Poolshark719
Tom M
Does anyone know of a good practice drill that can help you control the cueball?
Practice drills!
- Thread starter Poolshark719
- Start date
See my recent post on nine ball drills. There is a good drill posted there for cue ball control. Lose your angle on that drill and you'll have to scramble to get back on line.Speed control is also essential.RJ
Get a deck of "Zone Pool" cards (link below). This is a deck of cards where each card shows a pocket to place the object ball and a spot where you need to leave the cue ball after the shot.
I took out all the "ball-in-hand" cards from the deck. I practice by drawing a card, placing the object ball as shown on the card, then hit the ball and try to leave the cue ball in the spot indicated. Then I leave the cue ball where it is, draw the next card, set up the object ball, and go for the next shot.
I practice daily by drawing only one card and shooting the shot with the cue ball at the same starting place (wherever it is on the table at the time) and I keep setting up the same shot and shooting it again and again until I leave the cue ball where it should stop.
I practice once a week by going through the entire deck and not re-shooting any shots if I miss. (Leaving the cue ball where it lies for the next shot.)
http://www.billiardwarehouse.com/accessories/aezone.html
I took out all the "ball-in-hand" cards from the deck. I practice by drawing a card, placing the object ball as shown on the card, then hit the ball and try to leave the cue ball in the spot indicated. Then I leave the cue ball where it is, draw the next card, set up the object ball, and go for the next shot.
I practice daily by drawing only one card and shooting the shot with the cue ball at the same starting place (wherever it is on the table at the time) and I keep setting up the same shot and shooting it again and again until I leave the cue ball where it should stop.
I practice once a week by going through the entire deck and not re-shooting any shots if I miss. (Leaving the cue ball where it lies for the next shot.)
http://www.billiardwarehouse.com/accessories/aezone.html
Also rack all 15 balls and break, then shoot all shots with left, re-rack/break shoot all shots with right, re-rack/break shoot all shots with top, and re-rack/break shoot all shots with bottom.
Rack all 15 balls and break, then shoot each shot so the object ball stops just before going into the pocket. This teaches you how hard/soft you need to hit the ball to make a particular shot (more so with a cut shot, less so with a full ball hit). This comes in *very* handy when you need to barely tap a ball to get it to go into a pocket or for "blocking a pocket" safety shots.
Cue ball speed control. Shoot cue ball 1 diamond distance, 2 diamonds distance, 3 diamonds distance, 4, 5, etc. To far rail to stop, to far rail and back then stop (lag shot), 3 rails and stop. 1 rail + 1 diamond, 1 rail + 2 diamonds, 1 rail + 3 diamonds, etc.
Draw shots - Cue ball and object ball 1 diamond apart. Draw cue ball back 1 diamond, 2 diamonds, 3 diamonds, etc.
Follow shots - Cue ball and object ball 1 diamond apart. Follow object ball 1 diamond from contact point, 2 diamonds, 3 diamonds, etc.
Rack all 15 balls and break, then shoot each shot so the object ball stops just before going into the pocket. This teaches you how hard/soft you need to hit the ball to make a particular shot (more so with a cut shot, less so with a full ball hit). This comes in *very* handy when you need to barely tap a ball to get it to go into a pocket or for "blocking a pocket" safety shots.
Cue ball speed control. Shoot cue ball 1 diamond distance, 2 diamonds distance, 3 diamonds distance, 4, 5, etc. To far rail to stop, to far rail and back then stop (lag shot), 3 rails and stop. 1 rail + 1 diamond, 1 rail + 2 diamonds, 1 rail + 3 diamonds, etc.
Draw shots - Cue ball and object ball 1 diamond apart. Draw cue ball back 1 diamond, 2 diamonds, 3 diamonds, etc.
Follow shots - Cue ball and object ball 1 diamond apart. Follow object ball 1 diamond from contact point, 2 diamonds, 3 diamonds, etc.
A Great Masse Drill
Reproduced from another thread:
For masse shots, There's one drill that I absolutely love, because it really helps you to gradually master the different amounts of slide and curve on the path to an object ball. All you have to do, in each case, is to masse around the obstructing balls to pocket a hanger.
Reproduced from another thread:
For masse shots, There's one drill that I absolutely love, because it really helps you to gradually master the different amounts of slide and curve on the path to an object ball. All you have to do, in each case, is to masse around the obstructing balls to pocket a hanger.
Attachments
There are twenty simple drills of five different difficulties of each of draw, stop, follow and cut in the free handout on the website www.sfbilliards.com (see the handout for the Basics Clinic) and On The Break News has drills with diagrams in each issue (which are all on-line) at www.onthebreaknews.comPoolshark719 said:
As for the masse drill shown before, it's OK but doesn't cover the simple little masses that players have far more need of. Put the object ball in the pocket, a blocker a diamond away and the cue ball a ball from the blocker and blocked by half a ball. Play the masse to just barely put the object ball in. Move the blocker and cue ball back a diamond and try again. Make the drill progressive. Try the drill again with the blocker ball fully blocking the shot
Poolshark719
Tom M
Practice Drills!
Thanks for all of the feedback! I will try these drills out.
Thanks for all of the feedback! I will try these drills out.