To feather or not?

[alabadi]

I seem to always struggle on long pots and for a time I use to practice straight blues off it's spot to the black pocket, it got so frustrating getting 2-3 each time I eventually stopped practicing them about 3-4 months ago.

Now I have improved in other areas of my game I returned the other day to see if I can do better on straight shots, I got 4/10 which wasn't good so I decided to reduce the distance between object ball and cue ball to about 20 inches, I had two tries and only got 2/10 both times.

So I reduced the distance again to about 10-12 inches this time first attempt I got 8/10 and the second attempt 10/10 which meant I was ok with this distance, so again I returned the object ball to 20 inches but this time instead of what i do normally 3-4 feathers I decided to try without any just like Marco Fu by holding the tip of the cue in the centre of the White and concentrate on The object ball and when I was ready a slow backswing pause and follow through to my astonishment I potted 8/10 , to convince myself that it was no fluke I did it again and got 9/10 and a third time 9/10. So I am puzzled now because I have always feathered and I am not sure should I stop if I am getting better success without it.

I can't put my finger on the reason I was missing with the feathering however all the shots that were missed were to left of the pocket so it seems that I must be in some way putting some left hand side on the cue ball , either a fault with my follow through or just while feathering I might be losing sight of the centre of the cue ball.

Any suggestions would be appreciated
__________________
Originally posted at Http://www.thesnookergym.com/forums

[funnydoodle]

you should check out my thread here: http://www.thesnookerforum.com/board...ad.php?t=30421

[tcollick]

alabadi...I'm no coach but for the last week or two I've been doing the same thing. I found out accidentally when I was practicing the pink/black routine. When I thought about it and tried my cue action with feathers, I realised that after feathering...
1. My front pause was too short or non existent.
2. My take back was too quick.
But when not feathering I have a nice pause and smooth slow take-back (atleast relatively anyway!)
So I'm sticking to the non feathering for the time being for routine shots in the balls.
For long pots however, I find I still need to feather a couple of times to get the feel of the power right, so still feathering on those. But I'm now making sure that I pause after the feathering and take the cue back slowly.
I guess no feathering is not for most people, but its working for me right now, and sounds like you too

[finabb]

I've been back in the game for 9months after a 10 year layoff. My normal feathering was 2 long and 1 short, but now I don't feather at all and my game improved so much playing the best snooker I've ever played with me getting my highest break in all my years of playing (82). It's not for everyone but works for me and see if you can find a clip of Marco Fu he doesn't feather too

[jrc750]

Im sure even Terry recommends not feathering on long pots ......cant remember why tho lol ....maybe it doesn't give you time to think too much, you just line up the shot and shoot :snooker:

[thinsy]

Add me to the list of those who have recently changed to a 'non-feathering' cue action...

I've been playing for about 25 years and my game has gone from a young lad with a fantastic cueing action that could screw easily but was unable to control the pace, to a young man that had managed to create some consistency in his game and make regular centuries, to the strugling player I am now!!!

I spent the last couple of years not putting the effort into the practice that any sport requires and my game has suffered for it. My real problem now is that my solo practice is pretty good but in matches I seem to develop a 'dartitis type' cue action and everything becomes jerky, speedy, stabby and grippy!!! I have come to the conclusion my feathering is the problem, the lack of smoothness in this disrupts my pause and follow through!

What I am doing now is breaking down the cueing into sections, the most important part of cueing is, of course, the delivery. (Alex Higgins cue action looked terrible but the fact is that when it came to that 'critical' point he was perfect!) So, for now, I have scrapped the feathering. I'm making a slow deliberate backswing, pausing, then making a nice smooth accelerating forward stroke which is currently working. (the only thing that isn't quite working this way is my power shots)

Once I have this bit mastered I will look at re-introducing 'feathering' which will hopefully give me my complete game back!

[Terry Davidson]

I recommend a minimum number of feathers, ideally 2 and at the most 3.

HOWEVER, far too many players (including myself) have a very bad tendency to do little movements or as I call them 'micro-adjustments' when feathering and on long pots especially this will take the cue off line just enough to cause a missed pot.

I too have tried the no feathering approach to long potting and I do find it helps me pot better, like yesterday it was 7/7 with the standard warm-up exercise I do with 7 balls lines up across the blue spot and screwing back to the baulk line.

And I agree, for some reason without the feathers my front pause is longer, my backswing is slower (and more importantly much SMOOTHER) and again for some reason I can't figure out I drive through the cue ball more consistently.

So go ahead and experiment with the 'Marco Fu' type of feathering which is actually 1 or 2 very short feathering and then the backswing.

In my analysis of the top pros I have noticed ALL of them when they start playing very well and potting everything that they ALL reduce the amount of feathers. This is especially true of Hendry and even Ronnie

Terry

[Citrus138]

I'm a 'non featherer', just feels more comfortable when down on the shot, instead of adding feathering needlessly.

80+ tons tells me it work for me, but I suppose it's personal preference.

[thelongbomber]

I recommend a minimum number of feathers, ideally 2 and at the most 3.

HOWEVER, far too many players (including myself) have a very bad tendency to do little movements or as I call them 'micro-adjustments' when feathering and on long pots especially this will take the cue off line just enough to cause a missed pot.

I too have tried the no feathering approach to long potting and I do find it helps me pot better, like yesterday it was 7/7 with the standard warm-up exercise I do with 7 balls lines up across the blue spot and screwing back to the baulk line.

And I agree, for some reason without the feathers my front pause is longer, my backswing is slower (and more importantly much SMOOTHER) and again for some reason I can't figure out I drive through the cue ball more consistently.

So go ahead and experiment with the 'Marco Fu' type of feathering which is actually 1 or 2 very short feathering and then the backswing.

In my analysis of the top pros I have noticed ALL of them when they start playing very well and potting everything that they ALL reduce the amount of feathers. This is especially true of Hendry and even Ronnie

Terry

Great observation about how feathering changes Terry. I noticed that myself as well about pros and through my own game. I wonder your thoughts on this but I believe the change in feathering is when the player gets into the "zone". The zone is something integral to snooker and an area of the game open to ever level of player - amateur to pro. It's when you are playing "out of your skin" and your mental focus changes from everything in the room to just the shot at hand.

I believe when players get into the zone, they feather less because they already have a clear muscle and visual memory of the shot they intend to play. Pace, spin, power, are automatically felt the moment their bridge hand reaches the table and they are down on the shot.

Regarding feathering and long vs close shots, I haven't experimented with it. I pot a high percentage of shots I take on and win most matches I play. I CAN say that feathering is crucial to the shot though. Without it, you won't have cue ball control. You can see this in evidence with Fu if you watch his game closely. Fu can pot a lot of balls but he really can't get the precise cue ball control you need in the short game (black/pink).

[thinsy]

Add me to the list of those who have recently changed to a 'non-feathering' cue action...

I've been playing for about 25 years and my game has gone from a young lad with a fantastic cueing action that could screw easily but was unable to control the pace, to a young man that had managed to create some consistency in his game and make regular centuries, to the strugling player I am now!!!

I spent the last couple of years not putting the effort into the practice that any sport requires and my game has suffered for it. My real problem now is that my solo practice is pretty good but in matches I seem to develop a 'dartitis type' cue action and everything becomes jerky, speedy, stabby and grippy!!! I have come to the conclusion my feathering is the problem, the lack of smoothness in this disrupts my pause and follow through!

What I am doing now is breaking down the cueing into sections, the most important part of cueing is, of course, the delivery. (Alex Higgins cue action looked terrible but the fact is that when it came to that 'critical' point he was perfect!) So, for now, I have scrapped the feathering. I'm making a slow deliberate backswing, pausing, then making a nice smooth accelerating forward stroke which is currently working. (the only thing that isn't quite working this way is my power shots)

Once I have this bit mastered I will look at re-introducing 'feathering' which will hopefully give me my complete game back!

Ok. Having concentrated on NOT feathering for a while and tried it in league matches too, this is my summary:

I found that not feathering has helped me pause and push the cue through the shot, but it is really hampering my 'flow'. I feel very rigid on shots and almost mechanical. It feels awful and in matches it feels 10 times worse (it probably isn't any worse but the pressure of a match probably makes me more aware)

So, I'm gonna gradually bring the feather back into my game and hopefully manage to keep the pause and follow through there too...

I guess it works for some and not others... I've always feathered and really shouldn't have tried any different!!!!

[singchin]

short feather more acurate . long feather more chance of moment.( like
unattentional sideing)

[Theguywithaplan]

I have tried not feathering, and it can feel like it's impossible to miss but I agree that it feels too mechanical and tense when playing for long periods of time, and I agree the positional play suffers. So what I have personally done is take two short feathers, just looking at the White, making sure I'm hitting it where I intend, slight front pause, eyes on the object ball, and keep them fixed there through the backswing pause and delivery.

[firefrets]

Why do we feather?

There are a few different reasons that spring to mind:

To practise hitting the white ball.
To get a feel for the shot
To loosen the arm up
And so on ....................

It's not always ideal to feather balls for the above reasons.

Much of it is to pass the time, until you are ready to take the shot. While we are feathering, we can think about where we are going to leave the white, or what kind of shot we are going to play. Perhaps we can think about the angle off the cushion, or how many points we are in front. We can also look at the bar maids boobs as she walks past collecting glasses, and fantasize about whipped cream, honey, and a bottle of cheap wine.

Of course we should not be doing 'any' of that while we are feathering (except maybe the boobs bit .. especially if she's Welsh wearing knee length boots) because all of 'that' should be done while standing up, and if another thought comes into your head (hmmmmm... whippped cream ..... ) then you need to stand up again ... if ... err ... you're not already ... ahem. :snooker:

When you've decided what you want to do, walk into your shot, feel your distance from the white, and check your balance, and feather the white, if anything, just to check all systems are go.

Any airline pilot does pre flight checks 'every time' and so should you. Once you are feathering, you should be solely concentrating on the job in hand, and the easier the ball, the easier it is to not concentrate, and miss.

If I'm going to play with a lot of spin, be it screw, follow through, or side, I'll often move a little closer to the white, with my whole body (as opposed to leaning) so I get a better follow through, and also so my right hand doesn't have to over run my natural pendulum.

It's very important not to touch the white, as I do this 'a lot' in practise, but it is also important 'not' to do the same feather every time.

This is where some players come a cropper in my opinion.

The idea of the feather is to set yourself up, just like a long jumper, before his run, or a cat before a leap. You're visualising the shot. Every situation is different, and so is every shot.

Do what you need to do to build confidence before the strike, but never panic.

If you get the equivalent of dart 'itus' stand upo, and settle yourself once again.

If the ball is on a cushion, I 'personally' use smaller feathers, and attempt to push through the white with as little pull back as possible, in order to almost 'drop' the cue on the white, as opposed to a big feather. Of course if you are playing a safety from the baulk cushion then it will be slightly different than if you are about to stroke a black in, but the principles are the same.

Try to get your feather working in rhythm so that your final recoil before shooting doesn't stutter.

No matter what shot you play, be sure to follow through, and dominate the shot, as opposed to rolling a white in order for the white to make the object ball roll. All strikes should be dominant, and feathers purposeful.

Good luck.

[tcollick]

As mentioned earlier, I started not feathering a couple of weeks back and now in the not feather camp!
But I do find myself feathering naturally sometimes, once or twice especially on tough shots, but now its with much more focus with the feather actually being a proper visualization of the shot to follow.
Before I think I was feathering for the sake of it as part of a routine. And my focus really only began before the real backswing. I think this is the difference and seeing some improvements in my game. Not at 80+ tons yet, but more confident now that I can get to 1

[Giggity1984]

Steve Davis's Opinion on the subject.........

1 Sep 2009
To Feather or not to Feather? That is ....

Chris asks
"When I started to learn the game I was taught for every shot to have 3 'feathers'. So I would address the cue-ball, feather 1...2...3 (three cue actions), then pause at the back and deliver, for each shot.

My question is, should we do that and have that strict rule of 3 cueing actions on each shot or is it perfectly correct to have slightly varying numbers of cueing actions now that I have got a lot more advanced as a snooker player? I notice that very few, if any, professionals have a consistent number of 'feathers' when playing.

Also, have you used a Talisman Soft Pro snooker tip and if so what do you think?"


Dear Chris
It is obvious from watching a cross section of the top professionals, that in order to achieve a top class standard, having any one particular formula for a cue action is not necessary.
When it comes to the "feathers" or backwards and forwards movements of the cue in preparation for hitting the Cue-Ball we see a whole spectrum of methods employed by the Pros.
They range from a set number of methodical lenghthy movements (ala Anthony Hamilton) to a more "darts like approach", ie. short "setting up" movements before the final backswing/pull back, akin to how someone would attempt to throw a scrunched up piece of paper into a wastepaper basket.
The former is somewhat contrived while the latter is a far more natural technique. However what we need to find out is if there are any benefits in one style over the other.
In reality, much technical theory is passed down the snooker generations as "the gospel" because a top champion either played with that particular style, or wrote a book advocating a certain technique as "best", regardless of their own playing style, in a don't do as I do, do as I say approach. This intimated that if you had talent, then you could "get away with it", but "seeing as you don't have talent, then ... take this advice!" Perhaps this is true, but this approach, by inference, means that one method is seen as more "stable" that another.

So, to "feather" or not to "feather"? And if we are to "feather" then how many times, how far back do we pull the cue and at what speed do we make them?

What do these "feathers" achieve? Well perhaps it is first important to establish what they don't achieve.

1. They are not "practicing the shot"
A golfer practises the shot. He takes a whole practice swing, including the follow through. No snooker player actually practices the "hit" in their preparatory movements.

2. They are not practicing the "weight of delivery of the shot". If this was the case we would see the top golfers "feathering" when putting, regardless of whether they had previously practiced the "hit/follow though" or not. In order to practice the weight of delivery of the snooker shot we would need to practice the "hit" as well as the "pull back". Furthermore, possibly the most "feel" intensive sport, Darts, should be considered. If practicing the "weight of delivery" of the throw by lengthy preparatory backwards and forwards movements was all important, then all the top darts players would be doing it! None of them do.

So perhaps the "lengthy feathers" are to replicate and "practice" the final pull back?

Possibly, but these "lengthy feathers" never incorporate a "pause". Also a player's last "pull back" is usually longer and more deliberate, so the final "pull back" is never truly practiced.

Perhaps the "lengthy feathers" can be used to check if a player is pulling the cue back on a straight line and delivering it back at the point of intended contact on the ball?
This seems a reasonable idea. However, while you are making these lengthier style movements you will not only be looking at the Cue-Ball, You will be turning you attention to the Object-Ball, so then to some extent the most important reason for these movements would be somewhat wasted.

There may be some truth in the above theories and explanations mentioned above but in essence they are leading me to what I consider to be the only possible reason for having a SET amount of "feathers"

3 was the number mentioned, but as long as we are not talking 33 then the number of "feathers" is irrelevant. The "feathers" are part of a player's preparation, physically and mentally. Each player will have incorporated different lengths of "feathers" and a different amount. Some players will make these "feathers" slow and deliberate and other will be fast and furious. The most important thing is that when it comes to playing a shot in a tense situation, that a player has a method that repeats itself. A player that "cues up"/"feathers" differently for different shots, runs the risk of not being in control of their cue when he or she most needs to be.
The act of having a set number of feathers can act as a mental trigger. The body will subconsciously know when it is time to make the final pull back and then make this important movement "unforced" and as "natural" as possible.

The only problem with this theory is that it is fine for short distance shots but when you observe the top professionals who actually have this methodical style of "feathering", when it comes to long distance shots or pressure situations, you will find that they have more "feathers"!!

So, this can only lead to one conclusion.
The most important reason for preparatory "feathers" is to give yourself the time to settle, and mentally confirm that you are "lined up" on the intended shot. Some shots require more time!
Making these "feathers" smooth and deliberate can aid in keeping the final "pull back" and "delivery" controlled, but even this will be down to the individual. Making the "feathers" Lengthier may assist in checking to see if the cue is being kept on line, but it is the "hit" through the ball that most needs to be on line. This extension "through the Cue-Ball"is never practiced by "feathering".

Even the most "gifted" player needs some time when "down on the shot" before the final "pull back" and "delivery". 3 or 4 "feathers" seems reasonable for most normal shots but then 3 quick short ones will be far shorter than 4 slow long ones! A player that takes too long on the shot is as bad as one that take too little. If you find that you sense you are missing shots through being careless, then by all means increase the amount of "feathers" and make them feel more deliberate. Should a friend observe that you look too methodical on the shot and take ages to hit the ball, then perhaps you could investigate less, and possibly shorter "feathers". You are trying to achieve a cue action that has "method" but doesn't disrupt the body's natural abilities.

Concerning cue tips I will post something on this soon but suffice to say that I played in last season's World Championship with a medium Talisman. this tip was fantastic in the build up. Far better than any Blue Diamond or Elk I have ever used. However tow days after the World's finished played an exhibition and the laminates seperated and the top two sheared off! Until they get the glue right they must be considered unreliable. MArk Williams had the same problem but this actually happend in his Match against Stephen Hendry. John Higgins however uses the Hard Buffalo (blacK) ones and thinks they are great.

I am currently exploring the Japanese laminated tips and may have discovered a good make. I'll post soon.

Cheers!
Steve