Potting

[Hello, Mr Big Shot]

There's a growing trend in American pool to fit extenders to the cue - Strickland's cue is 70"!

I think the idea is to add stability to the stroke- think a tightrope walker and his pole. Cueing errors are the difference when it comes to elite players.

[Big Splash!]

There's a growing trend in American pool to fit extenders to the cue - Strickland's cue is 70"!

I think the idea is to add stability to the stroke- think a tightrope walker and his pole. Cueing errors are the difference when it comes to elite players.

Good morning HMBS, sir.

Do you feel the extender is part of a trend towards a cue of Russian Pyramid proportions sir?

[Hello, Mr Big Shot]

Good morning HMBS, sir.

Do you feel the extender is part of a trend towards a cue of Russian Pyramid proportions sir?

Dunno bruv, innit? Word!!!

[tomwalker147]

Ok, let's open this out. Right folks, name ya stance, ya height, ya bridge to ball length, cue length and where you grip the cue, i.e. how much cue you use. I'd be especially interested to hear from the maxi makers and country players on TSF. Tom147, Pottr, INMB, Billisted.

I'll start - Foot on line, 8-9'', 6', 58'', 54-55''. To use more all of my 58'' cue, I'd have to increase my BtB by say 3 inches, from 8-9'' to 11-12''. Personally, I wouldn't wish to do this because I'd lose power, accuracy and cue ball control; it would be going back to playing specs I used some years ago. Ronnie advises a short BtB and I'm down with that.

I suspect there's a lot of folk out there using 59'' cues with a BtB of 12+ inches! Or with shorter BtBs and a forearm angle to the cue of 110 degrees!

I've got to be honest mate i've never really thought about all of the above. I'm a touch over 5'10 and my cue is 58 inches. My cue is also heavier at 19oz (I chose this as I found a heavier cue suited my long game which wasn't up to scratch) I probably leave 3/4 inches at the back of my cue but I am guessing. I just try to ensure that I have that nice 90 degree angle. I think there is some good reasoning behind some of the above but in my opinion there is a lot to be said for just being comfortable on the shot too.

I played Markz the other week and discussed how on certain shots I go into a comfortable position rather than worrying about having my feet online etc. Of course everything else is online and I still play with a square stance, I just let my right foot (i'm right handed) point outwards slightly, more for comfort and stability than anything else.
I'm prone to shortening my btb when playing those little touch shots around the black, I just find I have more control by doing so. Not sure this would tick boxes in the textbooks but it works for me.

[tedisbill]

I'm prone to shortening my btb when playing those little touch shots around the black, I just find I have more control by doing so. Not sure this would tick boxes in the textbooks but it works for me.

I'd do the same, Tom. Those little dinky screw shots I would shorten up a bit. Shaun Murphy does the same and he's pretty good.

[tomwalker147]

I'd do the same, Tom. Those little dinky screw shots I would shorten up a bit. Shaun Murphy does the same and he's pretty good.

he's not bad is he Ted, had the pleasure of playing a frame against him in May. He put Pottr and myself to the sword unsurprisingly!
I can 'feel' the shot more when I shorten my action up a tad on the shot you mentioned.

[tedisbill]

he's not bad is he Ted, had the pleasure of playing a frame against him in May. He put Pottr and myself to the sword unsurprisingly!
I can 'feel' the shot more when I shorten my action up a tad on the shot you mentioned.

Nice! Always good fun having a game against the big boys.

[Big Splash!]

I've got to be honest mate i've never really thought about all of the above. I'm a touch over 5'10 and my cue is 58 inches. My cue is also heavier at 19oz (I chose this as I found a heavier cue suited my long game which wasn't up to scratch) I probably leave 3/4 inches at the back of my cue but I am guessing. I just try to ensure that I have that nice 90 degree angle. I think there is some good reasoning behind some of the above but in my opinion there is a lot to be said for just being comfortable on the shot too.

I played Markz the other week and discussed how on certain shots I go into a comfortable position rather than worrying about having my feet online etc. Of course everything else is online and I still play with a square stance, I just let my right foot (i'm right handed) point outwards slightly, more for comfort and stability than anything else.
I'm prone to shortening my btb when playing those little touch shots around the black, I just find I have more control by doing so. Not sure this would tick boxes in the textbooks but it works for me.

Yeah, a 147 county mate said shorten your BtB. A gold coach said the same and then a WS coach said the same thing. Eventually, after years of resistence (believing that if Jimmy can have a long BtB so can I), I gave in and did it, reducing from over 11'' to 8'' now. The dead weight screw shots where you're just touching the ball just above the baize are delightful and very fine CB control can be had in the balls; you can get the ball to within half an inch which can save going off two cushions to get ideal position. This way, I think I could do line up never wandering more than a few inches from the line. A shorter BtB is the way to go. It's helped Selby and he's not the most natural of the top table compared to Ronnie but he certainly maxes what he's capable of. Both have a short BtB, as do most top players.

Having a shorter BtB also means that one can get a hand on the table where others can't. Even if we do pot off the cushions, it's not as solid as a V and we tend to ease off the power, so a shorter BtB has another bonus.

[itsnoteasy]

What's a gold coach, Splasher? What governing body produces them? How many of them are there around, I have never heard that term before.

[tedisbill]

What's a gold coach, Splasher? What governing body produces them? How many of them are there around, I have never heard that term before.

Just Google it like Big Splash did.... Ahem, I mean.... yeah what's a gold coach Splash?

[itsnoteasy]

Just Google it like Big Splash did.... Ahem, I mean.... yeah what's a gold coach Splash?

Well I tried to google it and it came back with Mike Gold, ex pro who does coaching, that's the only thing except a list of other coaches , Nic B, Terry G, etc, but these two don't seem to be gold standard

[tedisbill]

Well I tried to google it and it came back with Mike Gold, ex pro who does coaching, that's the only thing except a list of other coaches , Nic B, Terry G, etc, but these two don't seem to be gold standard

Well, just imagine a silver coach, but even better than that!! That's how good this guy was!

[itsnoteasy]

Well, just imagine a silver coach, but even better than that!! That's how good this guy was!

Ah! It's bleedin obvious when you put it like that! Now just one thing, what's a silver coach lol.

[markz]

Decided to google this gold coach as well, a real struggle to find any info but I came across a certificate that proves there is such a thing.

[Big Splash!]

Ah! It's bleedin obvious when you put it like that! Now just one thing, what's a silver coach lol.

You should see the diamond coaches. Pure carbon man. Hard teachers though, ahem.

Markz, you're banned from MS paint mate, that's not good enough, 7/10. Where are the angel ash and bog maple references?