Is i chuffed or is I chuffed!!

[bluenose1940]

I have made mention in previous threads of the problems I have encountered when playing the blue off its spot and screwing the white back into the opposite pocket. More often than not I would jump the white clean over the blue without touching it! If I managed to pot the blue, the white would only come back a couple of inches!

I have mentioned in other threads that I have learned so much from this forum, the most recent lesson being to keep my eye firmly focussed on the object ball and this has led to considerably improved potting.

Well today, I had half an hour before my mate turned up for our game. I decided to have some practice with a different grip. Up until today I always gripped the cue with all of my fingers and so I decided to change and adopted a grip with just my thumb, index and middle fingers, with the remaining fingers tightening as the cue is more or less at the completion of the shot.

The results were amazing. I put the blue on its spot and the very first shot, the blue shot into the pocket and the white came back into the opposite pocket and if the pocket wasn't there it would have gone much further. I did this another dozen times at least and had the same result every time and I didn't miss one of 'em!!!

During the course of our game I used the newly acquired gip and each time that I needed to screw back I went for it and, on a number of occasions I even screwed the white back enough to bounce off the cushion and gave myself good position for my next shot.

Things are looking up...........long may it continue!

[Terry Davidson]

You are now using what is close to an orthodox (and correct) grip. When you were using all 4 fingers the temptation to tighten the grip prematurely is always there and happens with a lot of players.

If you really want to switch to the straight orthodox grip then loosen off the second finger as well and use just the upper inside of the thumb and forefinger only, with the thumb pointed straight down to the floor and the index finger curled very loosely around the butt to provide some control.

There are many options for the grip and a player should choose one for him that allows HIM to accelerate through the cueball and it certainly sounds like you've found one that works for you (Ronnie uses the middle 2 fingers for his grip).

Terry

[humperdingle]

I'll be practising grip next time i'm playing - I was watching a DVD with Jack Karnhem hosting, and he was doing the same exercise.

Hopefully I'll manage it too!

[bluenose1940]

You are now using what is close to an orthodox (and correct) grip. When you were using all 4 fingers the temptation to tighten the grip prematurely is always there and happens with a lot of players.

If you really want to switch to the straight orthodox grip then loosen off the second finger as well and use just the upper inside of the thumb and forefinger only, with the thumb pointed straight down to the floor and the index finger curled very loosely around the butt to provide some control.

There are many options for the grip and a player should choose one for him that allows HIM to accelerate through the cueball and it certainly sounds like you've found one that works for you (Ronnie uses the middle 2 fingers for his grip).

Terry

Thank you Terry, I got the impression that using the new grip, that I am cuing straighter and I think that previously when I was trying to pot the blue and screw back, that because of the tightness of the grip (whole hand) that it may well have been causing me to 'scoop' the cue ball. I can't tell you how pleased I was to overcome the problem. When I got it right at the first attempt today, I just had to keep doing it to make sure that it wasn't a fluke, hence the dozen or so goes at it!

[Tommy68]

If you really want to switch to the straight orthodox grip then loosen off the second finger as well and use just the upper inside of the thumb and forefinger only, with the thumb pointed straight down to the floor and the index finger curled very loosely around the butt to provide some control.

Terry

Switched to that grip some time ago and it works really great for me. My potting accuracy has improved alot. But it is very important not to tighten during the delivery. It took me some time to manage this.

[cyberheater]

If you really want to switch to the straight orthodox grip then loosen off the second finger as well and use just the upper inside of the thumb and forefinger only, with the thumb pointed straight down to the floor and the index finger curled very loosely around the butt to provide some control.

Yes. I've started using this grip. It felt pretty odd at first but I'm slowly getting used to it. I still feel I tense my arm too much when attempting screw shots or long pots which throws my aim off.

It's going to take a while but my main goal now is to remove all tension from my cueing arm on all shots.

[Sidd]

I have been so much in to the grip thingi myself that now I can play good and bad with all kinds of grip confused confused confused and carring on ... !!!

[chrissmall147]

hi bluenose1940, first of all lets talk about the cue ball. I teach my students all the different heights on the cue ball. zero is middle of the cue ball and then +1 +2 +3 and +4 for top of the cue ball. Then -1 -2 -3 -4 for bottom of the cue ball, so there is 9 different heights on the cue ball. Alot of club players and beginners don't actually know where the top and bottom of the cue ball actually are so it is very good to practice this even for 15 to 30 mins on your own.what is happening with you is, when you are jumping the white over the blue, you are aiming to low on the cue ball, in other words you are below -4 hence this is why you are jumping the cue ball over the blue. Then because you are scared of jumping the white what u will be doing is, when you are about to deliver the cue you will be coming up the white slightly to try and rectify your miss cueing problem and instead of hitting -4 on the cue ball you will maybe be hitting -2 instead so you will not be getting the reaction of the cue ball that you would like. this is a common fault with alot of players even players of a good standard so dont worry just keep practising. what to do is, try and get a spare bit of cloth and take it to the table with you and try and find -4 on the cue ball. if you miss cue it doesn't matter as you will only be damaging the spare bit of cloth and not the actual table, and this may give you confidence in finding the bottom of the cue ball. also with a looser grip you will get more reaction out of the cue as you will not be putting the brakes on too early, this is what happens with a tight grip. the cue runs more freely with a loose grip and you will having better acceleration through the cue ball. A tight grip is a recipe for disaster and also you will tend to lift the butt of the cue on your backswing. Practice makes perfect mate

thanks chris

[narl]

Link in your sig doesn't work chris.

[bluenose1940]

hi bluenose1940, first of all lets talk about the cue ball. I teach my students all the different heights on the cue ball. zero is middle of the cue ball and then +1 +2 +3 and +4 for top of the cue ball. Then -1 -2 -3 -4 for bottom of the cue ball, so there is 9 different heights on the cue ball. Alot of club players and beginners don't actually know where the top and bottom of the cue ball actually are so it is very good to practice this even for 15 to 30 mins on your own.what is happening with you is, when you are jumping the white over the blue, you are aiming to low on the cue ball, in other words you are below -4 hence this is why you are jumping the cue ball over the blue. Then because you are scared of jumping the white what u will be doing is, when you are about to deliver the cue you will be coming up the white slightly to try and rectify your miss cueing problem and instead of hitting -4 on the cue ball you will maybe be hitting -2 instead so you will not be getting the reaction of the cue ball that you would like. this is a common fault with alot of players even players of a good standard so dont worry just keep practising. what to do is, try and get a spare bit of cloth and take it to the table with you and try and find -4 on the cue ball. if you miss cue it doesn't matter as you will only be damaging the spare bit of cloth and not the actual table, and this may give you confidence in finding the bottom of the cue ball. also with a looser grip you will get more reaction out of the cue as you will not be putting the brakes on too early, this is what happens with a tight grip. the cue runs more freely with a loose grip and you will having better acceleration through the cue ball. A tight grip is a recipe for disaster and also you will tend to lift the butt of the cue on your backswing. Practice makes perfect mate

thanks chris

Hi Chris, thank you for your input. I have been away all week on holiday and so did not see your post until a few minutes ago. Despite the fact that I haven't unpacked my suitcase yet, I went off for my usual Saturday morning game and continued with my newly acquired grip and, I have to say that it has helped me considerably as I have reported previously. My potting is so much better with the new grip and my ability to screw the white back is also much improved, in fact on a couple of occasions today I got too much on the ball! Your point about the 9 different heights on the cue ball is most interesting. Would I be correct in thinking that there will only be about 5 or 6 mm between these different heights or, put more simply, about half of the diameter of a cue tip? When I play a screw shot, my cue is parallel with the table and the bottom of my tip is no more than about 3mm off the cloth. Does that sound OK to you?

[chrissmall147]

yes mate you are exactly right, roughly half the diameter of the tip per height and where your tip is for screwing back is absolutely fine. good luck with the practice and let me know how u get on.

cheers chris