Speed is a very important aspect for cue ball control. This lessons discusses more into detail about how the speed of stroke changes the direction of the cue ball after it hits the object ball. The illustrations will let you clearly see where the cue ball generally goes after hitting it on the same spot but with different speed on your stroke. These illustrations are more than enough to show you what I mean without explaining the process in so many words.
Center Ball Hit at different speeds
First, let us examine the normal center ball hit. Center ball hit means that no english is applied on the cue ball and it should be hit at the exact center of the cue ball. Let us proceed... refer to the illustration below.
In the above illustration, notice the direction of the cue ball after it hits the object ball. Hitting it soft will have the cue ball travel towards the second dot from the foot rail. Hitting it with medium speed will have the cue ball travel towards the foot rail just a couple of inches from the corner pocket. Hitting it strong will have the cue ball travel towards the foot rail just a couple of inches after the first dot. When executing a center ball hit, always pay attention to where the cue ball goes after hitting the object ball and try out the same shot with different speed of stroke so you will have a feel of where it goes. This is not only important for cue ball positioning but also to avoid scratching the cue ball.
