Pool is a great game regardless of your age. Whether you have the best pool table around or a family hand-me-down, the game is always an entertaining one.
Pool cues are the driving force of the entire game. By holding it correctly you can increase your steadiness, precision, and focus in placing the pool balls. Holding a cue stick even slightly in the wrong way can ruin your chances of a good shot. If you are new to the game, we’re here to help. To get started, follow this step-by-step guide on how to hold a pool cue for beginners.
Basics of Holding a Pool Cue
Before practicing any techniques and the different bridge options, you have to get the basics right. This includes your stance, the height of the cue, what to look for when taking a shot, and how to balance.
Step 1: Grasp the cue at your waist using your main/dominant hand
Grasp the cue to your waist level (parallel to the ground) with your main hand. Move your hand back 4 to 5 inches from the tape at the rear end of the stick. Your hand should make a 90° angle with the cue.
Don’t hold the pool cue too firmly; your grip should be comfortable. To help you make your shots properly, your body and the cue ball should be lined up.
Step 2: Drop your upper body down to the pool table
Make sure your legs are not straight - keep them bent to some extent.
Step 3: Bridge the tip of the cue with your other hand
Open your palm. Put your open hand palm-side down on the pool table’s surface behind the cue ball. Generally, you will want to keep your hand at least 6 to 8 inches behind the cue ball.
To cradle the cue stick’s tip with your hand, place the tip of the stick in between your index finger and your thumb. This is called an open bridge. There are different types of bridges that you can learn as you progress, however, this is the most common one.
When you put your palm down on the table, spread your fingers widely. Slide the cue stick slowly between your thumb and index finger. Make sure the open bridge is stable. If your fingers wobble easily, you can quickly lose your shot.
Always check that the cue stick is clean so it slides smoothly on the bridge.
Step 4: Grip and focus on the target
Imagine the shot you want to take. Keep balanced and focus on the pool balls you want to hit. Focus your cue on the cue ball so that you can see the object ball in your path as well.
You want to aim to hit the center of the ball for precision. Hitting at the center increases the chances of an accurate shot.
Step 5: Balance the cue and shoot
Slide the cue stick back and forth slightly to get the right feel. If it does not feel right, readjust your shot. Once you are 100% sure that your bridge is perfect, and your body is firmly balanced, take your shot with an adequate amount of force as required by the position you are playing.
Once you are comfortable with the basics, learn different bridge techniques to enhance your game. These include a rail bridge, mechanical bridge, and closed bridge. A rail bridge is only used when the ball is so near to the edge that your other hand has little room to perform the shot. The mechanical bridge on the other hand is used only when the cue ball is too far away from you to naturally reach it with your stance.
With enough practice and following the basics of holding a pool cue you will learn to finely control the ball and build a strong foundation.
