This is a follow up to my last thread: https://forums.azbilliards.com/thre...cb-ob-impact-are-two-different-things.536140/
I'd encourage everyone to watch Dr. Dave's video on this subject: https://forums.azbilliards.com/thre...-are-two-different-things.536140/post-7090701
When shooting a stop shot (in this example from about two feet away) you have a choice on how you blend your tip and your swing speed. You can use a firm hit near center, a medium low hit with medium speed, or a low tip with soft speed. Basically you'd be starting the cue ball with increasing draw at decreasing speeds to let the extra backspin wear off.
Unfortunately a lack of tip accuracy and swing speed regulation deprives most people from being able to hit finesse stun shots. Many people default to a slightly low tip with a firm swing to stop their cue ball. This is fine on a straight stop shot. All options result in the same cue ball outcome (stop) because the object ball is taking all of the cue ball's speed. On a stun shot, however, the choice you make will dictate how far the cue ball slides along the tangent line.
If you don't have an accurate low tip with a soft swing speed you are not only missing positional tools in your tool belt, you are missing the BEST tools. This is because the further your cue ball travels with a stun shot, the less accurate you will be. I jokingly call it the 20% rule: You will be off by 20% on all of your stun shot cue ball movements. So if you stun 1' you will be off up to 2.4 inches, meaning you will land in a 5" circle. If you stun 2' you will land in a 10" circle. And if you stun 4' you will be off 10 inches and will land in a circle nearly 2 feet big. Which do you want, to play cue ball to a 5" circle or a 2' circle? Sometimes improving your cue ball has more to do with using better cue ball maneuvers rather than practicing the ones you already know.
How to develop the ability to control your stun? Two parts. First, you have to master tip/speed regulation. See the first diagram. Set up a stop shot and practice making the cue ball stop perfectly dead while adjusting your tip and swing speed. Sending the 8 ball one rail (having it stop where the 1 ball is) requires a very low tip and a soft swing, sending it further to position two requires a medium low tip with a medium low swing, and sending the cue ball three rails to position 3 requires a firm swing just a half tip below center. Struggling with the one rail hit? Focus on a very low tip, start your swing softly, then accelerate. Practice. If you need to look at the cue ball while you're shooting for a little while. With a great hit you can have the cue ball stop before getting back to the middle of the table.
OK, so now you have your three hits down. Let's take them to the streets with stun shots. See diagram two. I have set this shot up so the 8 ball is almost frozen (maybe half an inch off the rail) to the 3rd diamond on the long rail. The cue ball is on a line from the first and a half diamond. Top players can shoot from the kitchen, intermediate go ahead and start from a foot closer. The goal here is to use these different hits to send the cue ball different distances along the tangent line. Max low/soft for position 1, medium low/medium speed for position 2, half tip low/firm swing position 3. The cue ball will give you feedback on each shot. If your cue ball rebounds too far off the rail it was too firm, not far enough too soft. If your cue ball rolls through the tangent line your tip was too high (if your speed was right) or you shot too soft. If you came back from the tangent line your tip was too low (if your speed was right).
Mastering the soft stun shot will transform your game. Not only is this one of the most important shots in pool, the control you develop over tip and swing speed will serve you well on every shot for the rest of your life. Let me know if you need help with this and enjoy!!!
I'd encourage everyone to watch Dr. Dave's video on this subject: https://forums.azbilliards.com/thre...-are-two-different-things.536140/post-7090701
When shooting a stop shot (in this example from about two feet away) you have a choice on how you blend your tip and your swing speed. You can use a firm hit near center, a medium low hit with medium speed, or a low tip with soft speed. Basically you'd be starting the cue ball with increasing draw at decreasing speeds to let the extra backspin wear off.
Unfortunately a lack of tip accuracy and swing speed regulation deprives most people from being able to hit finesse stun shots. Many people default to a slightly low tip with a firm swing to stop their cue ball. This is fine on a straight stop shot. All options result in the same cue ball outcome (stop) because the object ball is taking all of the cue ball's speed. On a stun shot, however, the choice you make will dictate how far the cue ball slides along the tangent line.
If you don't have an accurate low tip with a soft swing speed you are not only missing positional tools in your tool belt, you are missing the BEST tools. This is because the further your cue ball travels with a stun shot, the less accurate you will be. I jokingly call it the 20% rule: You will be off by 20% on all of your stun shot cue ball movements. So if you stun 1' you will be off up to 2.4 inches, meaning you will land in a 5" circle. If you stun 2' you will land in a 10" circle. And if you stun 4' you will be off 10 inches and will land in a circle nearly 2 feet big. Which do you want, to play cue ball to a 5" circle or a 2' circle? Sometimes improving your cue ball has more to do with using better cue ball maneuvers rather than practicing the ones you already know.
How to develop the ability to control your stun? Two parts. First, you have to master tip/speed regulation. See the first diagram. Set up a stop shot and practice making the cue ball stop perfectly dead while adjusting your tip and swing speed. Sending the 8 ball one rail (having it stop where the 1 ball is) requires a very low tip and a soft swing, sending it further to position two requires a medium low tip with a medium low swing, and sending the cue ball three rails to position 3 requires a firm swing just a half tip below center. Struggling with the one rail hit? Focus on a very low tip, start your swing softly, then accelerate. Practice. If you need to look at the cue ball while you're shooting for a little while. With a great hit you can have the cue ball stop before getting back to the middle of the table.
OK, so now you have your three hits down. Let's take them to the streets with stun shots. See diagram two. I have set this shot up so the 8 ball is almost frozen (maybe half an inch off the rail) to the 3rd diamond on the long rail. The cue ball is on a line from the first and a half diamond. Top players can shoot from the kitchen, intermediate go ahead and start from a foot closer. The goal here is to use these different hits to send the cue ball different distances along the tangent line. Max low/soft for position 1, medium low/medium speed for position 2, half tip low/firm swing position 3. The cue ball will give you feedback on each shot. If your cue ball rebounds too far off the rail it was too firm, not far enough too soft. If your cue ball rolls through the tangent line your tip was too high (if your speed was right) or you shot too soft. If you came back from the tangent line your tip was too low (if your speed was right).
Mastering the soft stun shot will transform your game. Not only is this one of the most important shots in pool, the control you develop over tip and swing speed will serve you well on every shot for the rest of your life. Let me know if you need help with this and enjoy!!!
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Not a fan of that one...but,the 8 Ball shot to the corner I got first try on all 3 so I guess there's that. Gonna try to see if I can get the banks in a row now!