Draw/screw shots

[LUCIUS VARENUS]

I have a basic understanding of how to manipulate the cueball. One problem I have is with draw shots though. I understand you have to hit the lower part of the cueball to get the cueball to draw backwards, but when it comes to playing that shot, it doesn't always work as much as I would like.

What tends to happen, and I find this to be the case equally as much in pool as in snooker, is that I hit the cueball at the bottom but it only draws back slightly (1/2 inch or an inch) and to the side - regardless of how hard I hit the ball or how far down on the cueball I hit. What I suspect is the problem is that I am not playing the cue "through" the cueball and am instead "jabbing", and that, especially at pace, I am not hitting the cueball dead centre (although I am trying to do this). I cannot do "deep screw" shots at all and am yet to achieve any kind of swerve if I want it with bottom right or left side.

Any tips welcome!

:snooker:

[checkSide]

Start witha straight blue to middle.

Lower your bridge as flat to the table as you can.

Keep the cue as parallel to the table as possible.

Don't try to hit the ball hard or fast. Just accelerate through the ball as if you were playing an air shot.

[MattCash]

also get the white next to a red so that they are side by side, practice following through the white, and you will see how much you have followed through with the red.

[3kushn]

This is my first post here and am not a Snooker player nor an instructor. But feel all cue sports have certain things in common. I'm also interested in what the True Snooker Experts might think of what I believe is correct. Wanting to learn as much as you. Just a student of Cueing.

It seems that you are not contacting the Cue Ball where you intend. You must CONSENTRATE on the Cue Ball contact point. Search the term "Quiet Eye" you will likely see golf but the concept is the same. Address the CB (properly) looking and concentrating only one the CB contact point. Before your final stoke your eyes look up concentrating on the OB contact point. Take the stroke. Eye pattern is not a random ping ponging from CB to OB there's a definate pattern. What I described is only one way to disipline your eyes. The other is a pattern that follows your feathering strokes. Back Stroke look at the CB Forward look at the OB. I find that pattern hard to do but many top players do it this way. The point is: Eye Pattern is Critical, and it is a consistant PATTERN. If you don't have it you will likely rarely contact the CB where you intend.

Then do the drills. Draw with OB close. Then lengthen the distance. Master that then draw to a spot and vary the distances. Drills are the only way to Mastery. We learn very little in competition.

[Slasher]

You need to take a last look at the cue ball before you deliver the cue to ensure you are indeed striking where you think you are.
This may be the reason you are getting unwanted side and little draw.

keep the cue level and accelerate through the ball, follow through to the end of your stroke and try to keep the cue on your hand. See my deep screw demo here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2fJ-3elVTc


Hope this helps.

[RGCirencester]

I think your main problem might be timing the stroke. You have already mentioned you might be "jabbing" at the ball. You need to accelerate through the ball to achieve a good deal of backspin.
Try delivering the cue very slowly at first and building up speed as you go through the ball.

[pearce]

Two comments. Dropping the elbow as you strike the ball straightens the cue and makes it easier to pull the ball back and tightening you're grip as you strike the ball makes a pullback into a stun shot

[Rethunk]

What tends to happen, and I find this to be the case equally as much in pool as in snooker, is that I hit the cueball at the bottom but it only draws back slightly (1/2 inch or an inch) and to the side - regardless of how hard I hit the ball or how far down on the cueball I hit.

This stroke times time to master, but if you keep at it you'll get it. Allow yourself plenty of time. By "plenty" I mean weeks and months, not days.

The cue ball will draw straight back if it strikes the object ball straight on. With an off-angle hit a backspinning cue ball will first stun to the side, then draw back. (The cue ball actually curves.) For the moment we'll ignore what happens when the cue ball hits the object ball at an angle much different from straight on.

If you're hitting the cue ball too hard--and I venture you may be--then it's hard to draw straight back. Don't focus too much on the "straight" part, as you'll learn with practice what the cue ball's path with be.

As others (incl. "3kshn" and "checkSide") have suggested, set up the same shot and try it numerous times. Start with the five ball on the five ball spot and the cue ball a short distance away, in line with the five ball and the center pocket. At first just draw the cue ball back about 5 - 10 centimeters ( 2 - 4 inches). In time see if you can draw the cue ball straight back into the side pocket.

If you haven't already, try slowing down your stroke. This may seem counterintuitive, but it's certainly possible (and often necessary) to shoot a draw shot with a smooth, slow stroke.

Shooting a soft draw can help with the following:
1. You can focus on a precise striking point on the cue ball.
2. If you can draw with a soft stroke you know you're striking the cue ball low enough.
3. Once you draw with a soft stroke you can build upon this foundation to hit a screw/draw shot more firmly.

As you stroke your cue should be close to parallel with the table bed. You'll have a slight downward angle, but essentially your cue should be horizontal. It's possible to hit a draw shot with a sharply angled cue, but would be hard for those not used to doing so.

I cannot do "deep screw" shots at all and am yet to achieve any kind of swerve if I want it with bottom right or left side.

Shoot basic screw drills first. You can try "deep screw" shots, but set modest goals initially.

I'd recommend trying this on a pool table using a striped ball as your cue ball. Turn the striped ball so that when you strike it you can see the backspin on the ball. This is an old training technique, and the visual feedback can help. You can even practice a screw/draw shot without an object ball: just set the striped ball on the table (NOT on the head spot or foot spot) and shoot a draw shot so that you can seen backspin on the striped ball.