Find the Path to Cue Ball Control

By Roy "Sensei" Yamane,
Master BCA Certified Instructor

One of the best ways to practice is to learn while you are drilling shots. Try this and you may learn what it takes to be very precise on where you aim and how much top or bottom spin you may apply on the cue ball. First, you must learn by taking any shot similar to the diagram. Drilling and exercising position while shooting set-up shots that are easy for you to pocket is a good way to understand the maximum and minimum capabilities of what you can and can't do. Set-up any shot with a slight 10 to 25 degree angle shot and use "donut reinforcements" (pressure sensitive notebook hole reinforcements manufactured by Avery or Dennison's, which can be purchased at any stationery store). Place them on the table under the ball locations. I have been using these "donuts" before the pressure sensitive type came out. None of you remember the lick on reinforcements, or do you? This is better than marking the table by wetting it or with chalk, which slows the balls as they become wet or dirty. The balls will sit in the middle and you will have exactly the same shot over and over again.

As you practice the shot repeatedly, do not start by using sidespin. Start with vertical center line contact on the cue ball and remember as you change the cue tip contact position. Study precisely how high or low you are aiming. Also start by using a medium stroke to actually see and understand cue ball travel path. With a softer or more powerful stroke, you may understand exactly where that path of the cue ball is going to be. There is a difference in travel. In some cases where you may have other balls blocking the path, you may change your speed of the shot and cue tip contact on the cue ball to allow for the differences. But to know how to make the adjustment, you must know the path of different finesse on the shot and speed control. Once you have learned the path of the cue ball at a certain speed, try softer and harder strokes. See the different paths the cue ball travels and study how far. You can exercise many different vertical center English applications and speed control shots to conform to the position you are trying to acquire. If it is hard to see the path, use a spool of thread and map out the path to see how a certain shot travels and repeat the shot to see if you can generate the same shot again to get muscle memory of the repetition.

In the diagram, it indicates the area between the maximum on a follow (top spin) and draw (bottom spin) application of this particular shot. There are numerous variables of the cue ball path that can be executed. Try and see if you can start from the highest possible follow (top spin) and, adjusting slightly lower on each shot, to the lowest possible draw (bottom spin), to see the cue ball path. The variable outcome is vast, like the spokes of a bicycle tire. Understanding the speed of the shot is another area to study, and review how far the cue ball travels. One of the most important shots that should be understood is the tangent or stun angle. This is the angle created when the object ball and the cue ball make contact. Drawing a centerline from both balls would create a radius (forming a straight line between the two). At contact, the balls create a tangent to both balls, whether it is a straight-in shot or angle. To visually see the tangent angle on this shot, place a ghost ball or phantom ball where the cue ball will make contact on the object ball and use a business card in-between the object ball and the ghost ball. This card should give you a visual of the angle created typical to the tangent angle.

At this point, if you feel that you understand what possibilities you have, try different amounts of sidespin, beginning with the least amount to understand the differences. Remember that sidespin mainly should be used to contact the rail for position play. Try different angles, various distances, and different shots. When I miss shots off and on, I will setup the shot as many times as needed until I feel very comfortable pocketing the ball and playing position as needed. With CONFIDENCE in mind after drilling, one should not hesitate or have that unsure feeling of missing the shot or position. Now go for a DIRECTION in your GAME!!

 

All copyrights are owned by Roy Yamane. No duplication is allowed without his permission.