Thinking of giving up the game

Thunderball said:
Make sure your cue is holding chalk well.
Keep the cue level with the floor (as much as possble).
Try bridging a little closer which will allow for follow through without much effort.
Its not a snap/pop shot.You really have to run your stick though the ball.
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Lots of good advice here. Although unnecessary, I like to use a closed bridge on draw shots. Seems to help my cue glide through the follow through better. It hasn't been mentioned here yet, but try and relax your grip on this shot. You'd be suprised at how much more spin you can put on the cue ball with a more relaxed grip. Gripping too tight just kills the action.

Maniac
 
I'm still working on getting a decent power draw as well. One thing I've found is that I can hit the cue ball a lot lower than I thought. In practice, don't worry about miscuing and see how low you can go.
 
I may know what your doing wrong without even seeing you play. You are not striking the cueball where you think you are otherwise it would come back.
Take one last look at the cueball before switching your eyes to the object ball, no body our head movement on the stroke. make sure the cue goes through the ball flat and straight with a smooth acceleration and a long follow through. Find a coach too, should be an easy fix.
 
9 ball said:
I am seriously thinking of giving up the game for good and its all because of 1 little thing: the stop shot, now you may be wondering why would I give up the game all because of 1 shot and thats because for the last 3 years I have been practicing 5 hours a week on every aspect of my game but when it comes to using power shot or a spin shot all I seem to be able to do is a stop shot, and it dosen't matter how low or high I hit the cb it still produces a stop shot.

Its gotten to the point I am not enjoying the game as much and I can't even put any of joe tuckers lessons in guaranteed improvement to the test because they call for different types of spin shots.

I am at my wits end, if anyone can help I would be greatful but if not I might have to consider giving up the the game.
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Take post #5 Barbara's advice.it will be easier than you think once a good instructor helps you out..good luck
 
Something Ive had success with teaching others is this. The cueball is already spinning backwards before it ever contacts the object ball. Make a deliberate effort to spin the cueball as much as possible without worrying if it draws back after hitting the object ball. The cueball doesn't contact the object ball then start spinning backwards its already spinning before it gets there. Practice this and you may begin to think twice about giving up...Good Luck Dave
 
9 ball said:
I am seriously thinking of giving up the game for good and its all because of 1 little thing: the stop shot, now you may be wondering why would I give up the game all because of 1 shot and thats because for the last 3 years I have been practicing 5 hours a week on every aspect of my game but when it comes to using power shot or a spin shot all I seem to be able to do is a stop shot, and it dosen't matter how low or high I hit the cb it still produces a stop shot.

Its gotten to the point I am not enjoying the game as much and I can't even put any of joe tuckers lessons in guaranteed improvement to the test because they call for different types of spin shots.

I am at my wits end, if anyone can help I would be greatful but if not I might have to consider giving up the the game.
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haha man you sound like me. trust me man don't give up you'll hate yourself for it. i had that problem a couple of years ago. i like the videotaping youself idea and getting someone else to watch you. i'd bet you're raising your tip right before you pull the trigger. try making sure you get the cueball result you're looking for, even if you don't make the shot. don't sweat missing the shot as long as you get the cueball result you want, after that you just have to practice making the shot. as for drawing the ball i imagine the tip of your cue toutching the object ball.
 
Lots of good advice here. Although unnecessary, I like to use a closed bridge on draw shots. Seems to help my cue glide through the follow through better. It hasn't been mentioned here yet, but try and relax your grip on this shot. You'd be suprised at how much more spin you can put on the cue ball with a more relaxed grip. Gripping too tight just kills the action.
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Thanks for the reinforcment Maniac.I could have thrown grip in a well,but I was trying to get the guy on draw...not good draw ;).Small steps lol.

He'll get it if he listens(reads) well.
 
I watch the videos over and over again until their actions become my own.
 
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Try This for draw shots, Place your tip up close to the cue ball, move your tip down the cue ball untill only the upper half of the tip will contact the ball, if nessasary use the dot on the cue ball (if so equiped) for a contact point, My best quess is that even though you may aim low your final stroke is hitting upwards of where you intend to hit it, so I suggest making sure you contact the point on the cue ball you desire.

This is a common Problem with begginers and draw shots.

I helped a fellow with the exact problem Last night, no matter how low he thought he was going to hit the cue ball his final stroke always traveled upward. I had him use an open bridge and press the cue downward on his bridgehand and quess what? he zinged the ball back with ease.

After showing him this after 5-10 minutes he had no problems with draw shots, this also applies to side as well. Best of Luck!


SPINDOKTOR
 
The following is an immediate but temporary solution, and I do mean immediate.

Shape your tip in the form of a hemisphere.

You can thank me later
 
I've had this problem for years. The trick is not to hit it hard - instead, follow through completely with a smooth stroke. You may think you are following through, but I found out I wasn't.
 
9 ball said:
I am seriously thinking of giving up the game for good and its all because of 1 little thing: the stop shot, now you may be wondering why would I give up the game all because of 1 shot and thats because for the last 3 years I have been practicing 5 hours a week on every aspect of my game but when it comes to using power shot or a spin shot all I seem to be able to do is a stop shot, and it dosen't matter how low or high I hit the cb it still produces a stop shot.

Its gotten to the point I am not enjoying the game as much and I can't even put any of joe tuckers lessons in guaranteed improvement to the test because they call for different types of spin shots.

I am at my wits end, if anyone can help I would be greatful but if not I might have to consider giving up the the game.
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Try using more extreme english and not hitting the cue ball as hard. Concentrate on shooting thru the cue ball and not into it.
And make sure your tip is in good shape. Rough it up and try the contour of a nickel.
 
Slasher said:
I may know what your doing wrong without even seeing you play. You are not striking the cueball where you think you are otherwise it would come back.
Take one last look at the cueball before switching your eyes to the object ball, no body our head movement on the stroke. make sure the cue goes through the ball flat and straight with a smooth acceleration and a long follow through. Find a coach too, should be an easy fix.
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This is exactly right.

9-ball, the problem is most certainly in your stroke. It wouldn't be a a bad idea to at least watch the cue ball on your follow through while you practice.

I don't believe your inability to draw the cue ball has anything to do with a lack of aptitude for the game, rather it is probably due to misdirection. In other words not practicing the right things.
 
Stop Shot

It's not clear if you mean a "stop on a dime" or maybe it spins a little, if the cue ball rolls foward...etc. It has to be in your delivery. Try slowing your stroke down, especially on contact, and make sure you're centered.
 
The cueball doesn't care how the tip got there. It only cares about the speed of the hit, where it was hit (spin) and direction of the hit.

I don't know if someone mentioned this or not but here is my advice. You are not hitting the cueball where you think you are. Place a stripe on the table with the stripe horizontal to the table about 12 inches from the object ball and give yourself about a 10 deg cut. The angle is so you aren't jumping out of the way when the ball comes back at you. Make sure the stripe ball is clean of chalk marks and chalk your tip very well. Now shoot the draw shot with the center of you tip aimed right on the line of the stripe. If you hit the line or pretty close to it the ball WILL draw back. A chalk mark will be left where you hit the ball so you can see where your tip actually hit the ball. Miccues are generally caused by hitting below the line or hitting the table first.
 
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Pure Physics, as has been said by just a few posters.

It has very little to do with stroke, follow through or grip etc... (of course these things are extremely necessary to to excute well....)

Unequivically, you are not striking the cue ball where you think you are, period.

If you strike the cue ball in the center, it will stop after contact.
If you strike the cue ball high, it will follow.
If you strike the cue ball low, it will draw back.

These things are certain!!

without watching you though, I can't tell you why you are not striking the cue ball where you think you are. Several reasons that may be causing this.

You may be moving your head or closing your eyes before contact.
You may be "jumping up"
You may have a poor bridge
you may be dropping or raising your elbow at the time of delivery.

You may want to practice with an aramith red dot cue ball.
Wipe the cue ball down before each shot.
Turn the cue ball to a position to where the red dot appears to be where you would like to strike the ball.
Chalk up heavily.
Strike the cue ball at the desired location.
Inspect the cue ball for the blue chalk dot.

You may be surprised at what yo ufind.

rg
 
Melinda said:
I've had this problem for years. The trick is not to hit it hard - instead, follow through completely with a smooth stroke. You may think you are following through, but I found out I wasn't.
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that is exactly it!!!

I can draw back the cue ball a lot with a soft stroke but with a good follow through or put a nice top spin. With a better follow-through, it gives the ball more spin.
 
My guess is that your tip is turning down when you hit the cue ball... When your elbow bends the back of the cue starts raising and the tip will start dropping... That will make you fear miscuing on a draw, and you will hit the center of the cue ball and it will also make aiming high hit the center of the cue ball, and therefor there is nothing pretty.

You have to make the cue travel straight. Do whatever you have to: try moving your grip back some, try bending forward more, or try dropping your elbow...
 
9 Ball, I'm not one on getting all this help from dvd's and such so about the learning from professional's I wouldn't know. Reading what you are saying though, from the way I play I would say try messing around with your grip and stroke a little, lossen or tighten your grip and put more force or less into your stroke. You can't always go on what the pro's say because maybe your in a different situation, your table might not take english as well as the one they are playing on, who knows. Just keep trying and don't give up the game because of this little problem.
 
9ball,

It sounds like everyone else said, your not following through on your stroke. I still get it every now in then, I try to draw the crap outa the CB and I pop up and the CB comes to a dead stop after potting the OB. It's because I didnt follow through, or I poked at the shot, even when i hit the cb hard too.

I can draw the CB full table length on a soft shot, but I can also make the CB stop on the same shot if I hit the CB hard and dont follow through.

Personally, I'd have someone look at your stroke when your trying to use english on a shot, they can probably tell you whats going on after a few shots.
 
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