If you want to see a novice player panic, simply position an object ball in the jaws of a corner pocket and place the cue ball more than two feet away. Tell him to make the shot and play position for the next ball.

It is amazing how flummoxed a shooter gets on what we all refer to as “hangers.” Part of the problem is that players very rarely practice hangers because they are generally impossible to miss. What gets lost in the process is that players forget that hangers are very rarely the last ball on the table, so position on the next ball is still critical.

For starters, hangers should receive the same amount of focus, concentration, and attention as any other shot. Your pre-shot routine shouldn’t change: sighting, chalking, addressing the ball, a smooth, steady stroke.

As for the mistakes that come from inexperience, there are ways to correct that. When the object ball is more than a foot or two from the pocket, the window for pocketing that ball is relatively narrow. But with a hanger, you can hit the object ball virtually anywhere and it will drop. And all too often, players approach the shot that way. They don’t realize that the contact point on the object ball still plays a critical role in where the cue ball goes after contact. For that reason, you must learn to choose an exact spot you want to hit on the object ball. And that spot will depend on where you want the cue ball to travel for your next shot.

Here is a great practice drill to get you started. It’s simple and the distances for position are not far.



Check out the diagram. The goal is to sink the 1 ball and have the cue ball stop at the center of the table. Start with the cue ball against the bottom rail. You have a natural path off the object ball and long rail to send the cue ball to a piece of paper at the center of the table. When you successfully play position five times in a row, move the cue ball to the long rail and repeat the process.

After you’ve succeeded from that second spot, move to the other cue ball positions shown in the diagram. Pay close attention to the path of the cue ball after contact. As you progress, you can start to move the position area paper to other areas on the table and practice playing for that area. Like all other pool shots, practice and experience will take you a long way.