I have seen a few tests done on shafts. Some with robots, some by a person. I am always asking good players what they are using. Most say whatever came with my stick. Some have changed tips. So most are standard shafts and not low deflection. Or at least not advertised as low deflection. These players play lights out and can pretty much do anything they want with their cue. I do understand stroke is probably their greatest piece of equipment. Guess my question is this. What is the best method to test deflection? Who actually tests their stoke for deflection before jumping to a low defection shaft. Are super soft tips good or bad for deflection? My understanding was you wanted a harder tip for a straighter shot. When does their become a sacrifice between aiming and English? I know I really need to work on my stroke to become better. Guess my biggest question is. What is scientifically correct? I believe equipment can help and hurt your game. Where is the fine line? Take away preference and opinion. Nickel or dime tip shape. It can all be confusing.
Who actually tests cues????
- Thread starter jburkm002
- Start date
nickel shape and softer tips help avoid miss cues. This is the most important information you will ever get about english, squirt also called deflection. If you hit the cue ball on the right, the cue ball goes to the left and if you hit the cue ball on the left it will go to the right of a straight line to the contact point you are aiming at. Just set up a shot 5 or 6 feet away from the cue ball and hit either side (right or left english) and you will see the cue ball travel to the oposite side. A good test shot for deflection is placing a ball on the 1st diamond not froze below the corner pocket on the long rail where you break from. Now go to where you rack the balls and place the cue ball near the spot. Shoot the shot to make it in the corner pocket and put inside english on the cue ball, this is the english that will spin the ball around the table to get back down where you are shooting from. You will know what the correct english is when you make the ball the cue ball will bounce naturally to the left, this is the left inside english shot in the right hand corner pocket, and right english shot will be shot in the left hand corner pocket with right english. The whole purpose of this shot is to see how much deflection your cue has. About every time you put 2 or more tips of english on this shot you always hit in front of the ball because of deflection. One way to compensate for this is to aim straight at the ball and let the deflection work for you. English is the one of the hardest parts of pool to master. To avoid deflection hit the cue ball in the center. High for follow, middle or low for draw will eliminate deflection but it limits your cue ball directions. On the other hand middle ball is practised by most players and will win games because it is a very simple and effective style of playing and there are no curves to learn in aiming. They say middle ball does it all, but spin will most always win.
As sad as it sounds, the best thing you can do to control for deflection is to buy one cue and stick with it for 10-15 years. Play with it every day so you know how to adjust for it's unique squirt/deflection characteristics. Spend your time working on your stroke and your strategy/positioning and you'll play better. Buy a new cue/shaft/tip every year or every quarter if you want to but it's not going to help you develop your skill set. Practicing your weaknesses and learning how to adjust to varying conditions will do more for you in the long run. Many will say I am wrong in my assertion but I assure you that I am correct. As the old saying goes, It's the Indian, not the arrow.