Middle finger grip

[jono*]

Hi all, got a question about the grip. I've been trying the middle finger to hold the cue rather than the index finger. I have noticed that I can hit the ball more accurately than using the index finger but at the same time I can't get the same ball reaction as I can with using the index finger. Is that because the hand doesn't open up as much using the middle finger to grip and which way should I go? Been troubling for a while and would ideally find one that works to stick with.. Has anyone else tried this grip and found the same thing?

[Ramon]

Hi all, got a question about the grip. I've been trying the middle finger to hold the cue rather than the index finger. I have noticed that I can hit the ball more accurately than using the index finger but at the same time I can't get the same ball reaction as I can with using the index finger. Is that because the hand doesn't open up as much using the middle finger to grip and which way should I go? Been troubling for a while and would ideally find one that works to stick with.. Has anyone else tried this grip and found the same thing?

Jono,, . I saw in one of these threads ( Twisting cue ). ,,Terry saying : the ball reaction and the cue power has to do with the length of your backSWG. . . You might want to read that . maybe you can find som more info about your question. , Btw, interesting question.h

[jono*]

Jono,, . I saw in one of these threads ( Twisting cue ). ,,Terry saying : the ball reaction and the cue power has to do with the length of your backSWG. . . You might want to read that . maybe you can find som more info about your question. , Btw, interesting question.h

Yes.. But by gripping with the index finger.. There is more opening of the back three fingers as opposed to opening of two fingers in the middle finger grip.. And that adds to the extra follow through....?

[cyberheater]

Ronnie and Alex Higgins are middle finger grippers. And so am I. I feel I can cue straighter using it and I have no issues with power shots.
Remember we call it a grip but in reality it's a gentle cradle to hold the cue. Hardly any grip at all and as relaxed as possible.

[jono*]

Ronnie and Alex Higgins are middle finger grippers. And so am I. I feel I can cue straighter using it and I have no issues with power shots.
Remember we call it a grip but in reality it's a gentle cradle to hold the cue. Hardly any grip at all and as relaxed as possible.

I understand that the grip should be loose, but you can also say that a loose grip allows more sideways movement that leads to a big movement at the tip, therefore unwanted side. With a middle finger grip thats more solid, you get less of that and therefore more accuracy hitting the target. I have always used the index to grip but lately changed and found better consistency but can't get the same power. For example, white off straight to the black side, pot the blue with side and top in and out of bulk to bring the cue ball back to the the pink area; I can do that quite easily with the index finger grip but I don't get the same cue ball speed with middle finger grip despite trying to keep everything else the same. The cue ball still gets in that area but not as far...

[cyberheater]

I understand that the grip should be loose, but you can also say that a loose grip allows more sideways movement that leads to a big movement at the tip, therefore unwanted side.

I can't say I've noticed that. If I'm cueing well I don't get unwanted side.

pot the blue with side and top in and out of bulk to bring the cue ball back to the the pink area; I can do that quite easily with the index finger grip but I don't get the same cue ball speed with middle finger grip despite trying to keep everything else the same. The cue ball still gets in that area but not as far...

That's a hard shot anyway. On a normal slowish club tables you have to play that shot extremely well to get the white down to pink area irrespective of grip. You also have to hit the white very hard with lots of follow through and maybe with your different grip you are hitting the white at a slightly different angle.
Ronnie and Alex had no problem putting lots of whizz on the white using this grip.

[jono*]

I can't say I've noticed that. If I'm cueing well I don't get unwanted side.


That's a hard shot anyway. On a normal slowish club tables you have to play that shot extremely well to get the white down to pink area irrespective of grip. You also have to hit the white very hard with lots of follow through and maybe with your different grip you are hitting the white at a slightly different angle.
Ronnie and Alex had no problem putting lots of whizz on the white using this grip.

Yup, I'm trying to find a way to get the best of both, To be able to hit the white consistently and with enough follow. Of course I would like to hit the ball like they do, but keeping my feet on the ground I just want to be more consistent and improve...Maybe I could get a video up of the variations...

[cyberheater]

Yup, I'm trying to find a way to get the best of both, To be able to hit the white consistently and with enough follow. Of course I would like to hit the ball like they do, but keeping my feet on the ground I just want to be more consistent and improve...Maybe I could get a video up of the variations...

A vid would be great. We love vids around here.

[itsnoteasy]

I understand that the grip should be loose, but you can also say that a loose grip allows more sideways movement that leads to a big movement at the tip, therefore unwanted side. With a middle finger grip thats more solid, you get less of that and therefore more accuracy hitting the target. I have always used the index to grip but lately changed and found better consistency but can't get the same power. For example, white off straight to the black side, pot the blue with side and top in and out of bulk to bring the cue ball back to the the pink area; I can do that quite easily with the index finger grip but I don't get the same cue ball speed with middle finger grip despite trying to keep everything else the same. The cue ball still gets in that area but not as far...

The grip shouldn't be loose, it should be light, a loose grip can let the cue wobble about in it, but a light grip has full contact but little pressure, if you have more pressure on your grip at the end of the stroke than you have at the beginning you are doing it wrong IMO. For me it's the first thing I look for when it's not going well, and I can't quite figure out why.

[vmax4steve]

The grip shouldn't be loose, it should be light, a loose grip can let the cue wobble about in it, but a light grip has full contact but little pressure, if you have more pressure on your grip at the end of the stroke than you have at the beginning you are doing it wrong IMO. For me it's the first thing I look for when it's not going well, and I can't quite figure out why.

Ray Reardon says the grip should be firm but not tight, others say differently. Myself, the cue is just resting in my fingers and I almost let it go on the follow through on power shots, but hey each to their own.

Don't look to your grip when things are going wrong itsnoteasy, just tell yourself that you're not looking at the object ball. You know that's your achilles heel, and when you get this right everything else falls into place.
Every single time you miss a shot tell yourself this, remind yourself, don't look elsewhere as it's this that's at the root of all other faults.

[itsnoteasy]

Ray Reardon says the grip should be firm but not tight, others say differently. Myself, the cue is just resting in my fingers and I almost let it go on the follow through on power shots, but hey each to their own.

Don't look to your grip when things are going wrong itsnoteasy, just tell yourself that you're not looking at the object ball. You know that's your achilles heel, and when you get this right everything else falls into place.
Every single time you miss a shot tell yourself this, remind yourself, don't look elsewhere as it's this that's at the root of all other faults.

Yep, that's the number one enemy Vmax, there is no doubt about that. It has been going very well recently, but I was a bit all over the place today.

[Ramon]

Yes.. But by gripping with the index finger.. There is more opening of the back three fingers as opposed to opening of two fingers in the middle finger grip.. And that adds to the extra follow through....?

to be honest with you, I can'nt give you the right answer here because I am not a coach.
but I can give you my opinion : << when you use index finger, you close your grip a few seconds later than when you using MDL finger. this way you give the cue more time to do his work. and as a result more ball reaction. Do'nt forget,, there are plenty players that use middle finger and still get plenty of ball reaction. (As it was already mentioned by other members here !!!!)
I think the most important is your timing and for each player is a matter of personal preference.
as Vmax mentioned it already,,, as long as you do'nt get your eyes ff the OB.

[vmax4steve]

Yep, that's the number one enemy Vmax, there is no doubt about that. It has been going very well recently, but I was a bit all over the place today.

As I was last night mate. Well beaten by my practise partner who was trying out the latest cue that I've made. Strange satisfaction in that though as It was good to see him play well with something I'd made, but my own game was terrible until the last two frames when my timing clicked.
I think my main concern was how well that cue he was using played and my concentration was non existant until he picked up his own cue for the last few frames.

It's all in the mind I guess.

[alabadi]

All i can say the middle finger grip did not work for me , either in accuracy or power. i changed to this grip about 3-4 weeks ago to solve a problem of gripping too early, the first week i had a nightmare i couldn't pot to save my life, however i thought stick at it because i know any change takes time.

well i can truely say i had the worst 3-4 weeks of snooker i have played in the last 5 years. nothing worked. i gave it every chance but it was hit and miss too often.
i reverted to my old grip on Thursday and immediately my game picked up again.

i think changing the grip can have huge effects on ones game. and Vmax is right in that we all blame the grip when things start to go wrong and we end up making the matter worse.

there's no harm in experimenting , so i guess its a matter of finding what is comfortable and what works for each individual. for me i know the best grip is the index finger and thumb, so now i can stop fiddling with it.

[vmax4steve]

To be honest I've also tinkered with different grips in the past, back three fingers, front two, index and thumb only, as well as gripping with the first two finger tips only, right on the flat of the butt with the thumb hanging down and wrist cocked out. I'm pretty good with this grip as I use the whole length of the cue nearly all the time and can sight the shot better.

I can pot just the same with any grip, but my positional play is best with my natural grip of just resting the cue in the curl of my fingers and letting the weight of the cue do its job.

Having done all this tinkering I am of the opinion that the grip isn't really a problem when it comes to snooker unless it alters the angle of the wrist on the stroke, and that is basically down to gripping too tightly too early on the delivery stroke, no matter which grip is used.