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 Any
beginner in golf who’s receiving instruction is likely to
hear the age-old but useful piece of advice, “Let the club
do the work.” We don’t hear that about the cue so often
in pool, but there are times when that same wisdom applies for us.
I find myself offering that advice most frequently to players who
are learning jump shots for the first time. For some reason less
experienced players tend to attempt the most ambitious jump shots,
which makes them try too hard to execute the shot with an elbow-dropping
(or raising) swoopy scooper that does nothing to get the cue ball
off the table. Sometimes a few failed attempts are discouraging
enough to make a player put that jump cue back in the case for good
while regretting its purchase. A lightweight jump cue, with its
extra hard and wide tip, is designed to jump the cue ball easily
with a normal, firm, straight stroke.
Before moving on to shots with a jump cue let’s examine
a very simple but instructive jump shot with a regular playing cue
as an introduction to the technique for more advanced shots. In
Shot A we have two solids exactly one ball width apart and the cue
ball five to six inches from the cushion as shown. Because there
is not enough space to roll the cue ball between the solids you
must jump it to get through them. Doing so requires three basic
elements—elevation, a medium-firm stroke and a light grip.
Because this is a very small jump, not much elevation is required,
perhaps 10-20 degrees. Placing the bridge hand on the rail makes
achieving that elevation simple and natural. To find the spot you
must hit on the cue ball imagine a line going through the cue ball’s
center at the same angle of your elevation, and then hit the cue
ball about a tip below that line with your cue parallel to it. Then
with a medium-firm hit and a light grip, follow your tip through
the cue ball to the cloth on that line.
Shot B is somewhat more difficult and requires a jump cue, which
gets the cue ball off the table higher and quicker because of its
lower weight. Although this shot is more advanced it employs the
same techniques and principles as the easier shot A. Because a jump
cue can handle a wider variety of jump shots than a regular playing
cue, we learn to adjust our elevation according the shot’s
setup. In a nutshell, when the obstruction is closer we elevate
the cue higher to get the cue ball off the table more quickly with
a tighter arc. To get over an obstruction that’s farther away
we lower the butt of the cue for a longer arc. In any case we find
our spot to hit on the cue ball with the same parallel line technique
we used for Shot A. Jump cues differ from one another and so we
learn to adjust to our own cues according the shots we face. This
shot calls for more elevation than Shot A, perhaps 45 degrees, made
easy again with the cue ball near the rail. So, elevating from the
rail and applying everything discussed so far, especially a light
grip and a follow through that stays on the cue’s line, you
should be able to pocket that striped ball in the far corner comfortably.
Now, for some real fun, let’s try Shot C, which is the same
as Shot B except for that second obstructing solid ball just past
the side pocket. So, it’s time for the jump masse´ shot.
To pocket the striped ball in the lower-right corner you will do
everything you did to execute Shot B with the addition of two more
elements. Because you must curve the cue ball around the second
obstruction you will add some right-hand english with the necessary
elevation required to jump over the first obstruction. Also, the
landing area is critical for success on this shot, and I would begin
shooting the cue ball to the X. A cue ball that goes too far will
not curve in time to reach the stripe, and if it lands too soon
it can curve into the second solid ball. This is not an easy shot
but it is fun and a great source of experimentation.
Most jump shots are not all that difficult but they tend to feel
foreign at first, which can make them a challenge to shoot comfortably.
It’s always best at first to practice modest shots with a
focus on comfort and confidence while you feel the cue doing the
work. It’s also a good idea to ask an experienced player to
watch you shoot a few with an eye on your form. For more instruction
and detailed explanations consult Disc V of the Video Encyclopedia
of Pool Shots where Dr. Dave and I offer extensive analysis for
37 different jump and masse´ shots including Shot C, which
serves as a coda for those two sections.
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