How to get cueing straight?

[nvedia]

Hi everyone
I have been playing snooker for over 2 years and I am not satisfied with my game. So, I have decided that I will make consistent effort to improve my game
The first thing which I have noticed is that my cueing is not straight and my elbow, wrist, cue stick are not in the same line
Can someone help me with practice routines which I can try at home which will make my cueing straight?
I dont have table at home but I am determined to do anything

I have already started this (see bottle animation at the bottom of this page)
http://www.snookergames.co.uk/tuition.html

Any method or any help would be greatly appreciated by fellow members here
Thanks

[DawRef]

How To Get Cueing Straight

Here is one thing you can try. Set up to pot a ball into a pocket. Place two other balls on the table, such that your cue is passing through the gap between them when you are cueing. The object of the exercise is not to hit the balls when you cue.

The straighter you cue, the smaller the gap between the balls will become. Eventually, you will just get down to the thickness of the cue.

Hope this makes sense.

Remember, the harder you play the stroke, the more likely you are not to cue straight.

[MinnesotaSlim]

Cueing Straight

http://www.poolndarts.com/p-4871-Buddy-Hall-Cue-Guide/

This is a tool some guy developed, you could probably make one cheaper. Anyway, it is a similar idea to DawRef's. Same principal, narrow the field and have some sort of stops so you know when you have broken the field. Could be anything from a small amount of rotation in your shoulders or hips, to too much beer. I know a lot of people that show excellent stroke in 5 practice strokes, but change in their final stroke. Might try to have somebody watch you and see if they can spot anything changing in your stroke.

[archalf1471]

years ago when I started playing we had a drill whereby you place the blue on the spot with the white about a foot behind it and see how many times you can pot it by running through to the other time, clearly if centre ball striking is maintained the white should follow through on a direct line enabling you to pot it time after time. If side is applied then the white will deviate off line and the exercise will have to be started again

Also do this by cueing through a matchbox, by the same token if you hit the sides of the matchbox you are not cueing straight

[Blondie]

Hi everyone
I have been playing snooker for over 2 years and I am not satisfied with my game. So, I have decided that I will make consistent effort to improve my game
The first thing which I have noticed is that my cueing is not straight and my elbow, wrist, cue stick are not in the same line
Can someone help me with practice routines which I can try at home which will make my cueing straight?
I dont have table at home but I am determined to do anything

I have already started this (see bottle animation at the bottom of this page)
http://www.snookergames.co.uk/tuition.html

Any method or any help would be greatly appreciated by fellow members here
Thanks

Hi Nvedia,

...........well done for persevering with the game, it's not easy, but keep going..

Cue action and keeping your cueing straight can be difficult sometimes, and if you give 100% concentration and your body positioning is correct, you should be there. For me, I just stand completely still, with my arm over the cue, and making sure when I strike the cue ball that my elbow that's holding the cue is in a complete direct line with the cue. Doesn't always work for me like this, of course, , and it takes practice, but the main thing is not to let your elbow fall away, or outside the line of your cue, or push it too much towards your body. This way generally works for me, and enables me to hit the cue-ball straight, and on a good day, consistently as well...

In terms of practice drills, a little boring here maybe, but I just tend to put the cue ball on the centre spot of the 'D', and just really play it over the blue, pink, and black spots striking the top of the cushion. I find this really helps me with cueing straightly, and also helps your potting become more accurate and precise. During a practice session, may just practice this for about 10/15 minutes just as a warm up really.........

And thinking about it further Nvedia, just wondering as well what type of cue you use, ash/maple, and if you are actually 'comfortable' with it, because sometimes this can be the cause of not cueing straightly without you necessarily realising it. And sometimes cues can be too heavy, or light for your size/build, have a too heavy/too soft a tip, all sorts really, but worth reviewing, and maybe checking with other cues too. It's also said with ash cues that the grain is sometimes heavier, and can help more with the sighting of your shot, which should help you cue more straightly as well.

And hope this helps a little Nvedia, and keep going, it's a great game.

Lol....xx

[nvedia]

Thanks everyone for the comments

DawRef , cueing between two balls will make sure my cueing is not left or right but will it make sure its horizontal?

MinnesotaSlim,
Thank you so much for that link
That looks like something I was looking for
Its for pool but I wll make the same for snooker using glass/transparent pipe


archalf1471,
I tried that blue spot exercise many times and was not able to pot the blue ball and hence I want to work on cueing straight so that I can rectify my mechanics...
BTW, I did not get the matchbox part

Blondie,
I love this game like anything and will not leave it
You said
"the main thing is not to let your elbow fall away, or outside the line of your cue"
yes, my elbow does fall away...I dint know it matters....
I am using a simple woodern cue to start with....

[Sam147]

Maybe this will help a lil as well since it works for a lot of ppl; try to keep the cue as parallel to the bed of the table as u possibly can when cueing and delivering the shot since raising the butt of the cue even slightly will exagerate the effect of any unintentional side application

I know it's easier said than done but that's the beauty of practice

[MrRottweiler]

When you're cuing rub the cue against the side of your body. If you don't do this you will never achieve a competent level because your cue will be too wobbly

[nvedia]

MrRottweiler
Can you please elaborate more on this?

[nvedia]

I got it
You are talking about this
http://www.ribsa.net/Coaching/The%20...ame%202006.pdf
----
Be careful to keep your cue in contact with the
chest, and do not allow your elbow to drop during your
cueing or on your final take away.

---
Am I right?

[Erwan_BZH]

Yes you're right. this is what he was talking about.

[nvedia]

Thanks very much everyone!

[zog147]

iv HERD REMOVAL BOXES ARE GOOD ARCHY

[nvedia]

Removal Boxes???