Useful Follow Shot Techniques

The amount of English applied to the cue ball depends on the point at which you strike the cue ball. English is basically the spin applied to the cue ball which many novice players mistakenly think is always present as the cue ball moves along the table. When a cue ball is struck in the center with no English it actually slides along the table rather than spinning before it hits the object ball. The speed at which the cue ball is traveling, the distance it travels, and the angle of the impact between it and the object ball determines how it will spin after impact.

If you want the cue ball to spin before it makes contact with the object ball you must apply English. Striking the cue ball above center will cause top spin causing the cue ball to sip forwards. Striking the cue ball below center will cause back spin making the ball spin backwards. Hitting the ball to the left or right of the center will cause it to spin left or right and experienced players can even make the ball swerve or turn using English placed to the right or left.

These traditional and simplified examples of English are not the only ways to put a spin on the cue ball. To put a spin on the cue ball using traditional English the cue stick must be parallel to the cue ball and its path. Using a different type of English, known to many as Carabao English, to put spin on the cue ball is also possible. This type of English does not require the cue stick to be parallel to the cue ball’s path and is useful in getting the cue ball to spin at an angle that will allow it to make a shot that is lined up straight with a pocket.