Tight grip

[gerbisto]

Hello everyone,

I always had a problem with holding the butt of the cue too tight during a game especially when tense. Recently I watched a youtube vid, earl strickland vs francesco bustamante and Earl Strickland had something in his gripping hand to prevent him from holding the butt tight. The commentator mentioned how Alex Higgins used to leave one of his fingers pointing to the floor to avoid this.

So the next day I went to the local club and started pointing my pinky finger to the floor. I felt I was cueing in a straighter line. Next day I started looking for videos of Alex Higgins playing and realised that he was pointing his index finger to the floor not his pinky so I meddled things up in a way but I felt really good while playing.

Any opinions on this? Has anyone ever tried it?

Thanks
Gerbisto

[cyberheater]

Hello everyone,

I always had a problem with holding the butt of the cue too tight during a game especially when tense. Recently I watched a youtube vid, earl strickland vs francesco bustamante and Earl Strickland had something in his gripping hand to prevent him from holding the butt tight. The commentator mentioned how Alex Higgins used to leave one of his fingers pointing to the floor to avoid this.

So the next day I went to the local club and started pointing my pinky finger to the floor. I felt I was cueing in a straighter line. Next day I started looking for videos of Alex Higgins playing and realised that he was pointing his index finger to the floor not his pinky so I meddled things up in a way but I felt really good while playing.

Any opinions on this? Has anyone ever tried it?

Thanks
Gerbisto

I think Ronnie O also does something similar where he only rests the cue on his middle and third finger and his index finger is quite open but not pointing to the floor.

Also look at Mark Allen's grip. He is hardly holding the cue at all. Amazing the amount of action he can get on a the white with that grip.

[cyberheater]

From Terry Davidson.

The 'hold' (I think the word 'grip' denotes too much pressure) on the cue is actually done with the upper part of the inside of the thumb and forefinger, with the remaining 3 fingers loosely wrapped around the butt and just touching it but not exerting any pressure. In a short backswing the configuration of the grip doesn't change much and the butt shouldn't rise although the back 3 fingers will loosen on the butt just a tad.

I think this is very sound advice.

[lesedwards]

From Terry Davidson.



I think this is very sound advice.

I was watching Mark in the UK and I noticed how loose his grip was too and yes it is amazing the action he gets. I have just re introduced a rear pause and this time I am going to stick with it. I end up with a much longer back swing and I defiantly cue through more positive with good follow through with no more jabbing at it. Looking forward to my practice session tonight.

[gerbisto]

Thanks guys, will watch some vids of Mark Allen. Will take particular attention to how he cues when he wants power, can't copy Alex on that!

[DandyA]

Thanks guys, will watch some vids of Mark Allen. Will take particular attention to how he cues when he wants power, can't copy Alex on that!

I think Mark Allen uses a wrist flick as he delivers the cue ... it works for him but is very hard to coordinate for us mortals so I wouldn't recommend it ...

grip pressure ... I'd recommend just tight enough to make sure you deliver the cue straight down the line of aim through the cueball ... no more and no less ... so easy shot cueing through dead centre white, you really don't need much at all ...

but say the break-off shot with side ... must grip firmer so the cue goes through straight and doesn't deflect to the side as the cue hits the white ...

but the most important thing is to hit through the cueball ... some say accelerating, some say trying to hit the object ball with the cue tip ... I just feel I'm playing well if I get a nice "clunk" as I hit the white ... as if it isn't there ...

hope this helps ...

[rovnos]

I think Alex Higgins held the cue with the fingers at the back of the hand, opposite to how most hold it now. I think he just used the last two fingers and the thumb and index finger were left open pointing downward. I remember reading somewhere about Steve Davis trying this grip and getting good results with it.

[gerbisto]

I think Mark Allen uses a wrist flick as he delivers the cue ... it works for him but is very hard to coordinate for us mortals so I wouldn't recommend it ...

grip pressure ... I'd recommend just tight enough to make sure you deliver the cue straight down the line of aim through the cueball ... no more and no less ... so easy shot cueing through dead centre white, you really don't need much at all ...

but say the break-off shot with side ... must grip firmer so the cue goes through straight and doesn't deflect to the side as the cue hits the white ...

but the most important thing is to hit through the cueball ... some say accelerating, some say trying to hit the object ball with the cue tip ... I just feel I'm playing well if I get a nice "clunk" as I hit the white ... as if it isn't there ...

hope this helps ...

The wrist flick I agree, is too tough for me.

Sometimes I play and remind myself to hold the cue loose but 80% of the time I don't since I got my basics wrong when I was young. This thing with the finger however is working in the sense that I am not forgetting, hopefully I'll stick to it. I will now try and find a reminder for the follow through which I also forget!

[gerbisto]

I think Alex Higgins held the cue with the fingers at the back of the hand, opposite to how most hold it now. I think he just used the last two fingers and the thumb and index finger were left open pointing downward. I remember reading somewhere about Steve Davis trying this grip and getting good results with it.

That's interesting, I could try that I suppose especially if it has Davis' blessing!

[Sn00kered]

Not that I'm a great standard to measure by but when I first started playing - 8 ball pool - I held the cue in my fingertips like Allen. When I started playing Snooker I found it difficult to generate enough power so moved to a full grip which I found a bit rigid and restrictive.

I ended up dropping my forefinger - aka Alex - and my pinky just kinda hangs there, so a kinda loose 2 fingered grip type thing which becomes a full grip if I apply power to a shot - deep screw etc. Strangely, I do something similar when playing guitar with a pic. I hold the pic between thumb and middlefinger which I've not noticed when others are playing rhythm... but that's a whole new forum!

If I'm stretchin' a bit then I hold the cue in a ring formed by my thumb and forefinger... as if there's an invisible 2" extension in the cue and that seems to work well for me. Suggest you try a few different options and try to find one that a) is comfortable b) is effective... Or to quote Depeche Mode... Get the balance right!

Since adapting my grip I haven't looked back winning numerous titles such as... oh... hang on a minute.... Yep that's right... I work in an office!

[j6uk]

just wrap your fingers around the cue, open the back of the hand on the back swing and hit from the elbow

[gerbisto]

Not that I'm a great standard to measure by but when I first started playing - 8 ball pool - I held the cue in my fingertips like Allen. When I started playing Snooker I found it difficult to generate enough power so moved to a full grip which I found a bit rigid and restrictive.

I ended up dropping my forefinger - aka Alex - and my pinky just kinda hangs there, so a kinda loose 2 fingered grip type thing which becomes a full grip if I apply power to a shot - deep screw etc. Strangely, I do something similar when playing guitar with a pic. I hold the pic between thumb and middlefinger which I've not noticed when others are playing rhythm... but that's a whole new forum!

If I'm stretchin' a bit then I hold the cue in a ring formed by my thumb and forefinger... as if there's an invisible 2" extension in the cue and that seems to work well for me. Suggest you try a few different options and try to find one that a) is comfortable b) is effective... Or to quote Depeche Mode... Get the balance right!

Since adapting my grip I haven't looked back winning numerous titles such as... oh... hang on a minute.... Yep that's right... I work in an office!

yeah sound advice, I also have an office job but so did Martin Gould!

[ace man]

yeah sound advice, I also have an office job but so did Martin Gould!

Just out of curiosity, what job did he have and for how long? I cannot imagine this would have been a normal 9 to 5 job.
Pressures of work and other commitments in your life have a way of killing your game.

[j6uk]

martini was a croupier

[Sn00kered]

He's a part time debt collector... according to Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Gould