Does this exist or are all strokes the same? Snooker players only please!
Punch stroke?
- Thread starter Jason Robichaud
- Start date
that would be it.
I hate to throw out the golf comparison, but most of the time, the stroke in snooker is the same, just like a golf swing. The location on the cue ball changes, but the action is the same. If you would only look at the back hand of the pros you can't tell whether they played top or screw or a stun shot.
Now according to biomechanics, the largest error in the stroke is from carrying the backwards momentum into the forward stroke, hence most (if not all pro) snooker players have a pause in the backswing. Some players try to go even further and tried to completely eliminate the backswing all together. Dennis Taylor is one of those players who can still get a very good screw shot without pulling the cue back. But I digress...
However, just like in golf, sometimes you have to have an unusual stroke, whether thats a power stun, or a short distance drag, or whatever. So yes, the punch stroke has its place, just like a massee and it is useful to have it in your bag of tricks.
But learn first to get a consistent stroke, where to cue ball travels the same distance every time, then work on your bunker shots and pitching wedges.
Now according to biomechanics, the largest error in the stroke is from carrying the backwards momentum into the forward stroke, hence most (if not all pro) snooker players have a pause in the backswing. Some players try to go even further and tried to completely eliminate the backswing all together. Dennis Taylor is one of those players who can still get a very good screw shot without pulling the cue back. But I digress...
However, just like in golf, sometimes you have to have an unusual stroke, whether thats a power stun, or a short distance drag, or whatever. So yes, the punch stroke has its place, just like a massee and it is useful to have it in your bag of tricks.
But learn first to get a consistent stroke, where to cue ball travels the same distance every time, then work on your bunker shots and pitching wedges.
If you mean stun through, this is in every good snooker player's arsenal, and is a function of where you hit the cue ball, not the stroke.
If you mean a zero backswing stroke, I've played with two teammates over the years who had this style. It looks absolutely awful, but they had one thing in common. They were both excellent potters (130+). I put that down to their pokey stroke eliminating any error in cueing and putting a premium on precision. But neither of them could screw back for toffee and certainly not with any precision. Their positional play wasn't tip top either, but at this level their potting ability made up for it.
It's certainly not something I would teach anybody to do. But I've found that reducing backswing to the minimum necessary for the shot is probably the most significant way of instantly improving someone's potting accuracy. Many amateurs just don't appreciate how far back they are over-reaching on the final backswing. You can almost guarantee they have pulled the cue off line. Getting their grip hand to the exact same position every time is the foundation stone of consistency. The other killer is accelerating backwards on the final swing. Take it back smoothly then accelerate forwards.
Boro Nut
If you mean a zero backswing stroke, I've played with two teammates over the years who had this style. It looks absolutely awful, but they had one thing in common. They were both excellent potters (130+). I put that down to their pokey stroke eliminating any error in cueing and putting a premium on precision. But neither of them could screw back for toffee and certainly not with any precision. Their positional play wasn't tip top either, but at this level their potting ability made up for it.
It's certainly not something I would teach anybody to do. But I've found that reducing backswing to the minimum necessary for the shot is probably the most significant way of instantly improving someone's potting accuracy. Many amateurs just don't appreciate how far back they are over-reaching on the final backswing. You can almost guarantee they have pulled the cue off line. Getting their grip hand to the exact same position every time is the foundation stone of consistency. The other killer is accelerating backwards on the final swing. Take it back smoothly then accelerate forwards.
Boro Nut
What does "punch stroke" mean to you? I have a certain concept of it but that seems to be at odds with some things that have been said. Is it something specific in the backstroke? Or is it the follow-through? Do you know if it is described well in an instruction book?drsnooker said:
the only snooker pro i can remember that has a punch stroke recently who was any good was dave harold, other pro,s use that kind of stroke on stun run through's but not for playing many other shots when players twitch under pressure they quite often punch the shot or dont follow through its not something to aspire too.
when players are not so advanced they think things work for there game but in realitiy they dont fully know their tecnique yet and more often than not they are simply concentrating on the change so much they play better for a while
when players are not so advanced they think things work for there game but in realitiy they dont fully know their tecnique yet and more often than not they are simply concentrating on the change so much they play better for a while