Distance from cue tip to cue ball

[Karatemom]

It has been pointed out to me that the distance that I place the cue tip from the edge of the cb varies constantly and that is a huge factor in the inconsistency of my game. I do understand that if you hold the tip too far from the cb, you're not hitting the cb at the exact spot you're aiming at. However, I am so afraid I'm going to hit the cb accidentally if I get too close. My game is bad enough without a foul every time I get up to shoot, LOL.

I have vowed to work on this. Getting the tip closer to the cb when aiming and stroking. CC has told me that I should be able to see the reflection of the tip in the ball. That's just sooooooo close. Would like some views and/or opinions about this subject. What do you do? How close do you get to the cb? And how in the heck do you manage not to hit the cb by mistake?

Heide

[Cueless Joey]

My tip is pretty far but I still see the reflection of my ferrule on the cb. I have no problems shooting long straight-in shots. I think the follow-thru matters most.
Tip distance nitpicking I think is just that. Nitpicking.

[Karatemom]

Chris says to say that my tip is approximately 3" from the cb and my elbow is at 90 at that time. That affects my follow through. His is about 1/2" away, consistently.

I know what nitpicking is. Chris nitpicks me all the time!!! LOL

Heide ~ guesses she has some work to do [img]/ccboard/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Rod]

Hi Heide,
First of all it is important. If the cue tip is a distance from the c/b then it is just a generalized aim point. If say your 1" from the cue ball, in that distance with less than a perfect stroke you can hit above or below what you perceived to be your aim point. I say perceived because your tip was never close enough to establish a true contact point. As you know hitting to high or low even with a perfect stroke does not move whitey where you expected.

For instance, if the o/b and the c/b are two feet apart straight in. You need to draw the ball 1 foot. You shoot the shot with two tips of low. A soft slow stroke gets you that 1 foot. Should you shoot the same shot and mis hit the c/b by 1/2 tip higher that same stroke only yeilds 8", your hooked. Just a simple example.

The trick is in your set up. Having your arm position consistant. You can have any length bridge just keep your arm a constant. Set up at say 1/2" or a tad bit farther away and learn the feel of where your arm returns to address. Of course eye hand and seeing the distance is part of the program. IMO there is not any forward momentium of the cue, your easing the tip in for contact point. This is especially true on the final stroke. I have a slight pause when this point is established on the final stroke.

What you can do is use a measuring device, such as a little 1/2" block of wood or similar placed against the c/b. That way you touch the wood you'll know your within 1/2". You can practice that on the kitchen table. That should give you a better feel for the distance. I don't know how far away you really are but that should help. Tighten it up to 3/8" or 1/4" when you feel more comfortable.

What your doing is establishing your arm position at impact. When your arm returns to that same position you will have struck the c/b exactly where you intended to.
Remember the c/b gets farther away ( even though it hasn't moved) when you go above or below center ball.
Take it in steps when you feel comfortable move in a little closer.

I use to have no problem at 1/4" but realistically I'm probably at 3/8" or a tiny bit more since my close up vision is not what it once was. It is very rare that I foul the c/b. That only can happen when i'm not paying attention.

Just so you know that is very common. I have a couple of friends that are fair players. They swing the cue back and forth easily an inch or better from the c/b. I've said, where are you aiming to hit the c/b? They might say low or top but you sure can't see it from where I'm standing! "When" they do hit one of those strokes to high or low, they are amazed yelling whoa slow down etc. "When" they hit one closer to the center then their saying, well I hit it with draw or follow why didn't the c/b come back etc. Well you know the answer. LOL Hope this helps a little.

~~~ rod does not see the reflection, but it's there. [img]/ccboard/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Rod]

Well that is in field goal distance. LOL [img]/ccboard/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Karatemom]

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote Rod:</font><hr> Well that is in field goal distance. LOL [img]/ccboard/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] <hr /></blockquote>

[img]/ccboard/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] [img]/ccboard/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] [img]/ccboard/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] [img]/ccboard/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] [img]/ccboard/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] [img]/ccboard/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] [img]/ccboard/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Heide [img]/ccboard/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] [img]/ccboard/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ccboard/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Very funny

[Karatemom]

Geez, that's exactly what Chris said. I guess he's not full of hot air after all, hahahahaha.

It's amazing all the fine points in this game other than just pocketing a ball.

Chris said I'm about 3" away. I feel like it's more like 2" away, but he's a better judge. I do change it depending on the shot. Why, I don't know. Bad habit I guess. I'll have to start concentrating on being consistent on every shot, holding the tip the same distance each time, no matter what shot I'm taking.

Thanks!!

Heide

[Voodoo Daddy]

Heide...your perception of distance isnt off, its just easier to see just how far you really are from the side where CC is. Try this...practice slow stroking your cue towards the cb as close as you can get without touching it, you'll be surprised just how close you can get. Developing that muscle memory isnt hard, you just gotta work on it.

Voodoo~~~~looks like he's gonna foul on every stroke and feels CC 1/2" is too far away!!! HAHAHAHAHA [img]/ccboard/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ccboard/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ccboard/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[bluewolf]

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote Karatemom:</font><hr> It has been pointed out to me that the distance that I place the cue tip from the edge of the cb varies constantly and that is a huge factor in the inconsistency of my game. I do understand that if you hold the tip too far from the cb, you're not hitting the cb at the exact spot you're aiming at. However, I am so afraid I'm going to hit the cb accidentally if I get too close. My game is bad enough without a foul every time I get up to shoot, LOL.

I have vowed to work on this. Getting the tip closer to the cb when aiming and stroking. CC has told me that I should be able to see the reflection of the tip in the ball. That's just sooooooo close. Would like some views and/or opinions about this subject. What do you do? How close do you get to the cb? And how in the heck do you manage not to hit the cb by mistake?

Heide <hr /></blockquote>

When I first started in apa 6 mo ago I accidentally hit the cb with the cue a couple of times. Then I started keeping the cue back like you because I was afraid of a foul. Based on what others are saying here, it would be good to get the cue closer to the cb.

I get the feeling that you are a very good player. Perhaps this fear is unfounded. I am wondering if you got in this habit when you did not have control and now that you do. [img]/ccboard/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

blu

[socrates]

If the observation is that the tip is three inches away I would have to agree that this is to far. I happen to be of the opinion that the closer your tip is to the cue ball and the exact point of contact you want to hit on the cue ball at rest the better. Certainly, there are some top level players that play quite well doing something else.

Any time you are going to make a change in your game you need to be willing to leave your comfort zone.

This may sound funny buy I think the quickest way to get where you need to be is to practice by starting with your tip TOUCHING the cue ball. If you are making an adjustment go to the extreme first.

Go through your normal preshot routine and set up with your tip touching the cue ball. After you do your pre-shot routine enough that the tip is touching the cue ball and you do not have to exagerate anything to accomplish this in your set up then do the same thing but back off about 3/8 to 1/4 inch and go from there.

I would suggest you actually shoot a very simple shot as you go through this adjustment session described above.

Heide you may also want to use the practice aid made out of cloth (described on page 7 of Black Belt Billiards). This is like a template for your bridge length and I use it from time to time to help program my bridge length into memory.

Hope you find the above helpful.

Will be thinkng of you and Chris tomorrow.

God Bless and take care.