So I now have a repeatable stroke...

Clark_the_Shark

Clark_the_Shark

Has 9-Ball-itis
Silver Member
... but it lacks in its accuracy.

About 6 months ago I had a lesson with Scott Lee where we worked on developing my stroke. His methods worked very well to get me to develop a smooth and repeatable stroke (consistent pre-shot routine, not jerking the transition from back to forward, etc, etc) but now what I need is to develop more accuracy.

I think I may be either pulling my stroke back crooked or stroking crooked based on analysis of my misses. But it's had to stroke straight through the ball. I like others struggle with it all the time.

The unfortunate thing with Scott's lessons is that we didn't really go through the idiosyncracies of "my stroke's straightness" so I don't really know if I'm pulling back or throwing my arm crooked.

This is most noticeable when I have a table length shot from really close to the head rail and the object ball is somewhere past the foot string about a foot or so from the hole. I get down, line up, pull back, shoot slowly, and the ball just doesn't travel the straight line I thought it was going to where I was aimed.

Any drills/help would be appreciated.

Thanks.
 
Clark_the_Shark said:
... but it lacks in its accuracy.

About 6 months ago I had a lesson with Scott Lee where we worked on developing my stroke. His methods worked very well to get me to develop a smooth and repeatable stroke (consistent pre-shot routine, not jerking the transition from back to forward, etc, etc) but now what I need is to develop more accuracy.

I think I may be either pulling my stroke back crooked or stroking crooked based on analysis of my misses. But it's had to stroke straight through the ball. I like others struggle with it all the time.

The unfortunate thing with Scott's lessons is that we didn't really go through the idiosyncracies of "my stroke's straightness" so I don't really know if I'm pulling back or throwing my arm crooked.

This is most noticeable when I have a table length shot from really close to the head rail and the object ball is somewhere past the foot string about a foot or so from the hole. I get down, line up, pull back, shoot slowly, and the ball just doesn't travel the straight line I thought it was going to where I was aimed.

Any drills/help would be appreciated.

Thanks.
Click to expand...



Does your back hand "GO HOME"?....SPF=randyg
 
More or less. But that's well after hitting the ball. I would say that sometimes I notice that the shaft is not straight once it hits the table, but that doesn't tell me if I'm pulling back crooked and shooting straight, or pulling back straight and shooting crooked.
 
try shooting it one handed.
You will need to be a little more upright then you normally stand.
Cue ball about 10 inches off the rail, find the line, get in position, shoot the cue ball down the line, be sure to hit center of the cue ball.
shoot it 30 times. you will find the grove for the cue and the smooth stroke.
Mark
 
Clark...More or less doesn't cut it. Either your grip hand goes home...and correctly...or it doesn't. We did discuss your issues. Have you watched the video recently? If not, you need to revisit your template. Here's the rub...your elbow is a hinge. If you are truly swinging a pendulum swing (no movement of the elbow), and finishing your stroke, your cue cannot help but go in a dead straight line. The only thing that can interfere with that is tension in your swing...which we noted and discussed, during your lesson. Tension in the swing comes from either overflexing the bicep, or squeezing the cue (on the forward stroke). It can be either one, or both, that causes your cue not to go straight. When your back hand hits "home" your knuckles should be tilted up. You can take your grip hand home, but still have a tight grip...which shows up as flat knuckles, in the finish position. I'll bet it ALL that your problem stems from too much bicep and/or too much grip pressure. Loosen up and slow down.:grin:

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Clark_the_Shark said:
More or less. But that's well after hitting the ball. I would say that sometimes I notice that the shaft is not straight once it hits the table, but that doesn't tell me if I'm pulling back crooked and shooting straight, or pulling back straight and shooting crooked.
Click to expand...
 
Try Mother Drill number 4 at different speeds. It's fairly easy to do at speeds 1-3 but when you starting moving up to 4 and 5 the errors really magnify. If you use the red and white elephant ball for this drill you can really tell if you're just a little bit off the vertical center.
 
I imagine grabbing a full tube of toothpaste. Gripping tight enough to hold it, but not hard enough to make any toothpaste come out.
 
Clark_the_Shark said:
... but it lacks in its accuracy.

About 6 months ago I had a lesson with Scott Lee where we worked on developing my stroke. His methods worked very well to get me to develop a smooth and repeatable stroke (consistent pre-shot routine, not jerking the transition from back to forward, etc, etc) but now what I need is to develop more accuracy.

I think I may be either pulling my stroke back crooked or stroking crooked based on analysis of my misses. But it's had to stroke straight through the ball. I like others struggle with it all the time.

The unfortunate thing with Scott's lessons is that we didn't really go through the idiosyncracies of "my stroke's straightness" so I don't really know if I'm pulling back or throwing my arm crooked.

This is most noticeable when I have a table length shot from really close to the head rail and the object ball is somewhere past the foot string about a foot or so from the hole. I get down, line up, pull back, shoot slowly, and the ball just doesn't travel the straight line I thought it was going to where I was aimed.

Any drills/help would be appreciated.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Try the slow motion drill. If you think your stroke is breaking down, this drill will let you see and feel where it is happening. Super slow motion is the key. Accentuate the pauses and feel the muscles during the transition.
 
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