Best cue grip for deep screw

[misspentoldage]

Can anyone give me a moment by moment account of the cue grip for the most effective deep screw? Any slow motion video available showing this? Thanks.

[DeanH]

the grip shold be the same as for any shot...
light but firm on the butt, cueing through the cue ball is the key (and for all shots really)

[Terry Davidson]

Can anyone give me a moment by moment account of the cue grip for the most effective deep screw? Any slow motion video available showing this? Thanks.

As DeanH said, there is no different type of grip for a type of shot and it should be the same for all shots. Getting spin on the cueball is all about timing and accuracy on any high power shot as far as the grip goes is to keep it 'relaxed but firm' and do not allow the wrist joint to move at all.

To increase your chances of getting the deep screw you are after just keep the grip loose all the way through the delivery until AFTER the strike. Some players will insist gripping the cue with just the forefinger will give a player what's called 'the snap' which gives the cue more acceleration while going through the cueball however this snap will come at the cost of accuracy as it involved the wrist joint moving the hand forward (like a forward wrist cock rather than a sideways wrist cock). They say Jimmy White had this in his prime as was able to do great deep screw shots however I think today's players get the same acceleration as Jimmy did with just using a longer backswing without the snap.

Terry

[thelongbomber]

As DeanH said, there is no different type of grip for a type of shot and it should be the same for all shots. Getting spin on the cueball is all about timing and accuracy on any high power shot as far as the grip goes is to keep it 'relaxed but firm' and do not allow the wrist joint to move at all.

To increase your chances of getting the deep screw you are after just keep the grip loose all the way through the delivery until AFTER the strike. Some players will insist gripping the cue with just the forefinger will give a player what's called 'the snap' which gives the cue more acceleration while going through the cueball however this snap will come at the cost of accuracy as it involved the wrist joint moving the hand forward (like a forward wrist cock rather than a sideways wrist cock). They say Jimmy White had this in his prime as was able to do great deep screw shots however I think today's players get the same acceleration as Jimmy did with just using a longer backswing without the snap.

Terry

Sometimes, on power shots, I consciously induce the forward wrist snap you speak of. But more recently, I'm discovering that I can get better pace control for slow/medium pace shots (which I historically haven't developed, thus my nick), by keeping my eyes more fixated on the white as it travels down the line. Power shots for me, are very easy, but it's unconscious motor control and I don't apply specific pace control to my cue in most cases.

Good post Terry.

[Terry Davidson]

bomber:

In order to get the forward wrist 'snap' first of all you have to bend the wrist backwards at the end of the backswing as otherwise there's no way you can snap it forward at the time of strike. It may be you are getting the back of the palm slamming into the butt of the cue on the delivery on power shots and it's not really the snap at all.

Bending the wrist joint backwards on the backswing introduces inaccuracies in the travel of the cue and is very difficult to control. Try a quick experiment and see if it's actually the snap you're getting as the only player I remember who clearly had that type of cue action (commentators called it very wristy) was Steve James.

Terry

[Byrom]

I do the snap thing you are on about - and at distance for deep screw I get down as normal to pick the line then raise my head off the cue slightly as it helps me see the line get through the ball and keep straight and time it better to wham it in - bad technique perhaps but it works for me on this particular shot better than other things I have tried.

[alabadi]

Can anyone give me a moment by moment account of the cue grip for the most effective deep screw? Any slow motion video available showing this? Thanks.

there's this video i found on you tube, the guy failed to get his cue out of the way in time , but still shows the action.

there are others on yuoutube just do a search

http://youtu.be/X3dOEqRnCFM

[misspentoldage]

there's this video i found on you tube, the guy failed to get his cue out of the way in time , but still shows the action.

there are others on yuoutube just do a search

http://youtu.be/X3dOEqRnCFM

Thanks. Only problem is this video shows the tip hitting the cue; I'm interested in the other end, the grip. I seem to remember many years ago John Spencer writing in his book about squeezing his cue on the follow-through of the deep screw. I guess this is what Terry means by the action of the snap shot?

[thelongbomber]

bomber:

In order to get the forward wrist 'snap' first of all you have to bend the wrist backwards at the end of the backswing as otherwise there's no way you can snap it forward at the time of strike. It may be you are getting the back of the palm slamming into the butt of the cue on the delivery on power shots and it's not really the snap at all.

Bending the wrist joint backwards on the backswing introduces inaccuracies in the travel of the cue and is very difficult to control. Try a quick experiment and see if it's actually the snap you're getting as the only player I remember who clearly had that type of cue action (commentators called it very wristy) was Steve James.

Terry

I believe I do cock the wrist back slightly on the backswing, but not entirely sure. Could well be Terry. I should probably get into the club and do some video recordings.

[Terry Davidson]

Thanks. Only problem is this video shows the tip hitting the cue; I'm interested in the other end, the grip. I seem to remember many years ago John Spencer writing in his book about squeezing his cue on the follow-through of the deep screw. I guess this is what Terry means by the action of the snap shot?

One of the best screw shots I ever saw was by John Spencer on a brown ball which was down level with the pink spot with the blue back in baulk and the cueball was also in baulk. He hit the shot so well (remember this was years ago with thicker and slower cloths than today) he screwed back into baulk and out again and ended up with the blue into the green pocket when the commentators were sure he was playing to pot the blue into the yellow pocket. He went on to win the frame.

I don't remember Spencer saying or writing anything about a 'squeeze' on only deep screw shots however every player on every shot will squeeze the cue at or near the end of the delivery, so I'm not sure what he was on about. After Spencer the players with the best deep screw were Jimmy White (who had the 'snap') and Alex Higgins who definitely did not have the snap (let's not go there as Higgins was definitely a one-off).

Terry

[misspentoldage]

After Spencer the players with the best deep screw were Jimmy White (who had the 'snap') and Alex Higgins who definitely did not have the snap (let's not go there as Higgins was definitely a one-off).

Terry

Having met Higgins, I can tell you he definitely had a 'snap', only not on the snooker table.

[luke-h]

I have seen many people down the club try to get a deep screw only to dribble the ball back a foot or so then you look at their tip and the shapes of some of these things are awful, i mean how are you going to get deep screw with a flat tip.....

[itsnoteasy]

I don't want to go too off topic, but what is this wrist snap supposed to achieve?, the tip is only in contact with the cue ball for a fraction of a second , so what exactly ,in that time ,are you achieving .

[Byrom]

maximum acceleration through the ball with timing

[pottr]

Soft relaxed grip... Don't tighten too soon... Keep your head still and follow through straight.

The contact on the white is more important than the pace of the strike... A cleaner hit will create more than a firmer one.