what could be the problem?

[Sidd]

Terry I am beo realise that I might have the same problem and hence went through all your comments in detail. You are briliant and thanks a lot for such useful tips. This is great. I loved your last piece of advice and I think I had my mind doing this mistake all the time i.e. rather than increasing the backswing for power I would apply force into the shot and hence hold the grip too firm in the end. Wonderful tip I will try it since today and shall see how it improves my game.

[Terry Davidson]

Sidd:

Based on my experience with my students (and myself too) I would say a vast majority of amateur players tighten the grip too soon and too tight in the delivery.

Just to give everyone and example of what a proper grip can do. When I was in Gloucester I had a 360 training cue and my ability with this is limited as this device will show a player INSTANTLY whether he is closing the grip too early during the delivery. If I set up 11 red balls across the blue spot and try and pot them into a top pocket with the 360 with a 'stop shot' (stopping the cueball) it usually takes me around 25-30 shots to pot all 11 balls although I can stop the cueball around 98% of the time (which is an improvement believe me).

Well, Dominic Dale was in Gloucester practicing for the Worlds and he came up and said he had never seen a 360 and would love to try it. So I explained the purpose of the training cue and set up a long blue and asked Dominic to screw the white back as far as he could. On the first attempt not only did he pot the blue but he EASILY screwed the white back almost to the baulkline. So to ensure that wan't a fluke I set up a straight red into a top pocket and about 2ft away with Dominic playing from the baulkline and had him try the same thing and he STILL managed to screw back about 1ft and of course potted the ball.

IT MADE ME SICK!!!! To this day I cannot do that although I have learned to be able to screw back a long blue about 2ft (at best).

However, I hope Dominic doesn't mind me sighting him here but it is a glaring example of what is possible and just how important keeping that grip loose throughout the delivery is. (I'm working on that for myself every day now)

Terry

[Dannyboy]

I Like your advice on the loose grip and i will try keeping a loose grip in my next practice session and see what happen's.

Danny

[cazmac1]

I have this problem as well I just live with it now as I've found that if I thought about it too much it would effect my game. One tip I would give you is make sure that your cuing as level as you can. As and flaw in your cuing will be amplified by lifting the butt of the cue. Even a slight elevation can make a huge difference.
Good luck.