The moving pockets

[NonStarter]

Hi guys

So. I have been practicing at home and having a great time. Until... I've developed a 'new' frustrating problem.

On straight and fairly straight shots, where you'd use top or a bit of stun run through, the object ball seems to always go towards the right as I am watching it. Usually catching the outer jaw and staying out of the pocket. Very obvious on straight shots mid range which I've never previously had an issue with. Interestingly, when I've checked how straight I cue I would, until a few days ago, have the cue ball return to hit my cue tip. Now it's maybe a 4/10 and find I've applied right side. My tip is prefect, always have my right leg on the line of the shot.

I've been working on my game lately and trying to 'correct' my stance, standing a bit more in the modern way rather than being very side on.

Anything obvious that might be causing this? Close to pulling my hair out here!

[Cue crafty]

Stick a video up mate, help will be on hand. Might just be timing issue.

[itsnoteasy]

Correcting your stance as you called it might result in your head being in a different position so you might not be seeing the shot straight now. If I had a stance that I could play the cue ball at a reasonable pace straight back to my cue tip ten times out of ten, I wouldn't be changing it for anything.

[mikee]

It’s not too bad of a problem as you are missing just to one side slightly ,worse if your missing both sides ,which could be anything .What I do if I’m missing to one side of the .pocket is get a glass coke bottle and put it along the baulk line and cue up into the bottle opening with out touching any part of the bottle ,play it like you were striking the ball on a full shot ,feathering the cue into the bottle .Once you feel comfortable doing this look at your cue running along the baulk line heading into the the bottle ,it should be nice and straight and you should be able to play the shot with the cue passing a few inches into the coke bottle quite easily and clean . Do this for a couple of minutes before a practice session just to test your cueing .Once you can do this you will be cueing straight .

[Starsky]

Correcting your stance as you called it might result in your head being in a different position so you might not be seeing the shot straight now. If I had a stance that I could play the cue ball at a reasonable pace straight back to my cue tip ten times out of ten, I wouldn't be changing it for anything.

There’s your answer above ….
Why are you changing your technique if your queuing consistently straight with it already ?Unless you’ve been instructed by a coach to do it i would leave it alone. If you really want to change your stance then I’d suggest going to a coach and getting them to show you how to change it properly and what to practice at home .
If your stance is causing an issue with correct alignment on the shot that’s a different matter altogether …

Its the curse of practicing by yourself for hours …. overthinking it, I’ve done it myself .

[NonStarter]

My stance had been causing me issues. Lower back pain etc. And I started to watch a lot of snooker videos by Steve Barton and 'Break from Life' which I've grown to like!

My average has been the same for years (20-30s). The 'new' stance came about a couple of months ago and has been great - so much better on the line up and hit a couple of 50's which I've been so pleased with. The white up and down hitting the tip was not possible with the old method. That's something I've developed.

The missing the straighter balls with run through is a more recent phenomenon. I had a few shots this morning after thinking this over last night. I 'think' the issue when hitting the top part of the cue ball might be deceleration and not cueing through. I tried with a follow through this morning and it felt much better. I definitely feel a lot of tension on these shot - having Strachan Superfine cloth means the table is faster than what I'm used to. I'll keep working on that and heights on the cue ball but look forward to more of your thoughts. Will try to get a video up at some point to get some of you to take a look.

As always guys, you're a great bunch and thank you.

[vmax]

Ostensively a billiards coaching video from the late Jack Karnehm, but his advice on stance is spot on.

[Starsky]

My stance had been causing me issues. Lower back pain etc. And I started to watch a lot of snooker videos by Steve Barton and 'Break from Life' which I've grown to like!

My average has been the same for years (20-30s). The 'new' stance came about a couple of months ago and has been great - so much better on the line up and hit a couple of 50's which I've been so pleased with. The white up and down hitting the tip was not possible with the old method. That's something I've developed.

The missing the straighter balls with run through is a more recent phenomenon. I had a few shots this morning after thinking this over last night. I 'think' the issue when hitting the top part of the cue ball might be deceleration and not cueing through. I tried with a follow through this morning and it felt much better. I definitely feel a lot of tension on these shot - having Strachan Superfine cloth means the table is faster than what I'm used to. I'll keep working on that and heights on the cue ball but look forward to more of your thoughts. Will try to get a video up at some point to get some of you to take a look.

As always guys, you're a great bunch and thank you.

I think the Steve Barton videos are one of the better channels . He sometimes posts on here.

Your obviously serious on improving and I would strongly recommend the use of a coach even if it’s just for one session. They will immediately be able to tell you what changes to your technique are needed( if at all ). The learning curve will be much quicker and will take all the guess work out with what’s going on. They will also put in place a plan for you to work on .

Once you’ve done that the key to improvement is just practice, practice …… you guessed it …. and more practice .

Good luck