Straight Stroke vs. Accurate Aiming

Because Fast Larry studies the pros. You should talk to him sometime.

I recently shortened my backswing considerably and my accuracy improved dramatically - with no other changes. I hold the cue very lightly but follow through straighter than I used too because with my old long stroke there was too much room for movement that was not straight back and forth. Thank you Fast Larry - I always think of his Luther Lassiter story when I see people shoot with a short backstroke.

Most notably is Alex Pagulyan. Also Rodney Morris. They have long bridges but their strokes don't come back far.

Thanks, I concur.

Fast Larry like Patrick Johnson have a wealth of knowledge, but like Earl are intolerant and get banned.

Little Al Romero says to line up the shot and english while down and then push the cue straight into the CB. That will keep the cue level and not given to the variations of one's stroke. I shoot better when I shoot softer (pocket speed) as well.
:wink::thumbup:
 
Just like throwing a spear.........

How many world class players steer their stroke/cb? And the ones that do why?

Throwing a spear and shooting a pool shot are the same. When throwing a spear you can change the direction right up until it leaves your hand.

On a pool shot we just have the spear under the eyes so we can actually be pretty accurate. As you stroke the same thing applies. We can change the direction right up until we hit the cue ball. The cue ball is just an extention of the cue.

This is why it works better if your looking at the object ball when you shoot. The same with the spear. You need to be looking at the target.

Just look at an object and pretend your throwing a spear and go theough the motions. You never looked at the spear. If you do you have no clue where the target is anymore.

This is also why many players that have such screwed up strokes play so well. We don't aim with the cue but with the eyes on the balls. The cue is just like the spear...........

Think about it..........food for thought.........
 
straight stroke

There have been many discussions of various aiming systems and many theories of stroking for accuracy. After many years of experimenting to find which is most beneficial to me, I have reached a conclusion. A conclusion which may be temporary, as most of us have changed our beliefs on both subjects.

My conclusion is that a straight and repeatable stroke is more important to develop. If you have an excellent stroke, the aiming system will be much easier to develop because half of the equation is consistent.

Your thoughts please.

Without a straight repeatable stroke, everything else is moot.
 
Why do you need any speed on the follow through???

I guess I meant from the start of the forward stroke. The more speed you can deliver the more backward spin you can get. You can't get this speed with a Dr. Dave Clod Kadiddlehopper stroke.:grin-square:

How do you think the pros can draw the ball the lenth of the table and beyond?
 
well i think we are all assuming we are on the correct aim point?

Not how to aim, but where to aim is extremely important especially before you plant the bridge; other wise most likely OB will not go precisely where intended. Highly recommend practice long combination shots with all kind of speed and english; that will teach you where to aim for normal shots.
 
It takes both. For me personally, I had a lot more issues with learning to keep the stroke straight than learning to aim. I could see where to aim, but could not deliver the cue ball to the appropriate spot CONSISTENTLY due to the flaws in my stroke. Do I still have issues? Of course, but I am much more consistent that I used to be due to my stoke being straight and consistent MOST of the time (no one is perfect:)).
 
It takes both. For me personally, I had a lot more issues with learning to keep the stroke straight than learning to aim. I could see where to aim, but could not deliver the cue ball to the appropriate spot CONSISTENTLY due to the flaws in my stroke. Do I still have issues? Of course, but I am much more consistent that I used to be due to my stoke being straight and consistent MOST of the time (no one is perfect:)).

Classic case for look at CB exact tip contact point last, for long shots do not pull too much, just 1/2 to 1" and follow through, pull very slow to allow brain eye catch up and also will help you remember to follow through.
 
you can all have the aim in the world and will miss without a good stroke. Good stroke comes from good alignment.

Alignment is the key.
 
you can all have the aim in the world and will miss without a good stroke. Good stroke comes from good alignment.

Alignment is the key.

How are you aligning yourself ? With a good stroke or your aim ? Everything starts and ends with aiming.

I asked this in an earlier post. How many world class players steer their stroke and or cue and why?

Everything has to work together aim, alignment stroke and stance to play top level pool.
 
Throwing a spear and shooting a pool shot are the same. When throwing a spear you can change the direction right up until it leaves your hand.

On a pool shot we just have the spear under the eyes so we can actually be pretty accurate. As you stroke the same thing applies. We can change the direction right up until we hit the cue ball. The cue ball is just an extention of the cue.

This is why it works better if your looking at the object ball when you shoot. The same with the spear. You need to be looking at the target.

Just look at an object and pretend your throwing a spear and go theough the motions. You never looked at the spear. If you do you have no clue where the target is anymore.



This is also why many players that have such screwed up strokes play so well. We don't aim with the cue but with the eyes on the balls. The cue is just like the spear...........

Think about it..........food for thought.........


I agree and that was the reason for my post. Our eyes and brain control everything we do during pool shot.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by genomachino
Throwing a spear and shooting a pool shot are the same. When throwing a spear you can change the direction right up until it leaves your hand.

On a pool shot we just have the spear under the eyes so we can actually be pretty accurate. As you stroke the same thing applies. We can change the direction right up until we hit the cue ball. The cue ball is just an extention of the cue.

This is why it works better if your looking at the object ball when you shoot. The same with the spear. You need to be looking at the target.

Just look at an object and pretend your throwing a spear and go theough the motions. You never looked at the spear. If you do you have no clue where the target is anymore.



This is also why many players that have such screwed up strokes play so well. We don't aim with the cue but with the eyes on the balls. The cue is just like the spear...........

Think about it..........food for thought.........

I agree and that was the reason for my post. Our eyes and brain control everything we do during pool shot.


I agree and that was the reason for my post. Our eyes and brain control everything we do during pool shot.



If you move your bridge hand while you shooting (impossible of course) then pool becomes like throwing a spear. Set a shot up, your bridge at pivot point,aim do warm ups, and get ready to fire, now swing your back hand (the butt) 5 degrees to left, shoot ball hard with top english ; i will be highly surprised if you missed. That is why you have people say we look at CB last, others at OB last, others look between, some close their eyes, so most likely the fact is it does not matter, but only thing that make sense is to look where you want the tip to hit CB last; i guess if you free wheeling and in stroke it is not necessary to look at CB last on every shot, but certainly for those shots that requires exact english then you must ensure tip contact is correct on CB.
 
Fast Larry said:
"...The experts agree the greatest 9 ball player of all time was Wimpy, the greatest tournament winner from the Johnston City, Illinois days in the mid 60’s. Luther Lassiter had the shortest stroke you could imagine. It is shorter than Allen Hopkins short jab; in fact, the two strokes are about the same. These two strokes, extremely short produced two of the greatest players of all time. That is my stroke today, a non stroke. Mike Sigel, one of the top 5 greatest players of all time, same stroke. In fact, you can play, with no stroke, just plant, line up, pull back and hit. Most get a rhythm going and it helps them feel the shot doing strokes...."

Sounds like these guys are mostly aiming with a straight punch - no stroke?

Then you add Buddy Hall to the equation. Maybe the most methodical and best 9 ball player ever. his stroke was quite long and yet ever so accurate.
Mike Siegal had a somewhat long stroke too and most of the Pinoys do to.
This is not an exact science but it seems that some have it and some just do not.
 
How are you aligning yourself ? With a good stroke or your aim ? Everything starts and ends with aiming.

I asked this in an earlier post. How many world class players steer their stroke and or cue and why?

Everything has to work together aim, alignment stroke and stance to play top level pool.

I took lessons from Mika Immonen, Tony Robles, and Charlies Williams in a Predator class.

That taught us to first, from a standing up position, see the line going from the cueball to the ghost ball. Then you step INTO the shot by setting the cue down along the line and getting your stance setup - together.

Watch Mika on YouTube. You can see that he is doing this time after time.

So to get so technical as you guys so desire, I guess the 'aiming' comes first, then the stroke. You have to be setup correctly before you even begin to worry about the stroke.
 
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