Simple backspin/screw back: What to focus on for the perfect shot?

[shredder]

"Hi, I'm shredder, and I'm a snookerholic."

Been watching snooker for years but only just started playing a couple of months ago.

Skills are progressing nicely overall, but one thing I still can't seem to be consistent about is my screw back. I realize this is a super simple aspect of the game that you simply must be able to control, and therefore I've been practicing solo alot.

Consistency is really my issue here, because at solo I'll sometimes get it right, but when I do I'm never really sure what exactly caused it, because I think I'm doing the same thing every time.

Been watching a lot of youtube videos and tutorials, which is where I've seen how to. I make sure to keep my shoulders down, grip loose, cue below the center of the ball and somewhat level with the table. I make sure to follow nicely through as well.

Like I said, sometimes it'll be perfect but most of the times it won't and what will typically happen is the ball just stops. I've tried with and without power in the shot, but it seems to be the same outcome: just can't keep it under control and be consistent about it.

I feel it's messing up my game and keeping me from breaking over the mid-twenties.

If you can give me pointers or show me videos that gives great examples on what I need to do, that's be fantastic.

[vmax4steve]

Check out snooker pro tips on youtube by Neil Maxman.

[shredder]

Check out snooker pro tips on youtube by Neil Maxman.

His videos are among those I've watched already.

[snookerdad]

I would guess that you are striking the cue-ball too high. Try hitting it right at the bottom.

Don't use power but accelerate through the cue-ball until your hand hits your chest.

Most beginners hit the cue-ball too high and too hard on screw shots.

Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)

[shredder]

^ thanks, I guess I'll keep trying (could be that I hit it too high, but I really make an effort not to)

[nrage]

The 2 factors which control how much screw you get are:
- where you strike.
- how fast the tip is going when you strike.

So, striking too high will ruin the screw. Or, slowing down before you strike.

So, consistency and accuracy are super important, and as we know when we try to add power we tend to loose accuracy. And.. when we tense muscles we actually inhibit motion.. so, tightening the hand or arm during the stroke will actually slow it down, not speed it up.

So.. you want a grip which holds the cue (prevents it flying out of your hand) but doesn't tense up during the stroke. Some players like to squeeze just a little on impact, but I would build up to this. The grip doesn't need to be as tight as many people believe it does. But, it wants to be closed around the cue so the cue cannot move about. Try a simple pot and keep the hand relaxed throughout, now decrease the tension bit by bit until the cue does actually come out of your hand. Notice how loose it has to be before that happens. So, play with a grip that has just a touch more tension than that.

With that grip, practice soft screw shots, blues to the middle with a slight angle.
- Stay down on the shot until the ball pots and concentrate on pushing the cue through without tensing the arm/grip.
- Back swing should either be constant length (if that's how you play) or 1/3-1/2 way back.
- Accelerate the cue as smoothly as you can manage, and keep pushing right through the white.
- Keep as still as possible on the shot. Bridge should be as low/level as you can manage.
- White to bridge distance should be as per normal.
- You're aiming to strike the white 1-1.5 tip widths above the cloth (high enough that another cue tip could sit under yours at the moment of impact).

Best of luck.

This video is my fav on the subject of why ppl don't screw back:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqqakiKbhHI
(don't be put off that it's a pool video, Mike Page knows what he's talking about)

[shredder]

Thanks nrage, that was a great post with great tips. I'll definitely keep those in mind.

Thanks for taking the time!

[humperdingle]

I would guess that you are striking the cue-ball too high. Try hitting it right at the bottom.

That was my problem with coming back into the game - I used to manage a lot of backspin in my youth but had exactly the same problem recently.

Try a shot at what you THINK will get screw back. Then try the same shot, but lower on the ball, then lower, etc... You may well think you're going to jump the ball, but chances are you won't.

Just keep the cue as parallel with the bed as possible.

[nrage]

Try a shot at what you THINK will get screw back. Then try the same shot, but lower on the ball, then lower, etc... You may well think you're going to jump the ball, but chances are you won't.

This is actually a Q I've had myself recently. How low do people aim to strike, and do you believe you are striking there.. how low can you actually go?

I have a 360 pure cue, which has a fairly hard tip and is fairly light at the tip end. I have found I cannot aim to strike lower than 1 tip width above the cloth (that is the bottom of my tip is 1 whole tip width above the cloth). The tip is 9.5mm I believe and I am as parallel as I can manage (perhaps 1 chalk over the cushion with grip hand).

Is this as low as you can go? Or can you get lower with a softer tip or heavier cue perhaps?

Edit; I suspect I have a flaw which shows up when I try to screw with power - I roll/lift my shoulder which dips the tip, this may be why I cannot aim to strike lower than 1 tip width, perhaps.

[Terry Davidson]

shredder:

You mentioned in your original post 'I make sure to keep my shoulders down'. I'm not sure what that means but you should get the BRIDGE ARM shoulder down as low as possible but the GRIP HAND shoulder should be as high as possible, in fact up and behind the head so it's not visible from the front as it's hidden by the head. Remember to keep it comfortable though as you should never introduce discomfort in your set-up.

I think all the advice above applies to you. You should hit the cue ball about 1 tip width above the cloth. You should stay absolutely still on the shot with no head or shoulder movement AT ALL. You should keep the grip nice and relaxed and most importantly DO NOT TIGHTEN THE GRIP AT ALL UNTIL THE HAND HITS THE CHEST (which should happen every shot by the way).

Also remember you must accelerate through and BEYOND the cueball strike while keeping the grip relaxed.

Start with simple shots like the blue or brown off the spot. Do not practice with a straight in shot as that will incourage you to lift up the cue when the cueball starts coming back. Try to set up a slightly off-straight shot so the cueball coming back will not interfere with the cue. On these low power shots it will not be necessary to drop the elbow at all since that has the effect of raising the cue tip up on the white and you will get more stun than screw.

Lastly, ensure you have a good tip on the cue. Not spongy (you should not be able to push your thumbnail into the side of the tip) and not too hard and well chalked too.

Terry

[shredder]

Terry: That was an amazing post as well. Thanks a bunch for taking the time to put all that in writing.

You mentioned in your original post 'I make sure to keep my shoulders down'. I'm not sure what that means but you should get the BRIDGE ARM shoulder down as low as possible but the GRIP HAND shoulder should be as high as possible, in fact up and behind the head so it's not visible from the front as it's hidden by the head. Remember to keep it comfortable though as you should never introduce discomfort in your set-up.

You're right, that was nonsense. What I meant was relaxed shoulders, not "down". And yes I do try to keep the grip hand shoulder in the air and keep a steady forward movement when hitting.

One thing I think might be my main issue is not hitting it low enough. I don't think I'm hitting it with a tip-width's height. That's definitely something I'll try out next time at the table.

[chrissmall147]

hi shredder,

the cue ball has 9 points to it. 0 is the middle of the cue ball then + 1 to +4 to top off the cue ball. Below middle of the cue ball is -1 to -4 and this makes up the 9 points. so for you to consistently screw back you will have to aim at -4 and make sure that is where you strike the cue ball. You are probably starting low on the cue ball while you are cueing but when you are delivering the cue you are coming up the cue ball and striking -1 instead of -4 and that is why your white ball is just stopping dead. Try practising lower power at first and when you get consistent at that then you can start upping the power on your screw backs ok. The reason that beginners stop the white dead and come up the white on delivery is that they are scared off jumping the white and miss cueing so its natural for them to have a tendency to go higher up the white. So as you understand the different heights, put your tip on the middle of the cue ball which is zero and then half a tip diameter would be -1 then another half tip diameter would be -2 and so on and obviously the same for above middle. So to finish of -4 is the screw back position, so address the cue ball at this point then start your cueing actions and remain on this point, then deliver the cue to the exact same point and you cannot fail to play the shot properly. good luck

chris small coach

[shredder]

Great advice, thanks Chris.

[davipp]

I was having the same problem and suddenly realised that I am not lowering my bridge hand at all when striking low on the cue ball.
I have been practising making sure my bridge hand is flat on the table for screw shots and having much better results.

[shredder]

^^ Trying out the tips and suggestions tonight. Will report back

hope to be playing like a sir within long: