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Help with my cue action and speed?

Postby noddyxxx

Hi, I hope someone can help.

I play at quite a good level but have decided to take it allot more serious and step up a level so have started playing in bigger tournaments.

The problem I am having is questioning my cue action and the speed i play at. When I practice or play friends I can do incredible things and no if I played like that in a tournament i would beat anyone and win competitions.

I know enough to see that my action is not very orthodox and sometimes only draw my cue back once or twice. I also see that i don't have much of a pause before striking the cue ball.

In my last two tournaments i have been drawn against players i believe are not as good as me but I have lost both games. The biggest part of this is nerves and feeling under pressure but i also no my action cue action is not standing up and is all over the place. Shots i could knock in with my eyes closed i dont even get close to.

So my question is should i change my game? or should i keep to the way i play. My thought is having a more robust action will help me when playing in tournaments and when playing under pressure. in every book,video etc the action is 123 pause and then hit...So perhaps this is how i need to start playing.

Would really appreciate any advice


Thank you

Re: Help with my cue action and speed?

Postby Sickpotter

In order to have a consistent hit you have to have a consistent routine.

Find the pace of play that best suits you and practice sticking to it. If you do the same thing every time you can stop focusing on your action and reduce the pressure you feel.

Nothing worse for consistent play than having too large a variance in your # of feathers/pre-shot routine.

The last thing you want to be doing while playing a tournament is examining/thinking about your cue action/pre-shot routine. That should be so ingrained in you that by the time you play an event virtually none of your mental focus is on your basics.

There are some other good tips regarding pre-shot routine and the importance of sticking to it in the Coaching Q&A. Look around, I'm sure a more complete explanation is there.