THE VERTICAL AXIS - Viking Cues Tip of the Week with Mike Roque author of Build Your Game.

THE VERTICAL AXIS

“I was losing because I was using too much english.”
-Shawn Putnam

It’s fun to spin the cue call but it does complicate things. Left or right english can cause an array of problems—a big one is deflection. Applying english requires you to hit the cue ball off center and that can push the cue ball off line even before it reaches the object ball. Deflection is also speed related—close, medium soft shots don’t have much; harder speeds with distance can have a lot!

English also transfers to the object ball and alters its path after contact. Depending on the speed and distance, it could literally throw the ball half a diamond off on a long shot.

Spinning the cue ball also affects the cue ball as it comes off the rail. All of these problems complicate aiming and position play and that's why top players use English sparingly. Willie Mosconi hit center ball on about seventy–five percent of his shots.

Staying on the vertical axis of the cue ball provides a reliable reference for control, so start there. Pay attention to the balls and how they react with each other and the angles they take off the rails. All of this will give you valuable information. English is not a bad word, but use it sparingly and make more balls!

Spinning the cue ball is fun, but a center ball hit gets the cash!

Love our Tuesday Tip of the Week with Mike Roque, you can purchase your own copy of his book "Build Your Game" at the BEBOB Publishing Website at http://bebobpublishing.com/