Perfect Billiard Shot Stroke

5/9/2009 6:56:56 PM

Perfect Billiard Shot Stroke

This is food for thought: where does ther stroke begin? This is not a trick question so think carefully before you answer. Let see how many different viewpoints there are.

quickshot

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Perfect Billiard Shot Stroke

Replies & Comments

Justanotherevolutionary on 5/11/2009 5:19:06 PM
I would say the stroke begins when everything else ends. Everything else being the stance, the bridge set up and commitment to the line. However many practice pokes you take are all part of the final stroke. I use them to establish speed and english. I usually take 3 and go on 4 with same momentum (actually that can vary a bit) and cue placement as the practice pokes, just as if the final stroke were another practice poke. My last thought is a vision of where the cue ball is going, I always watch the cb and not the ob once I have shot. Anyways that's my viewpoint on it. How about you Quickshot?

quickshot on 5/11/2009 10:15:11 PM
Rev: For me the stroke is the Holy Grail of billiards/pool. At some point after all the prep work, stance, aiming etc cetra, The mental thing kicks in and informs either the hand, arm, or the shoulder to begin the rear motion of the pendelum. I feel that the stroke begins in the shoulder and the arm and hand respond to that motion. For me a good follow through is the end result of a good take away. I watch the women play and, for the most part, their strokes are like poetry in motion.

billiardsforum on 5/17/2009 10:29:13 AM
Assuming the player shoots by first doing a few "up and back" test strokes to line things up. For the player who does this, I think the stroke begins at the precise point at which the player decides "ok I've got this lined up, and my next forward motion is going to strike the ball" Whether the cue is in the "forward" position or the "back" position makes no difference, since players make that conscious "ready to strike" decision at various points.

Mitch Alsup on 5/17/2009 10:48:52 AM
A stroke begins on the back-swing, and finishes after you retract the stick from the follow-through position.

The backswing leads to the pause which leads to the forward acceleration which leads to cue ball contact which leads to decelertion which leads to another pause, which leads to retraction.

During this whole period of time, the eyes remain fixed on delivering the cue ball to the object ball along a path: the body remains still and unmoving.

Perfect Billiard Shot Stroke

Title: Perfect Billiard Shot Stroke
Author: quickshot (Jim Walsh)
Published: 5/9/2009 6:56:56 PM