Shortcuts to a better Cue Action!

[predator]

I think a good game of pool is a lot more than just having good fundamentals. I have what you would call textbook style stroke...can put a lot of spin, can do long draws force follows with ease, it's very straight too...

But I'm not winning much in my league at the moment. All the players I've lost too have some serious flaws in their strokes, funny movements...all those things that books say you shouldn't do, well they do it. Does that hurt them? Maybe so, but majority of them still run more balls and racks than I do.

Now that I've lost so many matches, I will never ever criticise people with unorthodox strokes again.

It's just a small part of the game.

 

[Zims Rack]

Another method that I have used in double's tournaments is to measure the location of the imaginary pocket, or target ball, and place my cue vertically at this spot.My partner would align to the cue. I would move when he had the line to avoid too much controversy. The success rate for getting out of snookers was very high. It works much the same way as having a mirror to assist.

Okay, I tried this last night myself and was successful the first 10 tries. I then talked to another "Instructor" and he confirmed that this was a very effective method. I then tried this method with my 3 sl on my pool team and he was dead nails when he tried it. It also works for kicks as well. My 3sl player jumped about 80% on his confidence on banks and kicks.
Great post!!
Zim

 

[Frank_Glenn]

I believe a laser is far more accurate in showing any lateral movements in the cue and allowing you to fine tune them.
<snip happens>

Maybe, I do not have a laser setup. I just know I have seen a large improvement with the StrokeTrainer. I used to twist my wrist, this has been stopped. I am now moving the cue in a straight line and not across my body (in/out). I do not "push" against the guide. How is your laser set up?

 

[prewarhero]

Hey Guys,


I want to add....that if you haven't checked your cue action with a laser, it is very likely you are moving the cue in and out of the line as you are cueing, even though you cannot notice this by eye.

I move it out of line on purpose. When I get down on a harder shot that takes a bit more cuation. I line up and take some very loose practice strokes. So loose that I might even miss the cb if i stroked it. This gets all the tension out of my stroking arm and relaxes me. calms the nerves. Once I feel ready then I get back to a straigter stroke. I think the main thing that keeps my stroke straight is making sure the cues stays in line with my nose and my elbow is in place. If I remind myself to check this I make the shot, When I miss it is because I didn't do the proper pre-shot rutine.

 

[Colin Colenso]

Okay, I tried this last night myself and was successful the first 10 tries. I then talked to another "Instructor" and he confirmed that this was a very effective method. I then tried this method with my 3 sl on my pool team and he was dead nails when he tried it. It also works for kicks as well. My 3sl player jumped about 80% on his confidence on banks and kicks.
Great post!!
Zim

Hey Zim,
very glad you tried this out and found out how well it works.

If you're careful in assesing the mirror position, and learn to make slight adjustments for speed it can be very accurate.

It works so well it seems like an unfair advantage. I used to get a lot of raised eyebrows doing this is doubles tourneys, but I'd get more guys coming up asking how we were doing this, after some amazement of the consistancy we had in not only getting out of snookers but often laying snookers back on the opponents by coming off the side and end cushion in behind the ball. You can do this by estimating the position on the end rail you should hit, and creating a mirror image position with the cue for your partner to allign to. Let him line this up with something in the background and then walk away. (This reduces the frowns).

We were playing English style 8 ball where fouls result in 2 shots, so there are a lot of snookers played whenever outs are not on.

 

[Colin Colenso]

Maybe, I do not have a laser setup. I just know I have seen a large improvement with the StrokeTrainer. I used to twist my wrist, this has been stopped. I am now moving the cue in a straight line and not across my body (in/out). I do not "push" against the guide. How is your laser set up?

You can get a laser pointer (often used for presentations) from most electronic shops such as Tandy Electronics. You may even find key ring lazers or other cheap lasers that idiots take into cinemas.

To attach to the cue, I just used blu-tak (a kind of putty to stick pictures to walls), it didn't damage or mark my cue, but you may prefer to do this with a spare cue if you are extra protective of your cue.

I stick it about 12" forward from where the cue is under my chin on impact. I use a 3/4 butt snooker cue, so it is probably near, or just forward of the join on a two piece cue. You just want it out of the road of your chin and bridge hand. If too close to the bridge hand you may feel its weight more and also it interferes with looking at the end of the shaft.

The quickest way to set it on straight is to adjust while looking down the cue with one eye. To get even more precise, you can sit each end of the cue on a rest and line up by eye to a point the same distance you will practice to. (To a piece of paper on a wall about 10 feet away with a cross (vertical and horizontal line).

Spin the cue and watch the dot move. Adjust the laser until it doesn't move when the cue is rotated. This way, you know the laser point is not moving because you are twisting the cue. This means the laser and cue are pointing at the exact same spot 10 feet away.

Now when you practice your cueing, you know that all the variation seen in the laser dot is from movement of the cue from side to side.

My laser has a spring loaded on switch. So I put a small peice of plastic over the button and taped it down to the on position. Then, to turn on and off I would screw the battery case out and in. This saves using up laser batteries which can be expensive.

After some practice, I would compare my cue movement with friends. I could keep the laser withing 2mm of the vertical line throughout the stroke. Any deviations would be quite smooth and often come from the body swaying. The dot should move up and down, this is normal stroke mechanics, but not to the sides. My friends who were good players would have the dot moving to the sides quite severely and irratically. As mine did when I began. They were always surprised at how hard it was to move the cue smoothly and in line.

Even though this method is very good for developing a smooth straight stroke, I think it is even more valuable in that it trains you to stop body sway during a shot. You may think your body stays solid, but the laser will show the movement very clearly!

Hope you try this out Frank, and give us your results

 

[blud]

1-hole

I will give it a try Blud. Thanks. Can't wait to play some more one hole with ya. Next time I am gonna watch ya though! Moving balls when I ain't looking, huh!!!!! 18 to 3, I don't forget buddy.
Don P.

Hey, guys, it was not one game 18 to 3, it was 18 games for me and 3 for purdy. Don't want to knock my action, with someone thinking I gave a 18 to 3 spot.
Look forward to playing pool, drinkin cold beer, and jawin with you and your bride.
blud

 

[Colin Colenso]

I move it out of line on purpose. When I get down on a harder shot that takes a bit more cuation. I line up and take some very loose practice strokes. So loose that I might even miss the cb if i stroked it. This gets all the tension out of my stroking arm and relaxes me. calms the nerves. Once I feel ready then I get back to a straigter stroke. I think the main thing that keeps my stroke straight is making sure the cues stays in line with my nose and my elbow is in place. If I remind myself to check this I make the shot, When I miss it is because I didn't do the proper pre-shot rutine.

There could be advantages to non-straight cueing. Wiping the ball may not only produce increased spin when required but could negate the effects of squirt.

Many great pool players have curved cueing actions. In snooker though, which requires greater potting accuracy, straight cueing is highly desirable.

Which ever way you want to go, consistancy of stroke should be developed.

I think the ability to cue straight is worthwhile for pool players. Especially for longer shots that don't require side english.

 

[papercut]

Colin,

I was intrigued by your article about the laser. I went out and bought a $4 laser from Office Max and put together the little contraption.

A few problems:

1) With a closed bridge, the laser stream is blocked. I tried raising the laser by fixing it to a highlighter, but all this extra weight seems to be making the cue rotate when I try the drill. Is your drill more applicable for an open bridge only?

2) The batteries were dead after 5 minutes. I guess that's what $4 buy you these days.

Anyway, wanted to let you know that someone out there gave it a try. I think it's a really good drill, but the logistics are making it difficult. Let me know when you start selling cue specific lasers.

Papercut

 

[LastTwo]

I've heard alot of great things about the stroketrainer, I wouldn't be surprised if it worked.

About the stroke- I've found that the key to having a nice, smooth, solid, straight stroke is having good balance. Another key to having a good stroke is alignment. When you're off balance, your stroke is going to be choppy and crooked. When your alignment is off, it looks straight, but something doesn't feel right. You take your practice strokes and shoot, and at the last second, you veer your cue to the side to make an adjustment for your faulty alignment. Focusing on this two factors and correcting them will definately improve one's stroke. Put it this way- When you are in your stance, you have got to feel ROCK-SOLID, I mean no movement at all, it's got to be comfortable, that means no strain in your muscles. Once you find the right stance, you will notice how solid you feel, and you will notice that you can really let your stroke loose because you have so much control over it now. It's weird for me, some days I have great balance, I can free stroke and still shoot very accurately. Other days I feel myself swaying in my stance, my stroke feels very restrictive and choppy, etc. Try it for yourself.

 

[Colin Colenso]

Colin,

I was intrigued by your article about the laser. I went out and bought a $4 laser from Office Max and put together the little contraption.

A few problems:

1) With a closed bridge, the laser stream is blocked. I tried raising the laser by fixing it to a highlighter, but all this extra weight seems to be making the cue rotate when I try the drill. Is your drill more applicable for an open bridge only?

2) The batteries were dead after 5 minutes. I guess that's what $4 buy you these days.

Anyway, wanted to let you know that someone out there gave it a try. I think it's a really good drill, but the logistics are making it difficult. Let me know when you start selling cue specific lasers.

Papercut

Hi Papercut,
Glad you tried out the laser and raised some important points.

I never use a loop/closed bridge. Coming from a snooker /english billiards and pool background that is the norm. I really don't see any need to use it accept for masse shots.

But, it works for many great pool players so I won't tell you to stop it.

It will require that you raise the laser. And raising it means you'll get more interference from twisting. So to avoid this, allign the laser at the same distance from your paper with a marked cross as you will practice from. Make sure to place cue with laser on two rests and rotate and adjust until the dot stays in the same position (or withing a few mm) as you rotate.

To reduce weight try a polystyrene mount or something else light and solid.

As for batteries, I am very surprised. I get hundreds of practice sessions out of mine. Mine cost about US$50 and takes three 1.5volt N size Alkaline batteries.

 

[Colin Colenso]

About the stroke- I've found that the key to having a nice, smooth, solid, straight stroke is having good balance. Another key to having a good stroke is alignment. When you're off balance, your stroke is going to be choppy and crooked. When your alignment is off, it looks straight, but something doesn't feel right. You take your practice strokes and shoot, and at the last second, you veer your cue to the side to make an adjustment for your faulty alignment.

Hi LastTwo,
I've noticed this myself many times. No matter how well you cue, if the allignment is out, through stance or just bad eyes, straight cueing is useless.

A little bird in the back of your mind will call for adjustments and will cause chopping, pulling or pushing to give the shot a chance. I think therefore, allignment is for most, the fundamental barrier.

But for top pros, especially in snooker, I think cueing becomes the issue as their allignment is usually spot on. Slight doubt or hesitation or lack of focus can send the cue slighlty off the intended path and hence shots are missed.

For this reason, I think there is advantage in developing a very accurate and consistant straigh cue stroke. It removes an important variable.

If you know you are cueing straight consistantly, that should help to adjust allignment to a point where it becomes more accurate and consistant.

 

[bill190]

The most difficult straight in combination shot will get you lined up with a lot of frustrating practice....

Between two corner pockets (kittycorner - longest shot distance on table), place the cue ball close to one corner pocket then place two object balls so there is an equal amount of space between them and the corner pockets. Allign all 3 balls so they are in a straight line. Then shoot the cue ball at the first object ball so it hits the second object ball to pocket it into the opposite corner pocket. This is quite difficult. You have to hit the first object ball dead center with the cue ball.

Also try shooting the above by closing your eyes just before shooting.

And you can aim at a ball while your shaft is over a diamond mark on the rail. Look at the shaft in relation to the diamond as you stroke. If it is covering the diamond mark before the stroke, then to the right/left of the diamond mark after you stroke, something is wrong....

 

[Bluewolf]

Re: The mirror method for seeing bank angles, I've also set up a mirror along the cushion (about 1 inch from the edge). It's a good way to see how speed and spin may affect the natural angles.

I was reading in this pool book on the different systems for banking. The author went into great detail on the diamond system, and the mirrow system. After reading about that fried my brain, I came to the part where the author said 'most pool players bank by feel'.

Laura