The proper grip of a pool cue is not as obvious as it may seem. It is not a matter of merely grasping it somewhere on the butt end, and tightening the grip to maximize impact. If anything, the proper grip is one of delicacy and "lightness." Choking the cue with a muscle-man's grip will destroy touch, control and accuracy, and the very ability to shoot fluidly and straight. The key to using the proper grip is simple: cradle gently, relax and let your stroke flow freely. An effective pool stroke is hardly a matter of brute strength, but a product of smooth, controlled motion.


The "where" and "how" of your grip on a pool cue are equally important. Where you grip your cue will affect stance and balance, and your ability to stroke freely and smoothly. How you grip your cue will affect every aspect of shotmaking: touch, follow-through, accuracy and control.


Perhaps the easiest way to determine where to grip your cue is to begin by locating the cue's balance point. This is the point on a cue (like the middle of a teeter-totter) on which the cue can be balanced by a single finger. After locating the balance point, slide your grip hand 3-6 inches down the butt end (the thicker end) of the cue. This should serve as a starting point you can alter with practice, until you find the exact point most comfortable to you.


The more you play, the more you'll realize that where you grip your cue will often be determined by the nature of the shot. Certain shots, by necessity, will require you to move your grip hand either up or down the butt, in order to stroke the cue ball effectively. On shots close to the rail, for example, when bridging close to the cue ball, you'll often be forced to move your grip hand further up the cue (toward the tip), in order to stroke the ball cleanly. On shots requiring a longer bridge (i.e., shots forcing you to stretch out into the middle of the table), your grip hand will be closer to the butt end of the cue.


On any shot, the position of your grip hand can be checked by a simple procedure. When setting up for a shot, take a few practice strokes, stopping the cue tip at the edge of the cue ball. Think of your stroking arm as a pendulum, your grip hand as the bottom-most point swinging through. Upon impact with the cue ball, your arm (from the elbow to the wrist) should be perpendicular to the floor, your grip hand pointed straight down, at the bottom of the pendulum.


The "how" of your grip is perhaps as important as any other aspect of your game. The proper grip is vital to effective stroking and shotmaking. It determines "touch," smoothness, accuracy, consistency, and the overall sweetness of your stroke.
Many beginners make the mistake of gripping the cue in either of two wrong ways. They grip it too firmly, with all five fingers wrapped tightly around the cue-destroying wrist action and smoothness of stroke. Or they grip it too delicately between the thumb and forefinger-destroying both power and control.


The key to a fluid stroke is to grip the cue firmly-yet lightly-with the thumb and first three fingers. (Many pros say only the first two fingers are needed; that the ring finger and pinkie should be doing little more than resting along the side of the butt.) Your grip should be firm enough to provide both power and control, yet light enough to allow for the delicate wrist action needed for a fluid stroke. Whatever shot you're faced with-one requiring power or finesse-always grip your cue the same way!
Stranglehold grips destroy everything sacred in a winning pool stroke: a fluid backswing, follow-through, and free-flowing movement. You can produce all the cue force ever needed in pool with a relaxed finger grip and a pendulum stroke. The term "grip," in itself, is somewhat misleading. In the game of pool, the proper grip is hardly a firm handshake. It is more a caressing-gentle, yet firm-the loving grasp of a child's hand. Not involving the entire hand, like the squeezing of a baseball bat. But a controlled, rock-a-bye cradle, involving only the thumb and first two or three fingers (whichever is most comfortable for you).


When the cue is gripped properly, it should not touch the palm of your hand. The space between the palm and the cue should increase slightly on your backswing. On the follow-through, your palm should come down on your cue-without squeezing the cue any tighter. Your grip should be light at all times, from the beginning of the backswing to the end of the follow-through. Applying extra force only tightens the muscles and restricts the fluid motion of the pendulum stroke. Which, in the final analysis, truly controls all. A smooth, fluid stroke is the key to all pool success. It provides accuracy, control and consistency-and all the brute force your game will ever need.