Refer to the diagram below. The idea behind this practice drill is to determine if you have a straight stroke. Place the cue ball on the head spot and aim straight at the second diamond on the other end of the table. Make sure that you aim without english or spin on the cue ball and then shoot. The cue ball should hit the rail and go back on the same straight path that it came from and return towards the head spot where the cue ball was originally placed.
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Any error in your stroke will show right away after the cue ball hits the rail. If any spin is inadvertently applied on the cue ball, it will not come back in a straight line towards it's initial position on the head spot (as indicated by the dark lines in the above diagram).
Shoot this drill about 20-30 times a day until you get to about 90% to 100% accuracy.
