Speed Control

• ball speeds and travel distances
• cue ball path speed effects
• drills and advice
• optimal tip height for speed control
• typical speeds for a range of shots

for more information, see Sections 3.03 and 5.02 in The Illustrated Principles of Pool and Billiards
and Disc I of the Video Encyclopedia of Pool Shots

ball speeds and travel distances

How do cue ball and object ball speeds and travel distances vary with cut angle?

For stun shots, see the graph and summary statements on page 2 of:

TP 3.2 - Ball speeds and distances after stun-shot impact

For roll shots, see the graph and summary statements on page 3 of:

TP A.16 - Final ball speeds, distances, and directions for natural roll shots

and see:

TP B.5 - Rolling CB, direct-hit hop and ball travel distances

Here are some useful conclusion statements from the analyses:

• With a stun shot, the cue ball and object ball speeds and travel distances are the same for a 45-degree cut angle. The post-impact speeds are equal and about 70% of the initial cue ball speed. The distances are also equal and 50% of the distance the stunned cue ball would travel if there were no collision.
• With a rolling cue ball, the ball speeds and distances traveled are the same at a little less than a 1/2-ball hit,
  which is slightly more than a 30-degree cut angle.
• If a rolling cue ball hits an object ball squarely, the object ball will travel 6-7 times farther than the cue ball after impact.
• Distance vs. cut angle and ball-hit fraction plots, and approximate ball-distance proportions for various common angles can be found on pages 10 and 11 of TP A.16.

My March '09 BD article also provides some good illustrations and examples.

What is tip height on the cue ball results in the best speed and distance consistency?

To help achieve the best speed and distance consistency, it is best to hit the CB at about 20% of the radius above the center (0.2R). For illustrations and explanations, see my September '11 BD article.

drills and advice

Where can I find general advice and drills for improving speed control?

See my March '09 BD article.

optimal tip height for speed control

Where is the best height to hit the cue ball for speed and distance control and consistency?

To help achieve the best speed and distance consistency, it is best to hit the CB at about 20% of the radius above the center (0.2R), which is about 60% of the total ball height. For illustrations and explanations, see my October '11 BD article. Hitting above center can also result in a more accuracy with CB direction (see follow accuracy).

typical speeds for a range of shots

How fast does the CB travel for a range of shots?

Here are some typical values for various shot "speeds":

touch: 1.5 mph
slow: 3 mph
medium-soft: 5 mph
medium: 7 mph
medium-fast: 8 mph
fast: 12 mph
power: 20 mph