tapping the ring/middle finger?

[JoeNut]

Just wondering if anyone could explain why a lot of the pro's seems to tap there bridge hand fingers when playing a shot, is it some sort of nervous habit/ritual?

Does anyone have an explanation for this, or do it themselves, and if so, do you do it because they do it, or for your own reason?

[RGCirencester]

It just happens, some people say it helps to keep your bridge hand relaxed but i've heard a few of the pro players answering this question and they've all said it's just a natural thing you start to do. Whether its subliminal from growing up watching the pros do it, or something else i dont know. But it seems to be a habit a lot of people fall in to. I've even seen non snooker fans that haven't been watching the pros doing it all thier lives start doing it.
Personally i find when im cuing well i tend to sort of tap out a beat, two taps on the backswing, two on the forwards swing, which i feel helps me concentrate.
But no i dont think there is a technical reason for doing this. But someone else can correct me if they disagree.

[davipp]

Tony Meo was the 1st pro I saw doing this & of course I started doing it why I don't know, Don't do it anymore. Its probably a nervous tic. It just may have something to do with the cueing rythm as RGCirencester has suggested.

[spike]

I still tap my middle finger when i play and have been since as long as i can remember, but cant be sure if it was because i'd seen the pros on tv do it that made me do it. I find it does help on certain shots though espeically when it comes to long pots!

[bongo]

I don't do it, I used to but it is either your habit or it isn't. There is nothing to gain in doing it really.

bongo

[KeithinFrance]

I don't do it, I used to but it is either your habit or it isn't. There is nothing to gain in doing it really.

bongo

I don't think you gain anything either, but I sometimes do it when I'm down on the shot and my mind is still considering possibilities; so if I start tapping, it's a sort of early warning system that I should get back up and look the table over again, make my mind up and then get back down and play the shot. So, for me it can be useful.

[Watford]

I don't tap often but have noticed that the second finger (next to the index) has no pressure on the table so is not part of my bridge.

When I'm cueing you couldn't lift my other fingers without a tug but that on would move easily.

[screwball]

Because the middle finger is longer and stronger than the other four it has a tendency to lift the index finger when the bridge hand grips the cloth. Some players obviate this by tapping the middle finger or aligning it in such a way that its effect is minimized.

[RocketRoy1983]

Mark J is a big finger tapper. I used to but not for any reason only because I saw Williams do it and thought id try it lol. I still do every now and then but its more when im down on the shot and the ball is rolling towards the pocket and im not sure if its there or not i sort of tap my finger but dont know why?

[DandyA]

I'm a big Steve Davis fan so I don't tap my middle finger ... just stick my tongue out whilst I'm feathering ...

[KeithinFrance]

Mark J is a big finger tapper. I used to but not for any reason only because I saw Williams do it and thought id try it lol. I still do every now and then but its more when im down on the shot and the ball is rolling towards the pocket and im not sure if its there or not i sort of tap my finger but dont know why?

Nervousness!

[noel]

My first real snooker mentor didn't tap, but simply raised his social finger and pointed it directly at his aim point, maybe just for good luck...
like the Fickle Finger of Fate!


=o)

Noel

[BarryH]

I'm a big Steve Davis fan so I don't tap my middle finger ... just stick my tongue out whilst I'm feathering ...

In the 80s Davis was known as Fish Face in our household due to his tendency to study the table with an expressionless mouth-open countenance.

[DandyA]

In the 80s Davis was known as Fish Face in our household due to his tendency to study the table with an expressionless mouth-open countenance.

or of course, if sticking your tongue out doesn't work, you could always try the Walter Lindrum approach and get the offending digit chopped off in an accident ...

[KeithinFrance]

or of course, if sticking your tongue out doesn't work, you could always try the Walter Lindrum approach and get the offending digit chopped off in an accident ...

So, if the tongue doesn't work, do you get it cut off, too?!?