Cue ball squirt and swerve explained

Cue ball squirt and swerve play a big part in many shots that you shoot, whether you know it or not.

It is possible to play great pool without understanding these characteristics of cue ball science. Many players do it. The power of the human mind is amazing. It can, unconsciously, calculate these affects and make the appropriate adjustments in your aim and stroke to allow you to play at a very high level. Though, it can take a very long time to "train" your brain and give it enough data through trial-and-error to become a consistent player.

Unfortunately, many give up or develop too many bad habits before they get to that point.

That is why I recommend using very structured training to help you compensate for factors such as squirt and swerve. Approaching learning and practice in that way, by itself, can help you overcome such shot-making inaccuracies. I don't believe you have to understand what causes swerve or squirt, necessarily, but it could be a real advantage if you do understand it. For that reason, let's dive in a little deeper.

I was wondering how I was going to convey these two crucial concepts, when I found a fantastic video by Mike Page. Mike Page is a long-time billiard forum contributor and a BCA certified Instructor. His video does a great job of explaining the difference between squirt and swerve. It also does a good job of illustrating just how much they can affect the cue ball path. Click on the middle of the video to play it and I'll continue below.

 

Mike really provided some great information in that video. There are a couple of key points that I think you should remember.

Firstly, your cue stick shaft has the biggest impact on how much your cue ball will squirt. Some shafts, such as the predator shafts, are designed to produce very little squirt. Others produce much more squirt. Therefore, it is very important to practice with the cue you will be playing with, especially the shaft. If you have to switch shafts or sticks, you should take some shots with side-spin to get a feel for how much it squirts so you can make some adjustments as needed.

Secondly, elevating your cue when using side-spin will cause the cue to swerve. As you saw, the speed and amount of elevation both affect how much the cue ball will swerve. If your stroke is flawed, you can create some swerve when you don't desire it, so watch out for that. That can be caused by elevating the back of your cue too much during a "normal" shot. Also, it is possible for your cue tip to "dip" down and to the right or left during your stroke. That can cause some cue ball swerve that can affect your accuracy, especially on longer shots and/or tighter pockets.

You can see on the video just how drastic the effects can be. That is why it is so important to be aware of these issues.

Let me know if you want further information or insight into these concepts. Also, if you have additional information or contrasting viewpoints, please, comment and we'll discuss it.

Cheers,
Skippy

Tagged as: Mike Page, squirt, stroke, swerve