What does a good stroke feel like?

Thinking about your stroke while playing is a recipe for sucking. Just about every study comparing performance when internally focused (what is my body doing, how am I performing an action, etc) vs being externally focused on target/task, the externally focused group massively outperforms the internally focused group. You hear commentators remind viewers of this all the time by saying things like "It's about what, not how". If you get in a game and start thinking about how you are stroking,, pretty soon you'll be thinking about how bad you are playing.

But there is a time to think about what is a good stroke for you and what the feel of that is...away from competition on a practice table by yourself. Even stroking at air on your dining room table. Exact feels will differ player to player. Most will agree that a good stroke is effortless. Many have a stroke concept that isn't far off from what Jack Nicklaus said about his golf swing... He knew in the first foot of the backswing if he was going to execute a great shot because after that point, his entire swing was just dominoes. Some players really do play a type of stroke that feels like it goes off on its own. All they do is pull it back and it wants to spring forward. Others feel like they throw the momentum of the tip through the ball. Others feel like a weight drops. Feels differ wildly and what will feel like a great stroke for one player may feel absolutely foreign and weird to another. So anyone can tell you what a good stroke feels like for them, but it may not apply to you and how you stroke the cue at all. Figure out your way or trust in a teacher to show you theirs and don't muddle it with others because many stroke concepts are out there and they don't all agree.

Once you know what it feels like for you, you can recognize if it was right or not when playing as you assess your last shot in your post shot routine, but you absolutely cannot be focusing on stroke or how to perform it while playing unless your goal is to play terrible, or at least much worse than if you forgot about stroke entirely and just focused on the task at hand.
 
WobblyStroke said:
Thinking about your stroke while playing is a recipe for sucking. Just about every study comparing performance when internally focused (what is my body doing, how am I performing an action, etc) vs being externally focused on target/task, the externally focused group massively outperforms the internally focused group. You hear commentators remind viewers of this all the time by saying things like "It's about what, not how". If you get in a game and start thinking about how you are stroking,, pretty soon you'll be thinking about how bad you are playing.

But there is a time to think about what is a good stroke for you and what the feel of that is...away from competition on a practice table by yourself. Even stroking at air on your dining room table. Exact feels will differ player to player. Most will agree that a good stroke is effortless. Many have a stroke concept that isn't far off from what Jack Nicklaus said about his golf swing... He knew in the first foot of the backswing if he was going to execute a great shot because after that point, his entire swing was just dominoes. Some players really do play a type of stroke that feels like it goes off on its own. All they do is pull it back and it wants to spring forward. Others feel like they throw the momentum of the tip through the ball. Others feel like a weight drops. Feels differ wildly and what will feel like a great stroke for one player may feel absolutely foreign and weird to another. So anyone can tell you what a good stroke feels like for them, but it may not apply to you and how you stroke the cue at all. Figure out your way or trust in a teacher to show you theirs and don't muddle it with others because many stroke concepts are out there and they don't all agree.

Once you know what it feels like for you, you can recognize if it was right or not when playing as you assess your last shot in your post shot routine, but you absolutely cannot be focusing on stroke or how to perform it while playing unless your goal is to play terrible, or at least much worse than if you forgot about stroke entirely and just focused on the task at hand.
Click to expand...


Nice post!

I have seen people try to copy two or three people at once, doesn't work! Pick out a person who plays well and whose style you admire. Then try to emulate them. Don't try to add bits and pieces from somebody else. After trying this person's approach awhile if you feel it isn't taking you as far as you want to go, then you pick out another person and try to use their complete package.

When I see people trying to use a bit from one person, a bit from another, it very rarely works. For it to work you have to understand things at a core level. At that point you don't need to borrow from anyone anymore though.
 
WobblyStroke said:
Thinking about your stroke while playing is a recipe for sucking.
Click to expand...


WobblyStroke said:
Most will agree that a good stroke is effortless.

Once you know what it feels like for you, you can recognize if it was right or not when playing as you assess your last shot in your post shot routine, but you absolutely cannot be focusing on stroke or how to perform it while playing unless your goal is to play terrible, or at least much worse than if you forgot about stroke entirely and just focused on the task at hand.
Click to expand...
Wobbly, you have been working with me to great effect, and thanks….

Although I may be a C or a C+ player, I can confidently say that I usually don’t consciously “feel” a good stroke.

But I damn sure know a bad one immediately.
 
Last edited:
dquarasr said:
Mike, you have been working with me to great effect, and thanks….

Although I may be a C or a C+ player, I can confidently say that I usually don’t consciously “feel” a good stroke.

But I damn sure know a bad one immediately.
Click to expand...
Your not alone and people definitely FEEL bad strokes. You can tell because they look like they are skewering a sausage right after CB contact.

So, why do so many people say "a good stroke feels like nothing"?
 
cueball2010 said:
Your not alone and people definitely FEEL bad strokes. You can tell because they look like they are skewering a sausage right after CB contact.

So, why do so many people say "a good stroke feels like nothing"?
Click to expand...
Because a pure stroke can feel as if the cue ball does not impact the cue stick. There is still feeling, smooth motion, direction with purpose . . .
 
BilliardsAbout said:
Because a pure stroke can feel as if the cue ball does not impact the cue stick. There is still feeling, smooth motion, direction with purpose . . .
Click to expand...
I finally understand now! I have felt this non-feel stroke but mostly on soft to medium shots. Silky smooth nothings.

So, What does a good stroke feel like on a break shot, or a firm table length draw, and 4 rail follow shot?
 
cueball2010 said:
I finally understand now! I have felt this non-feel stroke but mostly on soft to medium shots. Silky smooth nothings.

So, What does a good stroke feel like on a break shot, or a firm table length draw, and 4 rail follow shot?
Click to expand...
There are various types of strokes in pool. For instance, a favorite Nine Ball break involves adding spin-induced throw, which is different from the Eight Ball break.

Students should focus on mastering soft to medium shots first, as you mentioned.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top