Help Making Soft Billiard Shots

6/29/2006 9:32:14 AM

How can I train myself to make softer shots? I can't seem to break that habit of ramming the ball.

I'm looking to improve my shot control, and safety play.

tks in advance.

jana on 6/29/2006 9:34:21 AM
yeah, so i'd go ahead and shorten my bridge and then bring my grip hand to the front of the wrap

billiardsforum on 6/29/2006 9:38:39 AM
I read that to slowly roll the cueball, regardless of bridge length, you can pull the cue back only about an inch from the cue ball, then stroke forward. This should circumvent the need to decelerate and will make for a much softer shot.

billiardsforum on 6/29/2006 9:45:03 AM
Also, you can do an old Jerry Briesath drill:

Throw the cue ball and one object ball out on the table in a random fashion. The goal is to hit that object ball from wherever the cue ball position lies. You do not need to pocket the object ball, just hit it softly. The difficult part is that after contact, the cue ball must stay within several inches of the object ball. Clearly, the drill is more challenging the greater the initial distance between the two balls.

kyle on 12/14/2006 8:56:33 PM
Try this proposition shot it will teach you how lightly you can roll a ball and how much an object ball can be twisted. Spot a ball and take ball in hand (behind headstring) make the spot shot in either corner without letting the cue ball touch a rail.

billiardsforum on 12/16/2006 10:49:46 AM
Thats pretty good actually. Where would you spot the ball exactly?

kyle on 12/18/2006 6:53:41 PM
The object ball is on the spot, the cue ball is behind the line (near the rail)

kellystick on 5/5/2007 8:13:43 PM
Don't worry about stroke length. Keep that similar. Jsut slow down your stroke and make it smooth. Here is a practice. Practice lagging. Practice shooting cu ball to the other end of the table and leave it real close to the opposite end rail. Practive shooting the ball in the pocket and just missing it teatering on the edge of the slate in the pocket. Make it MISS just short but in the pocket. I had a player that always hammered the ball. NOw when she misses, fouls and gives ball in hand because the ball does not fall and is teatering on the edge of the slate. To me that is a high five good job!

kellystick on 5/5/2007 8:15:28 PM
oh and remember. The ball is round. It rolls very easily. You don't have to hammer it. Relax. If it were square that would be different. BUt no. It;s round and it rolls quite easily thank you. Don;t waste you energy.