Playing with screw

[The Hurricane]

Hi Lads,

I often find that i struggle to screw the cue ball back whilst playing a screw shot. This is no problem for me in pool, where i generate a good amount of screw, but i can't seem to replicate this on the snooker table.

Any tips or advice?

Cheers.

[andy carson]

follow through on the cue ball properly, dont stab at it or decelerate through the shot.

with pool the white is lighter than the colours so its a hell of a lot easier to get side top or screw on it, plus its a smaller table and most often a hell of a lot less distance between the object ball and cue ball...

[The Hurricane]

Thanks Andy, i think that may be the problem. Thinking about it, i do tend to stab at the cue ball, next time i'll make a better attempt to follow through with the cue.

Sorry i've just realised this should have gone in the coaching questions section.

[Terry Davidson]

hurricane:

When screwing the two most important things are:

1. Drop your bridge and hit the bottom of the cueball, perhaps 1 tip width off the cloth. DONM'T DO WHAT A LOT OF PLAYERS DO AND RAISE THE BUTT OF THE CUE TO GET THE TIP DOWN, lower the bridge to keep the cue as level as possible.

2. Drive the grip hand through to the chest so you're accelerating THROUGH the cueball and beyond.

If you do these 2 things you cannot fail to get major screw (if only it were that simple with the women though!)

Terry

[tommygunner1309]

Terry Griffiths advocates raising the bridge hand and screwing into the bottom of the ball. You have to be a good cueist with this one though as you can easily hit a jump shot, and if your tip is down to the ferrule you have to be careful of the cloth. This is a much more difficult shot than keeping the cue parallel and a low bridge hand.
I tend to use the latter, unless I am close to the top cushion with no obvious safety into baulk. There I find I get a much better result by the raised bridge hand, and by using a little bottom side, often screw in behind the black.
But again, I think this is for each individual to practice the different shots and see what suits you better.

Whoops I boobed. Back in March this year I was with Terry, and we were talking about top spin, and it was that he said raise the bridge hand as much as possible. He then said that it was also useful raising the bridge hand if you were near a cushion and wanted to screw back. The fact that the cue ball being so close to the cush it was impossible to get a flat hand on the table, and screw could be achieved by raising the bridge. Otherwise, keep a flat hand on the table for screw.

[The Hurricane]

Thanks guys, i'll bear that in mind next time i play. I am 'one of those players that raises the butt to get the tip down', haha.

[deant1982]

Thanks guys, i'll bear that in mind next time i play. I am 'one of those players that raises the butt to get the tip down', haha.

Yet again, Terry gives brill advice. What he has described above should work without a problem. If you are still struggling, the only other thing I can think of which isn't mentioned above is to change your tip. A harder tip (I find) is able to generate more spin, try something like a talisman (adr147 sells them) a kamui, or something along those lines.

[nrage]

I found this really interesting:
http://www.youtube.com/user/FargoBil...14/ZqqakiKbhHI

Most likely something about your set up is different for snooker, and most likely your cue action has some sort of up/down movement in it, meaning that with a slightly different set up (for snooker) your cue is rising before striking the white, whereas with pool it's not. Or it's psychological, perhaps you get on the nice quality snooker table and worry about hitting the cloth with the cue.

In contrast to Dean I find a softer tip generates more screw, weird huh.

[deant1982]

I found this really interesting:
http://www.youtube.com/user/FargoBil...14/ZqqakiKbhHI

Most likely something about your set up is different for snooker, and most likely your cue action has some sort of up/down movement in it, meaning that with a slightly different set up (for snooker) your cue is rising before striking the white, whereas with pool it's not. Or it's psychological, perhaps you get on the nice quality snooker table and worry about hitting the cloth with the cue.

In contrast to Dean I find a softer tip generates more screw, weird huh.

You have got me questioning my own cue action now, as I have always felt more comfortable with a harder tip, and never ever questioned my ability to play with screw or side. I have always been able to get sufficiently into the white to achieve the desired effect. The one thing I have noticed recently though (I have recently had to change my tip, currently using an Elkmaster as I have for the last 10 or so years) the current tip is a lot softer than before, and I am struggling to get screw/side to be consistant. The main thing is I have always struggled with getting a lot of top spin into the cue ball, but with the current tip. It is taking top to almost silly levels. It is getting to the point where I am underhitting my shots I am playing with top, as when I hit them how I normally do to get position, the white is taking the top so much, it is travelling much further than I am used to, usually ending up near a cushion instead of the middle of the table. How bizarre is this
Oh well, the Elkmaster is coming off either tonight or tomorrow, and a Kamui MH going on for a trial, lets see how I do with that!!

[deant1982]

You have got me questioning my own cue action now, as I have always felt more comfortable with a harder tip, and never ever questioned my ability to play with screw or side. I have always been able to get sufficiently into the white to achieve the desired effect. The one thing I have noticed recently though (I have recently had to change my tip, currently using an Elkmaster as I have for the last 10 or so years) the current tip is a lot softer than before, and I am struggling to get screw/side to be consistant. The main thing is I have always struggled with getting a lot of top spin into the cue ball, but with the current tip. It is taking top to almost silly levels. It is getting to the point where I am underhitting my shots I am playing with top, as when I hit them how I normally do to get position, the white is taking the top so much, it is travelling much further than I am used to, usually ending up near a cushion instead of the middle of the table. How bizarre is this
Oh well, the Elkmaster is coming off either tonight or tomorrow, and a Kamui MH going on for a trial, lets see how I do with that!!

Elkmaster is gone, Kamui MH is on, and I have never ever used a tip that can generate that much spin or side. It really does allow the white to generate a LOT more spin. It is taking some getting used to, as with it taking the side or spin so much, the position is being overhit a lot at the moment due to the Elkmaster not able to produce so much reaction, so requiring a more "forceful" hit.
If you are still struggling to generate screw, I would certainly recommend trying a laminated tip. Kamui, Talisman, Moori, MW etc.