rail is perfect, and I mean perfect.
 
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