getting it wrong for 30 years

[cazmac1]

This is my cueing after a couple of hours trying to get on line, I can't get my elbow more verticle otherwise it gets uncomfortable. I sent this to Terry for his thoughts, but also interested in anybody elses.

Thanks,

Brian.

P.S I got the laser line idea from this thread that's why I'm posting.

Hi Micki, here's my two bobs worth..... I agree with both terry and alexa. It is a shame that you can't see the laser on the butt of the cue as I think this is the crucial part more so than where you elbow is having said that it looks like it is on line. Try sticking a white sticker in the centre of the butt of the cue, it might show up better. Also it's hard to see your grip, but it appears that you have no cock in the wrist, try cocking the wrist this might bring the elbow on line.
Good luck and lets have another vid.

[Chris Bedford]

getting it wrong for 30 years

Hi I've just been trying something I slowly gave forgot to do as I've been missing a few pots lately and it's something Nic Barrow mentions which is relevant in this thread of cueing straight. Although not sure elbow is dead inline or not but if you put both hands on the line if aim before you get down in the shot it makes a huge difference, feels a bit strange at first but nose left and right hand on line of aim doesn't look strange as most professionals do this. And even if you think when your on the shot your not sure just deliver straight like a piston, working for me at the moment. I've had another 62 last week and 53 clearance yesterday but consistently getting better.

[cazmac1]

Hi I've just been trying something I slowly gave forgot to do as I've been missing a few pots lately and it's something Nic Barrow mentions which is relevant in this thread of cueing straight. Although not sure elbow is dead inline or not but if you put both hands on the line if aim before you get down in the shot it makes a huge difference, feels a bit strange at first but nose left and right hand on line of aim doesn't look strange as most professionals do this. And even if you think when your on the shot your not sure just deliver straight like a piston, working for me at the moment. I've had another 62 last week and 53 clearance yesterday but consistently getting better.

del Hill pretty much says the same thing. Things like this are all good but can make you seem a bit robotic. I'm a more fast attacking player so not really looking to bring this into my game. But it seem's to be working for you so keep it up.

[cazmac1]

Hi I've just been trying something I slowly gave forgot to do as I've been missing a few pots lately and it's something Nic Barrow mentions which is relevant in this thread of cueing straight. Although not sure elbow is dead inline or not but if you put both hands on the line if aim before you get down in the shot it makes a huge difference, feels a bit strange at first but nose left and right hand on line of aim doesn't look strange as most professionals do this. And even if you think when your on the shot your not sure just deliver straight like a piston, working for me at the moment. I've had another 62 last week and 53 clearance yesterday but consistently getting better.

del Hill pretty much says the same thing. Things like this are all good but can make you seem a bit robotic. I'm a more fast attacking player so not really looking to bring this into my game. But it seem's to be working for you so keep it up.

[johno]

Chris can you just explain a bit more what you mean about your nose to the left of the line of aim? doesnt terry advise to have your nose on the line? thanks

[Chris Bedford]

getting it wrong for 30 years

Sorry you misread and I miss punctuated I meant nose, left and right hand all on line if aim.

[Chris Bedford]

getting it wrong for 30 years

Of aim god I hate my iPhone sometimes lol!

[johno]

Cheers chris thought you meant that. How have you introduced this into your game, do you walk into the shot different

[Chris Bedford]

getting it wrong for 30 years

Yes only difference is I'm holding my cue upright as I walk into the shot.

[GeordieDS]

Can over thinking of stance and sight etc not lead to the ruining of ones game?

I only ask because after reading this thread i am more confused than ever.........i mean there is so much to remember that any natural ability gets lost somewhere i think.

I suppose it's what makes snooker so addictive in that you know you can do it but it's very hard to maintain your optimum level and impossible to conquer..........i often get from friends who drink at the snooker club but don't play "how did you miss that when you play for a team?"

Nowadays i just tell them "because i'm ****"

Sorry for going off topic

[Chris Bedford]

getting it wrong for 30 years

I think the difference between pros and us is they have found their ideal setup what ever that maybe and we are still looking for it. Once you reach a certain standard your looking to improve and any small or big changes you do may or may not work but at least they are worth a look at.

[itsnoteasy]

To confuse things even more here is my thoughts on this cueing straight business, I tend to go for Chris Bedfords cue online theory, i dont think it inhibits your "flow" so to speak as i think it just gives a set routine, it doesnt have to be rigid infact it shouldnt be a rigid thing.
The thing i would like to add is what i call isolating the forearm, when i am cueing well it feels as if my forearm is kind of not connected
to my upper arm and it swings like a pendulum, when i get this right and keep my grip lose the cue naturally comes through in a straight line.It stops all shoulder and elbow and upper arm movement,as only my forearm is cueing.Is this how everyone else cues? or am i doing it wrong?.

[cazmac1]

Hi geordie, I don't think you've gone off topic, these are good questions. I think the modern game is very over technical now. Players spend hours and hours on the technique so in this respect I'd have to say NO to you in this instance.
What you have to bear in mind is snooker is not a natural thing for humans to do, Not like running or jumping or even throwing.
So getting the cue on the line of aim is going to take a lot of work and then delivering on that line is even more work. That the whole point of practice, you start of with something that seems to improve your game so you try to incorporate into your game until it becomes second nature. So when you are playing your not even aware of it.
The laser set up is very simple and you can immediately tell if the cue is on line and if you are delivering on line, so if the pot doesn't go in you know that you are sighting incorrectly. It such a simple thing but can give you so much feed back and save hours even years of bad practice.

[cazmac1]

To confuse things even more here is my thoughts on this cueing straight business, I tend to go for Chris Bedfords cue online theory, i dont think it inhibits your "flow" so to speak as i think it just gives a set routine, it doesnt have to be rigid infact it shouldnt be a rigid thing.
The thing i would like to add is what i call isolating the forearm, when i am cueing well it feels as if my forearm is kind of not connected
to my upper arm and it swings like a pendulum, when i get this right and keep my grip lose the cue naturally comes through in a straight line.It stops all shoulder and elbow and upper arm movement,as only my forearm is cueing.Is this how everyone else cues? or am i doing it wrong?.

Putting the cue on line is a personal thing and if it works the go for it. For me personally I want the cue to go on line with having to think about it. I'm sure when ronnie made his record 147 he wasn't thinking about place the cue on the line of aim, he just gets down on the shot and the cue is on line. How doe he know that because of hours of practice not because he was born with a cue in his hand.
On your second point I know that feeling and I'm sure many players have experienced it, what your decribing it very much the Joe Davies style and Steve Davis old style which is not really adopted by the top pros now days.

[throtts]

When I go down on the shot my eyes are fixed on the BOB contact point, I do not place the cue down on THAT line. However, I do make sure my right leg is on line correctly ( I am a right hand cueist ). Also, on different pots on certain points of the table you can get out of line I have noticed, eg, when I am practising clearing the colours off the spots I start off potting a 3/4 yellow ( to come off the side cushion passing the brown to be on the green ) with the cue ball green ball side of the table and nearsish to the centre pocket, I was finding that I was way off line on the shot, stance wise that is. That problem was easy to spot for one reason, because I have my own table. I did it at times on the pink on its spot when the cue ball was at around same distance, that too was a stance set up glitch. I recall our Terry stating the pink was his bogey ball too at one point, not sure i can remember what he said that was down to though.