Shawn Putnam recently showed up at a local tournament and he was pretty impressive to watch. The guy can jump better than I can shoot. The thing that puzzled me was that he wouldn't always use his jump cue. Sometimes he would choose to jump with his full length playing cue instead. What's the advantage of using the full length cue to jump? Accuracy? Reach? You tell me...
Why jump with a full length cue? (Assuming jump cues are allowed)
- Thread starter ktrepal85
- Start date
Better control, easier to aim, feels more natural... I choose to jump with a full length cue when I can as well. Shawn is a pretty tall guy some I'm sure it's much more comfortable for him with a full length than a short cue.
I'm not sure it's the same reason for everyone, but my distinction is based mostly on feel. Some days, I'm just hitting them great with my player, and I don't even think twice to pull my jump cue out of the bag. Other days, I'm not confident enough in my stroke to jump with a full cue.
That being said, I feel more accurate with my player, and I can follow, draw, and spin better with my player. (mostly because it's a leather tip vs. g10 on my jumper.)
Some people just can't jump with a full cue as well. With a full cue, weight can be a determining factor as well. Some people play with war birds, 21oz+ tough to jump with that, IMO. Some people play very light cues, 16oz or less. A LOT easier to jump with that.
Keith Hanssen actually plays with a sneaky pete that weighs 12.9oz. (even has a stainless pin that weighs 1.2oz so could go lighter...) Litterally not a shot on the table he won't try with that thing. It's insane. I don't even know how he plays with it. I can jump like you wouldn't believe with that cue.
That being said, I feel more accurate with my player, and I can follow, draw, and spin better with my player. (mostly because it's a leather tip vs. g10 on my jumper.)
Some people just can't jump with a full cue as well. With a full cue, weight can be a determining factor as well. Some people play with war birds, 21oz+ tough to jump with that, IMO. Some people play very light cues, 16oz or less. A LOT easier to jump with that.
Keith Hanssen actually plays with a sneaky pete that weighs 12.9oz. (even has a stainless pin that weighs 1.2oz so could go lighter...) Litterally not a shot on the table he won't try with that thing. It's insane. I don't even know how he plays with it. I can jump like you wouldn't believe with that cue.
I was under the assumption that if you have a laminated low deflection shaft then you shouldn't be jumping with it because it can damage it easier, so a jump cue is a solid one piece shaft and could take the abuse.
Aren't guys risking a damaged shaft if attempting jumps on laminated shafts?
Aren't guys risking a damaged shaft if attempting jumps on laminated shafts?
You make the shot, not the cue. A dedicated jump cue is weighted and balanced so its easier to make a jump shot.
Shawn has likely hit a million balls (HAMB), so he is comfortable enough he doesn't to use a jump cue. For the rest of us who can't afford to put in the time, then we're be better off spending the cash for a jump cue.
Last year, one of the better players at the pool hall taught me how to jump with a full length cue. After 1/2 hour shooting the same shot over and over again, I was making jump shots, and the occasional jump stop shot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECd-bBRzjq4
Two weeks later, without any practice I couldn't make the same jump shot. I kick better than my handicap (D+), so I'm back to kicking. At my skill level, I rather spend that 1/2 hour on cue ball control, and position than jumping.
Shawn has likely hit a million balls (HAMB), so he is comfortable enough he doesn't to use a jump cue. For the rest of us who can't afford to put in the time, then we're be better off spending the cash for a jump cue.
Last year, one of the better players at the pool hall taught me how to jump with a full length cue. After 1/2 hour shooting the same shot over and over again, I was making jump shots, and the occasional jump stop shot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECd-bBRzjq4
Two weeks later, without any practice I couldn't make the same jump shot. I kick better than my handicap (D+), so I'm back to kicking. At my skill level, I rather spend that 1/2 hour on cue ball control, and position than jumping.
I'm just guessing here, but am assuming he was probably only jumping over roughly a half a ball or less, if using his playing cue if this was in competition? I use my playing cue to jump as well, but only if I'm going over a sliver of a ball. If I'm going over a little more, I'll use my jump/break as a full cue. Once you start trying to jump over a a full ball or the bulk of one, most (even the pros) will use the short stick. You generally get much better control and accuracy by jumping with a full cue, when you can.
Shane's cuetec holds up pretty well for it...
I thought he doesn't play with a low deflection shaft, it's just a regular solid maple shaft turned down to 12.2 mm with a medium tip. And yes, his cue holds up for sure. He made some marvelous jump shots in last year's Bigfoot challenge by just removing the butt extension and jumping.
I don't know about the OP, but I shoot with a laminated low deflection Longoni shaft, and I don't want to splinter it.
You can Jump with longer distance with a light full cue. Actually, I rarely use the shaft with the middle section of my b/j. Often, I attach the handle/butt section to the shaft to jump.
I shoot in APA and there is always someone who jumps up in protest whenever I jump a ball with a full cue. Believe it or not, there was a time when everyone jumped balls prior to the existence of break/jump cues. ...One of Earl's favorite topics.
I shoot in APA and there is always someone who jumps up in protest whenever I jump a ball with a full cue. Believe it or not, there was a time when everyone jumped balls prior to the existence of break/jump cues. ...One of Earl's favorite topics.
You can't spin ball good with jump cue. Full cue you can't jump so high but you can put quite a lot cue ball control. I recently put couple power shots on video and last one was jump with ton of draw. I would like to see someone put same kind spin with jump cue.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jiIG6pzHS-I
Jump shot at 1:20
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jiIG6pzHS-I
Jump shot at 1:20
Shane plays with an R-360 Cuetec shaft, right off the shelf, and it is a LDS. Johnnyt
In an interview last year for cue times, he stated he played with a 12.2mm shaft so he must have had it modified.
I'll stand corrected on the low deflection, I didn't know that. Thanks for the input.
As I play primarily in APA, I learned how to jump full cue, and didn't bother to learn the short stick. When one of my buddies tries to show me how to use the short stick, its so foreign that I quickly stop. (If I knew I was going to play regularly in an environment that I could use the shorty, I would certainly take the time to learn it properly.)
I'm not so good with it that I can jump just anything, but a half to even 3/4 ball jump is an option every time. Usually just to "get a hit", but I've gotten better and make a ball now and again. It is funny to watch the other teams reaction when you do it.
IF you can execute the jump with a full-length stick, you should almost always do so. You have better chances of making the ball, and can control the cueball better for position (especially draw). But it takes better execution than using a jump-stick, so you could say it's a little higher risk...again...depending on your skill level.
Plus, it's almost always legal. Jump cues are outlawed in some tournaments, so full-cue jumping is a good skill to develop.
Plus, it's almost always legal. Jump cues are outlawed in some tournaments, so full-cue jumping is a good skill to develop.
If your cue won't hold up to breaking and jumping with it, then it's time to find a better cue.