Scooping

[Brijacq]

Hiya,

I think thats the term for it, ive noticed (using digital camcorder) that i have a tendency to drop the back of my cue when delivering it forward to strike the cueball. So in effect the cue tip is hitting higher on the cueball than i aimed. I have tried to fix it to no avail. I am wondering if its a major problem and should try and change my cueaction or live with it. It seems to affect my screwback capabilities when under a bit of pressure.

[bongo]

Hiya,

I think thats the term for it, ive noticed (using digital camcorder) that i have a tendency to drop the back of my cue when delivering it forward to strike the cueball. So in effect the cue tip is hitting higher on the cueball than i aimed. I have tried to fix it to no avail. I am wondering if its a major problem and should try and change my cueaction or live with it. It seems to affect my screwback capabilities when under a bit of pressure.

Hi Brijacq,

This is what Alex Higgins used to do at times. Make sure you are not holding the cue too lightly. If you are, you may be literally dropping your cue as you strike the cue ball.

Do you have your own cue? If you do, what weight is it? If the cue is quite heavy, then the weight of the cue can bring your back arm down to strike the cushion.

Try not to have the cue too low to the cushion, if you do, as the cue comes through, the thicker end of the cue will hit the cushion, as the cue gets thicker and thicker. Have the cue level, but not what some players think which it needs to be 3 microns or less above the cushion!

Also, see if your cueing is flat and level throughout, if it swings up and down, at the back then as you come through to strike, the back of the cue will swing down as normal and hit the rail.

You should make sure you change it as it could affect break building shots and you hit higher and run out of position at a vital time, or miss the pots!

Hope this helps,

bongo.

[Brijacq]

Thanks Bongo for the reply,

I own a Parris - Classic it weighs approx 18oz.
The light grip is something i will have to try out because i do hold it fairly lightly. I have tried a tighter grip and always seem to cue across the cueball a bit more which is worse than no screwback lol because you miss more pots, but as normal when you try to change something you tend to over compensate which normally makes things worse. So i will try the medium grip as advocated by the coaching manuals. (Pick up the cue with 1 hand - this is how firm the grip should be).

[bongo]

Thanks Bongo for the reply,

I own a Parris - Classic it weighs approx 18oz.
The light grip is something i will have to try out because i do hold it fairly lightly. I have tried a tighter grip and always seem to cue across the cueball a bit more which is worse than no screwback lol because you miss more pots, but as normal when you try to change something you tend to over compensate which normally makes things worse. So i will try the medium grip as advocated by the coaching manuals. (Pick up the cue with 1 hand - this is how firm the grip should be).

Good luck with that. Your cue about 18oz is heavier than mine, I think mine is only about 15-16.5oz!

[Watford]

A few player have had a dip!
Ronnie copied Ken Doherty's dip when a kid.

My mate dips and he hits regular 90s and is awesome at pool.
The dip only matters if you don't hit the white where you mean to.
Practice hitting the white correctly and it should improve.
Straight shots running through screwing back to start with.
You cue at 18oz is a very average weight I don't think that is a problem and you don't want to tighten up!

[bongo]

you don't want to tighten up

That is true but you should make sure you are gripping the cue at the tension that it would be if you were picking the cue off the table, or hitting somebody over the head with it, but not actually gripping it. That isn't actually tightning up, just not holding the cue too lightly which can make it difficult to follow through the cue ball properly.