How to develop an A player's stroke.

JoeyA

JoeyA

Efren's Mini-Tourn BACKER
Silver Member
What tips might you offer to develop a super accurate stroke?

Are there and drills in particular that you would recommend?

Are there any particular things to remember to do when coming with the perfect stroke?

I'll offer one item and ask you to make other suggestions:

On your final stroke, pull the cue stick back more slowly than the rest of the strokes. This will help keep you from pulling the cue offline. It will also make the transition to the forward motion, more smoothly which also helps to keep the cue stick from being pulled offline.

Let's "hear" your BEST STUFF!

JoeyA
 
I always tell people if they can smoothly draw the cueball a long way in a straight line then thats all the stroke they need. There is a lot to that, too much to type out. Most people grip the cue too tightly and hit the ball far too hard, RELAX. I think them getting that down is a great starting point for really getting the required spin with the least effort for every other stroke shot they need. oh and I have been playing a little straight pool and it seems to have improved my stroke, more to come on this later when I figure out why haha, odd.
 
put two balls on the rail, the CB below the side pocket the OB above it, on a 9 foot tight table, make it 10 out of 10 with center ball.
 
Instead of buying that $2000 Franklin Southwest, invest some money into lessons with Scott Lee.
 
Wow...this is such a CENTRAL issue in playing superior pool that entire chapters in books and hours of instruction are needed to do justice to the subject.

The best tip...by far...that I would offer is to take a full day lesson with a TOP teacher which will provide information that will last the rest of the student's life.

In addition, there are numerous elements of "mechanics" other than the stroke itself that are required to encourage and permit a repeatable stroke so now, several more chapters would be required.

But narrowing it all down to the stroke itself:

1. I agree with your "slow back" advice. Allison Fisher talks about thinking about "drawing the bow string back" like an archer (not Johnny...a person who shoots arrows!) (-:

2. She also advocates a significant pause at the back which is not for everyone but probably should be in wider use than it is. There are LOTS of issues related to the pause but two are crucial IMHO. One, it allows the eyes to TOTALLY refocus on the OB without the distraction of the moving cue stick. (motion distracts focus) Secondly, it eliminates "transition" mistakes, including but not limited to short stroking...because there IS no transition.

3. A SMOOTHLY accelerating final forward stroke. No rushing/stabbing that most of us fall victim to, especially under pressure and on shots we're afraid of. For whatever reason, this is a critical issue for me. I try to think of pushing the cue through an elongated marshmallow in order to get to the CB.

4. I'm neutral on the elbow drop issue IF the drop takes place after CB impact. If the elbow drops before impact, then the tip IS going to rise. But if you can factor that in...like Furyk factors in all the weird aspects of his golf swing...then fine, whack it any way you want. But just know you've gotta be one in a million to get away with non-standard mechanics.

5. SUPER light grip pressure. ALL you need to keep your hand from sliding forward on the butt during the forward stroke and at impact is the mere weight of the cue resting on your curved grip hand fingers. Anything other than that very light pressure is both unnecessary and detrimental.

Reyes and Bustamente prove that beyond a shadow of a doubt. (I don't advocate their strokes...especially Django's who has loops that have loops..but the grip pressure...or more accurately, the LACK of grip pressure is the lesson to learn from them.)

Regards,
Jim
 
Bugz said:
yesterday,

I can honestly say that Mr. Lee has forgotten more about pool then I know.
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OK, then give Scott some "press". Put a little "bread" on the table. Give it up.

What did Scott teach you that will help your stroke become an A Player's stroke? (Trust me, he won't mind).

But we want to hear it in YOUR own words, not his.

Scott can add his own post. :)

JoeyA
 
Are there any drills in particular that you would recommend?
Click to expand...

Shoot any game or drill, but use an object ball as your "cue ball". For each shot, turn the "cue ball" so one of its circles is facing you with its number upright - that's your "strike zone". Before shooting the shot, decide exactly where in the strike zone you want to hit the CB (for instance, "10 o'clock, on the circle" or "3 o'clock, halfway to the circle"). After each shot notice how the shot worked out and check the chalk mark to see how close you came to your CB target.

Simple.

pj
chgo
 
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It's easy, got some time?

You must fall in love with the game to put enough time in.
 
Most important and only thing I will say is....

he taught/showed me the difference a 1/8" makes on the cueball. So making your stroke mechanics perfect everytime, is the key to becoming an exceptional player.
 
Bugz said:
Most important and only thing I will say is....

he taught/showed me the difference a 1/8" makes on the cueball. So making your stroke mechanics perfect everytime, is the key to becoming an exceptional player.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reminder. That tip is golden.
 
When I first started playing I had a very bad stroke. I was always what they call chicken wing. I tried all sorts of things such as the coke bottle, stroking over the diamonds and even along the inside of the rail. Well some of it helped to a point but nothing like what I have now. I don't have to tell you what that is for the ones that know me. One thing I have noticed over the years everyone has their own opinion about how to fix their stroke. I know for a fact until you find a way to control your stroke arm and a steady bridge hand and have it do the same thing time after time you will always struggle with your stroke. I found out that I did in a matter of weeks what most people have struggled to do their whole life. ?Develop a nice stroke? I put this on you tube from the DCC 2 years ago. I know some of you will bash me for this but it works
http://youtube.com/watch?v=BOd6gt6G1S0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEcUkTjqXYM

I hope you enjoy it.
 
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Bugz said:
Most important and only thing I will say is....

he taught/showed me the difference a 1/8" makes on the cueball. So making your stroke mechanics perfect everytime, is the key to becoming an exceptional player.
Click to expand...

So using myself as an example, I had a slight elbow drop in my hard draw/follow shots. throwing my impact location off by 1/8-1/16" on an inch and making my results inconsistent.
 
JoeyA said:
What tips might you offer to develop a super accurate stroke?

Are there and drills in particular that you would recommend?

Are there any particular things to remember to do when coming with the perfect stroke?

JoeyA
Click to expand...

JA,
I believe that if your goal is super accuracy; then your practice drills must focus on the elements of the stroke that lead to precision and accuracy.

I think that the "power stroke" drills of Mark Wilson and Jerry Briesath definitely help (I've been doing them on and off for 2 years and my game continues to improve by leaps and bounds).


The power stroke will magnify any inaccuracies in your stroke and setup. The stroke drills that I am using require the grading of each and every stroke in 7 areas:

1. Care with aim and setup
2. Full and complete practice swings (with a pause right before the actual stroke).
3. Slow and straight backswing (same on practice swings and actual stroke), with smooth transfer (no jerkiness) from backswing to actual stroke.
4. No body motion before, during, or after stroke
5. No elbow collapse
6. Perfectly straight tip follow through (and low because of the no elbow collapse).
7. Light, uniform grip pressure throughout stroke

Shoot 10 shots with extreme follow, 10 with center ball, and 10 with extreme draw:

#1 - Put the cue ball on the foot spot, object ball one diamond from the far corner pocket, one diamond away from the long rail. Shoot 10 times with power stroke (inaccuracies in the stroke will be magnified, and easier to find and correct with the power stroke), maximum top spin. After each shot, grade yourself on each of these 7 areas (A=needs attention, S=skillful). Have an extra row on your evaluation sheet for a P=perfect if the ball goes in.

#2 - Again with cue ball on foot spot, put object ball 2 diamonds from far corner, and 1 ball width from the long rail. Shoot with power stun (cue ball should come straight across table at least 1 1/2 table widths on a 9 footer). Shoot 10 times and grade yourself as above

#3 - Last shot is with cue ball on foot spot, object ball straight in and 2 diamonds from the far corner. Shoot 10 shots with power draw, as low as possible, drawing the cue ball back to the foot rail if you can. Grade as above. After these 30 shots have been taken and graded - TAKE A BREAK (you deserve it, you will be tired if you are concentrating properly) and do it again later in the day.

I have a copy of the scoring sheet I use to grade each shot; but couldn't find the forum link; if you were really interested I'd send you a copy by snail mail (or you could always make a roadtrip to Betmore's Basement).

P.S. - you will note that Mark and Jerry have not recommended a different speed for practice swings and the actual stroke. Mark is not a proponent of the rapid practice swings to "loosen up"; he feels that the practice swings should be actual practice for the stroke to come.

P.P.S. - you could amend the 7 stroke areas to conform to your idea of a "perfect stroke" the key being that you are evaluating and grading your stroke each shot; and it is this feedback that allows improvement.
 
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JoeyA said:
OK, then give Scott some "press". Put a little "bread" on the table. Give it up.

What did Scott teach you that will help your stroke become an A Player's stroke? (Trust me, he won't mind).

But we want to hear it in YOUR own words, not his.

Scott can add his own post. :)

JoeyA
Click to expand...

Joey. Scott is out of the SPF School. He's one of the best Instructors out there. Scott is also our 2007 Instructor of the Year. We are proud of Scott. Hope he answers your request......SPF=randyg
 
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