Punch stroke

TommyT

Obsessed
Silver Member
Can someone describe the punch stroke, the uses of, the method of employing such a stroke, and some of the advantages.

Thanks.........TommyT
 
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Allen Hopkins always did pretty well with his.... ;) It holds no real advantage over a regular stroke, some players develop it and feel like it gives a spin advantage, and it might for them. But its not needed.
Hopkins developed his as a kid when learning to play the game. Legend has it that he learned to play on a table that was in a small room. There wasnt enough space on the sides of the table to the walls to fully stroke a cue, hence the short back swing and punch stroke.
Chuck
 
Johnny Holiday " the most undertaught stroke"

Truman Hogue, legendary bank player and Hall of Fame member "75% of my shots are punch strokes" www.trumanhogue.com

Punch Stroke....shorter backswing and shorter follow-through----Also, the punch shot can be described as "jab like".

Typically, the punch is used at or very near the core of the cue ball and is very often associated with medium type speed.

Hopkins has a short backswing but a typical follow-through. Yes, his stroke appears punchy but his typical finish does not fit the punch shot definition.
 
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The punch stroke is best executed with a compact stroke. (shorter backswing and shortened follow-through.) Adding a little tension to the grip is recommended by this instructor,

Minimal spin may be applied for this type stroke.

Typical stop shots are best achieved with a 9-ball stroke. (normal backswing and standard follow-through.)

The compact nature of the punch stroke can mean "more control of the cue" for the shooter on certain shots.

The best bank players use the punch stroke very frequently. Bank shots are very friendly to center ball hits and speed. (Cut and bend with speed.)

Of course, there are many bank shots that are best executed with a 9-ball like stroke.

Additionally, punch shot opportunities show up frequently in 14.1, 9-ball and one-pocket.

Stan Shuffett
 
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I maybe wrong but the way I perceive a punch stroke and its purpose is to create a angle on a shot that appears to be too straight. Correct me if Im wrong, but the way this is achieved is by forcing the cue ball to get more air then usual, (most close jump shots use this stroke but jacked up) this intern causes the cue ball to hit the object ball above the equator and allows you to create a slightly more intense cutting angle,a few degrees more...Like a mini jump shot with a jabby firm, slightly descending stroke. In my experience this shot comes up most when a object ball is about 1/4 inch off the rail and the cue ball is in line/straight and only about a diamond away from the object ball. This slight punch will cause the cue ball so deflect into the rail on a slight fly and you can shoot across the table for shape. Although this shot needs to be practiced as I can tell you I have missed it just as much as making it, especially on tight pockets. Its easy to get greedy when you "think" you understand this shot.
 
Imo you have to finish every stroke. The final point is to get a reproducable, straight stroke- And if i am able to get different results using the same stroke by just varying the contact-point on the cueball...i prefer that 100 %.
I used to demonstrate this to students with a simple straight-in shot. Shooting the same shot (same position) with same speed as a stop-shot, follow-slide, back-slide and finally draw + followshot. Then the students understanding what i try to tell em. Just using other contactpoints on the cueball while using the same stroke with same speed is makin much more sense in my opinion.
 
Punch Stroke....shorter backswing and shorter follow-through----Also, the punch shot can be described as "jab like".

A shorter backswing with a high speed is a recipe for an error. Accelerating the cue quickly can cause mechanics to break down and the tip to contact the cue ball somewhere other than where intended.

Shorter backswings are very helpful for very soft shots and shots requiring higher accuracy. Longer backswings allow for smooth acceleration for higher speeds.

It's a trade off between accuracy and speed. The longer the backswing, the more distance here is to accelerate smoothly to strike the cue ball at a higher speed. The problem is that the longer the backswing, the more difficult it is to remain accurate.

If you try to use a short backswing with higher speed, you have to accelerate the cue at a high rate, a jerk, and it's easy for you to make a mistake, and that's the last thing you want to do.
 
A shorter backswing with a high speed is a recipe for an error. Accelerating the cue quickly can cause mechanics to break down and the tip to contact the cue ball somewhere other than where intended.

If you try to use a short backswing with higher speed, accelerate the cue you have to at a high rate, a jerk, and it's easy for you to make a mistake, and that's the last thing you want to do.

Mark, I clearly associated my definition of a punch stroke with that of a "medium type speed." However, a solid player with punch shot savy can easily adjust to softer or harder speeds.

The punch shot is a real shot that can be found in the arsenal of many strong players. The shot has its place in our game and it should be taught appropriately to the advanced players.

Stan Shuffett
 
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However, a solid player with punch shot savy can easily adjust to softer or harder speeds.

Sorry Stan, I wasn't disagreeing with the definition (which I think is great) or if some players can perform a punch stroke well, or not.

My point was to note how the length of the backswing can affect accuracy and speed, and cause errors for those who are trying to become solid players.
 
Sorry Stan, I wasn't disagreeing with the definition (which I think is great) or if some players can perform a punch stroke well, or not.

My point was to note how the length of the backswing can affect accuracy and speed, and cause errors for those who are trying to become solid players.

Mark, No Problem. Thanks for your additional information for clarification.

Stan
 
The only time I use a punch stroke is when I screw up. It completely throws my accuracy in the toilet. I haven't met many players that use a punch stroke that can play at a high level (not to say there aren't any, but most are just average players and don't seem to progress much further).
 
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