some questions on this type of grip.

[Slh]

I have struggled with my grip for a long time. I used for years the very common 5 fingers grip, but recently I found online the three fingers grip. Many of you are aware of this type of grip, you basically hold the cue with the last three fingers and you have your thumb and forefinger loose. You can point your forefinger down perpendicular to the ground ( like Alex Higgins did) or you can have your forefinger on the cue like Ronnie O'sullivan. I'm finding this grip more natural and comfortable for me and I think i'll stick with it.
I have some question:
- do you have some advice about this type of grip? What to do and not to. I'm already aware of the " keep your grip pressure the same during your stroke"
- My wrist is hanging perpendicular to the ground, instead I noticed O'sullivan's wrist and it isn't hanging neutrally but in a cocked forward position, what's the purpose of that?
Thanks for all the help, bye.

[Terry Davidson]

The actual configuration of the grip doesn't matter a whole lot as long as the player doesn't tighten it on the delivery. With the back 3 finger grip the backswing has to be shorter so it will take some of your power away or it will mean you have to accelerate the cue fast to get the power.

A couple of years ago Steve Davis switched to this grip but I don't know if he's still using it or not. It is comfortable and if you have faith in it then use it by all means. It does help some players drive the cue to their chest more consistently, which is a very good thing.

As for the wrist cock, this is a necessary thing to do and all pros do it although some have more or less than others. Some wrist cock outwards is required to stabilize the butt on delivery. A forward wrist cock is a dangerous thing to try as it will mean the wrist must move back and forth on the line of the shot and it will be another thing to coordinate and keep straight on the line of aim and is also very difficult to master. However it will give a player more power if he uses what is called the 'wrist flick' which is bending the wrist back on the backswing and then as you deliver the cue the wrist bend goes forward into the shot. It's not really necessary as you can get the same power from lengthening the backswing

Terry

[LittleMissAlexa]

grip how ypu feel comfortable nut keep it loose three fingers will grip less tightly thats probably why

[throtts]

No, keep the grip loose at all times.. The only time I might put a tiny bit more on the butt is when I am doing a tight cushion shot. A loose grip will put far more reaction on the cue ball..

[LittleMissAlexa]

No, keep the grip loose at all times.. The only time I might put a tiny bit more on the butt is when I am doing a tight cushion shot. A loose grip will put far more reaction on the cue ball..

i tighten it when laying snookers just to take pace off the ball

i did say to keep it loose nut was a typo it was meant to be but

[Sidd]

The actual configuration of the grip doesn't matter a whole lot as long as the player doesn't tighten it on the delivery. With the back 3 finger grip the backswing has to be shorter so it will take some of your power away or it will mean you have to accelerate the cue fast to get the power.

Terry what would that mean for me? I have changed my grip to this one, thumb not touching just hanging down and first finger not curling full but curling only to touch the butt with first finger pad (like Ronnie and like Slh said. I have a constant long backswing but you are saying here that the backswing with this type of grip should be smaller? Could you elaborate that a little please. This grip seems ot be working well for me so I'd like to keep it and get more natural with it, however, would I have to use a shorter backswing with it? Kindly help...

[Terry Davidson]

Sidd:

If you use the back 3 fingers to grip the cue but you still have a longer backswing (which is better) then you MUST be both releasing the back 2 fingers at the end of the backswing and also dropping the elbow. Neither of those is a bad thing.

However, the pure 3-finger grip means the back 3 fingers continue to grip the butt even to the end of the backswing and if you try it you will find it's impossible to have a long backswing without releasing the back 3 fingers somewhat

Terry

[Sidd]

Well explained Coach and well understood...

After experimenting now I have coem to grip with thumb hanging down and barely touching the butt and the first finger is wrapped very very loose and last three fingers are holding the cue or cradling it. Then on the long backswing I release the last three figners easily and grip with the first finger then initiate the delivery witht he V of thumb and forefinger gently and then upon follow through the forefinger and thumb are eased whereas the last three fingers grip the cue actually...

Hope this is a sound technique? and I am doign the right thing? My first finger actually now curls around but adds no pressure ot the grip as such and the thumb is just there to support, without exerting any pressure again...

Regards, Sidd

[Terry Davidson]

Sidd:

Sounds right to me

Terry

[throtts]

Well explained Coach and well understood...

After experimenting now I have coem to grip with thumb hanging down and barely touching the butt and the first finger is wrapped very very loose and last three fingers are holding the cue or cradling it.

Thats my grip, what you doing with it.....

Yes, it works for me too...

[throtts]

Well explained Coach and well understood...

After experimenting now I have coem to grip with thumb hanging down and barely touching the butt and the first finger is wrapped very very loose and last three fingers are holding the cue or cradling it.

Thats my grip, what you doing with it.....

Yes, it works for me too...

[Sidd]

Dear Coach and throtts: Thanks for your comments; mean a lot. Make me confident that I am not lurking in the dark anymore and hence finally I have put technique and common sense and knowledge and awareness together and finally achieved a better grip I am so happy on this achievement and now I fully understand and endorse what Terry used to say to me that it is for teh coaches to guide on ideal technique and then for the learners or students to experiment on their own and find out their own comfort, which is what I did- at least with the grip


And yes, I have had this grip in practice and have tried it for three days in matches and suddenly my winning frequency has improved due to my potting Now I dont miss easy pots and can develop decent breaks from good chances.

I was playing a best of 17 final frame with the club owner last night. We both played well and all frames were levelled and in the final frame the scores were getting levelled as well like I got 20 then he potted 20 then he got 30 and then I potted 30. So the score was level on the last two reds and ... suddenly out of nowhere I cleared the table from that point isn't that amazing...!!!!!!!!!!!

I have the confidence now that I used to play without coaching from Terry in the past and used to play just about OK but that was all luck and maybe practice and experience; I never had a technique. So when I started to elarn about technique and different aspects of it my game ruined (it is natural to happen I know) so I did not loose faith and kept on practicing and practicing and learning and improving and researching and trying to work out specially my grip and follow through as Terry pointed it out as my biggest problems)... I believe this process took about 6 months yes guys 6 long months and I waited on for that moment and then it did come to me ... I enjoyed that victory cuz actual happiness comes only after toil eforts and hard work and then one can enjoy

Thanks Terry, Nic, snookerforum, snookergym for guiding me ... and also thanks to the coaching videos by Jack, Griffiths, Davis but those DVDs never ever made sense like they do now after Terry's coaching