Hitting 1/2 Tip to the Left on Center Ball Shots, Should I Fix My Stroke or Adapt?

FranCrimi said:
You could possibly experiment with a slight stance adjustment to the left a bit to allow more room for your arm to swing through. That would be a solution if the cause of your issue is that you're crowding the line of the shot.
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In the rear view video, viewing the second shot frame by frame shows abrupt "steering" of the grip hand around the chest at the finish of the shot stroke.

pj
chgo
 
Patrick Johnson said:
In the rear view video, viewing the second shot frame by frame shows abrupt "steering" of the grip hand around the chest at the finish of the shot stroke.

pj
chgo
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Yes, a lot of snooker-trained players do keep their cue close to their chest (the 5 touch points, etc.) so it's unclear if crowding is the cause, but I'm leaning in that direction. I think of steering as pushing or pulling the cue out unconsciously in the direction you want the cue ball to travel --- steering the cue ball --- but that changes with the shot. Do you mean pulling the cue to avoid bumping his chest?
 
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I could be wrong but it "feels" more like I am pulling the cue to the right on the final backswing and not on the forward stroke.
 
FranCrimi said:
Do you mean pulling the cue to avoid bumping his chest?
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Yep (though I might call it "veering" the cue).

I used to have the same issue (except it was my hip in the way). The solution for me was to "close" my stance a bit - turn my torso to face more across the cue - so I could hold my elbow farther from my body. This meant moving my front foot closer to the stick, and turning my head a little more to face the shot squarely. Took awhile to get all the parts working together again, but worth it for an essential improvement.

pj
chgo
 
stockbob55 said:
I could be wrong but it "feels" more like I am pulling the cue to the right on the final backswing and not on the forward stroke.
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Let someone video you from the front and back- should be easy to see, if you pull your cue not straight back. Had several students with this issue.
This is tough to fix on your own-
 
Patrick Johnson said:
Yep (though I might call it "veering" the cue).

I used to have the same issue (except it was my hip in the way). The solution for me was to "close" my stance a bit - turn my torso to face more across the cue - so I could hold my elbow farther from my body. This meant moving my front foot closer to the stick, and turning my head a little more to face the shot squarely. Took awhile to get all the parts working together again, but worth it for an essential improvement.

pj
chgo
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As you probably know, stance adjustments have to take cue placement under the eyes into consideration. For example, if the player has a cross dominant eye, then your stance suggestion of facing the cue more works well. If it's not a cross dominant eye situation, I would prefer the player try a move to the left first.
 
FranCrimi said:
As you probably know, stance adjustments have to take cue placement under the eyes into consideration. For example, if the player has a cross dominant eye, then your stance suggestion of facing the cue more works well. If it's not a cross dominant eye situation, I would prefer the player try a move to the left first.
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I'm not cross dominant, yet didn't have a problem keeping my stick under my eyes (although I did have to twist my neck/head more to face the shot squarely). Maybe my difference was that it was my hips in the way, not my chest.

pj
chgo
 
I like to stretch out a tape measure and stroke above that to see where my stroke is deviating. I'm not syre if OP's issue will be visible this way but it may eliminate some variables.
 
FranCrimi said:
As you probably know, stance adjustments have to take cue placement under the eyes into consideration. For example, if the player has a cross dominant eye, then your stance suggestion of facing the cue more works well. If it's not a cross dominant eye situation, I would prefer the player try a move to the left first.
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I am not cross eye dominant, I have my cue 1/2 way between right eye and nose. I will try to move my stance a small distance to the left and see if it makes a difference.
In your experience how many inches to the left to give sufficient clearance?
 
FranCrimi said:
This is great that you did this. Here are 5 screenshots that I took of your stroke in sequence. I was never a fan of opening and closing your grip hand when you stroke. You're not alone. Many players do it, particularly snooker players. This is why I don't recommend it.
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Fran could you name a few couple of players who play with the cue grip in the back of the hand so that I can see what's involved. I'm a bit of a visual learner. I find it awkward unless my arm is forward of 90 degrees at address. Thanks
 
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Ok I got to play in a little place in Ohio last night. I took some shots from the front, there is definitely
something going on....

 
I'd say mostly your stroke looks good. I noticed a little head movement during some strokes. I couldn't tell about left/right misalignment.

When recording this kind of shot for analysis, it is best to place the balls on donuts (paper reinforcements) and make sure they are in a perfectly straight line to the pocket. Also, you need to be very careful to place the camera exactly along the line of the shot or a straight stroke may look crooked and vice versa. The donut the cue ball is on can be used as a reference to see if the cue stick is coming through straight. It should end centered on the donut.

To check any left/right swerve in the stroke, it is good to add a view from behind where you can see what the butt and hand are doing. Exact centering of the camera along the shot/stick line is even more important for the rear view.

Finally, it is best to adjust the zoom to eliminate parts of the picture you don't need to see. For the front view that includes everything above your head and elbow and everything in front of the object ball. Zooming in like that makes it much easier to pick out details. One detail is whether the cue ball has unintended sidespin, which I wasn't sure of in the video.
 
stockbob55 said:
Fran could you name a few couple of players who play with the cue grip in the back of the hand so that I can see what's involved. I'm a bit of a visual learner. I find it awkward unless my arm is forward of 90 degrees at address. Thanks
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Both players in this match --- George Sansouci and Jose Parica.

 
FranCrimi said:
Were you setting up the same exact shot every time? What was your goal for the cue ball?
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That is a very good question, normally I would have a goal but in this particular instance I was just trying to make the ball and get some footage.
I was just shooting the diagonal line between the two pockets with the ball roughly in the center of the table.
 
fran
it seems to me ginky opens and closes his hand more than i imagined happening with your description of your grip preference
you can see it well at this time in the match
especially if you play it back at slow speed
 
stockbob55 said:
That is a very good question, normally I would have a goal but in this particular instance I was just trying to make the ball and get some footage.
I was just shooting the diagonal line between the two pockets with the ball roughly in the center of the table.
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not an instructor
I also noticed that the balls weren't set up straight every time, but if they were, I imagine you could get more info. out of shooting
keep better track of your accuracy by trying to draw back into the corner pocket, etc. anyway, your stroke looks pretty solid to me- keep going!
 
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