Tips for improving draw

First let me thank each of you sincerely for posting serious replies to my original post.
I think it is meaningful that each of you is willing to offer your insights to a complete
stranger. Second, it is as I feared; the problem in 99.9% my stroke.

To ktrepal85, I appreciate your advice that attempting a long draw shot is usually not the
right shot. No doubt your are right. Still, I would like to have that ability in my bag of
tricks.

I intend to thoroughly reread all these good responses and try to honestly evaluate my
stroke with regard to draw shots to see which mechanical flaw is my most common problem
and work to eliminate it.

Thanks again for your responses!
 
GrayBeard said:
... try to honestly evaluate my stroke with regard to draw shots ...
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The large majority of beginner or intermediate players I have taught that do not draw the ball well simply do not hit the ball far enough off center. When you have a chance to work on this, you should have a way to tell how far from center you hit.

As far as what is required to draw the ball well, there are only two things. You have to hit the ball hard enough and far enough from center. Other things mentioned above may help you with this, but firm and low are all that is really needed.

Finally, many beginners fail to hit the ball off-center because they do not chalk. The lack of chalk has taught them through bitter experience that an off-center hit causes miscues. If you don't know how to chalk you will never learn how to draw well. Most beginners are really bad at chalking.
 
Drop The Rock said:
OP. The spin produced after contact is directly correlated with cue tip acceleration and followthrough. I recommend a slow smooth backswing and an accelerating smooth foreswing. Stay down on your shot! also a closed bridge will help with consistency,
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This the key, accelerating through the CB.
 
Piggybacking alot off of what others have said:

1) Keep the butt-end of the stick low throughout the stroke. If you haven't banged your forefinger on an end rail from time-to-time, which hurts like hell by the way, you're probably not low enough.

2) You need a sharp-moving accelerating stick with long follow-thru when possible.

3) Continue contacting the cueball lower. Alot of people who don't get maximum draw aren't aware that they can safely contact the cueball lower. When practicing it, test the limits of this until you literally start miscueing. The point just above the miscue point will fix you up nicely once you can do it consistently.

4) Don't dip your head, or move any body parts that aren't supposed to be moving during the shot. Alot of people lose their mechanics when they start to hit hard, and it's not always easy to notice. A partner can come in handy here to watch you.
 
DJ14.1 said:
Piggybacking alot off of what others have said:

1) Keep the butt-end of the stick low throughout the stroke. If you haven't banged your forefinger on an end rail from time-to-time, which hurts like hell by the way, you're probably not low enough.

2) You need a sharp-moving accelerating stick with long follow-thru when possible.

3) Continue contacting the cueball lower. Alot of people who don't get maximum draw aren't aware that they can safely contact the cueball lower. When practicing it, test the limits of this until you literally start miscueing. The point just above the miscue point will fix you up nicely once you can do it consistently.

4) Don't dip your head, or move any body parts that aren't supposed to be moving during the shot. Alot of people lose their mechanics when they start to hit hard, and it's not always easy to notice. A partner can come in handy here to watch you.
Click to expand...



WHAT?

1. Not true for a good stroke!
2. Long follow through is bogus!
3. True!
4. True!

randyg
 
GrayBeard said:
First let me thank each of you sincerely for posting serious replies to my original post.
I think it is meaningful that each of you is willing to offer your insights to a complete
stranger. Second, it is as I feared; the problem in 99.9% my stroke.
Thanks again for your responses!
Click to expand...

There are no complete strangers here, GrayBeard. Only people we don't know.
As for me, I'm glad you're here. Be sure and write, if you get work. :smile:
 
If you want to improve your draw...

GrayBeard said:
I am looking for ways to improve my draw shot which is mediocre at best. I can draw about half a table if I'm within a couple
of feet of the object ball, but where I really fall down is trying to put any draw on longer shots. If I'm more than half a
table from the object ball, even my best efforts at draw will only result in a couple of inches of draw. On the really long
shots all I can manage is a stop shot. I know stroke is the most important thing in this kind of shot, and I'm working on that
(tips for drills would be very welcome.) However, I'm wondering if there are other factors I should be considering such as
the cue tip type and shape, and maybe even type of chalk. (I'm using Master Chalk.)

I've watched the pros who seem to effortlessly draw from any distance and I feel quite frustrated that I'm so poor at it. I
don't expect to draw like a pro, but I would like to be able to draw at least some on the long distance shots.

My cue is an entry level Star cue by McDermott. I like the cue fine, but I'm not certain it has a quality tip. The McDermott
web site doesn't even mention the type of tip the cue has, so it's no doubt some kind of generic medium tip.

I don't want you to think I'm blaming my equipment because I'm not -- I know the fault is mine. I just wonder if a better tip
can help me to improve my ability to draw the ball, and if so, what type of tip.

Please be kind, I'm 66 years old and just getting back to the game after a 40+ year hiatus. I have a 9' table with Simonis
860 cloth, so I have the time and equipment to practice with, just not making a lot of progress.

Thanks in advance to all responders.
Click to expand...

Don't angle your cue down at the table, keep it level, don't aim too far below center, FOLLOW through and let the weight of the cue do the work, don't try to force the cue through the ball.

Jaden
 
I'd wonder if you are raising up on the shot, know it messes up my draw shot when I do it. I'm not the best at draw, but can usually draw back table length if I really need to.

I wouldn't practice trying to draw table length, think you are better off trying to draw the ball to a spot on the table, learn to control what you can do now. Suspect if you do that you'll improve on distance as well.
 
The long follow-thru isn't for sake of the follow-thru itself, it's to help ensure you're doing other things right in the stroke. It's a good indicator.
 
As you probably know, even when the cue ball starts off spinning backwards table friction can cause it to lose reverse spin, start sliding then pick up forward roll.
If the cue ball hits the object ball straight on while:
a. spinning backwards, it will draw.
b. sliding, it will stop.
c. rolling forwards, it will follow.

Here is an exercise I used to develop my draw stroke:
Make sure tip is properly groomed and chalked.
Use a striped ball for the cue ball with the stripe turned to the side and the number facing the cue.
Always use a smooth back stroke.
Shoot the striped ball down the table toward the end rail using low and a smooth accelerating stroke making sure the tip continues to the cloth.

Watch the stripe as it spins backwards, slides, then rolls forward.

Start soft and gradually add speed but always keep is smooth.
When you can get the ball to spin backwards all the way to the end rail, you have the stroke to make any draw and this will develop your stop shot control as well.
Al
 
J SCHWARZ said:
Some things that were explained to me that helped improve my draw were:

1. You don't need to pound the ball to get more draw, its in the stroke.
Nice and easy, make sure your forward motion is the same speed as when you pull the cue back.
2. Use a loose grip. I hold the cue like I would if I were going to do a pull up, but my back two or three fingers come off the stick in my backswing, and re grip in my forward swing as my wrist "pivots" as I am making contact with the cueball.
Click to expand...

I believe the speed for the pull back motion should be slow and smooth for the final stroke.
When I pull my cue back too fast, it throws my shoulder out of alignment and I miss the shot.

Al
 
I know all cues are created equal. However I do not believe this. Yes you can draw with any cue. I believe the results using the same stroke may vary. Try different cues or have someone you know has a good draw and have them try your cue. Just my opinion.
 
Drawing the Cue Ball

I've got to be the dumbest human on the planet.

When I want to learn how to draw pool tables with Adobe Illustrator, I found a tutor and took some lessons.

When I needed to learn how to use my new camera to take videos of pool players, I took a three day course in using the camera.

When I had to learn how to use an editor program, I went to a night class editing video with my program.

When I wanted to learn how to pocket better, I went to England and took an all day lesson with a snooker coach.

Most good instructors can teach you how to draw the cue ball in 15 minutes or less. Please take a lesson. All these suggestions are good, but if no one can see what you are doing, you are only patching patches trying things randomly.

Trial and error is not a good way to learn skills.

I've soaked my clothes in gasoline so all you flamers don't have to fire too much. Just a few sparks will do the trick.
 
I know there is a break speed app. Could that be used for insuring you have proper stroke speed for a power draw shot? I know there is more to it than stroke speed but without proper speed your not going to draw. I think.
 
He could also make a video from the side showing the stroke and cue ball contact.
Post a link to it and I'm sure he would get some very instructive feed back from AZBers.
Al
 
In case it has not been said, this can be an eye opener for some:

Realize its only the top portion of the tip that makes contact with the ball.

Crunch your bridge hand low to the table, and use the top of your tip. (And start with an easy shot, cue ball and object ball 6 inches apart.)
 
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