Walking Up To The Shot

Island Drive

Island Drive

Otto/Dads College Roommate/Cleveland Browns
Silver Member
As we all strive to swing the cue stick straight through the shot, this tidbit' is Key.

It will eventually stop your pivoting.

Shot scenario.

You're looking at the shot at hand and table layout.

You determine the area, where you want your cue ball to land and swing speed needed to get there and if you need high/low/left/right etc cueing.

The area you want your cue ball to end up, determines where you ''have to'' address the cue ball.

Now What???
You walk up ''to the cueing spot on the cue ball.

Then, you get into your shooting position, bridge hand and all.
Take a few test swings to see how it feels.

If it doesn't' feel just right, get back up ''off the shot''-redo your walk up.
We've all seen many pros do this.

Your goal is too ''create a straight swing'' through the cue balls chosen strike point, to hit your chosen contact point.

DO NOT PIVOT ''AT ALL''

Shoot the shot and see your results.
What you'll come to realize; you've created a ''baseline'' of body movement ''waggle''/walk up for EVERY shot.

Then, all that's needed when you miss, walk up to the same shot a little more left or a little more right.
This will help you to swing ''straight'' thru the cue ball contact point you've chosen.
Commit to where your tip strikes the cue ball, do NOT pivot.

Classic instruction statement below.

''WHEN Your down Your Done''
 
Bill….this is not a critique on your pool knowledge…this is a critique on expressing yourself.
I was a scratch golfer before I set foot in a pool hall.
’SWING‘ is what you do with a golf club….’STROKE’ is what you do with a cue.

you aren’t the only one who calls it a swing….I‘ve always wanted to moan about that word
 
pt109 said:
Bill….this is not a critique on your pool knowledge…this is a critique on expressing yourself.
I was a scratch golfer before I set foot in a pool hall.
’SWING‘ is what you do with a golf club….’STROKE’ is what you do with a cue.

you aren’t the only one who calls it a swing….I‘ve always wanted to moan about that word
Click to expand...
I've NEVER been a good writer........... Helfert yep.

Teaching/explaining hands on yep.

In my youth when some of the guys got the ''right mixture''.
And started playing ''lights out''.
The expression ''swing it'' I heard often from the Boyz.
I got this from my peers in my youth.

A large stand-up wall clock swings, if its framework is even slightly off balance it won't swing ''naturally''.
I was taught to use this thinking comparatively, when your body is out of balance during shot execution.
Made too much sense to me.

I feel the same way about talking to someone that CONSTANTLY USES THE WORD ''don't worry''.
I hate that word more than any other word.
No worries!
Ugh
Both my daughters told me to chill when I heard some use this.

Worry causes warts, and I still believe that! :)

I talked with an online person trying to help me out with a purchase.
Any who she used that word in EVERY sentence, so much I asked her to STOP. She continued; I hung up.

bm
 
I disagree; There is always a need for micro adjustments when down on the cue ball.
The key is getting close enough on your approach to the table to limit them to actually being MICRO adjustments.
All top level players do it. No crazy warm up strokes, just sight the shot and then hit it. There are a few pros that are an exception, but they've just managed to somehow still hit accurately with excessive warm up stokes. (i.e. Bustamante)
 
xxxxx
This helps you swing straight thru your chosen contact point is all.
Wouldn't want to take a golf lesson or any lesson where your instructor says!
''do what works for you''.
 
The cue tip should stroke straight through the chosen point on the CB And the chosen point on the OB. You need to know Both chosen points while standing and Then walk into the shot line in order to set up straight stroking mechanics.
 
I’m a huge proponent of walking up on the shot. I can predict when teammates will miss by whether they waddle back into the shot. But I will say there’s many pros that just plop into position (maybe pivoting, maybe something else) and seem to just know where their bridge hand and cue alignment need to be and just put it there. So it’s hard to speak on behalf of pros. They are a different beast. They usually develop their skills at such a young age that they just “play” the game and not necessarily “force it” methodically.
 
Matt, they are at that point, where they no longer have think about that, they are able to ''feel'' when their down and done, if it's right or not.
 
pt109 said:
Bill….this is not a critique on your pool knowledge…this is a critique on expressing yourself.
I was a scratch golfer before I set foot in a pool hall.
’SWING‘ is what you do with a golf club….’STROKE’ is what you do with a cue.

you aren’t the only one who calls it a swing….I‘ve always wanted to moan about that word
Click to expand...
There are terms in pool that bother me too, like when someone refers to a 100-point game in 14.1 as 'a race to a hundred.' But about the word 'swing' --- I don't think it's a bad word for pool. I use the term 'arm swing' a lot when talking about the movement of the arm in pool. So why not the verb, 'swing?' If you look up the word in Webster's, you'll see several definitions that can easily be attributed to the arm movement in pool.
 
Island Drive said:
As we all strive to swing the cue stick straight through the shot, this tidbit' is Key.

It will eventually stop your pivoting.

Shot scenario.

You're looking at the shot at hand and table layout.

You determine the area, where you want your cue ball to land and swing speed needed to get there and if you need high/low/left/right etc cueing.

The area you want your cue ball to end up, determines where you ''have to'' address the cue ball.

Now What???
You walk up ''to the cueing spot on the cue ball.

Then, you get into your shooting position, bridge hand and all.
Take a few test swings to see how it feels.

If it doesn't' feel just right, get back up ''off the shot''-redo your walk up.
We've all seen many pros do this.

Your goal is too ''create a straight swing'' through the cue balls chosen strike point, to hit your chosen contact point.

DO NOT PIVOT ''AT ALL''

Shoot the shot and see your results.
What you'll come to realize; you've created a ''baseline'' of body movement ''waggle''/walk up for EVERY shot.

Then, all that's needed when you miss, walk up to the same shot a little more left or a little more right.
This will help you to swing ''straight'' thru the cue ball contact point you've chosen.
Commit to where your tip strikes the cue ball, do NOT pivot.

Classic instruction statement below.

''WHEN Your down Your Done''
Click to expand...
I agree, Bill. I like to stand back and then take an approach into the shot. When down, if it doesn't feel right, then you have to get back up, because the adjustment isn't just with your aim. It's with your entire stance. But this is for more experienced players who already have a feel of where the cue should be in relation to their body. Newer players are still learning that relationship, so there will probably be a little more fidgeting when down.

Walking into the shot can be a bit tricky and not everyone gets it right away. If we walked in the way we were viewing it from farther back, we'd be in the wrong position at the table because when standing back, we're straddling the line of the shot as we see it, so an adjustment has to be made in order to walk into the shot correctly. It takes practice and some players will look for an alternative way after a few failures. But for me, taking an approach is the best way.
 
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Fran I gave a lesson to an airline pilot. ( I know you've heard me say this before).
Knowing my student's lifestyle and work helped ALLOT. Me and the student.
It's why the first lesson I always gave em an extra 1/2 hr no extra charge.

We all process situations quite differently and knowing.... one's background helps explaining, using thoughts/ideas etc. that were common in their trade.
He had all the moving parts in place But he had NO walk up to the shot.

I told em, when you approach the runway, do you always come from, an angle then straighten out your aircraft and land.
He said no, I approach it from a distance and come in straight to my chosen landing area.
I told em.... when your landing your bridge hand (aircraft) on the table you come from a 90 degree angle left or right, to walk up to the shot.

He got it right away!
 
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Island Drive said:
''WHEN Your down Your Done''
Click to expand...

I like this phrase, good stroke thought when at the table.

Therefor I feel obligated to point out it’s “When you’re down you’re done”, haha. Normally I try not to be this pedantic but it’s a good phrase so worth getting right :)
 
Pros get down on the shot and make tiny, incremental aim adjustments with the cue stick, or get up and start from the standing position again. They by and large if they pivot aim do so with their EYES.

The OP is correct that walking into the shot is good:

1) Getting closer to the balls after assessing them make the shot seem easier as you get closer

2) The best way to initially aim the contact point/spot/ghost ball/whatever is standing with the feet together behind the balls, not with a foot forward, which tends to tilt and/or rotate the head

3) Commit in the air, then get down and feel a smooth stroke, if there's too much tinkering with aim, stand up, start again--true in golf and other sports with stationary targets
 
eastcoast_chris said:
I disagree; There is always a need for micro adjustments when down on the cue ball.
The key is getting close enough on your approach to the table to limit them to actually being MICRO adjustments.
All top level players do it. No crazy warm up strokes, just sight the shot and then hit it. There are a few pros that are an exception, but they've just managed to somehow still hit accurately with excessive warm up stokes. (i.e. Bustamante)
Click to expand...
Have to agree. When starting out some pool schools would teach to put the tip of your cue on the table behind the CB and lined up with the shot line. You would then slide in under the cue to stay in line. Great for beginners, but if I'm off the shot line now it's as obvious as standing in the batter's box lined up down the first base line instead of to the pitcher.
 
My .02 worth. Stepping into the shot will insure that your feet are positioned properly. This is my main reason I do so.
 
The very best player in Florida walks very deliberately into his chosen shot line, he is also one of the best in the U.S. right now. As he reaches the table from his walk- in, his next step also a very noticeable bend straight down with the cue into that chosen shot line. It is the method detailed by Mark Wilson in his book " Play Great Pool".
 
'Walking up to the shot,' 'Stepping into the shot' has been taught since the Mid 1800's.

The 'Key' is how you step into the shot. The aiming line of the feet/body/head.
 
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