Get back into shape after the holidays with a great pattern drill.

Let’s face it, our games are going to suffer during the holidays! Parties, family gatherings and travel figure to put a dent in our training and playing regimen until well after New Years.
But when you do get back to the table, here’s a great drill that will let you ease back into playing shape. It’s good for pattern play and using the rails in the correct manner. You will see the benefit of using two rails, as the second rail slows the cue ball down for you.
You must use a minimum of one rail, and you’re not allowed to bump any balls. Beginners and intermediate players can shoot in any order, but the 9 ball must be last. Pros shoot in rotation.
Let’s take a look. I’ll cheat on the first shot and use only one rail with a little left to float over in a straight line for the 2. From here, two rails is the preferred path. Use high left from the 2 to the 3, letting the cue ball do all the work. You will quickly get the feel for the speed and the use of the second rail to help with your line. It’s harder to control speed and direction using only one rail.




Here is the way I approached the drill:
The shot from the 3 to the 4 is where a lot of amateurs would use right English and one rail, but execution is a lot tougher. You could get the wrong angle or come too far down table, which will make life a lot harder. Instead, a high cue ball with just a touch of left using two rails guarantees a nice little angle.
Leaving a smaller angle on the 4 will allow me to go around the 9 and avoid the scratch. Use high right but don’t overspin the ball. Less spin will hold a more natural line.
Again, it’s easy to overdo it trying to punch this using one rail for the 6. Angles are important, so use high left. You can use more of a stroke on this shot without worrying about the cue ball.
Use high right on the 6. The second rail will bring the cue ball into a better line. For the 7, use high right. Remember, you don’t want a big angle on the 8, which would mean more work and more things that can go wrong.
The 8 is an easy shot with high left. You can let out your stroke, taking away any scratch and gaining perfect shape on the 9.