The proper grip is vital to the performance of your game. Cue sticks are designed to transfer the proper ‘action’ to the cue ball to propel it around the table at your command. But grip the cue too tightly and the cue is denied any possibility of delivering the proper hit. Draw shots become impossible and follow shots become unpredictable.

Always keep in mind that the proper delivery of the cue with a fluid stroke requires that all the primary areas involved be relaxed. The entire delivery chain of shoulder, elbow, arm, wrist and hand must be relaxed. If you tense the grip then the whole of the arm is tensed as well and the stroke can only degenerate into a shove that will never become consistent.

So lighten up! That is not an axe you’re holding, it is a wand. This is a photo of the standard ‘three-finger’ grip. This is a great grip with which to begin playing the game. The weight of the cue is borne by the first three fingers of your shooting hand and is held in place by a light pressure form the thumb.

But not too much pressure! On hard shots the cue stick should slip in your fingers on impact. If it doesn’t move a little from the impact of a hard shot then your grip is too tight and you are not letting the cue stick do the work. If you find yourself gripping the cue like this , then you are making the game of cue ball control and aiming much more difficult than it need be. Notice in these photos that with the proper grip there is space between the heel of the hand and the cue. Also, do not get into the habit of gripping down on the cue at the end of the stroke to keep the cue from sliding. Let it slide. It won’t go far as the impact with the cue ball will absorb the energy from the early part of the stroke and the distance that the stick travels after contact does not generate enough force to send the cue stick out of your fingers. Plus, there is plenty of friction between your fingers and the wrap of the cue even when it is just sitting on your fingers.

As you progress in the game, your grip will change to fit your own personal style of shooting. Some players will opt for less pressure, most will adapt the two-three finger style while others will choose a little more contact and go with a four-fingered variety.

There is more than just style involved here. The wrap that you have chosen for your cue will also help determine the grip you utilize. A more tactile grip like wood or leather will more easily tolerate an extremely loose grip while a slick wrap like pressed nylon may require a more firm hand.

Your stroke will also refine your grip. If you develop a ‘punch’ stroke your grip may develop more firmly. A smooth and flowing stroke allows a more loose hand. Many old-time players and even a few today prefer a ‘slip’ stroke where the cue stick literally slips through the hand as the cue tip travels through the plane of the cue ball.

One of the most critical aspects of gripping the cue stick is not only how you grip the cue but also where. This is determined in large part by your stature. A shorter person will need to grip the cue farther up from the butt than a tall one. This is because everyone, no matter what his or her height, should hold the cue almost parallel to the floor with a lower arm that is perpendicular to the floor. This is what your arm should look like when you are gripping the cue in the right spot. A taller person’s arm will form the near-right angle at the elbow as shown while a shorter person’s upper arm will elevate from the shoulder to the elbow. The forearm should drop straight to the floor in either case.

(HINT: Because players are of different statures and therefore grip the cue stick at different points, cues of a certain balance may feel different to them than to others. That is, a cue which feels rear-weighted to a shorter player, may feel center-weighted to a taller cueist who holds the cue further back to achieve the proper arm drop. For this reason alone someone else’s perfect cue may feel clumsy to you. Make your own decisions on cues!)

Finally, the grip is the last relaxed extension of an entirely relaxed arm. The arm should flow easily through the stroke and there is no room for tension either in the arm, the shoulder, the elbow, wrist or hand. When first beginning to shoot, do not concentrate on making balls, concentrate on enjoying what you are doing so that you can just relax. You may feel awkward at first when you are playing, but just relax and have a good time and you will improve much more quickly. In all cue sports tension is a dreaded enemy and blocks the progression of the student from one level to the next.

Beware of common flaws. The hand should literally just ‘fall’ into place beneath the wrist. Do not ‘hold’ it in place or you may wind up ‘steering’ the shot by turning the wrist under or out after contact. This will destroy your follow-through and make accurate shooting much more difficult than it needs to be. ‘Steering’ is often an indicator of a grip that tightens at the end of the stroke. The fingers tighten and as they curl up around the cue the wrist curls up as well. If you begin to steer, check your grip and hunt for tension anywhere in your arm.

As in most aspects of the game, it is not doing too little that harms the grip, it is doing too much. Relax and let the cue stick work for you.