Two Rail Practice Shots

One Rail Rebound Pathways. Set an object ball two balls away from the bottom rail and try for the position zones. Try the same shot one ball away, and half a ball away from the bottom rail (note, also try to get shape below position 4)

Soft Follow One Rail Drill: This drill teaches you touch and speed control off soft follow shots. Try route with cueball A and B positioned above.

Soft Follow One Rail Drill: This drill teaches you touch and speed control off soft follow shots. Try route with cueball A and B positioned above.

Soft Follow One Rail Drill: This drill teaches you touch and speed control off soft follow shots. Try route with cueball A and B positioned above.

Bert Kinister’s shot from “The Shotmakers Workout”.

Long Shot Drill (straight): Put cueball against the top rail and make balls 1 – 8 in pocket A, and 9 – 15 to pocket D (Link).

Long Distance 1 Rail Follow (Rated B player shot). Position 1 can be reached using a Medium Hard Shot, and Position 2 with a Hard stroke.

Colin Colenso's Potting workout p1/6: Set up shot for Pocket D also.

Colin Colenso's Potting workout p2/6: Shoot for Pocket D and A.

Colin Colenso's Potting workout p2/6b

Colin Colenso's Potting workout p3/6

Colin Colenso's Potting workout p3/6b

Colin Colenso's Potting workout p4/6

Colin Colenso's Potting workout p5/6

Colin Colenso's Potting workout p5/6b

Colin Colenso's Potting workout p5/6c

2 Rail 9 Ball Shape with Interfering Ball: Shoot with extreme Right English with a hard stroke.

Holding Cue Ball on Frozen Steep Angle Cut

Use extreme inside English with a soft hit on frozen object ball to hold cue ball for shot on another ball on same rail.

LONG DISTANCE CUE BALL CONTROL AND SIDE POCKET CUT SHOTS: Shots greater than 25 degrees. Practice various angles and try to position the cueball at the center of the table.

Cue ball concentration

Set up the cue ball for a straight in shot on the first ball in the string. You are striving for perfect cue ball kill. If the cue ball moves left or right you did not stroke straight (that's assuming you set the shot up straight). After making the first shot get the cue ball and set up for the next ball. The idea behind concentrating on cue ball kill is that it will get you to think about the cue ball not the object ball.

Cross table speed

Here you are working on moving the cue across the table after making the cut shot. Here you must contact the opposite side rail and bring the ball into each zone. Go cross table 1 to position A then D. Go cross table 1and 1/2 to E then B, then cross table 1 and 3/4 to zone F and C.

Improve you cut shots

This is a progressive drill. Set the object ball 1 inch off the rail and the cue ball where you see it in the top of the diagram. After you pocket the object ball, move the cue to the next position down and try the shot again. Continue progressively moving the cue toward the opposite side rail and cutting in the object ball.

Long and Straight

Think of practicing the long straight-in shot as conditioning, like stretching exercises for runners. The shot is a measure of our overall readiness. If we are making it consistently during a tournament, everything else seems to work as well. It is a mental thing.

So, how is it shot? I know what I've been told by the experts, each of whom take a different approach. But, I honestly don't know any secrets. When I am on my game, it isn't a problem. Unfortunately, the shot itself will often put me off my game. When I walk up to the table for my shot, and I realize I am faced with a long straight-in shot, my head starts swimming. However, I have learned not to avoid it. I just treat it like any other shot, and this has helped. I am gaining confidence in my ability to sink it, which in turn improves my chances. And I guess that would be my advice to others.