The Cue Tip & Aiming

D

DrCue'sProtege

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
i noticed something last night that apparently had eluded me before. as most on here know i have been struggling with long, straight in draw shots. so i was placing the cue on the rails where the Cloth and Wood meet, this is a straight line, and was stroking over this for a short time. it was one of the first things Tom "Dr Cue" Rossman taught me regarding ways to work on getting a straight stroke.

then i noticed as i looked back at the Butt End of the cue that i was slightly offline, the butt end was cocked slightly outwards, to the right. but the tip seemed to appear to still be in the center???

when i videotaped my draw shot last week i commented how i seemed to be veering to the left the split second after impact. perhaps this is the reason why? perhaps without knowing it i was ever so slightly heading that way in the first place?

thoughts posters?
DCP
 
It's possible.

DrCue'sProtege said:
i noticed something last night that apparently had eluded me before. as most on here know i have been struggling with long, straight in draw shots. so i was placing the cue on the rails where the Cloth and Wood meet, this is a straight line, and was stroking over this for a short time. it was one of the first things Tom "Dr Cue" Rossman taught me regarding ways to work on getting a straight stroke.

then i noticed as i looked back at the Butt End of the cue that i was slightly offline, the butt end was cocked slightly outwards, to the right. but the tip seemed to appear to still be in the center???

when i videotaped my draw shot last week i commented how i seemed to be veering to the left the split second after impact. perhaps this is the reason why? perhaps without knowing it i was ever so slightly heading that way in the first place?

thoughts posters?
DCP
Click to expand...

It's possible. I don't know that technique you mention, so it's difficult to dsicern, but are you watching the line of the cue on your practice strokes?

If you watch the line on your practice strokes you should be in line as you stroke through the ball. make sure you can see that you're on line with your practice strokes and consciously stroke straight on your follow through. Don't let yourself make minor adjustments while you're moving the cue, that will lead to an inconsistent stroke. If you need to make minor adjustments to your aim make sure you stop the cue and adjust your bridge, don't adjust by the cue.

You only want to adjust for english with the cue, for aim you want to adjust by the bridge, and you shouldn't adjust while moving your cue back and forth in a stroking motion at all.
 
DCP,
Go get a laser pointer and stick it about half way down your shaft with some blu-tak (sticky putty).

Place a piece of paper with a vertical line on it about 10 feet away and cue trying to keep the laser point on the line. You'll soon know exactly what your cue is doing.

To eliminate possible variations from rotating the cue, put the cue on two mechanical bridges and rotate to see if the laser is focused on one point at that distance. Adjust until it's close enough so rotation effects are insignificant.

I did this a lot in the past to train myself for a straight cue action. I learned a lot and everyone who tried it was suprised at their tendencies to move side to side during stroking.
 
I still swear by the empty air or tennis ball method/.

I still say use the tennis ball on a table against a wall or even stroking empty air. If you train your muscles to stroke straight, while only paying attention to stroking straight. It will improve your stroke.
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
.

then i noticed as i looked back at the Butt End of the cue that i was slightly offline, the butt end was cocked slightly outwards, to the right. but the tip seemed to appear to still be in the center???

when i videotaped my draw shot last week i commented how i seemed to be veering to the left the split second after impact. perhaps this is the reason why? perhaps without knowing it i was ever so slightly heading that way in the first place?

thoughts posters?
DCP
Click to expand...

Looks like you're a perfect candidate for the StrokeTrainer.

Fred
 
Cornerman said:
Looks like you're a perfect candidate for the StrokeTrainer.

Fred
Click to expand...
Absolutely, Fred.

Protege, Joe offers a free pool lesson at www.JoeTucker.net that offers the first explaination that I've encountered about this phenomenon. The stroke trainer will help with this, and the lesson helps to understand what is happening.

IMO the free lesson alone is worth the cost of the stroke trainer.
Thanks Joe Tucker!
 
i think Fred was referring to "THE" Stroker Trainer, not the little fork-like device that Joe Tucker uses. i have the tucker stroke trainer, videotaped myself using it a little. again, i seemed to be stroking left with it also.

DCP
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
i noticed something last night that apparently had eluded me before. as most on here know i have been struggling with long, straight in draw shots. so i was placing the cue on the rails where the Cloth and Wood meet, this is a straight line, and was stroking over this for a short time. it was one of the first things Tom "Dr Cue" Rossman taught me regarding ways to work on getting a straight stroke.

then i noticed as i looked back at the Butt End of the cue that i was slightly offline, the butt end was cocked slightly outwards, to the right. but the tip seemed to appear to still be in the center???

when i videotaped my draw shot last week i commented how i seemed to be veering to the left the split second after impact. perhaps this is the reason why? perhaps without knowing it i was ever so slightly heading that way in the first place?

thoughts posters?
DCP
Click to expand...

I use the same spot to check my alingment...

If your the butt end is cocked outward, your subconciously pulling it inward to get it in line and then your tip will veer off line....Plain and simple you have a crooked stroke...It will be more noticable when your stroke is longer and or adding more power.....(welcome to the club)

This may not work for you...(depending on how your eyes work)....For me..I am left eye dominanat....If I am alinged correctly over that line where the rail and cushion meet....If I look down, I won't be able to see the line...(the cue will block the line)......

What you really want to practice here is the moves you make getting into your stance.....If you have to adjust the cue angle after your down on the shot, its too late.....

As has been said before....check your feet positioning....(before you step into your shot)....

However....It could just be a simple grip change that gets the butt end tucked in where it needs to be.....Its hard to tell without being seen by someone that know what they are doing....
 
IMO, it is not about changing your grip, muscle memory, or getting a stroke trainer. It’s about changing how you get into shooting position.

How you get into shooting position ends up producing your set up and stroke -- in this case, one that is slightly off line. By changing the motions and sequencing of how you put your body into shooting position, you can eliminate the offset and produce a natural, repeatable stroke that won’t break down under the heat.

It’s one of the main reasons you want to have a PSR: by doing every thing the same way, every shot, you produce the same setup and stroke every shot.

Lou Figueroa
 
I've got the stroke trainer, stroke perfector (both homemade)Joe Tuckers third eye stroke trainer and a Rempe Cue ball.Soon I will add Colin's idea of a laser pointer to the equation....LOL...what can i say I'm a hard core fanatic allways looking for a stroke.

Two things regarding the stroke:

Vision:

Some people don't see center ball were center ball really is. Joe Tucker's third eye is excellent for training your eye to see center ball.

Mechanics:

Proper lineup is essential for straight stroking.A lot of players don't give them self a chance because the are lined up improperly.Here is an article I saved about lineup:

STROKE FLAW CORRECTION

If you have a pendulum and noticed that your stroke pushes slightly outward from your body thus creating a little left, it means that your back leg is situated too close to your grip hand, and the tendency is for the arm to "push" away from the body, much like in golf when you stand too close to the ball which can push the club away from the body spinning the ball to the left (or right if you are lefty). The opposite could happen if your back leg were too far from the stroke hand creating a tendency for the hand to draw in to the body making the tip go to the right.

If your stroke were perfect and you were still putting left on the ball, it would mean that your head is not in the correct position.

Despite the fact that you want to leave out the pendulum debate, please note that it is virtually impossible to have a perfectly straight stroke without one. That is not to say that one is better than the other (althoug it is). But it is altogether possible that your head and aim are perfect but the curve of your stroke makes the tip go slightly right. If this is the case, either aim a little to the right (not suggested) or fix your stroke (suggested).


In summary:

The best way of course to correct lineup flaws is of course with a certified professional(preferably master) instructor.Many of them can watch stroke the ball and in a few minutes give you solutions to set your self straight.

Recentley I've been using the alignment advice I got from Bert kinisters Volume 11, Advanced Fundamentals and I've noticed some good improvement with the combination of that and working with Joe Tuckers third eye.I highly reccomend this particuliar kinister video.Other's have said the Mighty X(Volume 12) by Kinister further improved their stroke.

With all the gadgets I've made, videos I've watched and alignment drills I've tried I hit the ball reasonably straight today and my stroke is OK.I still need to do the most important step of all and that's spend some time with a certified instructors who may perhaps tweak things a little here and there before I settle in and say I love my stroke.Hopefully I'll make it down to the USA as planned to obtain that instruction because the sort of instruction I want isn't offered locally.

RJ

ps. A proper grip is essential.Gripping the hell out of the cue at impact will also put a bad twist into the stroke. Once again see an instructor.
 
2 Possibles

You are moving your grip arm above the elbow (using your
shoulder) on the last strokes (subconcious tendency to get
more power in the mind of a player) and/or your wrist is
not straight on the final stroke (gripping the cue what you
think is firmer for a powerful hit). In other words, you are
muscle-ing the shot because you subconciously feel that is
the ONLY way you will get enough draw on the cue ball.
 
Have you ever tried stroking directly toward a mirror? If your upper arm (shoulder-to-elbow) is not directly above the cue and directly in line with the shot, it complicates the stroking motion and makes it difficult to stroke straight. There are quite a few pros who are counter-examples to this, but those with the most natural, fluid, and powerful strokes (Corey Deuel comes to mind) have their upper arm lined up straight with the shot, enabling the lower arm to have the simplest and straightest pendulum motion possible. It's easiest for me to check this stroking straight toward a mirror and make sure when I look at the reflection, my upper arm is straight in line with my right eye (the one I position over the cue).

-Andrew
 
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