I think the myth is that the follow-through doesn't matter.
....the biggest effects are delayed draw and quick draw (my personal name for this effect
don't know what else to call it)
Set up a shot about 3/4 full...hit it with 6:00 draw...pretty hard..vary your follow-through
from stop quick to full follow...watch the different places that whitey goes.
I won't be spending too much time debating this on AZ..I hesitated to start this....
...but at an actual table...I can show it...not gonna do any vids
Follow through does matter, but it is only because it helps to prevent you from hitting a different spot on the cue ball than you intended to or at a different speed than you intended to.
You belief that different types or amounts of follow through and different types of strokes cause different cue ball reactions is an extremely common one and one that is half understandable considering that on the surface it sure seems like our "different strokes and follow throughs" are making a difference since we see a different cue ball reaction with our very own eye. I can assure you however you are just hitting the cue ball at different places and/or at different speeds even though you don't realize it because you can't perceive it and that these are the only things making the difference.
There really is no reason to debate it because if you are careful to be precise (and willing to be honest with yourself) you can set up some experimental shots and easily prove it to yourself. Give it a try and report back what you find. You will need to do the following four things in your experimental shots:
1. For each type of shot you experiment with, the cue ball and object ball have to be in precisely the exact same spots. Tap them in to ensure it.
2. You need a way to check very precisely where you are hitting on the cue ball. Use a Rempe cue ball or a stripe ball as the cue ball (I suggest the nine ball), and orient the stripe exactly parallel to the table surface, and then look for your chalk mark after each shot (don't forget to wipe it off before the next shot). You can easily and fairly precisely see how far you are actually hitting from the edge of the stripe this way as long as you are careful to make sure the stripe is exactly parallel to the table surface every shot.
3. You need to make sure you hit at the exact same speed every time. Aside from making a conscious effort to repeatedly hit at the same speed you can verify which ones actually did by how far the cue ball travels. Only count the shots where it went the same distance where it is provable you hit the same speed.
4. You need to make sure that you are not cheating the pocket by accidentally hitting the object ball a little thicker or thinner to create a slightly different angle which results in a little bit different cue ball reaction and path. You can do this by using a table with tight pockets, setting up shots further from the pocket, and only counting shots that go dead center pocket.
What you are going to find is that for any given shot when you hit the cue ball at the same speed, and the exact same cut angle where the object ball goes in dead center pocket, and where you chalk marks are on the exact same spot on the nine ball cue ball, you will not get a different reaction on the cue ball no matter what type of stroke or follow through you use. Or to say the same thing another way, what you are going to find is that every time you get a different cue ball reaction it is going to be because you hit it in a different place (verified by the chalk mark being in a different place), at a different speed (verified by how far the cue ball goes), or hit the object ball at a different angle (verified by it not having going in center pocket).
Please do some experimental shots this way and report back what you find. Also read this article published in Billiards Digest by a famous pool writer who had this exact same common belief, and how he was able to prove to himself that he was wrong by doing the experimental shots as I suggested.
http://billiards.colostate.edu/bd_articles/ross_bd_april08.pdf
Also read what Dr. Dave has to say on the topic:
http://billiards.colostate.edu/threads/stroke.html#type
Again, please report back your findings. It will end up helping other players that have the same very common but erroneous belief.
