How often do you hit the balls soft?

Gogafem

Gogafem

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am talking about baby hitting the shots.
I personally try to hit most shots with at least a solid and clear hit. For example if the ball is straight in I do a stop shot - if that is good position-wise of course. Also if it's the last ball I just hit it with confidence and stop the CB dead in its tracks.
Only time I hit it easy is when I really need a kill shot. Other than that I always avoid this and try to make a clear shot with either stun, follow or draw.
What about you?
 
I tend to agree. Even on a long full table shot that I want to leave it there, I will hit low where it will back spin a bit, slide, & then turn over & roll. I do that just so I can use a bit more stroke rather than a baby, baby hit.
 
Forgot the pro who said it, but it goes a little something like this, "There are 2 ways to hit the balls, soft and softer" :wink:
 
I do a lil of both I like pocket speed nice smoth slow but sometimes u need a lil ass on it lol
 
I play pocket speed all the time unless i need to really move the cue ball around..
 
I hit em soft often. But not at the risk of missing the ball. Usually only when even an inch of rolloff wouldn't matter. Also useful in 8b or 1p.

It's a tradeoff... Makes pocketing easier and balls are less likely to rattle. But increases the threat of table roll and the effects of throw.

Mostly depends on the game. Pretty rarely in 9b. You want the ball to get away from the hole if you miss, and give yourself a chance to get lucky.


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I played a safety yesterday, during a One Pocket match, that was beyond soft. It was a whisper. :)
 
Prodigy said:
I do a lil of both I like pocket speed nice smoth slow but sometimes u need a lil ass on it lol
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Well yes, pocket speed can be the key sometimes, but with a clear hit and a nice stroke you can still do it, just not ultra hard =P.
 
My Pappy used to say, "You don't have to hit the ball any harder than to make it drop in the pocket."

Everything beyond what is necessary to pot the OB must be going into obtaniing the position afterwards. About the only relief from this rule is
when the table is "not flat enough" and drag shots are in order.
 
Also forgot to mention that I usually avoid really soft shots because of cloth friction on some tables. Also because of position. And I've seen a lot of amateur players hit the balls easy in order to pocket them more easily and sometimes the balls won't even reach the pocket and that's really bad and risky...
 
In general, I like 'crisp', not 'hard'. Otherwise, I agree with stop, slide, follow etc while keeping the shot on line.

The really soft ones, I have to bridge much shorter, and grip harder, and swing less.

The really, really soft ones, I hate. Mainly the safety straight into the rail, where the cb is 1/4 inch from ob, and ob is a breath away from the rail, assuming you can reach the cb to begin with. If, it plays, if would rather contact 1 layer of paint and run the cb away.

Soft can be real hard.
 
I like a crisp sound then that OB hits the back of the pocket with that good thud sound.

Every time I miss a shot from hitting it hard are the ones I wish I hit soft
 
3RAILKICK said:
In general, I like 'crisp', not 'hard'. Otherwise, I agree with stop, slide, follow etc while keeping the shot on line.

The really soft ones, I have to bridge much shorter, and grip harder, and swing less.

The really, really soft ones, I hate. Mainly the safety straight into the rail, where the cb is 1/4 inch from ob, and ob is a breath away from the rail, assuming you can reach the cb to begin with. If, it plays, if would rather contact 1 layer of paint and run the cb away.

Soft can be real hard.
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Indeed... Those kind of safeties can be very risky, especially on a bad table or one you don't know well.
 
You have to hit the cue ball hard enough to
1. Put the OB where you want it (usually a pocket, but not always ...), AND
2. Put the CB where you want it.

Sometimes that's soft, sometimes it isn't.

All things being "equal," softer can avoid wild routes around the table and even a few scratches.
 
when "Uncle Lou" is staking me

Gogafem said:
I am talking about baby hitting the shots.
I personally try to hit most shots with at least a solid and clear hit. For example if the ball is straight in I do a stop shot - if that is good position-wise of course. Also if it's the last ball I just hit it with confidence and stop the CB dead in its tracks.
Only time I hit it easy is when I really need a kill shot. Other than that I always avoid this and try to make a clear shot with either stun, follow or draw.
What about you?
Click to expand...

Only when "Uncle Lou" is staking me. ;)
 
There's that old story of the instructor and the student. The student is sitting down putting his stick together for his first pool lesson. He hears the instructor yell, "your hitting em too hard"!! :cool:
 
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Buddy Hall was the greatest, it looked like his cue moved the same speed most shots

Gogafem said:
Well yes, pocket speed can be the key sometimes, but with a clear hit and a nice stroke you can still do it, just not ultra hard =P.
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I've played against all the top players at one time or another and they all hit the balls firm. On super fast equipment your shot speed will have to slow down, but it's best to accelerate on every shot. If you have to slow the cue ball down after contact it's better to hit the ball lower and "kill" or "stun" the shot, instead of "slow rolling it".

Buddy Hall was the greatest, it looked like his cue moved the same speed on most shots. I really don't watch the cue ball speed, I watch the cue stick speed. Anyone that slows their cue stick speed down regularly is not going to be a champion player.

On 10' Tables this is really apparent. Slow rolling balls on these tables is a very poor choice, especially if the cloth is worn or slow. Tournament conditions are different and more "delicate," but how many of you play under these conditions in a pool room? Only after fresh cloth is put on.
 
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