How do I teach a draw shot?

hobokenapa

hobokenapa

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Over the last week, I've been giving some informal lessons to some APA3 players in our League (I'm an APA7/B+). Each person told me they cannot draw the ball back. So I checked out their fundamentals, and then showed them a simple draw shot. I put the object ball in the middle of the table, and shot a straight shot into the side drawing back into the opposite side pocket. I told them to follow through, hit the ball low, and keep their cue level. But they just could not do it. Every shot was a stop shot, or maybe a one inch draw. I'd really like to help these people as they are keen to learn and improve. Is there something I am missing and not showing them, or is it something that just takes practice?
 
hobokenapa said:
Over the last week, I've been giving some informal lessons to some APA3 players in our League (I'm an APA7/B+). Each person told me they cannot draw the ball back. So I checked out their fundamentals, and then showed them a simple draw shot. I put the object ball in the middle of the table, and shot a straight shot into the side drawing back into the opposite side pocket. I told them to follow through, hit the ball low, and keep their cue level. But they just could not do it. Every shot was a stop shot, or maybe a one inch draw. I'd really like to help these people as they are keen to learn and improve. Is there something I am missing and not showing them, or is it something that just takes practice?
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Have them aim lower, they're probably subconsciously lifting up a bit out of fear of a miscue. In fact, they probably should be miscuing every few shots as they work out how low they can go without miscuing. You might find that they can do it easier if they elevate slightly, 10-15 degrees tops. (Also, stop putting the object ball 5 feet away from the cue ball!)

Cory

P.S. One thing to watch out for is that as soon as they learn draw, that's what they'll want to do on every shot.
 
let them use a strip instead of the cueball. place the ball so that the stripe is paralle to the table surface. have them chalk their tip really well and have them aim at the bottom of the stripe. you should be able to see if they are hitting were they are aiming. chances are they are hitting a lot higher than they think they are.
 
ShaneT58 said:
let them use a strip instead of the cueball. place the ball so that the stripe is paralle to the table surface. have them chalk their tip really well and have them aim at the bottom of the stripe. you should be able to see if they are hitting were they are aiming. chances are they are hitting a lot higher than they think they are.
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Have them lower their cue to the cloth and stroke at that point, let them get used to the feel, get them stroking smoothly. Then have them raise the cue tip just a tad and stroke the cue through the cue ball. I find it's easiest to teach how to do this with the cue ball and object ball separated by 6 inches or so. Once they get the idea and can shoot this shot, move the object ball further and further away. Suggest also that they flick their wrist a tad, and hold the cue very lightly, loosely. In no time at all they should be drawing the heck out of the cue ball.

Another way is to set up the same shot as above, have them elevate the butt of the cue 10-15 degrees, hold the cue very lightly in their hand, and then to violently stab down on the cue ball, with the hit a bit below center. Have them lower the contact point on the cue ball until it starts to draw. This isn't my favorite way to draw the rock, but it will get them going.

Good luck!

Flex
 
hobokenapa said:
[...]. I told them to follow through, hit the ball low, and keep their cue level. But they just could not do it. Every shot was a stop shot, or maybe a one inch draw. [...]
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First, before telling how to do it, you must convince him he's not actually hitting the ball low. Use a striped ball as someone else suggested. Have him hit three "draw" shots or so, noting each time the location of the chalk mark. He'll likely show surprise.

Here's what I do next. I set up the shot and ask him to get in place with a short bridge. Then I take the butt end of his stick and put it as low as possible (i.e., hitting the rail). This will raise his tip. Then I tell him to (without raising the butt) lower the tip to where he wants it. [At this point there is nothing he can do to the rear end of the stick to raise the tip.] I then tell him just to hit the ball. Don't worry about drawing it. Of course he gets good draw and is amazed.

Then we discuss why he got good draw and what he can do to keep getting good draw.
 
Point your finger about 6 or 8 inches in front of the cue ball and tell them to leave the tip of their cue where your finger is pointing after they shoot.

They will not do this. They will poke.

Again tell them to leave the tip of their cue where your finger is pointing. Say they can shoot slowly (don't need to kill the ball).

Repeat above until they learn to follow through and leave the tip of their cue about 6 or 8 inches past where the cue ball was.
 
Chris' Cues said:
Have them aim lower on the ball, with a 10 inch followthrough. A nice smooth stroke, no jerking.
Chris
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No, I think it should be a 15 inch follow through for great draw.
 
hobokenapa said:
Over the last week, I've been giving some informal lessons to some APA3 players in our League (I'm an APA7/B+). Each person told me they cannot draw the ball back. So I checked out their fundamentals, and then showed them a simple draw shot. I put the object ball in the middle of the table, and shot a straight shot into the side drawing back into the opposite side pocket. I told them to follow through, hit the ball low, and keep their cue level. But they just could not do it. Every shot was a stop shot, or maybe a one inch draw. I'd really like to help these people as they are keen to learn and improve. Is there something I am missing and not showing them, or is it something that just takes practice?
Click to expand...


Sounds like they might be dropping their elbow right before contact. That raises the tip of their cue in their stroke.
 
Cornerman said:
I have had best results with a 13.578" follow through. ;)

HTH,

Fred
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Have them take two week off, then quit. Seems to work for most shooters.

Also, if you never heard this one, I will simply be amazed.
 
Gregg said:
Have them take two week off, then quit. Seems to work for most shooters.

Also, if you never heard this one, I will simply be amazed.
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That Really works??? That's news to me ;)
 
randyg said:
No, I think it should be a 15 inch follow through for great draw.
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I tried this and am getting great results! My only problem is I keep fouling, especially when the object ball is only 12 inches away! ;)
Steve
 
hobokenapa said:
... Every shot was a stop shot, or maybe a one inch draw. I'd really like to help these people as they are keen to learn and improve. Is there something I am missing and not showing them, or is it something that just takes practice?
Click to expand...
Good advice so far, but I think Cory's post probably gets at the heart of the issue: fear of miscuing. So as he suggested, I would encourage them to hit low enough to miscue a few times, and then work upward from there.

If all of them use open bridges, they may be gripping too tightly and lifting the shaft out of their bridges, entirely unaware that this is happening. I can draw pretty well but decided one time that for some reason to use a firmer grip. Shortly thereafter I began having problems. Using a stripe ball for the cueball (also suggested by a poster above), it was amazing to see how close to the equator the chalk mark was located, despite aiming so low I thought I should be miscuing. It's very eerie when it happens. Until you actually see the chalk, you would swear that you must be practically digging into the cloth. But not so.

Jim
 
Learn to Draw in 1-hour!

Spend 5 minutes with them to show them that they're not hitting the Cue Ball low enough.

Then tell them to hit a low draw shot for 60 minutes, chalking the cue for each attempt.

When they don't do it, as 90+% won't. They'll lose concentration, not chalk, or just give up after 10 minutes and go back to banging, then don't help them again. These are the people who will never be much good at anything anyway.

If by chance they do it for an hour and still haven't worked it out, then give up on them as they obviously don't have any talent.

Those who stick at it and work it out pretty quick may become good players. Give them some more challenging drills / lessons.

Colin
 
LMAO-----------9, 13.678, 15 inch! Flick your wrist.... Now I know why my stroke is so ****** up!

Randyg....guess I should be/go to LA and learn that stroke......
 
Lots of good advice given so far.

One further thing you could do would be to get a red dot cue ball, clean it up, chalk their tip heavily. Have them hit 10 shots (trying to hit the red circle exactly) with 4 rail speed from the foot spot, up and down the table. Check the cue ball after they hit, the mark should be centered EXACTLY on the red circle. If they have a very wide variation, then you either need to fix their stroke to become more precise and repeatable or you need to use Colin's advice (because practice isn't going to help them much if their stroke sucks).
 
Deadon said:
LMAO-----------9, 13.678, 15 inch! Flick your wrist.... Now I know why my stroke is so ****** up!

Randyg....guess I should be/go to LA and learn that stroke......
Click to expand...


Scott and I have room for one more. Come on and join us.......randyg
 
ShaneT58 said:
let them use a strip instead of the cueball. place the ball so that the stripe is paralle to the table surface. have them chalk their tip really well and have them aim at the bottom of the stripe. you should be able to see if they are hitting were they are aiming. chances are they are hitting a lot higher than they think they are.
Click to expand...

I'm with Shane on this one. The tell tale chalk mark on the stripe is information they can use and adjust accordingly.
 
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