Action Shot for Newspaper Interview

[Terry Davidson]

I've attached one of the photos taken for my newspaper interview last week.

For the purists in the crowd (like Particle Physics) note the elbow is directly over the cue, the right shoulder is nice and high and behind the head, the right elbow is up nice and high, probably 6-7" above the head and the head is turned very slightly to the right to ease the strain on my neck - note the nose is pointed about 20degrees to right but the cue is still centre-chin. My height is 5ft 11.5in but I manage to get the body down well and keep the back flat.

So I guess the question is...why can't I play as well as a pro if everything is so perfect? I wish I could answer that one, but I'm trying. I learn something new every day I play and it all helps.

Terry

[ADR147]

it's that pool players bridge thats doing it!

[nullsys]

Great shot. And you have a great setup there.
Thanks Terry, your constant advice and tips really help. I know we must get annoying, but we mean well lol.

I hope you had a great time doing that with the papers.

[Terry Davidson]

ADR:

The cueball was about 6" from the cushion so that's a standard bridge for that distance (ya wally!).

Besides which, what would a mere 38-year-old know about it anyway?

Terry

[CoachGavin]

Its great that you have improved your technique since becoming a coach. However that technique has got to be totally subconscious and as a coach I know it's hard to 'just play' without thinking technical so I wonder if that holds you back sometimes. Then, as I'm sure you know there is the mental aspect as well as practising properly etc. I'm sure if you keep putting in the effort you will continue to improve and maybe you will be able to turn pro as i think you deserve it.

[Terry Davidson]

Gavin:

WAY too old (by far) to turn pro at 67yrs, but it's nice to dream. Yes, getting my coach training has really helped me out and it does add to my pocket money every once in a while (it's not like Britain here, very few students).

What REALLY helps is the video camera along with knowing what the 'ideal' technique should be. For an example, I just discovered I was dropping my elbow too early in the delivery and I've likely been doing that for a long time. I'm now working on not dropping the elbow at all and am finding my potting accuracy has really gotten much better.

It also keeps me from denting the butt of the cue on delivery when it used to hit the rail.

Terry

[Inoffthered]

What REALLY helps is the video camera along with knowing what the 'ideal' technique should be. For an example, I just discovered I was dropping my elbow too early in the delivery and I've likely been doing that for a long time. I'm now working on not dropping the elbow at all and am finding my potting accuracy has really gotten much better.

I've had a very similar problem as of late ( so I can relate ). This has been just one ( of many ) technical issues that have crept into my game. This past week I've worked solely on locking the elbow. Maintaining my grip with my thumb and forefinger ( ringlock grip? ) and when I strike the cueball now, my cue REMAINS parallel to the bed of the table. No more aiming up towards the lampshades ( an exaggeration, but you get the idea ).

As a result, no more unwanted side on the white and every shot is so much 'cleaner' and crisp. One more thing to work on now, a friend stood in front of my line of aim and took a photo, I was cueing from right to left. EVER SO slightly, but it's enough to put another spanner in the works.

It's all a bit of a slow process, but being patient is key here. So nice to be able to hit the ball well again.

[ADR147]

ADR:

The cueball was about 6" from the cushion so that's a standard bridge for that distance (ya wally!).

Besides which, what would a mere 38-year-old know about it anyway?

Terry

i never use a loop or pin bridge.

[Terry Davidson]

ADR:

It's not a loop bridge and in Nic Barrow's DVDs where he shows bridges to use depending on where the cueball is in relation to the cushion he recommends this bridge, plus I note the pros use it all the time. I've always used that bridge when around 6" off the cushion as it provides more stability than having the fingers laying on top of the cushion and palm down off the edge (which Nic recommends when frozen or nearly frozen on the cushion).

Terry

[Particle Physics]

Gavin:

WAY too old (by far) to turn pro at 67yrs, but it's nice to dream. Yes, getting my coach training has really helped me out and it does add to my pocket money every once in a while (it's not like Britain here, very few students).

What REALLY helps is the video camera along with knowing what the 'ideal' technique should be. For an example, I just discovered I was dropping my elbow too early in the delivery and I've likely been doing that for a long time. I'm now working on not dropping the elbow at all and am finding my potting accuracy has really gotten much better.

It also keeps me from denting the butt of the cue on delivery when it used to hit the rail.

Terry

Looking good Coach. Show 'em how it's done.

Have you decided to move away from elbow drop altogether, and do you now advise this for students? Have you noticed a fall off in power without elbow drop? And lastly, it's been great having you as an adviser, a sentiment many would echo. Can you move to Devon please so I don't have to have a new coach this Fall, even if he has knocked in over a hundred 147s and thousands of tons.

[ADR147]

ADR:

It's not a loop bridge and in Nic Barrow's DVDs where he shows bridges to use depending on where the cueball is in relation to the cushion he recommends this bridge, plus I note the pros use it all the time. I've always used that bridge when around 6" off the cushion as it provides more stability than having the fingers laying on top of the cushion and palm down off the edge (which Nic recommends when frozen or nearly frozen on the cushion).

Terry

i call it a pin bridge - personally i don't like it visually when i play, i use a sort of three fingers on the table thing.

[Terry Davidson]

ADR:

Hmmm...maybe if you used my bridge you'd be a pro

Terry

[ADR147]

ADR:

Hmmm...maybe if you used my bridge you'd be a pro

Terry

if i could see further than 6 feet i would be a pro mate!

[Terry Davidson]

PP:

Right now I'm experimenting a bit with not dropping the elbow just so I can 'get' it but not dropping the elbow on a longer backswing does mean a shorter backswing and therefore less power. Same goes for the delivery on power shots.

However, all that said about the loss of power but I've noticed a real increase in my accuracy, especially for long pots.

My suspicion was, (confirmed with my video camera), as I normally drop the elbow in both directions I was dropping it early in the delivery which takes the cue off-line just a tad. Right now I'm looking for a way to ENSURE I'm not dropping that elbow prematurely and getting it so the drop is WELL AFTER the strike. I'm finding this tough to do as I think I've been playing with an early elbow drop for quite awhile now and it's become natural.

What I'm working on is sort of the Judd Trump trick of pulling the cue up and flexing it and then relaxing the grip and tension a bit and this really ensures my elbow is up as high as it will go and then I do the 'closed eye' thing and shoot the spots with all of my focus on the right forearm and grip and really concentrate on keeping the elbow up until after the strike.

All I can say is it's definitely helping with the accuracy and when I get it right (when doing the line-up for instance) I find I'm actually over-screwing the cueball and I think that's me getting the timing exactly right. It's a hard struggle to break an old habit

Terry

[Particle Physics]

PP:

Right now I'm experimenting a bit with not dropping the elbow just so I can 'get' it but not dropping the elbow on a longer backswing does mean a shorter backswing and therefore less power. Same goes for the delivery on power shots.

However, all that said about the loss of power but I've noticed a real increase in my accuracy, especially for long pots.

My suspicion was, (confirmed with my video camera), as I normally drop the elbow in both directions I was dropping it early in the delivery which takes the cue off-line just a tad. Right now I'm looking for a way to ENSURE I'm not dropping that elbow prematurely and getting it so the drop is WELL AFTER the strike. I'm finding this tough to do as I think I've been playing with an early elbow drop for quite awhile now and it's become natural.

What I'm working on is sort of the Judd Trump trick of pulling the cue up and flexing it and then relaxing the grip and tension a bit and this really ensures my elbow is up as high as it will go and then I do the 'closed eye' thing and shoot the spots with all of my focus on the right forearm and grip and really concentrate on keeping the elbow up until after the strike.

All I can say is it's definitely helping with the accuracy and when I get it right (when doing the line-up for instance) I find I'm actually over-screwing the cueball and I think that's me getting the timing exactly right. It's a hard struggle to break an old habit

Terry

Ok, so the butt is rising, but the shaft ahead of the chin stays down due to flex in the middle?