Modern Players shooting harder, more stun?

A

azbluemach1

Member
I've been around the game on and off since the late 80s, and have been around some very good players, but that was all "back in the day".

I haven't watched televised pool in years, and the last time I saw a pro play in person was probably 2003. Anyway, I caught a televised match between SVB and Hohmann the other day, and I was really surprised by how hard they both shot most of their shots.

These guys really seemed to be hammering their shots, and using alot more stun/center-ball vs my memories of pros using more english to move whitey around the table. "Pocket Speed" didn't seem to apply to these guys. I don't think I saw a single shot "trickle" into the pocket. My immediate guess is harder = less cling = more accuracy, and maybe newer equipment is helping?

Have I missed a trend, or did I just happen to catch a match with 2 guys who are doing it way differently than everyone else?
 
azbluemach1 said:
I've been around the game on and off since the late 80s, and have been around some very good players, but that was all "back in the day".

I haven't watched televised pool in years, and the last time I saw a pro play in person was probably 2003. Anyway, I caught a televised match between SVB and Hohmann the other day, and I was really surprised by how hard they both shot most of their shots.

These guys really seemed to be hammering their shots, and using alot more stun/center-ball vs my memories of pros using more english to move whitey around the table. "Pocket Speed" didn't seem to apply to these guys. I don't think I saw a single shot "trickle" into the pocket. My immediate guess is harder = less cling = more accuracy, and maybe newer equipment is helping?

Have I missed a trend, or did I just happen to catch a match with 2 guys who are doing it way differently than everyone else?
Click to expand...

I've said this for years and I prefer to shoot a bit "hard" myself, if that is one of my options. I prefer to "float" the cue ball and that requires it to be somewhat stunned.

In the old days you had to use a bit more English because the tables were so slow due to different cloth, lack of A/C, etc...etc. It took a stroke and a bit of English...some used more than others.

Today, the cloth and rails are so fast that you need to "stun" the cue ball a bit more to keep it from getting away from you.

People will argue "spin VS no spin"...blah, blah, blah. It is a PERSONAL style and a lot of the pros utilize it.

Look at the top players from Taiwan and they are doing what you say on almost every shot.

Aloha
 
I think the faster cloth is actually encouraging harder hitting. Shots that wouldn't even be possible at "break speed" on the old nappy cloth are doable on the new cloth with just a good hard stroke.

What's always amazed me about pros is their "accuracy at speed." For most of us mere mortals more speed means less accuracy...but that just doesn't seem to apply to pros.
 
I don't know what tables you're talking about, but you can watch youtube videos of the CSI bar table tournaments and get a good idea of shot selections used today. Those tables are so much faster they play like "ice" compared to the older ones.

I was like you I took a long break from pool. When I left tables were Brunswick and pro players played patterns with minimum cueball movement. Now its Diamond tables and they seem to use the rails a lot more to control cueball speed and direction. Three rail and two rails position shots coming out of the corners with follow or inside english is very common now. You don't need as strong a stroke to play on these tables.

Cues have also changed since you last played. Cues during the period of time you're talking about were mostly 20-21 oz and 58 inches long now they seem to be much lighter unless they add an extension, which a good many of them do.

Have fun with the new tables as much as we remember the "good old days" today's tables are very nice.
 
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