What does a good stroke feel like?

C

cueball2010

Member
During practice:

I keep my arm still and swing my forearm back and forth from a hinged elbow. My wrist also naturally moves to keep the pool cue connected to the bridge hand. When I think about this motion during a shot - most notably, how my arm creases against my bicep and ending position of my wrist. I feel like I have done it correctly. I get a sense of satisfaction. The satisfaction does not come from pocketing a ball or not. It just comes my brain telling me that I stroked correctly. Usually my cue tip ends on the cloth or within an inch of the cloth unless I'm putting follow on the cue ball.

There are 2 problems with this. I am thinking so much about the stroke that my speed control usually goes out the window - either too fast or too slow. 2nd- It sometimes blurs my brain from thinking about where I need to contact on the object ball.

During matches:

In competitive play all this thinking about strokes disappears for the most part. My first objective is just to pocket balls and get position. When I'm relaxed sometimes I can feel a good stroke without thinking about how I am stroking, because my brain is thinking about object ball contact points and position plays, but at the end of the stroke it just feels correct. That is a good scenario. If I get nervous, my stroke rarely ever feels satisfying, I am just struggling to keep my back hand from shaking... let alone swing straight, and it never feels satisfying. I don't think about my arm. I think about the pool cue shaft traveling in a straight line as the tip hits the cue ball.

Please share your thoughts. How do you lock in on a perfect stroke each and every shot? What goes running through your head? I really feel like I am on the cusp of becoming an advance shooter, and people that I talk to mainly just say what I think I need to get better... A good stroke, and with a good stroke I think will come the consistency to run racks consistently.
 
DeeDeeCues said:
Read, 'the inner game of tennis'. It's only marginally about tennis and a lot of coaches make their players read it, including Pete Carrol of the Seahawks.
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A very good local player had me read "The inner game of tennis" around 94, great book I wish I could find my copy. I probably loaned it to the same guy that borrowed my Buddy Hall's "how do I win from here" video tape.
 
Iwishiwasrich said:
A very good local player had me read "The inner game of tennis" around 94, great book I wish I could find my copy. I probably loaned it to the same guy that borrowed my Buddy Hall's "how do I win from here" video tape.
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I found it on Audible. There are also free copies lying around the web. Just started the audio book, sounds like exactly what I need so far...Mental aspect... maybe that is all I am missing. Thanks to @DeeDeeCues for recommending it.

I'm not sure what that video tape is of but I will look into it. Thanks.

I also stumbled upon another book while looking into that Tennis one. "The inner game of pool" by Mr. Raymond H. Scudder. Anyone heard of that one?
 
Iwishiwasrich said:
A very good local player had me read "The inner game of tennis" around 94, great book I wish I could find my copy. I probably loaned it to the same guy that borrowed my Buddy Hall's "how do I win from here" video tape.
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It’s only 5 bucks now on amazon
I read it but it didn’t help me much
29.99 plus shipping and handling
 
Jimmy_Betmore said:
A good stroke doesn't feel like anything. Your cue might as well be an extension of your consciousness and nothing else in the universe exists.
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When I'm playing my best I feel like a floating pair of eyeballs. Head is quiet, no real thinking going on and I just feel the game playing through me.

If you're thinking about stroke much it's hard to stroke good. But... when we aren't stroking good we have to remember to do so. It usually takes 1 or 2 perfectly executed shots and you can go back into just playing without thinking about the mechanics. Some days are more difficult than others, then on other days it's all automagical.
 
JolietJames said:
Same. A friend sent me a copy and I didn't absorb it like others have.
Same with the Pleasures of Small Motions book.
It could be that I am too dense for any of it to sink in.
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I think most people that like the small motions book got the first edition. I got the second edition. Part one is pretty good, part two is where most of the second edition or all of it comes in. Just repeating what had already been said better and clearer and seeming fluff to add pages. Never saw the first edition but I understand it is little thicker than a pamphlet. I suspect it was concise and to the point.

As for a perfect stroke, there is almost no feel of contacting the cueball. I seem to just gather it up along the path of the cue stick. I know I am draining the shot no matter how difficult when I feel I have hit the cue ball perfectly.

If I knew how to deliver that perfect stroke that gives a perfect hit every time I would write a three page how to and charge a hundred a page. Maybe add a hundred blank pages either side of the meat for those that think they should be paying by the page. I guess I could number them to make it easier to keep up with notes.

There is magic in the air when a perfect stroke occurs. I don't think anyone knows how to execute perfectly every time. Racing cars I always said I just herded the car around the track. I pointed it where I wanted it to go and let the car find the optimum path. The perfect stroke is much the same. I can't think of the mechanics and put together a set of things that will create a perfect stroke. There are things happening that I am just staying out of the way of and letting happen!

Hu
 
More and more I can tell a good stroke from the sound. When you hear that perfect timing of the strike of the cue, the sound of the ball in the pocket, and the roll out, it makes that tuning fork go off in your loins, to quote Tin Cup.
 
When you go down on a shot and begin stroking, but you are aware of your stroke, something is off.

More likely than not, you know what’s off. “I’m bringing it back at an angle, so I’m not getting a straight follow through.” “My wrist is cocked, so I’m not getting clean action.” I’m not sure this feels exactly right. Should I move my grip up or down a little.” Or similar.

The issue is the focus on the stroke, not the precision of the shot, the position of the cue tip on the cue ball, the speed of stroke, and your breathing.

Shoot until you are tired. Still thinking about your stroke? Shoot some more. Still care? Shoot some more. Just friggin’ tired of playing the stupid game? Almost there.

Hit the bathroom. Wash your face. Wash your hands. Have a water, a coffee, a beer, or maybe a bourbon. Find somebody to play a few cheap or reasonably priced sets.

Look at how much better you play.
 
Most common thing with beginner any level - beginner beginner; beginner world champion is they focus too much on the uncertainty of the shot and blow the speed or the whole shot. Nothing you can do about missing preparation except go do it.
 
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