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Darren Appleton


Instruction Articles:
• December 2024
Options


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More Pattern Drills


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A Different Line-up


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Negotiating traffic


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Drill Variations


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V for Victory


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Circle the wagons


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Rehearse Your Lines


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Lucky Seven


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More for the Road


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Four for the Road


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Corner the Market


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Look Ma, No Cushions


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We’re in the Money


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Four-level Drill


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More Money Ball


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No rails, part II


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Look Ma, No Rails!


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Triangle To Triangle


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Zone Blitz


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Money Ball Drill II


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Money Ball Drill


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The Dreaded Shootout


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Alternate Universe


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Close Quarters


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Corner to Corner


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Diamond in the Rough


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Draw Bridge


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I Detect A Pattern


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Stay Close to Work


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Amateur Approved


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Two for One


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The Straight Secret


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The Correct Shot


• January 2022
End Game, Part II


• December 2021
Buying Off The Shelf


• November 2021
Look, Ma! No Rails!


• October 2021
The Oval Drill


• September 2021
Getting In Shape


• August 2021
Corner-To-Corner


• July 2021
V For Victory


• June 2021
More Pattern Drills


• May 2021
Patterns and speed


• April 2021
See a pattern?


• March 2021
Blind Man


• February 2021
Five Up, Five Down


• January 2021
Don’t Lag Behind


• December 2020
Head games


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Life on the Edge


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The Family Tree


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The Big Diamond


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Nine-Ball One-Hole


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You’ll Kick Yourself


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Tight Quarters


• April 2020
Cue Ball Control


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Straight Cueing


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Saddle up!


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9-ball Crossover


• December 2019
Ride Those Rails


• November 2019
Up and Down


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Money Balls


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Captain Zig-zag


• August 2019
15-Ball, No Rails


• July 2019
One Extra Ball


• June 2019
Two-Pocket Drill


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Up and Down


• April 2019
Ultimate Rotation


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In A Good Spot


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Center Cut


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Breaking Bad Habits


• December 2018
Monster!


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X marks the spot


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Striking It Rich


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So Many Options


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Put Hangers On Rail


• July 2018
Mirror, Mirror II


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Mirror, Mirror


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“V” for Victory


• April 2018
Up and Down


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Kick Into High Gear


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Up and Down


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Up To The Challenge


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Taking A Break


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End Game Safeties


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Get Comfortable


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Shape Up For Summer!


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The Selection Process


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Two For One


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A Ghost of a Chance


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Banker’s Holiday


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Great Eight


• January 2017
Getting Into Shape


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Hocus, Focus


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Kicking Into High Gear


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More Drill Bits


• September 2016
Hand Model


• August 2016
Breaking Tradition


• July 2016
Drawing On Experience


• May 2016
Proper Practice


• April 2016
Drilling For Improvement


• March 2016
Mind Games


 
A Dip of the Tip
September 2020

This eye-pleasing punch draw shot can be a great weapon.

Something a little different this month. Not really a drill, but well worth setting up and practicing.

I’m talking about the punch draw shot to get out of rough situations. The punch draw will allow you to get unnatural draw for shape. It’s a shot I see amateurs and even pros struggle with. It is a shot that requires constant practice because it is not quite your normal stroke. You need to be more creative and braver, and you need to trust your ability to execute this shot. That is why it requires a fair amount of practice.

As the diagram shows, I’ve got a slight angle on the 3 ball but not a natural angle. If I play a normal draw shot from this spot (flat cue, normal stroke), I will probably scratch in the side pocket. Because it’s not easy to get action on the cue ball, most amateurs panic and hit the shot too hard. More times than not, they either miss the shot altogether, miscue or scratch.



Here’s how to execute this shot: You need to bridge a little higher than normal for this shot, aiming slightly down at the cue ball. The contact point on the cue ball should be just below center with perhaps a touch of right English. This is a punch stroke, which should not be confused with a quick, jerky stroke. To avoid a jerky stroke, your backstroke should be a little longer than normal. Keep a loose grip on the butt of the cue and drive through the cue ball more than usual. You want the cue going right through the cue ball a good 5-10 inches. This will generate the power to get the cue ball to draw two rails, especially off the second rail. It’s a crowd-pleasing, impressive looking shot, but it’s also an important one to have in your toolbox. This type of layout comes up more often than you might think, and this is the only shot that will get you shape on the 4 ball.

Again, this is a shot that requires a lot of practice. But when you get proficient at it, this shot will increase your confidence and allow you to escape some tricky situations. Just knowing you have the ability and the cue power to get out of this tough predicament is a big boost.

This is also a great shot to help you get in stroke. If you feel a bit rusty and want to let your stroke out, this shot will do it. You will also gain a better understanding of cue ball physics and how the rails react.

Remember, a little more elevation on the cue and a little extra back stroke will help get the job done. Be sure to hit slightly below center and, in this particular case, a little right English. (On old, worn cloth you may have to dig even deeper into the cue ball.)

Some people may look at this as an exhibition shot, but it isn’t. This is a very important shot to have in your pool toolbox. Having a little fun at the same time is a bonus.

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