Long Draw Shot Problem

[DrCue'sProtege]

ok, not sure if this makes any sense, but i did notice this last night. i have been practicing on the longer draw shot/stroke lately. Object ball about 2-3 diamonds from the corner pocket, cue ball near the spot. this is the first shot Mark Wilson had me shoot when i visited with him last december.

anyway, using the closed bridge, i just always seem to struggle with this shot. last night, when i was nearing the end of practicing (cut short due to a toothache) i decided to use the Open Bridge and shoot this longer draw shot. it worked a whole lot better, pocketed the ball, getting some draw also.

why would this be? arent longer power draw shots supposed to be easier with the closed bridge? or was this one of those things that just happened last night. guess i'll try again tonight, see how i do.

DCP

 

[zeeder]

ok, not sure if this makes any sense, but i did notice this last night. i have been practicing on the longer draw shot/stroke lately. Object ball about 2-3 diamonds from the corner pocket, cue ball near the spot. this is the first shot Mark Wilson had me shoot when i visited with him last december.

anyway, using the closed bridge, i just always seem to struggle with this shot. last night, when i was nearing the end of practicing (cut short due to a toothache) i decided to use the Open Bridge and shoot this longer draw shot. it worked a whole lot better, pocketed the ball, getting some draw also.

why would this be? arent longer power draw shots supposed to be easier with the closed bridge? or was this one of those things that just happened last night. guess i'll try again tonight, see how i do.

DCP

Could be you're sighting better with the open bridge. Was it that you weren't making the ball or not drawing back that was the problem?

 

[Snapshot9]

Could be ...

That with the open bridge, your fingers were flater,
and therefore you had a more level lower stroke on
the cue ball, than with the closed bridge.

The key to drawing the cue ball is to have a low level
stroke, and not have your cue tilted down when stroking.
A friend of mine can take an object ball on a 9 foot table
put it on a middle diamond on a long rail uptable, and
put the cue ball close to the footspot, make the ball
in the corner, and draw the cue ball 4 rails (like shooting
a 3 rail shot with a cue ball normally after the rail where
the object ball is) and have the cue ball scratch in the
other uptable corner...... When you can do that, you
really have stroke then and good draw.

 

[DrCue'sProtege]

Could be you're sighting better with the open bridge. Was it that you weren't making the ball or not drawing back that was the problem?

nope, i was missing the shot. getting draw is not really a problem, but sometimes getting the right amount of draw is. but for the most part, i struggle with making the shot.

the sighting might have made the difference, dunno. just have to see again tonight. i did also notice that my cue was coming up off my open bridge, dunno if thats a problem or not. however, how often during a match of
9-Ball will one need to make a long, power type of draw shot. not too often, i assume.

DCP

 

[Snapshot9]

nope, i was missing the shot. getting draw is not really a problem, but sometimes getting the right amount of draw is. but for the most part, i struggle with making the shot.

the sighting might have made the difference, dunno. just have to see again tonight. i did also notice that my cue was coming up off my open bridge, dunno if thats a problem or not. however, how often during a match of
9-Ball will one need to make a long, power type of draw shot. not too often, i assume.

DCP

Comes up a lot more than you think it does. I dunno how many times I
have ended up with a straght in uptable with no way to throw the shot so
I can use high english to come clear back down downtable, so the only
thing that will work is a power draw shot backing it all the way back.

How about when the 9 is on the footrail, the 8 about the middle diamond
on the long rail uptable side and your cue ball rolls too far out into
the middle of the table, taking away a high 3 rail english shape shot,
plus you have to be real careful on a draw shot not to scratch cross side?
It turns something that would normally not be a problem for you into
something that is hard to do, especially if is the game for the match.

This is a little shape exercise I used to do when I was first learning, and
recommended by Jimmy Caras. Cut a 6" diameter circle out of paper.
Set up shots on a table, put the circle down where you are going to try
to put the cue ball after you make the shot. Keep shooting the shot until
your cue ends up on the circle or within an inch or so from it. Do this with
all types of shots. It is a good way to practice for getting shape, and you
see exactly if you did it correctly or how far off you are. That includes
draw shots too.

 

[zeeder]

nope, i was missing the shot. getting draw is not really a problem, but sometimes getting the right amount of draw is. but for the most part, i struggle with making the shot.

the sighting might have made the difference, dunno. just have to see again tonight. i did also notice that my cue was coming up off my open bridge, dunno if thats a problem or not. however, how often during a match of
9-Ball will one need to make a long, power type of draw shot. not too often, i assume.

DCP

The point of this shot is getting a repeatable stroke for draw shots. If you are consistant with power draw then you should be consistant with softer draws. The harder strokes are better to find your stroke flaws!

 

[Run the Century]

Key to Long Draw Shots are staying down and accelerating THROUGH the cue ball with a good follow through. Best definition I ever heard for a good stroke is A GRACEFUL THROWING MOTION. You dont see a pitcher's backswing go as fast as his forward motion. Its a smooth windup with acceleration through the throwing zone. Same thing applies to the pool stroke.

 

[TheGoldenChild]

Question

Does the cue ball bounce when you use a closed bridge?

 

[vapoolplayer]

however, how often during a match of
9-Ball will one need to make a long, power type of draw shot. not too often, i assume.

DCP

those are the kind of shots 9 ball is all about.

VAP

 

[Masayoshi]

i find my biggest problem with that shot is when i try to hit too hard, when i just hit it easy i get good draw, when i hit too hard (sometimes i forget ) i miss the shot fairly often and dont get a significantly greater amount of draw. i shoot it with an open bridge because i am more comfortable with it.

 

[dooziexx]

nope, i was missing the shot. getting draw is not really a problem, but sometimes getting the right amount of draw is. but for the most part, i struggle with making the shot.

the sighting might have made the difference, dunno. just have to see again tonight. i did also notice that my cue was coming up off my open bridge, dunno if thats a problem or not. however, how often during a match of
9-Ball will one need to make a long, power type of draw shot. not too often, i assume.

DCP

DCP,
You might want to shorten up your bridge a little... By that I mean, if you are using a closed bridge, shorten up the distance between your bridge and the cue ball. Your accuracy will definitely increase but the tradeoff is the power. Once you get your accuracy down, then you can start to lengthen your bridge a little at a time. It works for me when Im shooting bad, missing balls I should make.. Accuracy is always more important that power... IMO
Hope that helps,
Erik

 

[pete lafond]

ok, not sure if this makes any sense, but i did notice this last night. i have been practicing on the longer draw shot/stroke lately. Object ball about 2-3 diamonds from the corner pocket, cue ball near the spot. this is the first shot Mark Wilson had me shoot when i visited with him last december.

anyway, using the closed bridge, i just always seem to struggle with this shot. last night, when i was nearing the end of practicing (cut short due to a toothache) i decided to use the Open Bridge and shoot this longer draw shot. it worked a whole lot better, pocketed the ball, getting some draw also.

why would this be? arent longer power draw shots supposed to be easier with the closed bridge? or was this one of those things that just happened last night. guess i'll try again tonight, see how i do.

DCP

try more follow through. Sometimes players try to create backward spin on the ball which is wrong and causes the stroke to be incomplete. With your back hand, drive the cue ball to the object ball.

 

[pete lafond]

Pay close attention to your grip hand. Are you tensing up and using the death grip when executing long draw shots?. The tendency when playing harder shots is to tighten everything up when it's important to keep everything loose and fluid.

Good point. Got to drive through with the back hand which might promote an unwanted tense grip.

 

[dooziexx]

Shortening the bridge length while using a closed bridge decreases sighting ability. The index finger obstructs the cue line and in order to get better sighting, a longer bridge length is preferred. It's okay to move in while using an open bridge on delicate shots because sighting is never an issue.

DCP, Pay close attention to your grip hand. Are you tensing up and using the death grip when executing long draw shots?. The tendency when playing harder shots is to tighten everything up when it's important to keep everything loose and fluid.

Also, check to make sure you have adequate sighting on the cue for long draw shots. People tend to get very low on their cue and may be aiming with the "pre-bridge" part of the shaft.

JMTC

By all means, Im not saying that the brigde hand should be about 3-4 inches.. It all depends on what his current bridge length is.. My regular bridge length is pretty long 10-12 inches when I playing good.. But if Im having trouble making shots, I will shorten it up to about 6-8 inches.. That increases my accuracy because I tend not to put accidental english with a short bridge length.. After my stroke straightens out a bit, then I will go back to the longer length. This method works for me and I thought I would share it with DCP. No need for you to come in and tell him that my method is wrong.. It might work for him or it might not..

 

[Bluey2King]

I have gone to an open bridge. I feel it lets me get lower level and I did tense up with my Bridge hand. I proved this to myself by using Jim Rempe training CB. Chalk up and shoot I noticed that the long draw I wasnt hitting where I was aiming. I went to an open bridge and I am Much more accurate! Old whitey really got moving!
just my experience

 

[BAZARUS]

ok, not sure if this makes any sense, but i did notice this last night. i have been practicing on the longer draw shot/stroke lately. Object ball about 2-3 diamonds from the corner pocket, cue ball near the spot. this is the first shot Mark Wilson had me shoot when i visited with him last december.

anyway, using the closed bridge, i just always seem to struggle with this shot. last night, when i was nearing the end of practicing (cut short due to a toothache) i decided to use the Open Bridge and shoot this longer draw shot. it worked a whole lot better, pocketed the ball, getting some draw also.

why would this be? arent longer power draw shots supposed to be easier with the closed bridge? or was this one of those things that just happened last night. guess i'll try again tonight, see how i do.

DCP

Watch Allison Fisher - she almost never use close bridge exept for a break shot or rail shot. The open bridge is good, because you can see the rock better and your aiming is better to. Try this drill:
put object ball deep in a corner pocket and cue ball on first diamond(make sure the the cue ball is in straight in line with oposite corner pocket, not on the rail). Pocket the ball without cue ball touching any rails (corners of a pocket). Shot this shot 10 or 20 times. Now move the cue ball to the second dimond(still keep straight in line with oposite corner pocket). Also shot this one 10/20 times. When you feel comfortable keem moving the cue ball towards oposite corner pocket and see how fare you can go and draw the rock. Remeber that you have to draw the cue ball straight back without having any turns and without the cue ball hitting the rails and corners. This is very good drill and it will teach you good draw.

 

[Kevin]

nope, i was missing the shot. getting draw is not really a problem, but sometimes getting the right amount of draw is. but for the most part, i struggle with making the shot.

the sighting might have made the difference, dunno. just have to see again tonight. i did also notice that my cue was coming up off my open bridge, dunno if thats a problem or not. however, how often during a match of
9-Ball will one need to make a long, power type of draw shot. not too often, i assume.

DCP

The cue tip coming up off the bridge is a telltale. Check for all of these things:

1. Is your head coming up on the shot? Moving anything but your forearm while stroking is a punishable violation of the first principle of repeatable accuracy.
2. Death grip on the butt. Tight grip tends to kill cue ball action, because the smooth follow-through is likely not there.
3. Tip coming up indicates your elbow is dropping on the shot, probably before you strike the cue-ball, so indeed you aren't hitting as low on the ball as you think you are. (Whitey doesn't lie, so take a striped ball, set the stripe horizontally, chalk up and cue on the lower edge of the stripe. Grab that ball and look for the chalk mark to see where you actually struck it VS. where you thought you did.
4. Check that you aren't jerking on the backswing/forward transition, make sure the backswing/pause/forward is definitely there. Rushing there indicates some fear of the shot, and those tense muscles will pull the cuestick offline. As Danny DiLiberto likes to say, "the cue wants to go in a straight line." Just let it happen.
5. Make dead sure the cue is going straight through the cue ball, and the tip is stopping in direct line with your aim. Set Pause Finish Freeze. If you don't see what is happening, you can't fix it. So I'll ask again, is your head coming up on the shot?

Number 4 seems very likely because you are missing the shot. Working on number 5 cures this, because you won't miss the shot!

I should know these things, I had/have similar issues on the same shot. Your stroke probably still needs work because it is letting you down on "tough" shots, mentally you may be tightening up and !WHACKING! that cueball, instead of stro-o-king through it. May want to go back and revisit straight in shots center ball, at least 100 of them, then increasing the power, then start applying more draw, and work on Jewett's SFBilliards progressive draw drills. A little video of your stroke on shots you are comfortable with vs. this one could be enlightening as well. Might even be your head is coming up on this shot, maybe every shot, which definitely wrecks accuracy.

RE your question about needing the long power draw shot in 9-ball, let alone any cue game, the answer is, when you need it, you need it, and if it isn't in your bag of consistent tricks yet, either be willing to work on it in practice till you get it there or just give it up and learn to play a safety (or 2-way bank shot) instead in real games. 'Nuff said there.

These things don't happen over the internet, they take REAL WORK to iron out when you have some bad habits in your fundamentals, which are revealed under pressure. Set goals, and good luck on your journey from social to more serious player.

 

[SnakePool]

I had a lot of trouble with closed-bridge shots, up until earlier this year. You just have to practice them and force your way thru it. I use an open-bridge 75% of the time. I use a closed-bridge for more control. Also make sure your stroke isn't off, as in, your tip is going left or right of center at the point of contact. That is the problem I'm fighting right now.