Spinning the cue on shots

penoy78

penoy78

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Wanted to get some peoples opinions on this. A buddy of mine was telling me how he "spins" or rotates his cue on certain shots. So my question here is...Does anyone else do that? And if so, in what situation would you need it in?

It seems to me that this complicates shots but I just had to ask.

I'm just trying to find out if he's blowing smoke up my butt. Thanks in advance.
 
penoy78 said:
Wanted to get some peoples opinions on this. A buddy of mine was telling me how he "spins" or rotates his cue on certain shots. So my question here is...Does anyone else do that? And if so, in what situation would you need it in?

It seems to me that this complicates shots but I just had to ask.

I'm just trying to find out if he's blowing smoke up my butt. Thanks in advance.
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It seems to me that the words "spin" and "rotate" don't relate well to what we do with a cue stick...when sober or night fighting off those who are not.

I ASSUME what he means is "pivot" and if so, yes. He probably is referring to Backhand English or Forehand English. Many players use those techniques knowingly or unknowingly.

Still others think they are but are not.

Ask your friend if that is what he is talking about....but he may use those techniques and not even know what they are called.

In any event if he is GOOD enough so that you care what he does...amdk that DAMN good enough... then ask him to give you a "Show and Tell"...take notes and then consult the MOUNTAIN of knowledge on those techniques including those published by our very own Bob Jewett and Dr. Dave.

Regards,
Jim
 
if I recall correctly, the Monk teaches that particular technique in one of his books but it's pretty ridiculous imo
 
av84fun said:
It seems to me that the words "spin" and "rotate" don't relate well to what we do with a cue stick...when sober or night fighting off those who are not.

I ASSUME what he means is "pivot" and if so, yes. He probably is referring to Backhand English or Forehand English. Many players use those techniques knowingly or unknowingly.

Still others think they are but are not.

Ask your friend if that is what he is talking about....but he may use those techniques and not even know what they are called.

In any event if he is GOOD enough so that you care what he does...amdk that DAMN good enough... then ask him to give you a "Show and Tell"...take notes and then consult the MOUNTAIN of knowledge on those techniques including those published by our very own Bob Jewett and Dr. Dave.

Regards,
Jim
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He gave me a "show and tell" and the best way that I can describe it is that he spins the cue with the figer tips in his back hand. I hope this makes sense. Thanks.
 
penoy78 said:
He gave me a "show and tell" and the best way that I can describe it is that he spins the cue with the figer tips in his back hand. I hope this makes sense. Thanks.
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I can't really imagine what that will achieve...
 
I use this on shots that require an extreme amount of cut. Say your OB is parked infront of the side pocket while your cue ball is parked infront of the corner on the same side, yet the path down the rail to the other corner is obstructed and you have no other shot. If you're using a regular stroke, the OB into the side is impossible due to the angle required to do so and you'll have to play safe. By rotating the cue stick right before striking the cueball, I put a bit of spin on the cueball so that it will kick out more than a regular cut shot.

If you can get the technique down, it's certainly handy to have in specific situations.
 
What is it supposed to do, spin the cue ball like a corkscrew LOL! When you adjust your grip the cue spins in your hand. i see a lot of the top filipinos spin the cue as they adjust their loose grip and the cue spins. You don't spin the cue for the purpose of spinning the cue.
 
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penoy78 said:
... I'm just trying to find out if he's blowing smoke up my butt. Thanks in advance.
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He may actually believe it. Lots of players believe really stupid, strange things. Some of them even get the bogosities to work some of the time. When your friend tells you such things, just nod and say, "That's really interesting. I'll have to try that when I have time to work with it."
 
XxMerlinxX said:
I use this on shots that require an extreme amount of cut. Say your OB is parked infront of the side pocket while your cue ball is parked infront of the corner on the same side, yet the path down the rail to the other corner is obstructed and you have no other shot. If you're using a regular stroke, the OB into the side is impossible due to the angle required to do so and you'll have to play safe. By rotating the cue stick right before striking the cueball, I put a bit of spin on the cueball so that it will kick out more than a regular cut shot.

If you can get the technique down, it's certainly handy to have in specific situations.
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Can you draw up a diagram? I can't quite imagine what your saying. Maybe I can practice it in my basement and let everyone know the results after trying the shot. I still don't see how putting a corkscrew on the ball helps but I guess that's the whole point of this post. If it does help then it would be a great tool in the bag.
 
penoy78 said:
Can you draw up a diagram? I can't quite imagine what your saying. Maybe I can practice it in my basement and let everyone know the results after trying the shot. I still don't see how putting a corkscrew on the ball helps but I guess that's the whole point of this post. If it does help then it would be a great tool in the bag.
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If you mean rotating the cue about its longitudinal axis...like the drive shaft in a car..then don't waste your time.

Regards,
Jim
 
penoy78 said:
Can you draw up a diagram? I can't quite imagine what your saying. Maybe I can practice it in my basement and let everyone know the results after trying the shot. I still don't see how putting a corkscrew on the ball helps but I guess that's the whole point of this post. If it does help then it would be a great tool in the bag.
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I found that CueTable program, let me know if it doesn't work for some reason. The closer the cue ball is to the OB, the easier the technique is since the spin on the cue ball is harder to maintain over greater distances. I don't know why everyone's saying not to bother, it does work and it's a nice thing to be able to utilize.

<iframe src="http://CueTable.com/P/?@4BYek3EWCL4FVtL3HJAx4LYIB1PUbW1kUbW1kVfA1kVfA@" noresize="noresize" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" frameborder="no" width="660" height="430" ></iframe>

Edit- Didn't pop up in the window for some reason, try clicking on this link instead.
http://CueTable.com/P/?@4BYek3EWCL4FVtL3HJAx4LYIB1PUbW1kUbW1kVfA1kVfA@
 
There is a major difference between spinning the cue stick and "twisting" it. I think most players that twist the cue tend to do it unconciously. I don't think it's something that you would practice, just something you do more naturally. JMO.
 
I don't think it'd be possible to "spin" the cue and make a shot, but a good full twist of the wrist can put the desired amount of sidespin on the ball.
 
I wouldn't recommend 3 or 4 complete rotations, but I have told a student to spin the cue (yes like a drive shaft) because he was choking/holding too tight. If you grip hard or tend to grip hard, spinning the cue until you are ready to play the final stroke can help. Watch baseball, tennis, golf or other sports that require you to swing and contact a ball. Most of the top guys move the bat, racket etc in their hands before they hit. Its all about staying loose and not locking the arms and hands to nerves.

edit: this spin isn't a pivot or rotating the wrist while stroking. It is a little spin with fingers or gripping it tight and then relaxing the hand and the cue rolling down the palm. The twist most of you are talking about, Strickland does often. It is with the wrist. This is different than spinning the cue.
 
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I was taught that technique by a very good 1P player years ago. If you cut to the left, you spin (rotate) and pivot to the right and vice-versa.

I think I do it a little sub consciously because I flip my hand under the cue on my follow-through.

Does it REALLY help, I dunno. Doubt it. I think it's more of a mental thing.
 
Bob Jewett said:
He may actually believe it. Lots of players believe really stupid, strange things.
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I was talking to a very well known player from the Philippines about this same subject about 3-4 years ago. I told him that I had been crucified by many people on the internet for teaching this method - a method he had personally showed me a few years earlier. I told him about the comments and the consensus of the crowd that said "this is impossible" or "that is impossible". He didn't seem surprised at all.

He simply shrugged his shoulders and said this:
"That is why those people and none of their students will never reach the playing level of the Filipino players."

Now he wasn't talking about the playing level of Efren, Francisco, Jose, or Ronnie - he was talking about your average pool hall player in Manila.

I don't believe in "impossible". I once had somebody tell me I would never run a hundred. One day I did it. Then I did it again. And Again. Then one day I ran 200. So much for "impossible".

To be a great player, you need to place the words "That's Impossible" into the same file where you put Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny - it doesn't exist.


Edit: FTR, Keith McCready just made a post about using this same method and recommended that a player learn how to do this... Me, I'd listen to Keith.
 
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