Perfect Timing

[craigslater]

HI

Ive heard sometimes when ive been watching the snooker when ronnie is playing the commentators saying that he gets the level of back and top spin out of the cueball because he has superb timing when striking the cueball.

Can anyone explain this to me, and also is there any way to improve the timing when striking the cueball to improve back and top spin?

Does how hard you hit the cueball and the level of follow through effect the level of spin aswel?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[daoc2006]

Oh yes,

The amount of follow through determines the amount of spin, if you cue smoothly and folllow through well, it is surprising how much spin you can acheive with not having to hit it very hard.

In the build up to a deep screw, have very long preliminary addressses, pause at the end of the final backswing and then try to follow through as smoothly as possible, sheer pace and no follow through though does nothing.

It is the way the cue goes through the ball, not how hard you hit it.

Ronnie in my opinion has the best cue power in the game, he creates so much spin from so little pace, i dont really know how its possible to create like 6 feet of backspin from the black spot from the way he does it, if you watch him sometimes, he hits it so softly and still gets a deep screw.
Amazing.

If you watch Hendry, he has to hit the ball a bit harder then O Sulivan generally for deep ish screw shots, just a point ive noticed over the last few years.

[Martin76]

A timing explanation goes something like this:

As you start the delivery of the cue after the final pause the cue will initially move slowly and then pick up pace and be accelerating as you hit the cue ball. Perfect timing is when you have maximum acceleration of the cue ("within the pace" of that particular shot, of course) at the exact moment of impact on the cue ball. That way the cue tip and the cue ball are in contact for as long as possible, enabling a greater transfer of effect to the cue ball.

Sounds easy, doesn't it?

[The Statman]

Absolutely.

It is the 'acceleration' rather than the speed, which can be quite difficult to visualise and it is easily confused with speed.

A shot that needs to be played slowly still needs to be with that 'acceleration' right to be perfect.

[thinsy]

A timing explanation goes something like this:

As you start the delivery of the cue after the final pause the cue will initially move slowly and then pick up pace and be accelerating as you hit the cue ball. Perfect timing is when you have maximum acceleration of the cue ("within the pace" of that particular shot, of course) at the exact moment of impact on the cue ball. That way the cue tip and the cue ball are in contact for as long as possible, enabling a greater transfer of effect to the cue ball.

Sounds easy, doesn't it?

Thank you Martin for an accurate and simple explanation of 'timing'...

I have been struggling with my game lately and as a result decided to stop playing for a month or so... However, in reading this I realise you have just described exactly what I am NOT doing!!!

I can't wait 'til I get back to the baize...

[craigslater]

Thanks for the explanations, a great help, i will see if i can improve my 'timing' down the club tonight.

Thanks again

[ADR147]

Thanks for the explanations, a great help, i will see if i can improve my 'timing' down the club tonight.

Thanks again

try picking part of a song or a sentence and repeat it as you play a shot so that you can have a frame of reference also it will stop you thinking about it too much.

i know it sounds weird but a few years ago i had issues with changing the way i was playing shots during a frame in order to create different results and somebody game me that tip and it worked instantly

[Semih_Sayginer]

perfect timing is when you walk into the pub and its your mates turn to buy a round of drinks.

on cue, perfect timing is very well described by martin earlier in this thread, as its not an easy one to describe so neatly, and its one thats best described along with actual play.

good post martin.

[mutalieb]

Hi All

IMHO I think that that he generates so much cue ball movement because of the fact that he drops his elbow on his follow thru. It has nothing to do with timing at all. Timing involves hand and eye coordination which assists you in the potting department as well as controlling the amount of pace applied to the cue ball. What shoots the timing equals cue power theory right out of the water is the fact that you can still achieve a great deal of power while being blind folded.

Basically, when you are addressing the cue ball the cue itself will be slanted at a decline from the cue arm towards the bed of the table. By dropping the elbow when striking the white your fist should follow thru and hit your chest thus resulting in your cue to parrallel out with the bed of the table. When this is done to perfection then the tip will remain so much longer in contact with the white resulting in more spin hence more cue ball movement with less power required. I am amazed that none of the commentators have ever mentioned this before.

The next time you see Ronnie play then just take note of how he drops his elbow on the follow thru. The tip of his cue will also never remain on the bed just after he has struck the white.

Just my bit to add and hope it helps with your technique.

[ADR147]

perfect timing is when you walk into the pub and its your mates turn to buy a round of drinks.


i though you lived near me in scotland - that never happens to me!!