Learn to shoot opposite handed
Dings grove me nuts years ago and my shaft went from 12.5 mm to less than 12 as I worked them out. It was my first McDermott and I was learning. Then I started moving up cue wise. With my Blud, it really irritated me and I started trying to figure out how they happened. By the time I got to McWorter it dawned on me- each time I used a bridge it left a ding because the shaft would bounce on the bridge head. So I would avoid the bridge and started shooting left handed on reach shots- luckily it was just league, but I got better. I also found a stiff foam bridge head that slips on any cue that won't ding the shaft. My last two cues- the Black and the Southwest cover the last 10 years of daily play and I've had maybe two dings to work out as a result of carelessness.
My left hand play is about 70% of my right hand speed and it comes in handy when playing friends of lesser abilities. For some it's even one handed, left handed.
It's a lot of work, but worth it in many ways!
Dings grove me nuts years ago and my shaft went from 12.5 mm to less than 12 as I worked them out. It was my first McDermott and I was learning. Then I started moving up cue wise. With my Blud, it really irritated me and I started trying to figure out how they happened. By the time I got to McWorter it dawned on me- each time I used a bridge it left a ding because the shaft would bounce on the bridge head. So I would avoid the bridge and started shooting left handed on reach shots- luckily it was just league, but I got better. I also found a stiff foam bridge head that slips on any cue that won't ding the shaft. My last two cues- the Black and the Southwest cover the last 10 years of daily play and I've had maybe two dings to work out as a result of carelessness.
My left hand play is about 70% of my right hand speed and it comes in handy when playing friends of lesser abilities. For some it's even one handed, left handed.
It's a lot of work, but worth it in many ways!