pendulum tea-cup stroke

N

nrhoades

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This is about the fourth time that I've re-discovered that I can not stroke straighter with any mechanics than with using a "tea-cup" grip with a fore-arm-only pendulum stroke. I can also apply more top, bottom, and spin than any other method. Every time I rediscover this, a better player walks over to my table and tells me it's all wrong. It does look a bit weird because the cue tip oscillates along the vertical line instead of "straight in and out of a water bottle opening". When I try to explain why I think what I am doing works I seem to get a huff and a puff.

I'm looking for some examples of pros who use tea-cup grip with a pendulum stroke. Tea-cup meaning gripping the cue as a pinch between your thumb and first few fingers. I haven't seen anybody I know play like this. I always see a full hand gently wrapped around the grip, or at least the finger tips curled under.

I'd like, for once and for all, some ammo to justify to others (and myself) to finally commit to a consistent stroke mechanic so that I may move on from constantly changing it and hampering the rest of my game.
 
nrhoades said:
This is about the fourth time that I've re-discovered that I can not stroke straighter with any mechanics than with using a "tea-cup" grip with a fore-arm-only pendulum stroke. I can also apply more top, bottom, and spin than any other method. Every time I rediscover this, a better player walks over to my table and tells me it's all wrong. It does look a bit weird because the cue tip oscillates along the vertical line instead of "straight in and out of a water bottle opening". When I try to explain why I think what I am doing works I seem to get a huff and a puff.

I'm looking for some examples of pros who use tea-cup grip with a pendulum stroke. Tea-cup meaning gripping the cue as a pinch between your thumb and first few fingers. I haven't seen anybody I know play like this. I always see a full hand gently wrapped around the grip, or at least the finger tips curled under.

I'd like, for once and for all, some ammo to justify to others (and myself) to finally commit to a consistent stroke mechanic so that I may move on from constantly changing it and hampering the rest of my game.
Click to expand...

nrhoades:

You're on the right track. Try viewing some videos of the following players:

Ronnie Alcano
Dennis Orcullo
Steve Mizerak
Niels Feijen
Alex Pagulayan (looks like a fist at first, but his hand opens up to a two-finger grip on the backstroke)

These are just obvious examples. I'm sure if you spend some time looking at match videos of various players, you'll recognize the "partial hand" grip in many other players as well.

Hope this helps,
-Sean
 
From what you describe sounds a lot like Ronny Alcano's stroke and grip.

A video would help if that is possible to do.
 
Why do you need to justify it? The most important part is it works for you! I would like nothing better than to have someone tell me I'm doing it incorrectly as I'm taking their money. :D

Brian in VA - believes that your stroke is yours, not anyone else's.
 
As long as you can feel the cue and feel the pressure on your grip hand while going thru the cue ball its okay if it works for you.

John
 
Me..

nrhoades said:
This is about the fourth time that I've re-discovered that I can not stroke straighter with any mechanics than with using a "tea-cup" grip with a fore-arm-only pendulum stroke. I can also apply more top, bottom, and spin than any other method. Every time I rediscover this, a better player walks over to my table and tells me it's all wrong. It does look a bit weird because the cue tip oscillates along the vertical line instead of "straight in and out of a water bottle opening". When I try to explain why I think what I am doing works I seem to get a huff and a puff.

I'm looking for some examples of pros who use tea-cup grip with a pendulum stroke. Tea-cup meaning gripping the cue as a pinch between your thumb and first few fingers. I haven't seen anybody I know play like this. I always see a full hand gently wrapped around the grip, or at least the finger tips curled under.

I'd like, for once and for all, some ammo to justify to others (and myself) to finally commit to a consistent stroke mechanic so that I may move on from constantly changing it and hampering the rest of my game.
Click to expand...


Yeah I have the same thing, no one showed me too, just do it all on my own, but it works well, and people attempt to coach me all the time on it.
 
Brian in VA said:
Why do you need to justify it? The most important part is it works for you! I would like nothing better than to have someone tell me I'm doing it incorrectly as I'm taking their money. :D

Brian in VA - believes that your stroke is yours, not anyone else's.
Click to expand...

I agree with Brian your stroke is like your finger print.


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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Be thankful you don't have a chicken wing stroke like that Cubc guy. It lead to him losing a chunk of change to OMGWTF.

Just sayn
 
I use the same stroke (index and middle fingers and thumb only, pinky and ring fingers pointed down away from the cue)...works perfect from light touch to putting insane @%#& on the cue ball. I break with the same stroke, just longer follow through. I recently stopped buggy-whipping my stroke (floppy wrist ala Bustamante), but brought it back--it flat out works for me. Ronnie Alcano's got the closest thing to what you're describing, and I think it's a gorgeous stroke. And it definitely works for him.
 
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I was taught this grip (middle/index finger) by a pro and used it for a couple of years. For me it restricted the wrist a little and I think thats why he showed it to me. He wanted to see more of an Arm Stroke. I've switched back sort of. My grip is feather light on contact. The wrist is still a non combatant.
 
nrhoades said:
... Tea-cup meaning gripping the cue as a pinch between your thumb and first few fingers. ...
Click to expand...

When you "pinch" the cue, is the butt placed at the base of your fingers, i.e., near your palm -- perhaps even against the fold of skin between thumb and forefinger? Or do you pinch it farther down your fingers, with a significant gap between the butt and the palm?
 
AtLarge said:
When you "pinch" the cue, is the butt placed at the base of your fingers, i.e., near your palm -- perhaps even against the fold of skin between thumb and forefinger? Or do you pinch it farther down your fingers, with a significant gap between the butt and the palm?
Click to expand...

Right now I'm using a significant gap, and I'm treating the point where my fingers touch the grip almost as if they were ball bearings, a true pivot point (with a relaxed hand of course). I imagine that I've drilled a hole through the grip handle, inserted a thin metal rod greased with WD-40, and I am pinching the ends of the rod with my fingers.

However, the gap may close as I stop paying attention, and what I'm doing may be disguised by the rest of my hand. I'll have to videotape myself.

This has completely eliminated any influence from my shoulder, and boy does it feel weird.
 
I agree with Brian. Why do you have to justify what you do to anyone...especially since it works for you? Most people don't know what they're talking about anyway, so do YOUR thing, YOUR way (it's the easiest way to deliver the cue accurately, btw).

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Brian in VA said:
Why do you need to justify it? The most important part is it works for you! I would like nothing better than to have someone tell me I'm doing it incorrectly as I'm taking their money. :D

Brian in VA - believes that your stroke is yours, not anyone else's.
Click to expand...
 
nrhoades said:
... Tea-cup meaning gripping the cue as a pinch between your thumb and first few fingers. ... .
Click to expand...
Does this mean you have the pad of the thumb on one side of the stick and the pads of the fingers opposite with nothing actually below the stick at all? Like this:
bob.gif
 
I like cradling the cue with my fingers below it, my pinky relaxed, and opening up the pinky and ring finger on the back stroke.
 
nrhoades said:
I can also apply more top, bottom, and spin than any other method
Click to expand...

it seems that the lighter your grip, no matter what grip you use, the more action on the cueball. the firmer the grip, the less action you'll get. that's pretty much confirmed.

like others here, i woulnd't worry about what other people think. it might work to your benefit if people watching you think you can't play as well as they do with their more "conventional" styles. just take their cash and smile.:thumbup:
 
nrhoades said:
Right now I'm using a significant gap, and I'm treating the point where my fingers touch the grip almost as if they were ball bearings, a true pivot point (with a relaxed hand of course). I imagine that I've drilled a hole through the grip handle, inserted a thin metal rod greased with WD-40, and I am pinching the ends of the rod with my fingers.

However, the gap may close as I stop paying attention, and what I'm doing may be disguised by the rest of my hand. I'll have to videotape myself.

This has completely eliminated any influence from my shoulder, and boy does it feel weird.
Click to expand...

Bill Werbenuik and Jeff White hold the cue somewhat like you're talking
about, although their strokes are more piston-like. It was hard to get a
close-up of their grip but I've seen them play many times and they grip
the cue using thumb and fore-finger.
Bill Werbenuik was the best long draw player I've ever seen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_SQ3mHm7Fc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nbq0_t4u6I
 
nrhoades said:
Close Bob. More like this:
Click to expand...

That's like the US 3-cushion champ Carlos Hallon, but he is the rare exception at that game that uses what I call the "finger tip" grip. The main thing I would worry about with that grip is whether you can get enough power without the grip moving/breaking down, but if you can do power shots to your satisfaction there is not a big reason to change.

I would be very reluctant to advise any new player to begin with that grip, though.
 
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