A question on pool...?

Question

now ive been playing pool recreationally for about 2 years every other day or so but i still having trouble shootng straight shots i can make cut shots no problem but those straight shots i suck at does following threw on your shot really help? any tips?

Answer 1

draw a line the length of the table then practice hitting the white ball down and back off the cushion up and down the line, practice trying to keep a smooth action with cue with a good comfortable square body shape, when you are hitting a straight white introduce another ball draw a line from one corner pocket to the opposite diaganal pocket, then start potting the other ball using top and s***w alternately, hope this helps good luck.

Answer 2

Take an empty beer bottle make sure it is dry and practice your stroke by stroking your cue back and forth threw the top of the bottle. it sounds like its your stroke. and if not that i would say do some practice drills.

Answer 3

Sounds like you may have some kind of glitch in your stroke. Make sure that you keep your wrist straight. Any bend or turn in your wrist will throw your stroke off. Make sure you have a level cue and a solid bridge. You may want to try a buddy hall cue guide. It is a simple little device that you practice with to keep your stroke straight and steady. It only costs 8 or 9 dollars and works very well. You can find one on the net , just do a search for buddy hall cue guide. Good luck to ya!

Answer 4

Regardless of where the cue ball lies, you need to contact the object ball in the same spot.  If you think of it in those terms, you'll see that there's really no difference between a straight-in shot and a cut shot.  You simply need to picture an imaginary cue ball in your mind touching the object ball in the correct spot and replace your imaginary cue ball with the real one.  I would agree that it's most likely not an aiming problem for you, but more likely a problem with your stroke mechanics.  Some of the methods described above have been around for a long time and can be found in books and videos, but I have to say that they are inherently flawed.  Shooting a ball down table into a cushion and having it return to your cue tip is a commonly taught method for testing center-ball hits and straightness.  However, it will only work if the cushion reacts flawlessly, which is almost never the case.  Even the slightest variation will offer up false results.  Very often, a cushion will send a perfectly hit ball back offline, making you believe that your stroke was wrong.  Conversely, a cushion will also send a poorly hit shot back in a straight line, making you believe that you hit it perfectly.  A very simple training aid that you can find on every single pool table is the line formed where the cushion meets the rail.  It's the straightest line on the table.  Get in your shooting position over this line and stroke the cue back and forth.  Look straight down over this line as you do this and watch to see if your cue follows this line or tends to veer left or right.  When you complete your stroke and hit your finish, your cue tip should still be directly over (and likely touching) this line.  Eightbraker gives good advice about making sure your wrist is straight.  There's a lot to cover on what makes a proper stroke, but there are a few main things to consider.  First, all of the stroke motion takes place below the elbow.  Do not drop your elbow for any reason.  It should remain fixed in space throughout the entire stroke.  Secondly, on your backswing, bring the cue all of the way back so that the ferrule is touching your bridge hand.  If at the limit of your backswing, there is still space between your ferrule and your hand, most likely your bridge is too long, a very common problem.  You should also have a definite pause at the limit of your backswing.  Lastly, when you deliver the cue, it should be with an accelerating motion, and you should be hitting your own body with your grip hand to stop the forward motion of the cue.  You do not want to tighten your grip on the cue to stop the forward motion.  All you have to worry about is hitting your finish point, and proper follow though will be the natural result.  I apologize for rambling, but I'm trying to fill up some time during my lunch hour.  Best of luck.  M.D.-BCA Instructor/Referee.

Answer 5

following thru is mainly for draw shots the best thing you can do is practice and the best way to do that is to put the ball you wanna make about in the middle of the table and put the cue ball about a foot away from the rail and make it a straight shot and keep practicing like that one problem you may be having is that you think you cant make those kind of shots and this is a fact if you think your gonna make the shot your gonna make it if you think your gonna miss you will miss it one secret nobody hardly ever does is watch 9 ball on tv record it whenever it comes on then watch it before going out that builds your confidence and books help too