Does squirt change with speed?
“Squirt” refers to the angular deflection of the CB immediately off the tip. Squirt does not vary with speed. Proof, from careful experiments with cue-testing robots, can be found here:
- “Squirt – Part VII: cue test machine results” (Billiards Digest, February, 2008)
- “Squirt – Part II: experimental results” (Billiards Digest, September, 2007)
Now, for most shots at a pool table (where the cue must be elevated some to clear the rails), with sidespin comes both squirt and swerve (CB curving). And swerve does vary with speed (and with conditions and cue elevation). So the combined effects of squirt and swerve (AKA “CB deflection” or “net cue ball deflection” or “squerve”) does vary with speed. With a slow shot, the swerve happens quickly over a short distance, and this reduces the squerve of the shot. With a faster shot, the swerve is delayed and the squerve is larger. Here’s a good demo of this effect:
NV A.17 – Effective squirt vs. speed
And here’s another from Vol. II of the Video Encyclopedia of Pool Shots demonstrating the combined effects of squirt and swerve:
Again, squirt doesn’t vary with speed, but swerve and squerve do.
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