Learning to cue straight is a fundamental skill in pool. The key principle is consistency and alignment: the cue, your dominant eye, the cue ball, and the target ball should all be aligned along the same line. Here's a more detailed breakdown:
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Alignment: Properly aligning your body with the cue and the shot line is crucial. Stand behind the cue ball and visualize the line of the shot, then step into your stance along that line, keeping your body and cue stick aligned with it.
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Stance: Your stance should be comfortable and stable, providing a solid base for your shot. For right-handed players, the left foot is usually forward and pointing towards the target, while the right foot is about shoulder-width apart and pointing to the right. Reverse this for left-handed players.
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Grip: Your grip should be firm enough to control the cue, but not so tight that it impedes your stroke. The cue should move back and forth like a piston, in a straight line.
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Cue Action: The cue should move straight back and forth along the shot line. Keep your forearm vertical, moving your arm from the elbow in a pendulum motion. Avoid any side-to-side or up-and-down movement.
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Follow Through: After striking the cue ball, continue your forward stroke in a straight line for a smooth follow through. This will ensure that any unintentional sideways movement of your cue does not affect the direction of the cue ball.
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Eye Movement: Train your eyes to move between the cue ball and object ball while preparing to take a shot, and then focus on the object ball at the moment of striking the cue ball.
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Practice: The key to learning to cue straight is consistent practice. Use simple drills to focus on your cue action, such as lining up a series of straight-in shots or practicing cueing over a piece of paper to ensure your tip is moving straight forward and backward.
Remember, every player is unique, so the most important principle is finding what works best for you. The goal is to deliver the cue in a straight line, consistently and comfortably.