Tips for improving spin on Cue Ball

mojowrkn

mojowrkn

Registered
Hi All,

I am unhappy with the amount of spin I am getting on the cue ball. I have been working on my stroke as I know that is the most important aspect for imparting spin. Does anyone have suggestions for my stroke? I know to follow through and keep my cue level. Also suggestions about shafts and tips? I have been thinking of getting a predator shaft, comments on that?

I get a decent amount of spin now but I play against some guys who can really put juice on the ball and I just can't seem to get there. Shot making is my strong point but cue ball placement especially when I need alot of spin is my weakness. Any help/advice is appreciated!
 
Play some 3-Cushion. If a table isn't available play caroms. Make it a rule - all shots are 1 rail only or better yet no rails. The reason I say this is English will be your focus rather than pocketing balls and assuming you haven't played much caroms you'll find yourself needing tons of english for may shots especially if you're not allowed to hit a rail. It will also help with precision tip placement/accurate english.

The stroke must be very smooth with good acceleration and good follow through. THINK SPIN when stroking the ball.

Do the drills to find out where you are. Do you know where the center is. Make sure by doing the drill hitting the ball straight down the table and have it come back on your tip. Place the ball on a diamond on the long and shoot accross the short with english. How much sqread do you get? Max English should get you at least 2-1/2 dimonds. A great stroke (pro level) will get you 3.


If stroke is not the problem and I'd say you're probably ok since you say pocketing is not the issue then you haven't found out how far out you can really go with tip placement without scratching. So simply work on the extreme. I've found that most average pool players will only go out 1-1/2 tips at most. 3 tips is max and can be calculated with the accross the short rail drill above. 3 tips on the equator should give you 2-1/2 diamonds of spread.
 
When I feel 'spin deficient' I grab tthe 10 ball and set the stripe so it is vertical.

this way, I get instant feed back on just how much "$hit" I'm putting on the ball. I sometimes just bang balls into the side pocket with just a SLIGHT angle, and see how far I can get the cue ball to 'crawl' sideways after impact... But that doesn't teach you much.:o

Another tip: if you play with a nickel radius, you may want to change to a dime. I still use a nickel, but know that I can get more if I switched to a dime. It may require a new tip (and I suggest a hard one myself) if your tip is well-worn.

Also, a stiffer shaft may work against you to some degree. I don't want to open this can, but if the shaft doesn't deflect, the ball has to. So, you have to choose: either the shaft deflects ("whippy" shaft), or the ball does (Stiff shaft). I like a stiff shaft, so I live with a bit of 'squirt' of the cue ball. But, I didn't want to go there right now... Just keep it in mind. The point is, the replacement shaft MAY be a help to you, but you may want to go whippier rather than stiffer.

The advice to shoot the length of the table and have it come right back to your cue tip is fantastic. Shoot just hard enough to make the distance, and keep down (you AND the cue) until the cue ball touches the tip oif your cue. You learn to stay down (excellent to help follow through) and you see if you really are aiming and stroking straight. An assistant to watch your cue from behind you will goive a good indication of the straightness of your stroke...

Once you can do that 10 times in a row perfect, then start moving the tip out (also mentioned above) and see the results. Again, 10 in a row with the same result- if you go out a little, then a little more etc. you will not see the true affect of moving out if you get my drift- you need to see it happen over and over at a set ammount of english to really understand just how much 'spin' you are imparting, and therfore how much the cue ball is coming off line after contact with the rail.

Keep moving out like that until you start mis-cuing. This teaches you the limits at the edge.

It should go without saying that you have to chaulk EVERY shot- not only the ones where you 'need' it. I'm guilty at times as well- you have an 'easy' shot so you forego the chalk this one time... and mis-cue...:angry:

Finally, don't worry about what your friends are doing. Peer pressure is no help! Play YOUR game and do what you have to do to win it. You can probably out shoot them anyway...:wink:
 
By all means, I am no expert in this area, but I've been fortunate to learn and discuss this very issue with some amazing, talented and knowledgable folks and this is what I've been told and come to understand. Number one, spin is not created necessarily by a varience in moving a part of your body. In fact that can be unreliable. Keeping a smooth constant stroke with a still body as you come through the ball is considered best. Moving the wrist or elbow just to impart spin I've always heard is not the way to look at it.

I suggest - get with a good coach...someone proven. They will work with you on how to use inner and outer english to impart a variety of spin on the ball...then practice. Take note of the effects of the spin to the placement of your tip on the cue ball. Other areas effect spin too.

Cloth, rails, the rubber used for the rails, shafts and tips. I would read up on the difference between a stiff shaft and a more flexible shaft. The difference between a hard, medium and soft tip. Nothing beats feel, so when it comes down to understanding which shaft and tip works best for you, once you understand how to impart spin, practice with as many cues as you can, hit a few balls with friends cues, if they feel comfy with it.

If you also get a chance, I encourage you visit a large pool trade show. We had over 56 vendors as the BCAPL Nationals this past month at the Riviera in Las Vegas or I also suggest the Expo which Allan Hopkins puts on every spring in Valley Forge, PA. You would have an opportunity to test out a large variety of shafts, cues and be able to see what works best for you.

All the best to you as you learn and grow!
Holly
 
What tip are you using? I noticed a significant increase when I switched to a Kamui II Medium tip. Other pointers that I use that work for me are: more chalk, very loose grip and follow through farther past the cue ball for more spin. Works for me, good luck to you.
 
tip for mojo

some people have trouble shooting off the rail and miscueing often. now i told them to apply downward pressure with your back hand as to feel the shaft pushing down on your bridge hand this helps to pinch the cueball better as it applies the spin more so this works just as well in the middle of the table. push down with your backhand by using the front of yuor hand , the first two fingers not your ring finger or pincky but the front end of your back hand feeling the pressure on your bridge hand. you are actually using wrist to apply this feel, kinda turning your wrist back to force tha cue down . you will feel your shaft pushing down on your bridge hand if you are doing it right. let me know if this works for you.

your welcome, aka poolzilla:wink:
 
note

no spin is no stroke but a poke. and a poke is a joke. so remember you want the cueball to feel you pinching it. it all in that back hand and wrist and what you do with it. pinch the cueball.:wink:
 
From my humble experience..
Most of the times in order to achieve the action wanted you need to apply less power to your stroke than your brain guesses during the preparation phase. This will lead to a tight grip and the domination of linear speed of the cueball versus speed of spin, thus creating a stiff reaction on the hit (the cueball "dies")..
Another common fault causing this could either be an excessive pause (if used) at the last stroke before the actual release of the cue's follow through or the cueball hit without given naturall roll ("punching of the cueball"), not talking about drawing back the cueball of course. Also a follow through without authority ("half hit") and too much thinking during execution..

Loose your grip
Use smoothly less power
Apply naturall roll to the cueball
Do not pause too much before follow through
Trust your follow through
Think b/w your shots, not during executing them
Smile when you miss! Past is dead, wrong thinking: "How stupid of me", correct thinking:
"What went wrong during execution?".When competing sit on your chair, put aside your cue, wait patiently for your next turn, play the table not the opponent.

Best of luck!
Petros
 
A loose grip

A loose grip (the back hand holding the butt) is extremely important to a smooth stroke, which produces a lot of spin.

Try roughing up your tip, then chalking, then try a power draw. Do not use strength to do this, use a smooth, long stroke (lots of follow through).
 
Well i may be stepping on some toes by saying this, But.

First and foremost if you cant get around the table with center ball follow and draw then you need to spend some time working on that before you are using english (left and right)
Second, It doesnt not matter how you hold your cue stick It does not matter if you twist your wrist or use any type body movement, This will not do anything but increase your chances of a miscue. With this being said before flaming begins take a look at every pro out there none of them shoot the exact same way yet they are all good enough to be pros and everyone of them can spin a ball. You just need to focus on your shot at hand where your tip is going to come in contact with the cue ball and just watch your cue ball not your object ball (after you have lined up your shot of course) , also make sure to follow through, Stroke it don't poke it. Flame on.
 
This is total BS...you NEVER want to push or hold the cue down, with pressure from the grip hand.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

oldzilla said:
some people have trouble shooting off the rail and miscueing often. now i told them to apply downward pressure with your back hand as to feel the shaft pushing down on your bridge hand this helps to pinch the cueball better as it applies the spin more so this works just as well in the middle of the table. push down with your backhand by using the front of yuor hand , the first two fingers not your ring finger or pincky but the front end of your back hand feeling the pressure on your bridge hand. you are actually using wrist to apply this feel, kinda turning your wrist back to force tha cue down . you will feel your shaft pushing down on your bridge hand if you are doing it right. let me know if this works for you.

your welcome, aka poolzilla:wink:
Click to expand...
 
nord117...Not necessarily. Sidespin stays on the CB 10x longer than directional spin (follow, stun, or draw), so someone who may not have a great stroke can still spin the CB well, on the side, but perhaps not on the vertical axis. It makes a great deal of difference HOW you hold onto the cuestick. A tight grip is the death knell for a good stroke, regardless of where you're aiming on the CB.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

nord117 said:
Well i may be stepping on some toes by saying this, But.

First and foremost if you cant get around the table with center ball follow and draw then you need to spend some time working on that before you are using english (left and right)
Second, It doesnt not matter how you hold your cue stick It does not matter if you twist your wrist or use any type body movement, This will not do anything but increase your chances of a miscue. With this being said before flaming begins take a look at every pro out there none of them shoot the exact same way yet they are all good enough to be pros and everyone of them can spin a ball. You just need to focus on your shot at hand where your tip is going to come in contact with the cue ball and just watch your cue ball not your object ball (after you have lined up your shot of course) , also make sure to follow through, Stroke it don't poke it. Flame on.
Click to expand...
 
to scott lee

who are you . your little web page dont impress me at all. what do you mean totat bs. i tryed to help this guy and you come in and insult my efforts. thats total bs buddy. look i beat your massey and rossman in 9-ball toutnaments and the your other guys don't mean sqwat to me . i have played dozen of world champions and beat my share of them. maybe you wanna try me out. yea i'll play ya some. you need a lesson. i think.
you totally missed my point in what i was tryin to explain to this guy.
are you tryin to sell somthin or what. thats what i think of you buddy just another gimmik man tryin to take someones money with total bs.
so there you go.
i think you owe me an apology buddy
 
Dead on

Scott's dead on with his advice, you won't go wrong listening to what he says.

The biggest thing you can do to take your game to the next level is visualize, visualize, visualize.

Visualize where you want the cueball to go, picture the entire shot in your mind, then shoot.

Visualize being smooth and fluid in your stroke. The bangers will slam everything in thinking that cutting balls into pockets is all there is to pool. It's almost everything else but that actually, it's about control at all times. Then, when you need extreme spin (rare if everything goes as planned) you'll picture it, stroke it smoothly, and it will behave as you want it to.
 
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