Do you play 'field position'?

[phil in sofla]

Certain cue ball locations for given shots mean you have to stretch out for the shot, or use the bridge.

When I'm shooting, I do not consider that aspect of my leave, whether for my own next shot, or the opponents, if I'm playing a safe or maybe just leaving him hard if I miss.

If I have ball in hand on a shot, I may take a slightly longer shot instead of getting closer, if that allows me to avoid stretching or using the bridge, but that's the only time I make a concession to field position. I'm just thinking about a reasonable angle on the shot, not the reach or use of a bridge to accomplish it.

Do you routinely think about this for your shape, or for how you leave your opponent? (It would be different when shooting a leftie compared to a rightie shooter). Seems that unless you know the shooter, they may very well come with their off hand anyway, and may shoot fine with that off hand and/or the bridge, although all things being equal, they'd probably have SOME falloff in their pocketing/shape abilities doing anything non-standard.

As I'm fairly tall, 6'4" if I have shoes on, I reach a lot of things, but over-reach at times when I should be using a bridge. But since I don't mind the bridge, and using it doesn't severely hamper my shooting, it seems I could just keep on concentrating on my angles and length of shot, rather than worrying about keeping from getting too deep down table. Or is field position important enough that I should consider it?

[Doctor_D]

Good evening:

To eliminate the OVER reach, as well as the need for the bridge on many shots, I had a cue maker build a 12" extension for my cue. The 12" extention, using a Uni-Lock joint, attaches to the butt section of my cue making my 58" cue a 70" cue.

Dr. D.

[Tom_In_Cincy]

I always try for shape for the natural stance position. The percentage of making the shot with the natrual stance rather than using the bridge or a mechanical extension is always higher.

This positioning is very natural in 14.1 you almost learn it by demand rather than practice.

Using a bridge and mechanical extenion is putting yourself into a situation that only comes up once in every 200 or so shots.

If you ever see the Pros play, they rarely ever use the bridge unless their opponent has left them in a "must" use position.

Keeping the cue ball in this 'natural' stance position is one of the keys to performing at the next level.

[Chris Cass]

My goodness Phil,

Your 6'4"? I'm 5'6" and I use a bridge on the same end rail. It doesn't hamper me in any way. The only thing that get to me is a bridge that'll mess up my shaft. I play mainly in the wedge and angles that, put me usually in close range of making the next angle.

I don't sweat the bridge. Shooting most of my life off the rail. The bridge is a picnic. I take the best way I know how to get on the ball, with the tools I have and the knowledge and skill I posess. If the shot calls for a field position, I'll play it.

Regards,

C.C.

[Paul_Mon]

Phil,
I try not to leave myself with any bridge work and I will leave my opponent with bridge situations when possible. Playing one pocket often, you'll quickly learn that those bridge shots and stretch shots will wear down an opponent.

[Eric.]

Usually I play for the angles. The only area of the table that I deliberatly avoid is the upper right corner. I'm a rightie and if I have a shot to the upper right, I'll leave a little long to avoid the stretch. Also, if I'm shooting the the upper left pocket, I'll try not to leave so that I'll be cueing over another ball.

Eric

[Kato]

Phil, you've seen me play, if I get position on a shot it's because I hit it too hard or too soft.LOL It's all guesswork from here.

Kato~~~no skill, all luck

as a vertical impaired senior citizen I had a local cue maker make me a 3" longer shaft for my break stick, I can reach everything except for the last dot on the end of the table. Those I shot with the other hand, bridge, or play safe.