The Drag Shot- Viking Cues Tip of the Week with Mike Roque author of Build Your Game.

The Drag Shot

“The ball can be struck at a fair pace… and the drag slows it down late in its run.”

-Joe Davis

THE DRAG SHOT requires a unique stroke. It needs finesse, but it’s different than a simple soft stroke. The hit is below center and the idea is to have the draw turn into forward roll just before reaching the object ball. This allows it to creep forward after contact.

The secret is in judging the combination of speed and draw to get the right effect. It takes practice, but a draw drag stroke offers more control than a slow rolling ball stroke.

Of course it’s possible to slow roll the cue ball, but when there’s distance between the cue ball and the object ball the slow drag shot offers more control. You can hit it with more authority and that increases your accuracy.

The drag shot is perfect for table–length straight–in shots where you need the cue ball to stay nearby after contact.

Once you master the drag shot, it shows up in a variety of forms. Many top players use the drag shot when they are faced with a thin cut into the corner pocket. You can even combine it with left or right english and still kill the cue ball to keep it in the same vicinity. It’s one more way to minimize cue ball movement.

Use the drag shot when you need the cue ball to drift slightly forward.

Love our Tuesday Tip of the Week with Mike Roque, you can purchase your own copy of his book "Build Your Game" at the BEBOB Publishing Website at http://bebobpublishing.com/