Draw to the center of the table drill. This drill involves drawing the cueball back from a fixed position to a location in the center of the table.
This shot is a draw shot below the center.
By changing the height of the cue tip and the power of the stroke the final position of the cue ball can be changed. Keep varying the hit until the cueball draws to the center of the table without drifting towards either rail.
Note the cue ball will always travel down the tangent line to start. Then the backspin will take effect and start moving the ball towards your target. The harder you strike the ball, the longer it will stay on the tangent line.
Find the hit on the cue ball that will draw the ball back to the center of the table. Set up the shot around three-quarter ball as shown in the video below.
Mark the ball positions on the table for consistency. Use ring binder reinforcers or something that will not mark the cloth permanently. Get the cheap ones from the dollar store they will come off easier and not leave a mark.
There is no one technique that will work for all players because everyone’s stroke is a little different.
You have to spend some time at the table in order to find your own way:
- Adjust the tightness of your grip.
- Experiment with tip contact position.
- Try the shot at different cue speeds.
Video Drill-Draw to Center of the Table
Always start out a practice session with a definite goal in mind. Check your progress towards that goal, look at your results and make adjustments. This isn’t that easy to do on a consistent basis so you will probably need to stick at it for a while.
Try not to be judgemental, in this practice, there are no bad shots. If you miss the pocket or the intended position then you have just learned what doesn’t work. Take that information and use it to discover another way to strike the ball.
Learning by trial and error will teach you way more than doing by rote.
