Walking Up to the Cueing

[Island Drive]

For those of you getting better and keeping at it you must do this to reach your potential.
Walking up to the shot (shot line) a great/functional term and a baseline in becoming a much better player.
Once you've worked your way through this.....now.
You have the feel of the shot/squirt/speed/AND YOUR SWING IS STRAIGHT.... ''walking up to the cueing'' is your final leg.
Hitting ''thru'' that cue ball contact point is the essence of great cueing and simplified cue ball movement.

bm

 

[mikemosconi]

Yep- but one does not "know" the correct shot line unless they "sight" the shot while standing- not just "looking' but " sighting' and that means having a fairly precise idea of the OB contact point before one walks into their stance along the already chosen shot line.

I agree 100% - hitting through the cue ball in a straight line to the designated OB contact point is a key component of successful cueing. Most people need to first insure that their stroke itself is straight - hours and hours of drilling a mid 9 foot table OB into a corner pocket with a CB located near the diagonally opposite corner pocket- OB and CB each having to move in a straight line at least 4 feet off a center ball hit on the CB.
Many great snooker players always warm up with this drill before any match or practice session- always! Some will just use the cue ball - up and down the table center diamond to center diamond over the tables spots until they know the stroke is straight.

 

[Island Drive]

M.M. very true....
''Yep- but one does not "know" the correct shot line unless they "sight" the shot while standing- not just "looking' but " sighting' and that means having a fairly precise idea of the OB contact point before one walks into their stance along the already chosen shot line.''
...................
And when you do commit and miss a little left or right, then you walk up next time.... a little more left or a little more to the right.
...............
Place your bridge hand on table, groove your swing to the cue ball contact point, look up, do your one/two, or one two three swing rhythm.
Pull the trigger.
Committing and missing once all moving parts are correct, is what one wants, simplifies correction.

Walk up.... practice swings.... look up.... then one two or one two three or what your comfortable with, and pull the trigger.
I don't recommend when down doing Allot of practice swings.
Something the pros are very good at, less warm up swings once hands on table.

 

[straightline]

I air check all this with the stick as a guide so I know the landing and how I'm oriented. Also works when there is no approach room.

 

[The_JV]

Walk up.... practice swings.... look up.... then one two or one two three or what your comfortable with, and pull the trigger.
I don't recommend when down doing Allot of practice swings.
Something the pros are very good at, less warm up swings once hands on table.

I've been purposely trimming the fat off my practice swings over the past while. With my eyesight failing and the resulting lack of confidence. I found myself spending an exorbitant amount of time down on the shot trying to dial in aim. Now that I'm playing with a little more frequency. I find that I'm locking in quicker and the 'extra' time isn't warranted. Although I was still in the habit of using it and feathering the cue during it.

I won't claim that I'm any more proficient with the quicker pace. ...but I'm certainly not any worst for it.

 

[Island Drive]

JV, years ago when Scott Smith came to the Springs, his swing count before trigger pull was like a graph.
When he was playing good, and he did play very well.
The more warm up swings he took showed us, he was not playing that well.
But when he got to around 6 or 7 pre shot swings before ''trigger time'' he was playing good.
When he got into the double digits and higher, his game was not as good, an easy read to someone who knew em as long as I did.
Seen em take 15-20 warm up swings...per shot when he was working to much runnin the bar.
If you played em for 4 or 5 hours, he pre shot swing count always lessened.

 

[boogieman]

I've been purposely trimming the fat off my practice swings over the past while. With my eyesight failing and the resulting lack of confidence. I found myself spending an exorbitant amount of time down on the shot trying to dial in aim. Now that I'm playing with a little more frequency. I find that I'm locking in quicker and the 'extra' time isn't warranted. Although I was still in the habit of using it and feathering the cue during it.

I won't claim that I'm any more proficient with the quicker pace. ...but I'm certainly not any worst for it.

I've almost gave up on practice strokes. I'll feather the cue on about every shot. Feather, pause briefly at the CB and smooth back to forward transition. My pocketing percentage has gone up as well as my speed control. Pick a spot on the CB and hit it with a good smooth stroke. If the feather isn't straight I'll get up and re-set my stance.

 

[Island Drive]

Allot of the greats do a one/two punch.

 

[The_JV]

I've almost gave up on practice strokes. I'll feather the cue on about every shot. Feather, pause briefly at the CB and smooth back to forward transition. My pocketing percentage has gone up as well as my speed control. Pick a spot on the CB and hit it with a good smooth stroke. If the feather isn't straight I'll get up and re-set my stance.

Different strokes as they say.... Personally I think feathering the cue to some degree a necessary part of PSR to ensure one is cueing straight. It doesn't take much to do so, but should still really be in the routine. Those with short strokes, say like Pagulayan, can probably get away with not worrying so much about delivery. Another say like Melling, should confirm that wildly long stroke is getting to CB cleanly.