Lower level players should not use LD cues

I have to agree and disagree with you. Disagree: it depends on your definition of lower level player and by that I mean how low of a level. I agree that in the beginning, players need to learn with center. But on the other hand, the use of English is a vital part of any stroke or game, and shouldn't be avoided until a predetermined point in a persons progression.
Where I agree, is that I've always believed that if you learn with a standard shaft, or even different standard shafts, then you learn how deflection works, how to minimize it with your stroke/grip, and most of all, how to adjust. If you learn this, then the adjustment later to an LD becomes an adjustment that is easily made.
If you learn the game with an LD shaft, I think you limit your exposure to learning how to adjust.
Kinda like learning to drive with an automatic transmission compared to a standard. If you can drive a stick, you sure as hell can drive an auto. But if you learned to drive with the auto, it will take some time to learn the stick.

Dave
 
The mechanics of the stroke has nothing to do with the shaft being LD or not.
One thing that really comes in to play when we talk about accuracy and sidespin is tip diameter.
 
The mechanics of the stroke has nothing to do with the shaft being LD or not.
One thing that really comes in to play when we talk about accuracy and sidespin is tip diameter.

The mechanics of the stroke has nothing to do with an LD shaft but an LD shaft effects the beginner's approach to practice
 
Your premise is all well and good, if you have a beginner that has enough structure and patience to not use english.

How do you propose arranging that?

And....at what point do they ever learn how (and when) to use english? What happens then?

Are you going to be there to say when its ok?

Why not get a piece of equipment that you can grow into, and learn the whole game with? If it is affordable for said beginner, of course, and they have enough interest that it makes sense to invest that much.

I am quite happy with my LD shaft, and it was the first "real" cue I owned. I think I was an APA 4 at the time, if that matters to you, and was definitely a beginner at the time. I'm no shining example of a pool success story, but I cannot agree with your premise, from personal experience.
 
I can't prove (this is AZ, so no need to back it up any how :-). We were to plot all the skill levels on a graph, then plotted the buyers who benefit from LD it would probably resemble a U or V.

Using the APA 9-ball scale as a reference, I think an LD shaft would help a SL5 or SL6 more than it would help a SL2, but substantially less than SL 9.
 
Well written and a good point, but you put the cart before the horse so to speak.

You really should have said "lower level players should not use a lot of spin", the type of shaft they hit with like that is really irrelevant.

It's would be harmful more than good to learn to play with one type of shaft then move on to another. Unlike things like tennis or skiing where you have equipment that is easy then you move on to the tougher but more rewarding equipment (ski that's tougher to turn but more stable and holds the edge better at speed for example), in pool the better equipment is actually the easier stuff to use to perform well.

Low Deflection cues are all the new rage but through my journey back after my stroke I found that It is probably not beneficial or could even hurt you to use and LD shaft.

The reason is because of what a beginner or low level intermediate should be focusing on. which is a consistent stroke center ball and speed. All of those things can be perfected with a regular shaft and the LD shaft does not help. An LD shaft helps you with english which is something a lower level player should not worry about.

I have found that the LD shaft hurt my recovery because although I need to stick with center ball and speed control I am tempted to english on it and about 60% of the time when I do It results me missing the shot or my control is off any way because of speed.

However when I use a regular shaft I am not as tempted because I know there is squirt and I play center ball.

In sum what lower level players should be focused on are speed stroke and center ball which all can be achieved with a regular shaft. The major advantages a LD shaft dont help that much and can entice players in to practicing what the shouldn't (inside and outside English)
 
The mechanics of the stroke has nothing to do with an LD shaft but an LD shaft effects the beginner's approach to practice

That's a huge generalization and is only true if the player actually knows the difference between the shafts and how they can hit and what happens to the aiming line when they hit with spin. When learning to play by following some basic progressions nothing will go wrong when starting to play right away with an LD shaft.

An LD shaft may hide a bit of a flaw when hitting the ball by allowing the ball to be pocketed, but the reaction off the rail with the unwanted spin will be a giveaway that the ball was not hit center.

I don't think a player will focus on hitting a ball with spin when the shot does not call for it. Like most drivers would not drive their Porsche 130mph all the time just because the car can do that easily.
 
Last edited:
Main problem is that too many players don t spend the necessary time with their material, no matter if its a ld or regular shaft.
Staying and learning with the given material is the key.

Ld shafts can just be an indicator for a shortened learning curve at the beginning( sometimes.), not less and not more.
Lh
Ingo
Gesendet von meinem GT-I9100 mit Tapatalk 2
 
Back
Top