Pro players only respond please

[SFC9ball]

Doing the drill

I had not done this drill for a long time then I went up to the Pool School with Scott Lee and during one of the sessions Scott had me come over and practice this shot from 1 diamond out to 4 diamonds away with only a 3 speed, at first it was a little rough but after hitting it a while it became easier to do. I have incorporated this drill into my routine and it has improved many things; Cueing accuracy, ball pocketing, position play and a better stroke. It is amazing how 1 little thing can have such a big affect in this game.

 

[Wybrook]

The problem with these types of drills, as I think someone mentioned, is the setup. Its difficult to set the OB and CB up exactly the same each time, and in the correct spot. You need to use a mark of some sort and even then, it may not be "perfectly" straight..

If its not set up correctly, it gives you a false sense of either failure or success..

Stop shots are the most important shots in pool just for the fact that they are how you execute, or rather derive all position plays from. To be more exact, if a shot is not a straight in stop shot, then you use dead ball to get to your position.. if you can't use dead ball, then you adjust a little off dead ball to follow the intended line. To know the exact elevation and speed of a stop shot for the particular shot you are shooting is of utmost importance..

I think a better drill is to put the OB on the spot and start with the CB about a foot away for the first shot. Now shoot the OB in the pocket and draw back.. leave the CB where it lies every time and replace the OB.. See how many times you can shoot the OB into a corner pocket without hitting a rail..

This was brought up on the forum a while back but people forget about this drill.. I think if you can do 5 in a row, you are hitting the ball decent and are starting to learn where to aim the OB in the pocket..

See how many you can do in a row..
Just for reference, my record is 62 and the guy who was spotting it walked away because his back was hurting.. haha..
I can do 20 in a row just about every time.. (its harder than you think)

 

[bbb]

The problem with these types of drills, as I think someone mentioned, is the setup. Its difficult to set the OB and CB up exactly the same each time, and in the correct spot. You need to use a mark of some sort and even then, it may not be "perfectly" straight..

If its not set up correctly, it gives you a false sense of either failure or success..

Stop shots are the most important shots in pool just for the fact that they are how you execute, or rather derive all position plays from. To be more exact, if a shot is not a straight in stop shot, then you use dead ball to get to your position.. if you can't use dead ball, then you adjust a little off dead ball to follow the intended line. To know the exact elevation and speed of a stop shot for the particular shot you are shooting is of utmost importance..

I think a better drill is to put the OB on the spot and start with the CB about a foot away for the first shot. Now shoot the OB in the pocket and draw back.. leave the CB where it lies every time and replace the OB.. See how many times you can shoot the OB into a corner pocket without hitting a rail..

This was brought up on the forum a while back but people forget about this drill.. I think if you can do 5 in a row, you are hitting the ball decent and are starting to learn where to aim the OB in the pocket..

See how many you can do in a row..
Just for reference, my record is 62 and the guy who was spotting it walked away because his back was hurting.. haha..
I can do 20 in a row just about every time.. (its harder than you think)

thanks for the reply
if you get a chance
try your best to do 20 straight in perfct stop shots with 4-6 diamond distance between the balls and pm me your results

 

[Patrick Johnson]

...put the OB on the spot and start with the CB about a foot away for the first shot. Now shoot the OB in the pocket and draw back.. leave the CB where it lies every time and replace the OB.. See how many times you can shoot the OB into a corner pocket without hitting a rail..

This was brought up on the forum a while back but people forget about this drill.. I think if you can do 5 in a row, you are hitting the ball decent and are starting to learn where to aim the OB in the pocket..

See how many you can do in a row..
Just for reference, my record is 62 and the guy who was spotting it walked away because his back was hurting.. haha..
I can do 20 in a row just about every time.. (its harder than you think)

Another (easier) version of this is to shoot the shots into a side pocket from the center-table spot. I've asked some very good players to try it, and most of them couldn't make 10 in a row, even allowing position play off the rails.

pj
chgo

 

[Scott Lee]

That's why you use a lazer to line up the hole reinforcements. Then you have a DEAD STRAIGHT line, right into the middle of the pocket opening. There's no guessing on whether you hit it perfect...or not.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

The problem with these types of drills, as I think someone mentioned, is the setup. Its difficult to set the OB and CB up exactly the same each time, and in the correct spot. You need to use a mark of some sort and even then, it may not be "perfectly" straight..

If its not set up correctly, it gives you a false sense of either failure or success..

Stop shots are the most important shots in pool just for the fact that they are how you execute, or rather derive all position plays from. To be more exact, if a shot is not a straight in stop shot, then you use dead ball to get to your position.. if you can't use dead ball, then you adjust a little off dead ball to follow the intended line. To know the exact elevation and speed of a stop shot for the particular shot you are shooting is of utmost importance..

 

[Wybrook]

That's why you use a lazer to line up the hole reinforcements. Then you have a DEAD STRAIGHT line, right into the middle of the pocket opening. There's no guessing on whether you hit it perfect...or not.

Most people don't have a laser accessible and still, try to line them up dead center.. Its not easy.. I would wager that if you used a laser to set it up to the middle of the pocket from the OB's perception, you would be off..
Also, on most shots, you don't hit the center of the pocket.. You are hitting the facing or something else...

The OP wanted people to try a straight in stop shot from 4-6 diamonds away.. If my math is correct, there are no places on the table where this is possible and be shooting at the center of the pocket..

Like I said, the set up is so difficult it makes you think you are either doing something correct or incorrect when in fact the opposite may be true.


This was one of the flaws with the training CB with the patterns (Jim Rempe ball) on them so you could see if you hit it correctly...

One thing is you are setting it up wrong 99% of the time (do you really think you can visualize where to line up the CB from 6 feet away, hitting slow inside english)
The other is someone who doesn't know where they are hitting the CB probably doesn't know where center ball is.. (it changes depending on your stick elevation)

 

[ENGLISH!]

s

The problem with these types of drills, as I think someone mentioned, is the setup. Its difficult to set the OB and CB up exactly the same each time, and in the correct spot. You need to use a mark of some sort and even then, it may not be "perfectly" straight..

If its not set up correctly, it gives you a false sense of either failure or success..

Stop shots are the most important shots in pool just for the fact that they are how you execute, or rather derive all position plays from. To be more exact, if a shot is not a straight in stop shot, then you use dead ball to get to your position.. if you can't use dead ball, then you adjust a little off dead ball to follow the intended line. To know the exact elevation and speed of a stop shot for the particular shot you are shooting is of utmost importance..

I think a better drill is to put the OB on the spot and start with the CB about a foot away for the first shot. Now shoot the OB in the pocket and draw back.. leave the CB where it lies every time and replace the OB.. See how many times you can shoot the OB into a corner pocket without hitting a rail..

This was brought up on the forum a while back but people forget about this drill.. I think if you can do 5 in a row, you are hitting the ball decent and are starting to learn where to aim the OB in the pocket..

See how many you can do in a row..
Just for reference, my record is 62 and the guy who was spotting it walked away because his back was hurting.. haha..
I can do 20 in a row just about every time.. (its harder than you think)

:thumbup2:

I, for one, wish you would post more often.

Best Wishes to You & Yours,

Rick

 

[Neil]

Most people don't have a laser accessible and still, try to line them up dead center.. Its not easy.. I would wager that if you used a laser to set it up to the middle of the pocket from the OB's perception, you would be off..
Also, on most shots, you don't hit the center of the pocket.. You are hitting the facing or something else...

The OP wanted people to try a straight in stop shot from 4-6 diamonds away.. If my math is correct, there are no places on the table where this is possible and be shooting at the center of the pocket..

Like I said, the set up is so difficult it makes you think you are either doing something correct or incorrect when in fact the opposite may be true.


This was one of the flaws with the training CB with the patterns (Jim Rempe ball) on them so you could see if you hit it correctly...

One thing is you are setting it up wrong 99% of the time (do you really think you can visualize where to line up the CB from 6 feet away, hitting slow inside english)
The other is someone who doesn't know where they are hitting the CB probably doesn't know where center ball is.. (it changes depending on your stick elevation)

The part I put in red. Apparently, you judge the center of the pocket by the back of the pocket. The proper way to find the center of the pocket is by the pocket points. Doing that, it is rather easy to find the center of the pocket. And, it can be found from anywhere on the table except the cb behind the point of another pocket.

The other point, is that for this shot, the stop shot, when referencing center cb, it is a given that center vertical axis is what is referred to. Not just dead center of the cb. To only use actual center cue ball for a stop shot, as you well know, would require a high rate of speed for any distance.

 

[Wybrook]

The part I put in red. Apparently, you judge the center of the pocket by the back of the pocket. The proper way to find the center of the pocket is by the pocket points. Doing that, it is rather easy to find the center of the pocket. And, it can be found from anywhere on the table except the cb behind the point of another pocket.

The other point, is that for this shot, the stop shot, when referencing center cb, it is a given that center vertical axis is what is referred to. Not just dead center of the cb. To only use actual center cue ball for a stop shot, as you well know, would require a high rate of speed for any distance.

Shooting the ball from any angle except from right in front of the pocket, you are not shooting at the middle of the pocket..If you are, you are missing a lot..

I was not making the remark about center ball in relation to this OP thread, but rather to the usefulness of such training devices, and measuring and such.. as a tangent of this thread's topic.

 

[Tramp Steamer]

Sooooooo,,,How many pros have we heard from, so far? Well, let's see. Scott's a pro, but then he's not a professional 'pool player', so, hmmm, by gum it's looks like none, doesn't it?

 

[Neil]

Shooting the ball from any angle except from right in front of the pocket, you are not shooting at the middle of the pocket..If you are, you are missing a lot..

I was not making the remark about center ball in relation to this OP thread, but rather to the usefulness of such training devices, and measuring and such.. as a tangent of this thread's topic.

Those training cb are so that you can see after the shot if you actually hit the cb where you thought you were hitting it. You pick the circle you want to hit, then take the shot, look at the cb to see where the chalk mark actually is on it.

And, again, if you determine the center of the pocket by the points, it is rather easy to find.

 

[Bbutler]

Bbutler...Certainly you're welcome to your opinion. That said, in reality, the stop shot comes into play in almost EVERY game of 8 ball or 9 ball. It's likely the most important shot in pool to master. I agree with your other idea of a drill too...but the ability to shoot the stop shot perfectly trumps it by a lot.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

The stop shot comes up a lot sure, but to need hit a so-called 'perfect' one as outlined in the OP where there's like zero movement of the cueball after contact is pretty rare. I mean, you're not even 'perfectly' straight in on a ball but a few times a match (and even less if you play well), and then the few times that you are it's again rare to have to hit a 'perfect' stop shot from it.

And yes, the stop shot is important to master, but I would submit that it's also pretty much the first position shot anyone taking up pool learns, and so pretty much anyone who is into pool enough to even post on this forum should have passed that stage long ago and thus would benefit more from other drills than from the one in the OP.

Overall I'm not a fan of ever trying to teach students how to be 'perfect' because for one I don't think that's something that's even attainable and for two you get too bogged down in technique and miss out on the more important part of pool which is learning how to play the games properly. Heck one of the least 'perfect' strokes you would ever see in pool is Francisco Bustamante's, but when it comes to the games' most important skill -- namely running out -- you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who does it better. But that's the part of pool most aspiring players forget to work on for some reason.

Just my two cents. ymmv

 

[Neil]

The stop shot comes up a lot sure, but to need hit a so-called 'perfect' one as outlined in the OP where there's like zero movement of the cueball after contact is pretty rare. I mean, you're not even 'perfectly' straight in on a ball but a few times a match (and even less if you play well), and then the few times that you are it's again rare to have to hit a 'perfect' stop shot from it.

And yes, the stop shot is important to master, but I would submit that it's also pretty much the first position shot anyone taking up pool learns, and so pretty much anyone who is into pool enough to even post on this forum should have passed that stage long ago and thus would benefit more from other drills than from the one in the OP.

Overall I'm not a fan of ever trying to teach students how to be 'perfect' because for one I don't think that's something that's even attainable and for two you get too bogged down in technique and miss out on the more important part of pool which is learning how to play the games properly. Heck one of the least 'perfect' strokes you would ever see in pool is Francisco Bustamante's, but when it comes to the games' most important skill -- namely running out -- you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who does it better. But that's the part of pool most aspiring players forget to work on for some reason.

Just my two cents. ymmv

I think you are missing the whole point of the drill. The drill is to learn accuracy. Accuracy is important on every shot in any game. If you can't reliably hit the ob or cb where you want to, you can't reliably position the cb where you want to.

As far as Bustamente's stroke, there is nothing imperfect about it. It certainly is not orthodox, but it is very reliable and repeatable for HIM.

 

[ENGLISH!]

The stop shot comes up a lot sure, but to need hit a so-called 'perfect' one as outlined in the OP where there's like zero movement of the cueball after contact is pretty rare. I mean, you're not even 'perfectly' straight in on a ball but a few times a match (and even less if you play well), and then the few times that you are it's again rare to have to hit a 'perfect' stop shot from it.

And yes, the stop shot is important to master, but I would submit that it's also pretty much the first position shot anyone taking up pool learns, and so pretty much anyone who is into pool enough to even post on this forum should have passed that stage long ago and thus would benefit more from other drills than from the one in the OP.

Overall I'm not a fan of ever trying to teach students how to be 'perfect' because for one I don't think that's something that's even attainable and for two you get too bogged down in technique and miss out on the more important part of pool which is learning how to play the games properly. Heck one of the least 'perfect' strokes you would ever see in pool is Francisco Bustamante's, but when it comes to the games' most important skill -- namely running out -- you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who does it better. But that's the part of pool most aspiring players forget to work on for some reason.

Just my two cents. ymmv

Leaving out Busty's Stroke...

:thumbup2:

Very Good & Truthful Post.

Best Wishes to You & Yours...

& All.

 

[Bob Jewett]

... Overall I'm not a fan of ever trying to teach students how to be 'perfect' because for one I don't think that's something that's even attainable and for two you get too bogged down in technique and miss out on the more important part of pool which is learning how to play the games properly. ...

I think that if you never practice playing precise position you are less likely to get it when you need it in a game. Perhaps the most common situation these days where exactness is required is when playing safe, such as rolling the cue ball to a cushion and then freezing it to the back of a ball. On a shot like that, you don't want to give up a millimeter.