Perplexed

[jrc750]

..... your tip should generally as a rule be domed and any slant isnt a good sign. First thing to do would be to have the cue retipped.....

Could more than likely just re-shape it with sandpaper rather than re-tip it !

[snoo-kerr]

I was wondering if you good players out there could maybe help me a little.

I posted elsewhere a few days ago in the "Newbies and Introductions" section so I won't go over old ground, but the key point is that I am effectively very new to snooker, since January when I had a couple of days coaching for my 40th birthday.

I am an ex pro golfer and have been at least decent in every sport I have tried, so while I'm not trying to win the world championship, I have enough ball striking ability and determination to hope to get quite good at this game one day.

However, the last few days for me have been very frustrating indeed. Practising alone I have been working on straight pots only, partly because I am still learning the angles but also because I need the feedback about my cueing.

I have found that I am consistently missing to the left. I do occasionally knock one in but I seem to miss (left to varying degrees) 90% of the time. Shorter pots are less of a problem, I am building breaks in the 20s and 30s which considering my lack of experience so far I am quite happy with. But missing the long ones by as much as I do is so frustrating because I don't understand why. Don't get me wrong, I am not expecting perfection, I am realistic - but if I am going to miss I'd rather it be by much much less.

I have an Aramith spotted training ball and know from chalk marks that I am definitely hitting centre of the cue ball. My cue seems to point at the pocket afterwards, I am staying still and I am not trying to thrash it.

I have had a friend check that my chin is over the cue and that my cueing arm is perpendicular to the ground, so given all these factors how the hell can the object ball squirt off to the left all the time?

Is my grip too light? Too tight? Sometimes I grip extra tight on purpose to see what happens and in it goes. Then I grip super light on purpose and they go in sometimes too. So, it is fair to say that I am quite confused and exasperated.

Today got so bad I found myself lining up a straight one to a the corner pocket with the rest, kneeling on the floor, to eliminate the error of 'normal cueing' and I still found myself missing left. The ONLY way I could knock in these stupidly simple tap-ins was to focus on starting the delivery with a really subtle slow, microscopic push forwards.

I know someone will say this is paralysis by analysis and maybe it is, but I am so confused by the science of it - how can I miss left if I know I am striking centre ball, my cue points straight afterwards and a mate tells me my set up over the balls is good.

I am even beginning to wonder if my cue is bent. I proved that wasn't so when I have the same issues with the 360 training cue (which I cue with quite comfortably not breaking the spring, proving that I am not forcing it or getting jerky).

It isn't an angles thing because I'm only practising the straight ones, so what next?!!!

I don't feel like playing anymore because if I can't knock in a reasonable amount of long straight ones then what's the point?

Your musings are much appreciated, thanks.

Aim a little bit more to the left

[snoo-kerr]

I'm only joking of course :P
I do sympathyse.

Dont lose too much heart though as believe it or not... one of the hardest things to do is hitting 'through' the centre of the white. hitting the red spot is only half the job. The cue has to run through the spot so to speak. Older commentators would often say that stephen hendry was incredibly good at this when he was winning all his titles and stephen himself said this is what he struggles to do more and more, this being the reason for missing so many (relative) balls.

The simplest way to compensate and what most players do is to impart some screw or follow through which will delay the effects of any misdirected follow through wit the cue. Watching the top players on tv you will notice that on pretty much every single shot, there is back spin or top spin, even if they could just roll it in, they usually wont because its less reliable.

Try putting a little back spin or top spin on your straight pots and if your goign for teh red dot, try hitting through it rather than at it. Some will disagree with the theory but I'd put money on you finding the pots much easier.