Is Feathering Really Important?

[Terry Davidson]

No matter what you do with the feathering remember to pause the cue at the cueball just before the final backswing and raise your eyes to the object ball and lock them there.

[ace man]

I think very few players could play well without feathering. Otherwise we would see a lot more guys who play that way.
If somebody improves his game by completely abandoning feathering, I would be extremely surprised.

[Shockerz]

I think very few players could play well without feathering. Otherwise we would see a lot more guys who play that way.
If somebody improves his game by completely abandoning feathering, I would be extremely surprised.

I tried practicing without feathering a couple of years ago and thought I'd cracked it in practice, as soon as I got to a match I was useless so I let it go!

[Shockerz]

i can see feathering becoming more of an issue if a player feels like their fishing for the center of the white

I don't believe the white has a centre.

Well I've never found it and I've been looking a few years!

[jonny66]

I stopped feathering in a game once (it was nearly closing time and the light was running out) played great for about 10 minutes, thought "I've cracked this" then started to jaw everything and went back to feathering.

I think it's what you do before your feathers that counts as Terry said though, I try to feel the shot before I get down on it, then I don't even think about the feathers. It does seem to help.

[vmax4steve]

I stopped feathering in a game once (it was nearly closing time and the light was running out) played great for about 10 minutes, thought "I've cracked this" then started to jaw everything and went back to feathering.

Playing quickly and freely and pottting well and then that thought creeps in and it's over.
It's the thought that counts, and it counts against you because then it becomes conscious rather than unconscious.
What do you do when it becomes conscious ? your thinking overides your natural hand /eye and you simply don't look where you should when you should.

[itsnoteasy]

Just back from watching Judd Trump, two feathers then nice controlled pull back and just as controlled on the way through( which seems more important to me). I really looked hard at his cue action from all angles very interesting in respect of him cueing up to the right of the ball then coming across to hit centre, it's not quite what it seems on the telly.

[jonny66]

Playing quickly and freely and pottting well and then that thought creeps in and it's over.
It's the thought that counts, and it counts against you because then it becomes conscious rather than unconscious.
What do you do when it becomes conscious ? your thinking overides your natural hand /eye and you simply don't look where you should when you should.

"You need to make the unconscious, conscious" Inevermissblue.

That's what I have in my mind during practice at the mo. Trying to find a way to play like I do when I just go "feck it" and start potting balls like I could do it in my sleep, but a way of doing it on purpose, it's not easy.

[Cannonball]

I think people get hung up on feathering. The point to make is nothing to do with whether somebody feathers or not, it is more to do with the fact that a pre shot routine is essential.
Those players who don't necessarily feather the cue ball will still have the same pre shot routine for 99% of their shots which allows their technique to remain unaltered under pressure.

I played Rob Milkins at the Gloucester academy and thought he was taking me lightly by not feathering, I then watched him in a PTC final a week later and noticed he cued exactly the same against me as he did against established pros. Feathering is not the be all and end all, having a consistent pre shot routine is.

Yep, emptying the mind is essential; the decision has been made 3ft back, time to execute. consistent Pre-shot will help. But feathering does help some feel the weight of the shot and warm the muscles up for a big shot. It also helps some empty the tank of any stress in the body (from the mind). OP: try it both ways, a hybrid way maybe, and see what works for you.