Long backswing

[HUFRO]

Hi Terry;

What is the best drill to practice long backswing? short distance shots, long distance, staright or angle shots?
Also when it is required a low pace shot, shall I still use the long backswing or adjuste it to the power of the shot?

Thanks

Hufro

[Terry Davidson]

HUFRO:

Length of backswing is a personal preference and generally follow the way a player learned to play when younger. Personally, I use a backswing length which is proportional to the amount of power I need, which adheres to the Terry Griffiths school of technique.

However, if you've decided to try and use a long backswing for every shot (it does have certain advantages) then I would practice it using shots with all grades of power since you will have to learn to change the rate of acceleration for every different power. The advantage is on lower power shots and medium paced shots with a long backswing you are not accelerating quickly and therefore not encouraging any body movement on the delivery. Also, it's almost impossible to 'clutch' the cue and decelerate through the cueball and that is definitely an advantage, much the same as the golf swing.

The only pro I know who has actually changed his backswing length while he was a pro is Mark Selby and I'm not really sure he did that as all I've read says he was lining up 2" from the cueball in the address position and his coach/manager got him to address the cueball closer and once he mastered that he did climb the rankings.

On the other hand, most of the top pros use a long backswing and adjust their rate of acceleration with the only exception I can think of in Graham Dott who does use a shorter backswing than most. But if you look at Ronnie, Higgins, Murphy, Selby, Allen, Williams, Lee, Ebdon and all the other top pros you should note most of them use a long backswing on almost every shot but when they are close in the balls they do shorten it when low power is needed.

Terry

[HUFRO]

Thanks terry for the extense repply. I'll start practicing the long backswing right away.

Hufro