Backswing problems

[jas19]

I am a right hander and when i slowly bring the cue back on final backswing the butt moves in towards my body which then causes the tip to move out to the right. Its only at the last inch or so of the backswing this happens. Obviously i can see this happening if i look at my cue as i bring it back but is this a grip problem or a sign of too long a backswing. I feel this could be the problem with me being very in-consistent with long ball potting. Any suggestions many thanks

[CoachGavin]

If the backswing is slow enough for you to feel it going offline then you need to concentrate on bringing the cue back straight. This may include opening your grip a little more. If you concentrate on bringing the cue back straight then it should feel a little strange as if you are pulling the cue out from the body but that is only cos your brain is used to the feeling of pulling it back into the body. Also if it happens at the last stage of the backswing maybe you are slightly rushing the end of the backswing? Just a few thoughts.

[jas19]

Thanks for very quick reply mate will try out your suggestions i find i am very good in close but the long game has been very difficult for me to find any consistency whatsoever

[Luke Hooper]

maybe you are holding the cue too far back towards the butt? keep a loose grip and move your back hand up a fraction and see how you do then...

[Terry Davidson]

A problem I have with my backswing too and the only way I've found to get past it is to shorten the backswing a bit on power shots. I don't think this is the correct solution though and as Gavin says try and concentrate on loosening the grip as much as possible and allowing the back 3 fingers to release until they are just touching the butt of the cue (actually the butt should be pushing the back 3 fingers out of the way as it comes back).

Also, try slowing the backswing down even further until you can be certain you're pulling it back straight. With this problem you will likely be hitting across the cueball right to left and it will be apparent on longer shots

Terry

[jas19]

Thanks Terry you are exactly right i find i can be very good in amongst the balls when in form regular centuries but i have to say i have a very poor long ball potting percentage. I have always had this long ball problem and tried playing with a shorter backswing which i find nearly impossible having always had a long backswing. I just find my delivery becomes very jabby with this method. Its frustrating and demoralising playing so well in close yet long ball potting is very poor because of the constant cueing accross the ball no exaggerating i can be literally miles out.

[cally]

I find it amazing that you can get reg 100's if it's that bad, maybe more to do with 'sighting' the long shots...

[jas19]

Honest mate tried almost everything to correct the problem eg. change grip, adjust stance from square on to more of a boxers stance,
cue under master eye (i am right eye dominant) and back to centre, shorter backswing. Could have made a century playing well in close then set up ten long blues and struggle to make 3-4

[jarcher]

Have you tried doing this with your eyes closed? If not, line up the pot, get down on the shot, then close your eyes, relax and then try making the pot. No power to be used, just concentrate on a good slow backswing, then follow through smoothly. It could just be that, like me when confidence is low, I suddenly think I need more power than I actually need and in turn, tighten my grip too soon on the follow through, rather than at my chest.

[jas19]

Thanks for the reply, i am so glad i have joined this forum so many informative answers and hints i will give your suggestion a whirl today thanks very much

[philthoms]

Long shots are often missed through mis-aligned stance and therefore incorrect sighting. Do you miss the shot on the same side each time. If so then it's possibly your stance that you need to correct.

[jas19]

Thanks for your reply Phill really appreciate it. Just been to the club and been trying hard to concentrate on not gripping the cue tightly on delivery. It seams to have made an improvement but i have learned with experience in the past that trying something new almost always brings a little success first off. To answer your question i don't always miss on the same side, my stance at the moment is right leg on the line of the shot and left leg slightly infront of being parallel with the right leg.

[nrage]

When I was missing long pots to the same side, consistently, it was a cueing fault. I was not cueing straight, simple as that. My grip (right) hand moved out/away and then back in, during the stroke, and I could not see it until I filmed myself (with my phone) and used kinovea (FREE pc software) to play it back in slow motion. I would recommend you do the same.

[Terry Davidson]

nrage has it right. The best thing you can do is to try and video yourself with a good quality video recorder of some type (I use a Sony Digital HD camera with my students and myself). If you can get a shot from directly behind the cue or directly in front that is best. If directly in front then film a long straight blue playing from the baulk line and make sure you have the pocket leather in the shot as you can very easily see the butt going sideways and also if you get Kinovea (there's a link on here) you can watch frame by frame.

The other low-tech thing you can try is to get a plastic water bottle and lay it on the baulkline with the top opening facing you and then imagine there is a cueball inside the bottle about 6inches into it and cue up to that. Keep your eyes on the imaginary cueball while doing this and the neck of the bottle will be in your peripheral vision. Start slowly with a very slow backswing and concentrate on keeping it straight and then increase the acceleration of the delivery BUT do not increase the acceleration of the backswing.

One other point, when you are doing this (and indeed when you are playing normally) do you focus your concentration on your right hand? In doing the closed eye exercise recommended here previously, focus on the right hand and what it's doing is the most important part and there's no reason you can't do this when you play normally with your eyes open. I think you will find this will help straighten out both the backswing and the delivery

Terry

[jas19]

Thanks nrage will try and get hold of kinovea and use my phone to video myself, thanks for the advice.