Grip on screw shot

[antyky]

Hi Guys,

When playing screw shot, do you need to grip your cue tighter compared with playing shun/follow through..etc while delivery a cue?

I have video myself when practicing, it looks like I have a bad habit while playing screw shot. When I delivery my cue to the front end, I tend to grip my cue tighter than it needs hence fingers "touch" my cue, and make the cue not going straight.

Any suggestion?

Best Regards
Anthony
:snooker:

[spike]

Can you upload the video for us to see?

[Krypton]

Hi Guys,

When playing screw shot, do you need to grip your cue tighter compared with playing shun/follow through..etc while delivery a cue?

yeah, the video would help, but as a first 'quick diagnosis' referring to the quoted part of you post: NO, not at all do you have to grip it tighter! that only will make it more likely to get a jerky cue action, mess up the shot and not getting the desired screw back action. try a lose grip as with every shot on the table.

[antyky]

Can you upload the video for us to see?

Hi Spike,

Let me try to edit the file tonight, it is too big....

What I can see is... my cue tip does not remain static when my cue action end. It seems moving to the left/right.. then I realize my all my fingers is holding the cue too tight.

Best Regards
Anthony

[antyky]

yeah, the video would help, but as a first 'quick diagnosis' referring to the quoted part of you post: NO, not at all do you have to grip it tighter! that only will make it more likely to get a jerky cue action, mess up the shot and not getting the desired screw back action. try a lose grip as with every shot on the table.

Thanks Krypton, I do pretty well on my grip for every type of shots, but only have problem with screw... so are you saying I should use lose grip for screw too? It seems hard for me to generate the power if I use lose grip on screw...

[Krypton]

Yeah that's what I mean: use the similar lose grip on screw shots as you would on any other shot. many (old) coaching books/courses used to advise a firmer grip on screw shots, but that is not the 'state of the art' by now, and I think it's good like it is now: most coaches will tell you to use a lose grip on all shots.

[bkpaul]

Again its dependant on the shot you want to play and the way you want to play it...

For best reaction with the least power a loose grip is the way to go but there are many occassions when a firmer (not tight) will get you the desired results for you shot better (more control!), the latter is for shorter distance shots and not the long ones where a loose grip is certainly better.

On the same topic a study was done a long time ago that shows 1 piece cues generate more action in the cue ball for the same effort (the whip effect), this is because the whip in a 1 piece travels all the way down the cue and in a jointed cue the whip stops at the joint.

I guess this is one reason they created the 3/4 cue which is a happy medium between a 1 piece and the transportability of a 2 piece.

Bottom line in snooker though is whatever you are used to that works for you we each adapt our own game and no 2 players are the same.

e.g. I have played with a wet tip (don't ask!) and changed my game to accomodate that fact in that all my shots were centre ball to avoid the miscue, this is much the same as striking the ball harder to achieve the same distance screw shot that you would get with a 1 piece as opposed to a 2 piece..... adaptability... humans are good at that! its also a reason we are all different!

[Terry Davidson]

The grip should always be loose and the same for every shot except perhaps when you're on the cushion and have to choke up on the cue, but it should still be loose.

The grip shouldn't tighten (to keep the cue from sliding across the table) until your hand hits your chest.

Try gripping the way Ronnie does, with the middle 2 fingers rather than steering that cue with a too tight forefinger

Terry