Loose grip, level cue, move your bridge hand closer to the cueball, and don't drop your elbow until after contact.
Josh
Josh
I have trouble with drawing my ball when the distance between the cue
- Thread starter deanoc
- Start date
I had the same problem with the long draw. I found that as the shot got longer, my grip got firmer. All that does is restrict the ability to follow through. Practice with a two finger grip and really let the cue/hand/wrist follow through on the shot. When you hit a really good one, you'll feel the difference immediately.
The harder you stroke or punch a draw shot, the more difficult it is for the backspin to "take". Without seeing a video, my first assumption is you are gripping too hard/stroking too hard/elevating the cue at too steep an angle, creating more of a jumping action than a drawing action.
On longer draw shots, I often soften my grip and focus on smooth action instead of a snapping, wrist-y jab action.
Very strange
Drawing the ball is kind of weird thing. Dean could hit 7 iron 200 yards but had
trouble drawing the CB. Alf Taylor never weighed over 120 pounds but could
draw it a mile. Dick Lane a tremendous straight pool player (runner up U.S Open)
couldn't draw his ball 6 inches. In his later playing years he switched from a
Szamboti to a Meucci and got where he could draw it better. (yes the cue does
influence the amount of draw). I never had trouble drawing the ball but it looks
to me like the people that have a problem also have a weak 9 ball break. I have
never seen anyone that can crush the break have this problem. To break the
balls hard and hold the CB you have to not only hit it hard but accurately. Dean
always played 1 pocket, so he very seldom had to shoot that shot or any other
power stroke shots. He could hit baseball a mile as well as a golf ball, because
of his good eye and hand coordination and quick hands so there is no reason
if he would work at for MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES (did you hear that Dean)
that he could not be able to do it. Dean you could always get the draw cue back
from Mr. Glen, or push down real hard on the end of the table after you shoot
so the CB will be rolling down hill.
jack
Drawing the ball is kind of weird thing. Dean could hit 7 iron 200 yards but had
trouble drawing the CB. Alf Taylor never weighed over 120 pounds but could
draw it a mile. Dick Lane a tremendous straight pool player (runner up U.S Open)
couldn't draw his ball 6 inches. In his later playing years he switched from a
Szamboti to a Meucci and got where he could draw it better. (yes the cue does
influence the amount of draw). I never had trouble drawing the ball but it looks
to me like the people that have a problem also have a weak 9 ball break. I have
never seen anyone that can crush the break have this problem. To break the
balls hard and hold the CB you have to not only hit it hard but accurately. Dean
always played 1 pocket, so he very seldom had to shoot that shot or any other
power stroke shots. He could hit baseball a mile as well as a golf ball, because
of his good eye and hand coordination and quick hands so there is no reason
if he would work at for MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES (did you hear that Dean)
that he could not be able to do it. Dean you could always get the draw cue back
from Mr. Glen, or push down real hard on the end of the table after you shoot
so the CB will be rolling down hill.
jack
I never really knew any champions who played position for super long draw shots. It's just too hard to execute, and control the distance. You generally overdraw or you're short. Getting a rail involved makes all of the difference in the world in speed control.
I took a lesson from Jimmy Reid once and he really helped me improve my 9 ball game. I was always trying to kill the rack which caused me to tense up (I didn't realize it). He taught me the psychological aspect of how to stay loose, how to aim through the cue ball to the point on the head ball I wanted to hit, and to imagine that I was "slapping" the rack. Not punching or killing it. He told me to slap the sh*t out of the head ball. That word association made sense to me and my break improved 10 fold.
I don't think so. To get a lot of backspin on the cue ball you have to hit it hard. You are not going to draw the cue ball a length and a half with a medium speed shot.
To draw the cue ball a lot you need to hit it hard and low with a relatively level stick. That's all. A loose or tight grip, long bridge, short bridge, pause, following through extra or any other similar advice will only help you draw if somehow it gets you to hit low and hard.
Here is a progressive practice drill for draw. The object ball is always at the indicated spot. The cue ball moves along the long rail -- keep track of its current position with a coin. If you make the required shot including getting the draw required, move the coin away from the object ball a little and place the cue ball for the next shot by the coin. If you miss the shot, you have to move the coin the same amount towards the object ball for the following shot.
![CropperCapture[283].png](https://forums.azbilliards.com/data/attachments/381/381454-997752d2f12ec29efb3945667aa8d1cf.jpg?hash=mXdS0vEuwp "CropperCapture[283].png")
This is level 2 of five levels of progressive practice draw. Here's the full handout: http://www.sfbilliards.com/Misc/progpract.pdf
See also the Billiard University material.
I think that if Dean wants to draw better he has to practice at it. I wonder if he has the energy and patience.
This is level 2 of five levels of progressive practice draw. Here's the full handout: http://www.sfbilliards.com/Misc/progpract.pdf
See also the Billiard University material.
I think that if Dean wants to draw better he has to practice at it. I wonder if he has the energy and patience.
The analysis is somewhere on Dr. Dave's website.
For those who have Virtual Pool and who trust it, you can easily set up a case with tracking on and use just draw and notice the distance drawn versus how low you hit the ball. I think there is a free version of VP for those who don't want to buy it.
I do essentially that same drill, only I put another object ball next to the CB about a 3/8" off of it, about the same distance the CB is off the rail. The object is not only to get the draw distance right, but straight draw.
What I don't like about that drill is that it's a rail bridge shot.
Not included in the instructions shown for the progressive practice are that the cue ball can be as far from the cushion as is comfortable.
I started doing that drill to get straight draw. CB can't touch the rail or the added OB on the draw back.
I also line up corner to corner and do the stop, follow and draw drill.
The bottom line is it takes a GREAT stroke to do what the OP is asking about. And for some, maybe most, they will never do it. '
How come some folks can hit a baseball 450 feet at will. And if you look at the guys doing it, they are not all huge guys. Tall, lean guys seem to have a very smooth stroke, and pop the ball out of the park, especially in batting practice. Griffey was only 195 and just had a perfect stroke....
Altuve is 5'6" tall and weighs 165 pounds and hit 24 home runs, 2 years in a row. Some folks have natural talent. He's also won the MVP a couple of years ago. Yes, they need to "develop" that to get tot the top, they can't just say they have it and wait for the million dollar pay day. But, the folks without it, it's gonna be a long stretch. And most will not make it, the few do, are the "grinders".
They don't have the skills as the top dogs, but they bust their ass, they put in the work at the gym, they practice more, they take in more info, the watch more video, etc. And that's just to stay in the game, not to be the best in the game.
I'm not a believer in the things I hear around the pool hall. You know, "well, if I didn't have to work, and could play pool all day, i'd be like SVB too".... Sorry, no, you would not.
Not saying you would not get good, but i'm guessing you'd still have bad habits, and some mechanical/stroke issues, that are not going to get worked out just by playing 8 hours a day. Your eye sight is not going to get better, your pattern and decision making does not automatically get better just cause you practice more. Some folks just take a look at the table and know the pattern they are running from the time it took to get out of their chair till they got to the table. That's hard to teach to anyone.
How come some folks can hit a baseball 450 feet at will. And if you look at the guys doing it, they are not all huge guys. Tall, lean guys seem to have a very smooth stroke, and pop the ball out of the park, especially in batting practice. Griffey was only 195 and just had a perfect stroke....
Altuve is 5'6" tall and weighs 165 pounds and hit 24 home runs, 2 years in a row. Some folks have natural talent. He's also won the MVP a couple of years ago. Yes, they need to "develop" that to get tot the top, they can't just say they have it and wait for the million dollar pay day. But, the folks without it, it's gonna be a long stretch. And most will not make it, the few do, are the "grinders".
They don't have the skills as the top dogs, but they bust their ass, they put in the work at the gym, they practice more, they take in more info, the watch more video, etc. And that's just to stay in the game, not to be the best in the game.
I'm not a believer in the things I hear around the pool hall. You know, "well, if I didn't have to work, and could play pool all day, i'd be like SVB too".... Sorry, no, you would not.
Not saying you would not get good, but i'm guessing you'd still have bad habits, and some mechanical/stroke issues, that are not going to get worked out just by playing 8 hours a day. Your eye sight is not going to get better, your pattern and decision making does not automatically get better just cause you practice more. Some folks just take a look at the table and know the pattern they are running from the time it took to get out of their chair till they got to the table. That's hard to teach to anyone.
It takes a lot of talent and a lot of practice and a lot of wrist action for that matter to do a full table length draw.
I’m good at teaching people how to draw much further than they ever have before but I can’t teach them to draw full length overnight.
I found it’s easier not to get frustrated with the student if you just try to do the same thing with your opposite hand and you’re right in their shoes.
You need to time your wrist action with all the other muscles that are moving the cue forward in order to have a powerful break and a powerful draw shot in my humble opinion.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I’m good at teaching people how to draw much further than they ever have before but I can’t teach them to draw full length overnight.
I found it’s easier not to get frustrated with the student if you just try to do the same thing with your opposite hand and you’re right in their shoes.
You need to time your wrist action with all the other muscles that are moving the cue forward in order to have a powerful break and a powerful draw shot in my humble opinion.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Wrist action is not required. I think it's a mistake for an instructor to emphasize it.
draw
THANK YOU FOR THIS THREAD!
I thought I knew how to draw the ball from a distance. Hit low, hit firm. But this bit about bringing the tip UP to get more speed was all new to me.
Mind officially blown. I hit shots tonight and cannot believe how much easier it is to draw the ball from long range. In the past I was near the miscue point and shooting very hard. As a result I would miscue from time to time. This made it very hard to shoot with a confident, relaxed stroke. Instead I raised the tip up slightly and just made sure to shoot firm and powerful. The cue ball came back every bit as far as it did previously!
I am now setting the cue ball on the head string, object ball on the foot string, diagonally across the table. I have been pocketing the ball and drawing all the way back into the corner. This shot is now feeling routine instead of like a trick shot. I cannot tell you enough how much I appreciate this tip!
Other miscellaneous comments. I use a loose grip too but am not sure if it stays loose through the shot. Jerry Brieseth told me that players that use a super light grip have to tighten it up during the shot, otherwise their hand would slide up the cue stick instead of pulling the cue. Also, my vote for most powerful draw shot goes to Chris Melling. I played him at DCC and he shot at a ball 6 diamonds a way, then drew back nearly two full table lengths for position. I remember the cue ball starting backwards slowly for 6-8 inches and then actually picking up speed, racing down the table and rebounding with energy off the end rail. My jaw was on the floor! But now I know how! Wait until next time Chris!
THANK YOU FOR THIS THREAD!
I thought I knew how to draw the ball from a distance. Hit low, hit firm. But this bit about bringing the tip UP to get more speed was all new to me.
Mind officially blown. I hit shots tonight and cannot believe how much easier it is to draw the ball from long range. In the past I was near the miscue point and shooting very hard. As a result I would miscue from time to time. This made it very hard to shoot with a confident, relaxed stroke. Instead I raised the tip up slightly and just made sure to shoot firm and powerful. The cue ball came back every bit as far as it did previously!
I am now setting the cue ball on the head string, object ball on the foot string, diagonally across the table. I have been pocketing the ball and drawing all the way back into the corner. This shot is now feeling routine instead of like a trick shot. I cannot tell you enough how much I appreciate this tip!
Other miscellaneous comments. I use a loose grip too but am not sure if it stays loose through the shot. Jerry Brieseth told me that players that use a super light grip have to tighten it up during the shot, otherwise their hand would slide up the cue stick instead of pulling the cue. Also, my vote for most powerful draw shot goes to Chris Melling. I played him at DCC and he shot at a ball 6 diamonds a way, then drew back nearly two full table lengths for position. I remember the cue ball starting backwards slowly for 6-8 inches and then actually picking up speed, racing down the table and rebounding with energy off the end rail. My jaw was on the floor! But now I know how! Wait until next time Chris!
guys who think i am playing position for this shot are
making a bonehead assumption
i hate for these to come up
these are where the balls are when it is my shot
all i want to do is shoot the ball 4 or 5 feet away and draw the cue ball a foot or so back
if i am a foot from the ball ,i can draw it 4 feet or more sometimes
,sometimes
it just sits there
sometimes i want to hit an object ball a couple of feet away,i intend to draw it about 9 inches and it draws 4 feet
this is why i don't play so good
the flip side of the coin is,i usually find it easy to get action
have you ever noticed good players find it hard to get action,
people are afraid to even match up with straight shooters
not me,i discovered i could beat jack with the 5,6,7,8 and the break
therefore if someone was worse than jack i knew what i could win with
if they were better than jack,i needed more weight
jj told me not to use a level stroke,elevate the butt on most shots
he said
it seems like there is no easy answer
making a bonehead assumption
i hate for these to come up
these are where the balls are when it is my shot
all i want to do is shoot the ball 4 or 5 feet away and draw the cue ball a foot or so back
if i am a foot from the ball ,i can draw it 4 feet or more sometimes
,sometimes
it just sits there
sometimes i want to hit an object ball a couple of feet away,i intend to draw it about 9 inches and it draws 4 feet
this is why i don't play so good
the flip side of the coin is,i usually find it easy to get action
have you ever noticed good players find it hard to get action,
people are afraid to even match up with straight shooters
not me,i discovered i could beat jack with the 5,6,7,8 and the break
therefore if someone was worse than jack i knew what i could win with
if they were better than jack,i needed more weight
jj told me not to use a level stroke,elevate the butt on most shots
he said
it seems like there is no easy answer
Sure there is. Its called practice. :thumbup:
The cue ball doesnt care what your wrist does. It only cares about where its hit and at what speed.
Some people can only generate speed with a wrist flick, but that doesnt mean wrist action is needed. Most people are not hitting the ball where they think they are to begin with.