Gripping the Pool Cue

Pool cue grip is an important aspect of any pool strategy. The term is misleading, as the word "grip" insinuates that you should be tightly clenching the cue stick. This is absolutely not the case, as tightly gripping the pool cue will cause your forearm to tense up which results in a skewed stroke. This can be seen by comparing the steadiness of your forearm during a shot with a tight grip and the steadiness of the forearm during a shot with a loose, relaxed grip.

Gripping the Pool Cue

At the other end of the spectrum, you shouldn't have so loose a grip that you lose control of the shot and stroke-through. The idea of a shot is to steadily guide the tip of your cue to the desired contact point on the ball. Ideally players should have a grip that is as light as possible while still firmly supporting your hold on the cue.

To achieve this happy medium, keep these points in mind. Don't place your thumb on top of the cue. This will cause you to lock up your wrist, and it is imperative for a fluid stroke that your wrist stay relaxed. There is a drill to practice a looser hold if you are prone to gripping the pool cue tightly. Hold several pieces of pool cue chalk in your shooting hand with the cue and play this way for a few rounds. When shooting, try no to press the chalk in to the shaft of the cue at all. Hold the cue, and chalk, just lightly enough to maintain control of the cue and shot, and not drop the chalk. If you do this enough, you'll certainly notice a difference when you go back to shooting without the chalk.

When you are gripping the pool cue properly, your cue should feel nicely balanced in your shooting hand. On regular shots the hand should generally be in the center of the pool cue wrap. For more difficult shots requiring greater accuracy and feel, you may move your grip forward on the wrap to shorten the length between your back hand and your bridge hand. For more power, move your hand back on the wrap for a greater distance between your shooting hand and your bridge hand. Alternatively, there is a different method of finding out where to grip your pool cue. Click to read the article.

Gripping the Pool Cue

Title: Gripping the Pool Cue
Author: billiardsforum (Billiards Forum)
Published: 12/13/2006 12:18:27 PM

Gripping the Pool Cue

The Gripping the Pool Cue article belongs to the Billiard Fundamentals and Basics category. Pool playing tips for the beginner. Get started with these fundamental billiard drills

Gripping the Pool Cue Comments

shekhar from India on 8/22/2010 12:06:26 PM
I have to say that I am finding these billiard tutorials very useful for my long cherished but recently made possible cue game.

Billy Wizz from Beverley, East Yorkshire on 3/29/2012 7:43:40 PM
Yes, your grip on the pool cue is an important piece of the puzzle. But I would that a more important piece is that as long as your eyes are are focused on the object ball as you stroke foreword with cue you are in good shape to pocket the object ball.

And another tidbit from an old pool player:

Please take care and remember if you and your friends are not making a living from playing 8 Ball or 9 Ball, then listen to all advice but be very selective on which information that you take as gospel.

PS. Always practice on your own, and work on your areas which you feel you are weak on. Then play some pool with your friends.

Good luck.

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