Struggling After Coach Recommendations

[DougieL]

Hi All,

Newbie member of the forum here with a question for you all.

I've been playing snooker since my late teens - (daily for a few years between 18-22 before my local club closed down - Coral Shawlands, Glasgow) Highest break - 69 in this period.

Really didn't play much snooker at all after this but have been playing pool all my life in my local.

I started playing snooker regularly again a few years ago and can score a 20-30 break most frames.

___________

My problem.

After my new club opened up again after covid closure I decided to get in touch with a highly rated snooker coach for a 2 hour lesson (went 2 weeks go).

This went really well and he identified 2 things I need to change to improve. 1 easy - 1 hard.

Number 1 - quite easy change is I need to move my hand up 3-4 inches from the end of the butt. Getting used to this as I play.

Number 2 - my main problem is trying to introduce a pause at the end of my backswing.

I just can't get to grips with this - what am I supposed to do during this pause ? say some hail mary's or something ??

It's really upsetting my natural rhythm and cuing - subsequently making me play like a coo

Anyone got any tips for getting used to this cueing method to help me break the mental block ?

Cheers,

Dougie, Glasgow, Scotland.

[itsnoteasy]

Hi Dougie, was it JD you went to see?

[Starsky]

Hi All,

Newbie member of the forum here with a question for you all.

I've been playing snooker since my late teens - (daily for a few years between 18-22 before my local club closed down - Coral Shawlands, Glasgow) Highest break - 69 in this period.

Really didn't play much snooker at all after this but have been playing pool all my life in my local.

I started playing snooker regularly again a few years ago and can score a 20-30 break most frames.

___________

My problem.

After my new club opened up again after covid closure I decided to get in touch with a highly rated snooker coach for a 2 hour lesson (went 2 weeks go).

This went really well and he identified 2 things I need to change to improve. 1 easy - 1 hard.

Number 1 - quite easy change is I need to move my hand up 3-4 inches from the end of the butt. Getting used to this as I play.

Number 2 - my main problem is trying to introduce a pause at the end of my backswing.

I just can't get to grips with this - what am I supposed to do during this pause ? say some hail mary's or something ??

It's really upsetting my natural rhythm and cuing - subsequently making me play like a coo

Anyone got any tips for getting used to this cueing method to help me break the mental block ?

Cheers,

Dougie, Glasgow, Scotland.

I feel your pain . I myself had a session with a coach a week ago and have had to reconstruct my cue action along with one other smaller issue . It takes time to change things and the best way to practice those changes is by yourself and with easy shots .

In regards to pausing on the back stroke I personally find it helps to make sure your pausing on the last forward stroke as well. That when I remember to do it that is .
No idea why it helps but it certainly does for me.

[DougieL]

Hi Dougie, was it JD you went to see?

Yep, he was superb and extremely knowledgable. I've never had any formal snooker coaching in my life and fully understand what he's told me.

Just the implementation is seriously knackering my game right now (e.g. my girlfriend cleared a good blue, pink and black to win only her second ever
frame against me lol :-). )

Cheers,
Dougie.

[DougieL]

I feel your pain . I myself had a session with a coach a week ago and have had to reconstruct my cue action along with one other smaller issue . It takes time to change things and the best way to practice those changes is by yourself and with easy shots .

In regards to pausing on the back stroke I personally find it helps to make sure your pausing on the last forward stroke as well. That when I remember to do it that is .
No idea why it helps but it certainly does for me.

Thanks for your insight. I'll try a couple of sessions again on my own with easy shots.

Cheers,
Dougie.

[Starsky]

Thanks for your insight. I'll try a couple of sessions again on my own with easy shots.

Cheers,
Dougie.

I also suggest you ask your coach the best way to implement these changes they suggest . Don’t worry about asking questions on technique you’ve already covered in your sessions .

[DeanH]

Hi Dougie, was it JD you went to see?

Joe Davis? wooo!

[DougieL]

I also suggest you ask your coach the best way to implement these changes they suggest . Don’t worry about asking questions on technique you’ve already covered in your sessions .

He already mentioned some things but - to me, I'm just wasting time during this - pause - and I have the shot lined up etc - ready to pot.

I potted 5 out of 6 of the long blue to black right hand from behind green spot during the session - apparently one of the hardest shots in snooker. (number 5 rattled the jaws).

Be lucky to pot 1/6 right now

Cheers,
Dougie.

[DougieL]

Joe Davis? wooo!

Jim Donnelly, now 75 years old and still a shark

Dougie.

[MrRottweiler]

3-4 inches is a lot to be playing on every shot so it could mean the cue is too long. Does the tip come to just above your shoulder level? I had my cue extended and it was way too long so ended up taking a hacksaw to the butt and trimming off about an inch. Smoothed it off and it became much more comfortable to play with. I hold the butt further in on some shots like when in amongst the pack and playing dead weight shots but most of the time I prefer to hold the butt at the end.

I've always struggled with the pause because I know it's an important part of break building but when I focus on the pause it makes it more likely I'll miss. I can see how it's a technique that can be developed from a very young age and become automatic and more difficult to adopt later on. I've read the feathering is when you're flicking your eyes between cueball, object ball and pocket and the pause is when you make sure you're looking at the contact point on the object ball during the strike. A saying that you think to yourself each time like a final checklist during the feathering and pause might help with timing but as I say I'm no expert on the pause because mine is almost none existent.

[DougieL]

3-4 inches is a lot to be playing on every shot so it could mean the cue is too long. Does the tip come to just above your shoulder level? I had my cue extended and it was way too long so ended up taking a hacksaw to the butt and trimming off about an inch. Smoothed it off and it became much more comfortable to play with. I hold the butt further in on some shots like when in amongst the pack and playing dead weight shots but most of the time I prefer to hold the butt at the end.

I've always struggled with the pause because I know it's an important part of break building but when I focus on the pause it makes it more likely I'll miss. I can see how it's a technique that can be developed from a very young age and become automatic and more difficult to adopt later on. I've read the feathering is when you're flicking your eyes between cueball, object ball and pocket and the pause is when you make sure you're looking at the contact point on the object ball during the strike. A saying that you think to yourself each time like a final checklist during the feathering and pause might help with timing but as I say I'm no expert on the pause because mine is almost none existent.

The cue feels perfect to me. Recently acquired Trevor White 3/4 with 9.25 tip. Really gelled with it the couple of weeks before my session (5/6 above confirms this).

Just the adjustments to me cue action with the pause is really throwing me off.

I understand the concept and appreciate it is crucial to getting back to 50+ breaks.

More practice required and get a rhythm that suits me and 'stroking the white' rather than 'snatching' - which is what's upsetting my position.

Thanks for all the replies so far. Been very useful for me.

Cheers,
Dougie.

[itsnoteasy]

Yep, he was superb and extremely knowledgable. I've never had any formal snooker coaching in my life and fully understand what he's told me.

Just the implementation is seriously knackering my game right now (e.g. my girlfriend cleared a good blue, pink and black to win only her second ever
frame against me lol :-). )

Cheers,
Dougie.

It was the drilling in of the pause( for the timing) that reminded me of the way he coaches.

[DougieL]

It was the drilling in of the pause( for the timing) that reminded me of the way he coaches.

Did you adjust ?.

I've just got the tape measure out - and discovered i've been holding the cue about 6-6.5 inches before, rather than the 3-4 he recommended.

Now put a bit of tape at 3" - hopefully this will help.

Cheers,
Dougie.

[DougieL]

Just to clarify, I was using my new cue pre-coaching session with right hand at full length of the cue.

I have over-adjusted - Cue is 58.25", I'm just under 6", and at 53, an old codger

Cheers,
Dougie.

[Starsky]

Did you adjust ?.

I've just got the tape measure out - and discovered i've been holding the cue about 6-6.5 inches before, rather than the 3-4 he recommended.

Now put a bit of tape at 3" - hopefully this will help.

Cheers,
Dougie.

I can out trump you on the tape front as i currently have two bits on my cue.