I played David Howard the week before he won the U.S. Open in New London CT. David never used a closed bridge at that point in his career. He finished second in that particular tournament, The Eastern States Nine-ball championships. I have a rule of thumb, on open and closed bridges. If i'm asking a lot of the cue-ball, I use a closed bridge. If I'm not asking a lot of the cue-ball, I use an open bridge. Both bridges should be solid. There the foundation of your shot.
How bad of a habit is it?
- Thread starter Twist
- Start date
And there it is...
that's why the snooks like open, and all of us that cut our teeth watching Earl, learned with closed. Probably a lot more with open style in 14.1 and 8 ball, and more closed in rotation games, banks, etc. In snooker not much is "asked" (I like that term Tom!! :smile: well put) of the cue ball.
Now with all the snooks invading pool, that influence is making a huge inroads. JMO
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tom mcgonagle said:
that's why the snooks like open, and all of us that cut our teeth watching Earl, learned with closed. Probably a lot more with open style in 14.1 and 8 ball, and more closed in rotation games, banks, etc. In snooker not much is "asked" (I like that term Tom!! :smile: well put) of the cue ball.
Now with all the snooks invading pool, that influence is making a huge inroads. JMO
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To give you the opposite perspective I grew up playing Snooker and trying to ape Steve Davis, so always played with an open bridge and my chin right down on the cue. When I first started playing American Pool I tried playing with a closed grip and a more upright stance. Whilst I liked the feel I couldn't aim for toffee.
It's taken me a long time and practice to get reasonably comfortable with a closed grip and a slightly more upright stance, but I still can't shoot as accurately with it. I tend to use it more when playing Straight Pool which is mostly short shots which don't need much cue ball action. In 9 Ball I tend to use an open bridge on most shots.
I don't have any belief that either open or closed grip is required to make any particular shot. The only thing required is practice and talent to use whatever mechanics you find work best for you. Now, there is a possible argument that using a closed grip could over the long term cause damage to your hand as it is a unnatural position for your fingers.
It's taken me a long time and practice to get reasonably comfortable with a closed grip and a slightly more upright stance, but I still can't shoot as accurately with it. I tend to use it more when playing Straight Pool which is mostly short shots which don't need much cue ball action. In 9 Ball I tend to use an open bridge on most shots.
I don't have any belief that either open or closed grip is required to make any particular shot. The only thing required is practice and talent to use whatever mechanics you find work best for you. Now, there is a possible argument that using a closed grip could over the long term cause damage to your hand as it is a unnatural position for your fingers.
I guess I should also clarify that we aren't graded in the class based on performance. We are graded on participation and attentiveness I guess. Basically, if you show up and don't cause any trouble you get an A. The prof said its up to me what I use, since he watched me make better shots closed than open. I'm still practicing it though. Oddly enough, although I'm primarily right handed, I am ambidextrous and use the open much more when shooting left handed.
Not quite certain how it can be a bad habit to use a closed bridge. I use the best bridge I deem necessary to make the shot...plain and simple. This actually comes natural to me 99.9% of the time as every now and then I switch around trying to figure it out on very rare shots.
That's funny, I am exactly the opposite. I began playing pool with a closed bridge and upright stance, and after watching hours and hours of former snooker players on ESPN, I now shoot open bridge with my chin right on the cue. For me it has made me more accurate. I do use a closed bridge on the break.AuntyDan said:
Caromsoft said:
That was my point, the bridge/stance/mechanics many of us start out with are the ones we see and copy. To me this shows there is no specific technical advantage or disadvantage to either bridge. With enough time and talent either can be used to play at the top level of any game, although I do believe that certain physical factors do favor one over the other, which no-one seems to have mentioned so far.
Specifically if you are playing with a very narrow, constantly-tapered shaft and a fairly light cue (10mm/17oz or less which is preferred in Snooker) an open bridge is easier to achieve proficient accuracy with. Conversely when using the larger, heavier cues with "pro" tapered shafts preferred with most Pool games a close bridge can help in keeping the stroke under control.
Opened/Closed Bridge
I started out playing snooker at age 12, so I've played all my life very low to the table, but now only playing pool I'm using the open bridge mostly on long shots that require none or little english, and the closed bridge for draw and big english shots,
I prefer to break slightly standing up with a closed bridge, what ever a person learns at a young age, mostlikely will suit them thru their pool playing life.
David Harcrow
Caromsoft said:
I started out playing snooker at age 12, so I've played all my life very low to the table, but now only playing pool I'm using the open bridge mostly on long shots that require none or little english, and the closed bridge for draw and big english shots,
I prefer to break slightly standing up with a closed bridge, what ever a person learns at a young age, mostlikely will suit them thru their pool playing life.
David Harcrow
Patrick Johnson said:
I was watching the Great S. Billiard tour match on line, and Archer broke with an open bridge the whole match.