Dear Mates:
I played this game by instinct and without coaching just like any other kid who starts the game for fun and then develops that certain amount of seriousness in the game and then tends to progress. The snooker Grip came naturally to me (however it was less controlled of course) and I made a couple of 50 breaks like that during those years. But I could not repeat that form or capitalise on a major break chance due to missing easy pots. So I came to this forum in search of consistency if not excellence and then found out about how a grip should be. That took me on to experiment with different grip formations and many things of the like and I ruined my natural game in the process (that happens). I got so confused over time that I just could not get in my head the grip formation and the grip pressure even though it was so easy to understand.
Then I went to the snooker gym forum and found out a post in which Terry Davidson had explained the whole phenomena, if you like, with ease of expression. I saved it for me and then practiced with it and my natural grip that used to be with me in my early years just came back to in SECONDS trust me... and this time it came back to me with control and feel... I am so happy after such a long time that I cannot explain. Do not have the words really... So as a tribute to Terry's tireless efforts and time that he spends in helping others like me; I am reproducing that hereunder, as I am sure that will help many others on this forum the way it helped me attaining my form and grip ... its just like old days now (with better control and feel). Thank you Terry- thank you so very much!
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Here are some important facts about the grip in snooker:
1. It is THE most important aspect of the technique as it is how you actually control the cue.
2. It is NOT rocket science and is very simple.
I will see if I can explain it (yet again) so everyone can understand how the grip is formed and what pressure is applied along with what happens to the grip as you backswing and deliver.
So the first step is to take the butt of your cue off (if you have a 3/4-butt) or your mini-butt if you have one and lay it on the bed of the table. Now place your hand on top of it and pick it up and hold it EXACTLY like you would hold a hammer in order to drive a nail. Now straighten your arm straight out in front of you, still gripping it like a hammer and take a long and VERY good look at the configuration of your hand.
You should notice in the first place your thumb is pointed directly away from you (and perhaps curled just a little bit around the forefinger but straighten the thumb out until it is straight and pointed directly away from you). Also note the hammer (or butt) is held by the curled 4 fingers AND THE BACK OF THE HAND (the bottom of the palm in this case) is against the butt too AND THE WRIST JOINT IS TURNED TO THE RIGHT (in a right-handed player) so the back of the hand is facing to the right by some degree.
Experiment with turning the wrist joint more to the right until you have almost a 90degree bend in the wrist joint and then turn the wrist inwards as much as you can towards the left so you have almost a 90degree bend in the wrist the other way. Now as you do this note where the butt is in relation to the long straight bone of the forearm and adjust the wrist angle ('cock' of the wrist joint) until the butt is either directly under that straight forearm bone or even a bit outside (to the right) of the forearm bone.
THIS IS THE CORRECT CONFIGURATION OF THE GRIP FOR SNOOKER.
Now, without changing the grip at all, drop your arm down to the right side of your hip and the thumb should be pointed straight down at the floor and resting against the outside of the forefinger (you should still be able to use the butt like a hammer to drive a nail).
CORRECT GRIP PRESSURE
Now put your cue back together and lay it on the table and grip it where your would for a normal hand-on-the-table shot, pick it up and assume the address position---you should be able to drive a nail with the cue just like a hammer. Now stand back up still holding the cue the exact same way and place it across your upper thighs with the grip in place and the thumb pointed straight down to the floor and the LEFT hand gripping the shaft of the cue somewhere.
Now, relax your right hand WITHOUT CHANGING THE CONFIGURATION OF THE GRIP and try and move the cue THROUGH your grip hand with NO RESISTANCE AT ALL by pushing and pulling the cue using your left hand on the shaft. This is the correct grip pressure every player should use.
So with the grip relaxed like that re-assume the address position and start feathering the cueball BUT DO NOT INCREASE THE GRIP PRESSURE ON THE CUE, the butt should be just laying in the curl of the 4 fingers with the primary hold on the cue being the top inside of the forefinger and thumb. DO NOT SQUEEZE THE FINGERS AT ALL!!!
Now, do a front pause and then very SLOWLY do your final backswing and note how the butt of the cue will sort of push the relaxed back 3 fingers of the hand out of the way and at the end of the backswing the ONLY hold you have on the cue is with the upper part of the thumb and forefinger.
SLOWLY start your delivery and GENTLY close the back three fingers around the butt HOWEVER DO NOT INCREASE THEIR PRESSURE SO THE ARE JUST TOUCHING THE BUTT OF THE CUE and deliver the cue maintaining this nice and relaxed grip until the cue strikes the cueball and meets some resistance from the weight of the cueball and at that time start gripping the butt with the back 3 fingers BUT TRY NOT TO CURL THEM AROUND THE BUTT TOO HARD WITH A LOT OF PRESSURE AS THAT WILL TAKE THE BUTT OF THE CUE OFF-LINE.
Drive the cue through the cueball and don't stop it until the back of your thumb hits the chest which will squeeze the thumb over to the right and give you a tight hold on the butt without moving it to the right or left.
Lastly, There needs to be no tension in your grip or forearm or upper arm or shoulder as you cue and make the strike. Let them all be relaxed. Tightness DECREASES control which is counterintuitive to most player below 50 break standard. Looseness however is more likely to REVEAL any cueing imperfections which you can then address using the methods above. This is why most 50 breakers or under hold too tight - they dont want to be forced to be faced with their cueing errors.
This is a natural human reaction but one we must battle not only in our snooker but in our lives too!
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I played this game by instinct and without coaching just like any other kid who starts the game for fun and then develops that certain amount of seriousness in the game and then tends to progress. The snooker Grip came naturally to me (however it was less controlled of course) and I made a couple of 50 breaks like that during those years. But I could not repeat that form or capitalise on a major break chance due to missing easy pots. So I came to this forum in search of consistency if not excellence and then found out about how a grip should be. That took me on to experiment with different grip formations and many things of the like and I ruined my natural game in the process (that happens). I got so confused over time that I just could not get in my head the grip formation and the grip pressure even though it was so easy to understand.
Then I went to the snooker gym forum and found out a post in which Terry Davidson had explained the whole phenomena, if you like, with ease of expression. I saved it for me and then practiced with it and my natural grip that used to be with me in my early years just came back to in SECONDS trust me... and this time it came back to me with control and feel... I am so happy after such a long time that I cannot explain. Do not have the words really... So as a tribute to Terry's tireless efforts and time that he spends in helping others like me; I am reproducing that hereunder, as I am sure that will help many others on this forum the way it helped me attaining my form and grip ... its just like old days now (with better control and feel). Thank you Terry- thank you so very much!
================================================== ====================
Here are some important facts about the grip in snooker:
1. It is THE most important aspect of the technique as it is how you actually control the cue.
2. It is NOT rocket science and is very simple.
I will see if I can explain it (yet again) so everyone can understand how the grip is formed and what pressure is applied along with what happens to the grip as you backswing and deliver.
So the first step is to take the butt of your cue off (if you have a 3/4-butt) or your mini-butt if you have one and lay it on the bed of the table. Now place your hand on top of it and pick it up and hold it EXACTLY like you would hold a hammer in order to drive a nail. Now straighten your arm straight out in front of you, still gripping it like a hammer and take a long and VERY good look at the configuration of your hand.
You should notice in the first place your thumb is pointed directly away from you (and perhaps curled just a little bit around the forefinger but straighten the thumb out until it is straight and pointed directly away from you). Also note the hammer (or butt) is held by the curled 4 fingers AND THE BACK OF THE HAND (the bottom of the palm in this case) is against the butt too AND THE WRIST JOINT IS TURNED TO THE RIGHT (in a right-handed player) so the back of the hand is facing to the right by some degree.
Experiment with turning the wrist joint more to the right until you have almost a 90degree bend in the wrist joint and then turn the wrist inwards as much as you can towards the left so you have almost a 90degree bend in the wrist the other way. Now as you do this note where the butt is in relation to the long straight bone of the forearm and adjust the wrist angle ('cock' of the wrist joint) until the butt is either directly under that straight forearm bone or even a bit outside (to the right) of the forearm bone.
THIS IS THE CORRECT CONFIGURATION OF THE GRIP FOR SNOOKER.
Now, without changing the grip at all, drop your arm down to the right side of your hip and the thumb should be pointed straight down at the floor and resting against the outside of the forefinger (you should still be able to use the butt like a hammer to drive a nail).
CORRECT GRIP PRESSURE
Now put your cue back together and lay it on the table and grip it where your would for a normal hand-on-the-table shot, pick it up and assume the address position---you should be able to drive a nail with the cue just like a hammer. Now stand back up still holding the cue the exact same way and place it across your upper thighs with the grip in place and the thumb pointed straight down to the floor and the LEFT hand gripping the shaft of the cue somewhere.
Now, relax your right hand WITHOUT CHANGING THE CONFIGURATION OF THE GRIP and try and move the cue THROUGH your grip hand with NO RESISTANCE AT ALL by pushing and pulling the cue using your left hand on the shaft. This is the correct grip pressure every player should use.
So with the grip relaxed like that re-assume the address position and start feathering the cueball BUT DO NOT INCREASE THE GRIP PRESSURE ON THE CUE, the butt should be just laying in the curl of the 4 fingers with the primary hold on the cue being the top inside of the forefinger and thumb. DO NOT SQUEEZE THE FINGERS AT ALL!!!
Now, do a front pause and then very SLOWLY do your final backswing and note how the butt of the cue will sort of push the relaxed back 3 fingers of the hand out of the way and at the end of the backswing the ONLY hold you have on the cue is with the upper part of the thumb and forefinger.
SLOWLY start your delivery and GENTLY close the back three fingers around the butt HOWEVER DO NOT INCREASE THEIR PRESSURE SO THE ARE JUST TOUCHING THE BUTT OF THE CUE and deliver the cue maintaining this nice and relaxed grip until the cue strikes the cueball and meets some resistance from the weight of the cueball and at that time start gripping the butt with the back 3 fingers BUT TRY NOT TO CURL THEM AROUND THE BUTT TOO HARD WITH A LOT OF PRESSURE AS THAT WILL TAKE THE BUTT OF THE CUE OFF-LINE.
Drive the cue through the cueball and don't stop it until the back of your thumb hits the chest which will squeeze the thumb over to the right and give you a tight hold on the butt without moving it to the right or left.
Lastly, There needs to be no tension in your grip or forearm or upper arm or shoulder as you cue and make the strike. Let them all be relaxed. Tightness DECREASES control which is counterintuitive to most player below 50 break standard. Looseness however is more likely to REVEAL any cueing imperfections which you can then address using the methods above. This is why most 50 breakers or under hold too tight - they dont want to be forced to be faced with their cueing errors.
This is a natural human reaction but one we must battle not only in our snooker but in our lives too!
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