Strong Rail Follow
When executed correctly this shot is not only beautiful, but it gets the job done. This shot not only shows you artistic pool, it shows you that anyone can do it. This shot comes up in games more often then you might think.
This particular drill we’ll call the Strong Rail Follow because of the effects that you will get from the cue ball once it hits the rail.
This is a combination Practice Drill and Trick Shot; but I will focus on the importance of practicing this particular drill. First of all, if you are a beginner player this is a great shot to practice and master. It will show you that anyone can cause the cue ball to do tricks, with the knowledge. It doesn’t take a great stroke to perform this shot either. The best part is that it does come up in games pretty often. Using a shot like this for positioning or getting in another object ball will definetly get your opponent nervous.
Align the cue ball straight at the object ball. Object ball is very close to pocket. Use another object ball near corner pocket for target.
The trick to get this shot working is to hit the object ball that is near the side pocket a little off center and with a lot of follow. The cue ball needs to hit the side rail very quickly after hitting the object ball so that it doesn’t lose any of its top spin.
Getting the effect is the easy part. Getting the speed control so that the cue ball curves towards the corner pocket will take a little practice.
Tip: Chalk up each time you attempt this drill since you are hitting high on the cue ball. Try and keep the cue ball and the object ball in a straight line cutting the object ball in the side.