Problem with my Draw/Mechanics

jes_playin

jes_playin

Needs the 2 out
Silver Member
I have a problem with my mechanics lately and I can't seem to figure out exactly what it is. Over the last month or so I have had a huge problem of miscueing when I try to draw the cueball. At first I thought it was a problem with my tip,but I have tried 4 different cues and have the same problem with all of them. Anybody have any ideas on what's causing my problem?
 
The quick answer might appear to be that your stroke might not be straight...sometimes I have noticed when someone wants to get a lot of draw on a ball and cues low..they tend to pick up their back hand just a little bit to try to get the most out of a draw shot.

The only secret to a good draw shot that I am aware of is to keep your cue as level as you can and follow straight through it. If you raise your back hand then it will make the cuestick go a little farther down under the ball than you might want.

Try just stroking through it and not thinking about powering through it.
 
are you keeping your stick as level as possible? and are you hitting too hard? the cb doesnt really have to be hit hard if hit correct.
 
What I find helpful is to start with the CB and OB close together, say 1 diamond. It will be a lot easier to get some draw action, then you can increase the distance.
 
jes_playin said:
... . Anybody have any ideas on what's causing my problem?
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It is certain that you are not chalking well or you are hitting too low on the cue ball. Or maybe your chalk is bad. Can someone else draw with that stick and chalk? If so, you are hitting the cue ball too low.

As to why you are hitting too low, that's a much harder question. We could guess, but we would only be guessing. Try videotaping yourself.
 
PKM- It's not that I don't know how to draw; I'm actually pretty good at it. I'm just having OCCASIONAL miscue issues as of recently.

Ant & Chucklez- I try to keep me cue as level as possible,and I try not to shoot too hard. I play on Simonis which you know is pretty fast and power isn't often necessary. I've noticed that I've miscue on simple snip draws.
 
Bob Jewett said:
It is certain that you are not chalking well or you are hitting too low on the cue ball. Or maybe your chalk is bad. Can someone else draw with that stick and chalk? If so, you are hitting the cue ball too low.

As to why you are hitting too low, that's a much harder question. We could guess, but we would only be guessing. Try videotaping yourself.
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I chalk before EVERY shot and I look at the tip to make sure it is covered completely. The chalk brand is Masters. Others can draw just fine with the chalk/cue.
You may be right about hitting too low,but it's just weird. I'm hitting it the way I always have (atleast I think I am). When I hit just 1/2 tip or so below center I don't have a problem,but it seems that everything below that is the "danger zone".
 
What I think about on a draw shot is cueing the ball at the exact center between the center of the cue ball and the cloth. To help keep my back hand low I really loosen my grip on the wrap to the point where I'm almost holding it with just two fingers. When you take that final stroke think about the cue tip driving through that point on the cue ball and staying on that flat plane about a tip's distance off the cloth.
 
jes_playin said:
I chalk before EVERY shot and I look at the tip to make sure it is covered completely. The chalk brand is Masters. Others can draw just fine with the chalk/cue.
You may be right about hitting too low,but it's just weird. I'm hitting it the way I always have (atleast I think I am). When I hit just 1/2 tip or so below center I don't have a problem,but it seems that everything below that is the "danger zone".
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Without actually seeing what is going on, we can only guess. I suspect there is something in your stroke that is preventing you from making contact where you are aiming. Call me. I'm sure one of us can make the 30 minute drive to get together and work on it.
Steve
 
Here is something for you to try...

Take a striped ball and use it as a cue ball and shoot a few draw shots with it with the line horizontal. Your tip should not hit below the line. That should be your limit. Same with sidespin as well.
 
pooltchr said:
Without actually seeing what is going on, we can only guess. I suspect there is something in your stroke that is preventing you from making contact where you are aiming. Call me. I'm sure one of us can make the 30 minute drive to get together and work on it.
Steve
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:D That would be nice,but seeing as how you charge money and I'm broker than a two-dollar crack ho fresh out of prison, I'll have to pass (for now)
 
belmicah said:
Here is something for you to try...

Take a striped ball and use it as a cue ball and shoot a few draw shots with it with the line horizontal. Your tip should not hit below the line. That should be your limit. Same with sidespin as well.
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When I see people use a lot of draw, it always looks like they are hitting ridiculously low on the ball. I seem to have the problem of not going low enough for fear of miscuing even though it almost never happens. I guess it looks that way because the top of the tip is contacting. I'll have to try that out with a striped ball.
 
PKM said:
When I see people use a lot of draw, it always looks like they are hitting ridiculously low on the ball. I seem to have the problem of not going low enough for fear of miscuing even though it almost never happens. I guess it looks that way because the top of the tip is contacting. I'll have to try that out with a striped ball.
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Well, there are also those who put their sticks on the cloth at the base of the cue ball when sighting the shot. The don't actually hit that low -- instead their arms swoop on the final stroke to bring the tip up to the proper height for draw. Or even follow. If you have a spare 10 years to learn how to do it, that might be a good way to spin the ball, but the orthodox method is to address the cue ball where you are going to hit it and then hit it there.

Do try the striped ball. You should be able to put your tip part way down into the white cap at the bottom of the ball, but you should still hit on the stripe. Check the chalk mark.
 
Bob Jewett said:
Well, there are also those who put their sticks on the cloth at the base of the cue ball when sighting the shot. The don't actually hit that low -- instead their arms swoop on the final stroke to bring the tip up to the proper height for draw. Or even follow. If you have a spare 10 years to learn how to do it, that might be a good way to spin the ball, but the orthodox method is to address the cue ball where you are going to hit it and then hit it there.

Do try the striped ball. You should be able to put your tip part way down into the white cap at the bottom of the ball, but you should still hit on the stripe. Check the chalk mark.
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Right you are, Bob. And remember to shoot with a relaxed arm, as well as all the rest of your muscles too. I played a lot of pool before I actually learned to keep all the muscles, including all those in your legs and hips etc etc very relaxed thru out the entire shot. You have to do this or your arm won't go right. This also helps to keep your head still also. Remember relaxed body. This does NOT mean that you are doing anything nonchalantly. You are concentrating on keeping everything relaxed in order to stroke the cue ball properly......
 
I was having mucho Draw problems last night when trying to draw from a distance. My stop shots were great though. I think it's just a mental thing on my part, but I can't seem to get an accurate hit with Draw... seems like I'm letting my grip get too loose.

Like all things, practice, practice, practice... it's all about hitting the Cue Ball where you mean to.
 
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When you miscue, take a look at your grip arm/hand. Is it tight or is it loose? Are you pausing at the back of the stroke on the ones you micue on?

Pete
 
jes_playin said:
PKM- It's not that I don't know how to draw; I'm actually pretty good at it. I'm just having OCCASIONAL miscue issues as of recently.

Ant & Chucklez- I try to keep me cue as level as possible,and I try not to shoot too hard. I play on Simonis which you know is pretty fast and power isn't often necessary. I've noticed that I've miscue on simple snip draws.
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Make sure your bridge is tight. Set up a Snip Draw, but make sure you keep your bridge hand on the table and make it prety firm, shoot the shot. and freeze.

IMO, your either letting your bridge hand go, or your gripping the cue to far forward, you can also try sliding your grip hand back a few inches whitch may help.

Concentrate on a spot on the cloth and drive your tip through the cue ball to a predetermined spot (at least 4-6" after contact with the cue ball) , Im not saying drive your tip into the cloth, I suggest start out about center ball, shoot a few balls in this manor, when you start getting the feel for it move down a little bit at a time, I think you'll find once you start striking the balls fairly well that you get as much draw hitting higher than you did before. Then once you get as low as you have been, your really going to Zing....... the ball back.

I do this from time to time, to insure I have the stroke to draw the ball the full length of the table if need be. I also doesnt hurt to add a few draw shots in your practice routine.


SPINDOKTOR
 
Two things I found when I had this problem.

1. My bridge hand was letting go too soon (or sloppy bridge).
2. My rear hand was too close to the front of the stick and my hand was coming up before I followed through. Try taking your back hand further back.

oops - sorry spindoktor and I had the same idea -- sorry I did not see his post.
 
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