can't cue straight

[Master Blaster]

someone from another forum told me that the reason for not cueing straight is because i twirl the cue every time i open & close my grip & that i shoot with my hand,not my arm.i believe that is the problem myself.the thing is even if i know the problem,i just cannot keep the cue from rotating in my hand while i'm feathering.any ideas on how to stop the cue from twirling?thanks.

Yes, this is a twisting and stabbing clockwise motion (viewed from behind). We see this on pool players a lot, they try and screw the tip into the cue ball. For some bizarre reason they believe this will produce more spin. They usually lack a rear pause as well. Your wrist, like the ring grip should remain in the position it was when you addressed the ball. Only open and 'FLUTE' your rear fingers. Do not use your arm muscles intentionally. If you have real trouble taking the wrist out of the equation, a brace may help. These are generally used to cure tenosynovitis of the wrist (RSI) and will do no harm. Some players have tried them with success.There are many around so you'll have to experiment. I spotted this one today. I'm not saying this will cure wrist rotation but it may be worth a go:

file_1894.jpg

or this one for example:

http://www.healthandcare.co.uk/wrist...FSQFwwodhKYLbA

[Byrom]

Brace to stop you moving - mmmm - Could try this - its all in the mind

[Master Blaster]

Brace to stop you moving - mmmm - Could try this - its all in the mind

It's been used before on sportsmen bud; you know it, good idea! When I count down from ten to zero, you will wake up and never bend your wrist on the snooker shot ever again..............

[kflps]

If your cue is going off-line on your delivery then you MUST be turning your wrist joint. There are some ways to stabilize the wrist and probably the most common one is the 'wrist cock' which has a player turning the wrist joint out so the back of the grip hand is nearly parallel to the floor. Just remember not to force it so that you get discomfort.

The other way is to have the wrist hang down naturally. To 'get' this just drop your arm down beside your leg (without a cue) and close the grip by making a fist. That is how it should look when there's a cue in the grip and this is most likely the best thing for any player rather than an unnatural wrist cock.

With the natural drop try cueing slowly along the baulkline, watching the tip of the cue to see if it wanders and concentrate on keeping the wrist joint the same throughout the feathers, backswing and delivery.

i believe that my wrist joint turns because of the cue twirling.if i stop the twirling,the wrist won't turn,i don't think it's the other way around (the cue twirls because i turn my wrist).the instructor on the other forum told me that i shouldn't open up my grip & take any of fingers off the cue while i pull the cue back (pool grip), and that will stop the cue from rotating but at the moment that doesn't work either.maybe the opening/closing of my fingers is forced and isn't natural,in other words the hand doesn't follow the cue.i just don't know how the snooker players do the opening/closing so naturally & the cue doesn't rotate at all while feathering/delivery.

[kflps]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aor1dnndksU

if you guys watch at 6:10 in this coaching video,his cue rotates as well as hes feathering,i assume this is wrong??

[blinker]

i believe that my wrist joint turns because of the cue twirling.if i stop the twirling,the wrist won't turn,i don't think it's the other way around (the cue twirls because i turn my wrist).the instructor on the other forum told me that i shouldn't open up my grip & take any of fingers off the cue while i pull the cue back (pool grip), and that will stop the cue from rotating but at the moment that doesn't work either.maybe the opening/closing of my fingers is forced and isn't natural,in other words the hand doesn't follow the cue.i just don't know how the snooker players do the opening/closing so naturally & the cue doesn't rotate at all while feathering/delivery.

I have the same problem as well and still do sometimes... Most of the time if i play poorly it's due to the wrist. I can understand you on just how hard it is to fix this like rotating the cue in addressing position etc. Only thing is i have improved is by focusing on using my elbow to do the cueing instead of trying to use wrist/forearm to control the cue movement and i spend lots of time cueing across the baulk line just to practice on the stroke... It has to be a gradual fix and very unnatural since you are used to it for years so do not have high expectation as this might even takes your form away for a short period while you are getting used to it.

[Byrom]

You are gripping the cue too soon and as you grip you turn the cue - you could try gripping the cue gently with your second finger and thumb and loosen the first finger completely - to stop me over gripping or turning the wrist I sometimes point my first finger out and down on a long shot - try it.

[Terry Davidson]

You are gripping the cue too soon and as you grip you turn the cue - you could try gripping the cue gently with your second finger and thumb and loosen the first finger completely - to stop me over gripping or turning the wrist I sometimes point my first finger out and down on a long shot - try it.

That's a good one. A lot of very good players use their second finger as the primary grip, ROS being one of them (he uses 2nd and 3rd finger normally)

[mikeyd100]

"To stop me over gripping or turning the wrist I sometimes point my first finger out and down on a long shot - try it"

Alex Higgins used to do that.

[kflps]

You are gripping the cue too soon and as you grip you turn the cue - you could try gripping the cue gently with your second finger and thumb and loosen the first finger completely - to stop me over gripping or turning the wrist I sometimes point my first finger out and down on a long shot - try it.

i think i'm finally getting there in terms of being able to cue straight consistently.getting my left shoulder to touch my cheek & down as much as possible combined with learning the snooker grip (cue snug against the webbing of the thumb/index finger & other fingers not applying much pressure) have improved my consistency.but i have a question though,getting my left shoulder down is changing my weight distribution in my stance,it shifts the weight more towards the bent foot when previously i had about 60% weight on my planted foot.i think now with the left shoulder change the distribution between both legs are 50/50 or slightly more towards the bent left foot.is there a problem with that or should i not change it?because i've heard most players favor their planted foot slightly.

[Byrom]

I am not sure is the answer - I think getting into the shot more so weight going slightly more forward is better for me to keep me more still and solid on the shot I actually think it improves my consistency if I am balanced like this as the body wants to go forwards into the shot - fall into the table a bit - but all individual preference with stance = however you stand it perhaps matters more you do whatever makes or helps you cue straight and important that you are consistent and comfy in the shot.

I am glad some of this advice has worked for you and hope you enjoy your snooker more - tc

[Terry Davidson]

I am not sure is the answer - I think getting into the shot more so weight going slightly more forward is better for me to keep me more still and solid on the shot I actually think it improves my consistency if I am balanced like this as the body wants to go forwards into the shot - fall into the table a bit - but all individual preference with stance = however you stand it perhaps matters more you do whatever makes or helps you cue straight and important that you are consistent and comfy in the shot.

I am glad some of this advice has worked for you and hope you enjoy your snooker more - tc

You should have more body weight on the left side (bent leg side) but not on the legs/feet. You should have around 10% of the weight on the bent bridge arm and the weight should be evenly distributed between the 2 feet. Although hard to judge, about 45% on each foot and 10% on the bridge arm and bridge itself.

[Byrom]

Yes not sure what I do and this can vary from player to player as regards the stance they adopt -see Barry Pinches- - no seriously don't do that as for weight distribution hard to judge but I think Terry is generally right here -

[billabong]

3 x electronic scales, one under each foot and one under the bridge hand. Sorted.

You need to be careful, in case any balls head back to the bridge hand scale.

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[billabong]

I read somewhere ( or maybe imagined it ) that Joe Davis used to play with the weight on his heels rather than the balls of his feet.

Said it reduced the tendancy to move forwards ( and rise up on the balls of the feet ) during the shot, when under pressure.

Like I say, I could have imagined it, dunno.