Specific Point on Grip-Hand to Focus On

Get_A_Grip

Get_A_Grip

Truth Will Set You Free
Silver Member
One of the most difficult things in pool for me is the grip. Over the past two years I have changed the way I grip the cue at least a dozen times trying to find the best, most consistent grip for all types of shots.

I have even resorted to writing down specific points on the hand or fingers where the cue makes contact, in an attempt to re-create a great shooting session, where I thought that I had my "final" grip.

There are some common observations that I have made that seem to be true with all "good" grips. Keeping a loose grip on the cue is one.

I'm now to the stage where I'm trying to focus on much more subtle things associated with the grip. The latest observation that I've made is that I seem to shoot much more consistent if I focus on keeping a constant pressure between the cue and the side of my thumb. My hands are fairly small, so instead of the cue riding in the web of the hand--between the thumb and pointer finger--I hold the cue further down along the side of my thumb. If I focus on keeping a constant pressure between the cue and the side of my thumb, I end-up striking the cue ball much straighter and more consistently.

When I look at many of the grips of the pro players, many of them seem to be holding the cue more like a club (with the whole hand)--where I get the best results with only the thumb and the pointer or index finger. I realize that although many pros may have the entire hand around the cue, they may be applying most of the pressure with only the first couple fingers. Many players seem to have their index finger not totally wrapped around the cue, but it is off-set somewhat. Earl Strickland seems to hold the cue somewhat like a claw, with his hand clenched (but losely gripped).

If anyone has had any similar grip problems (maybe others with smaller hands) and can offer tips, I would appreciate it. Also, if anyone else does something special or different with their fingers on their grip hand to achieve more consistent results, I would be interested in hearing those things too.

Thanks.
 
Get_A_Grip said:
One of the most difficult things in pool for me is the grip. Over the past two years I have changed the way I grip the cue at least a dozen times trying to find the best, most consistent grip for all types of shots.

I have even resorted to writing down specific points on the hand or fingers where the cue makes contact, in an attempt to re-create a great shooting session, where I thought that I had my "final" grip.

There are some common observations that I have made that seem to be true with all "good" grips. Keeping a loose grip on the cue is one.

I'm now to the stage where I'm trying to focus on much more subtle things associated with the grip. The latest observation that I've made is that I seem to shoot much more consistent if I focus on keeping a constant pressure between the cue and the side of my thumb. My hands are fairly small, so instead of the cue riding in the web of the hand--between the thumb and pointer finger--I hold the cue further down along the side of my thumb. If I focus on keeping a constant pressure between the cue and the side of my thumb, I end-up striking the cue ball much straighter and more consistently.

When I look at many of the grips of the pro players, many of them seem to be holding the cue more like a club (with the whole hand)--where I get the best results with only the thumb and the pointer or index finger. I realize that although many pros may have the entire hand around the cue, they may be applying most of the pressure with only the first couple fingers. Many players seem to have their index finger not totally wrapped around the cue, but it is off-set somewhat. Earl Strickland seems to hold the cue somewhat like a claw, with his hand clenched (but losely gripped).

If anyone has had any similar grip problems (maybe others with smaller hands) and can offer tips, I would appreciate it. Also, if anyone else does something special or different with their fingers on their grip hand to achieve more consistent results, I would be interested in hearing those things too.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

My grandmaw always told me " never date a girl with big hands. Makes your crank look small. ;)

Keep your grip, relaxed, comfortable, and consistant through-out the stroke.
Sorry about the cornball joke. It is true.
Purdman :D
 
Get_A_Grip said:
If anyone has had any similar grip problems (maybe others with smaller hands) and can offer tips, I would appreciate it. Also, if anyone else does something special or different with their fingers on their grip hand to achieve more consistent results, I would be interested in hearing those things too.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I have of late been studying the grip hand and looking for consistency. I have found some things that work for me...I have applied some things I know about the golf grip to my pool grip...There are some pretty strong similarities in my opinion....

1) Neutral Grip
2) Long Thumb vs Short Thumb

These are two things that (I think) really change straightness and consistency of stroke and "natural" wrist action....

I think one major key to the stroke is the "lack" of any pressure with the thumb.....(Long thumb on the cue with no thumb pressure)

Simple Test: Roll your fingers up in your hand, but keep your thumb resting on the outside......squeeze your fingers but keep your tumb relaxed.....move your fist (side to side) feel how there is some tension but your are still able to move your wrist....Now squeeze your thumb to the outside of your rolled up fingers...You will notice that it will be much harder to move your wrist side to side....(Which is the same pivot of the wrist in both Golf and Pool)

I am not a Pool Instructor, so take this advise for what its worth......
 
mr. thumb

An old timer back in the 60's told me "always keep your thumb pointing straight down for the straightest stroke ".I have always found this useful and check it as a part of my preshot routine.



Billy :cool:
 
i too struggled for the longest time with my grip. Due to a childhood accident my index finger doesnt bend in the middle, and i worked for years trying to find the best way to work around this, gripping with the web of my hand primarily, then i tried just putting pressure on the cue with my index and thumb and middle fingers and it didnt touch my hand...then i tried gripping the cue a little tighter with my index finger to make up for the fact it couldnt wrap around the cue. At poolschool i asked the instructors about grip and found out the best thing i could do was to take my index finger completely out of the equation (like u said u noticed some pro players do). So now i grip my cue with my middle and ring finger, and i let my index finger just ride the cue. I also just let my pinky ride now too, sometimes on my follow thru i would put pressure on the cue with my pinky which made my stick swerve to the right at the very end.
 
I know this guy is struggling with something in his grip...hence his name. But if there is ANY one thing that can throw your game off immediately if you're playing good, it's to think about the grip...such as where you grip it...the pressure points...how much grip pressure...which fingers are on and off...wrist roll due to a certain grip...and all the rest.

If you ever want to play mind games with someone that you're playing for money, shark them with an innocently asked grip question or two. Their wallet will be yours! Just don't start thinking of your own grip in the mean time.
 
drivermaker said:
I know this guy is struggling with something in his grip...hence his name. But if there is ANY one thing that can throw your game off immediately if you're playing good, it's to think about the grip...such as where you grip it...the pressure points...how much grip pressure...which fingers are on and off...wrist roll due to a certain grip...and all the rest.

If you ever want to play mind games with someone that you're playing for money, shark them with an innocently asked grip question or two. Their wallet will be yours! Just don't start thinking of your own grip in the mean time.
Click to expand...

Reading the first post brought to mind Richard Kranicki's book, "Answers To A Pool Players Prayers" where the guy was focused on aiming by placing the center of the cue under your right eyetooth.... too much for me, I would rather consult navel lint or tea leaves for clues.
 
driver has a great point, the last thing you need to do is get down in ur stance on an important shot in a game and be thinking about ur back grip. Work on it in a set aside practice time and completely put it out of ur head when ur playing for real.
 
I teach that the only part of the hand in contact with the cue on most shots should be the thumb and index finger.

The biggest problem I see with most players is gripping to far back on the cue. This can be solved by taking a shorter bridge, no move than 10" from the cue ball. By doing this most people will grip at the proper balance point and have their upper arm and forarm at 90 degrees, which is the proper relationship to have for solid impact.
 
scottycoyote said:
driver has a great point, the last thing you need to do is get down in ur stance on an important shot in a game and be thinking about ur back grip. Work on it in a set aside practice time and completely put it out of ur head when ur playing for real.
Click to expand...

Exactly!...........Or ask a player if he breaths in or out during the back stroke!.....

I never really think about my grip......though I know I change it for different types of shots, but better left un though of IMHO..Gerry
 
I messed around with my grip for about a year. I asked every player out there about the grip because mine just never felt right during that time. During that whole period I played poorly. I tried every style of gripping the cue for a few days and nothing felt right. I know what you mean when you say that your grip pressure/grip position doesn't feel right throughout the stroke. The thing is, it's NOT your grip. It's your stroke. I didn't notice during that time that my stroke was very crooked. I could feel something was off but couldn't visually notice. When I figured out what was wrong with my stroke and started working on my stroke and not my grip, that's when my game started coming back. On the days when I was stroking straight, I even tested my theory that a good grip comes naturally with a good stroke, so I used all types of grips. Everything felt fine. Your problem is not your grip, and if you continue to think it is, you are going to experience an endless cycle of frustration. Fix your stroke and straighten it, then whatever grip you choose will work and feel right.
 
I wouldnt put to much worrie into your grip hand, AS LONG as your not overly tight you should be ok, I myself grip the cue with my pointer finger and thumb, the rest of my hand is relaxed.. For action loosen up your grip hand and tighten your bridge, A firm bridge hand is a must..


2wld4u
 
After over 10 years of searching, I found my grip and yes, it is unorthodox. For me it was about killing the excess wrist movement. For some reason, my wrist came alive in wrong situations causing most of my misses before this new grip. I tried the cradle grip, loop grip etc. and nothing seemed to work. But to put my experience in a nutshell, I'd say 2 things are very important:

-Never grip too tightly. Stiff grip will get your wrist moving at wrong times. You might shoot straight but stiffly and will have problems with power shots.

-Maintain constant grip pressure through the whole stroke. If you grip the cue tightly or loose, let the grip pressure be the same through the whole stroke. Fiddling with loosing or tighting the grip through the stroke will get you even more confused.
 
I've been going throught this search ofr the best grip over the past few years myself. I started with a "slip stroke" but it was too loose and difficult to control. Like you I have small hands. When I try to close my grip between my thumb and index finger there is some slight tension, even though I am holding the cue very lightly, that builds up over a few days and results in pain up my arm similar to tunnel carpel syndrome. I now hold my cue more loosely without trying to "complete" my grip with thumb-finger contact. It's working so far, although I find myself sometimes (inadvertently) going back to the three finger grip and sometimes going back to the slip stroke from time to time. My intention has been to pay little attention to my grip in actual play (as driver pointed out), since you cannot play at the top of your game if you are self-conscious about your grip, stance, bridge, etc.
 
Grip Not Stroke

I should have pointed out, that although I have been constantly making subtle changes to my grip--overall I have still been shooting pretty good regardless of the grip. I will make a slight change during practice and then play that way for quite a while. The big joke around the house is how many times I ask my wife, "Guess what?"--and she says, "Let me see, you've got a new grip".

Some of my changes have been to try figure out in practice if it would be better to hold the cue a little differently for different types of shots--and if it works--then later to consciously remember this and implement it before that type of shot. (One subtle difference that I've noticed is that I shoot shots better when the cue ball is on the rail, if I hold the cue a little tighter than normal and mentally try to keep the tip in contact with the cue ball as long as possible during the stoke).

Also, when I am playing games the only thing that I'm focusing on is a constant pressure within my grip...not really any specific details about the grip--once I have settled into the general grip that I will be using.

However, I do seem to shoot very good and feel the most comfortable when I only hold the cue with my thumb and index finger at specific contact points--and let the cue pivot on these contact points freely during the stroke. I'm just not convinced that there is not a different way to hold the cue that would be better and more effective for all types of shots.

Very interesting to hear that many other people have gone through a similar experience with their grip.
 
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The proper way ...

is to grip the cue with 2 fingers (index and middle) and a thumb.
Like if you went up to a friend and grabbed their arm with 2 fingers
and a thumb. The 3rd and 4 fingers are loose so that your wrist
can maintain a straight line (straight down vertical line) at the end
of a stroke. What happens actually, is that the cue raises up towards
the back end of your palm on the underneath side of your hand at
the end of the stroke, allowing you to maintain a straight level stroke
completely throughout the entire stroke with a straight wrist.

Many self proclaimed variations to this, derived from self discovery
of what's comfortable, or a lack of being able to get used to the proper
grip with the butt hand.
 
Snapshot9 said:
is to grip the cue with 2 fingers (index and middle) and a thumb.
Like if you went up to a friend and grabbed their arm with 2 fingers
and a thumb. The 3rd and 4 fingers are loose so that your wrist
can maintain a straight line (straight down vertical line) at the end
of a stroke. What happens actually, is that the cue raises up towards
the back end of your palm on the underneath side of your hand at
the end of the stroke, allowing you to maintain a straight level stroke
completely throughout the entire stroke with a straight wrist.

Many self proclaimed variations to this, derived from self discovery
of what's comfortable, or a lack of being able to get used to the proper
grip with the butt hand.
Click to expand...


I agree, Thats the best approach, the tension should be the same as, pick your cue up, off the table.. just pick it up... thats about right..

The slip stroke... I dont much care for this at all.. , I dont like mile long strokes either, or 3 foot bridges, 8-10 inches is plenty.. The reason I mention this, well, it has an effect on your grip.. if the basics are there a decent grip isnt far behind.. its natural.. I feel a Really tight grip is death to your game.. If your hand is turning white, Loosen up!...lol




2wld4u
 
Never date a girl with big hands ...

Purdman said:
My grandmaw always told me " never date a girl with big hands. Makes your crank look small. ;)

Also good advise when picking a proctologist!
Click to expand...
 
My game vastly improved when I switched to the grip I use now.

As far as grip placement I let it fall naturally into place (arm and elbow at 90 degree angle at point of contact).

For my actual grip I JUST hold the cue with the thumb and index finger. The other fingers don't touch the cue at all.

Grip pressure depends on the type of shot and I just kind of let that happen naturally.

Once I switched to this grip, my game improved vastly. Sometimes I forget and go back to an old grip...and have to realize what I'm doing before I switch back and instantly see my ball pocketing improve.

May or may not work for you, but it improved my game.
 
I've switched to thumb pointing straight-down to the ground and just two loose index and middle finger "grip" and I'm shooting much straighter and much more action on the cb.
I can now say, my thumb curling around the handle has been the cause of me shanking the cue to the right ( I'm a righty ) often before. :rolleyes:
 
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