---
title: "Stop Sliding the Cue Ball: Three Drills That Fix Your Stroke in a Week"
url: https://pool4.org/stop-sliding-the-cue-ball-three-drills-that-fix-your-stroke-in-a-week
published: 2026-10-08T09:00:00Z
updated: 2026-10-13T04:14:43Z
summary: "If your cue ball keeps dying on the spot, the problem probably isn't your aim — it's your delivery."
author: "POOL4 Editorial"
categories: ["Tips & Techniques"]
tags: ["9-ball", "Sample", "beginners", "coaching", "cue ball control", "draw shot", "drills", "fundamentals", "improvement", "practice", "stroke", "technique"]
lang: en
---

# Stop Sliding the Cue Ball: Three Drills That Fix Your Stroke in a Week

*If your cue ball keeps dying on the spot, the problem probably isn't your aim — it's your delivery.*

:::note{type=info}
Sample content — published to preview the site design.
:::

::toc



Every amateur has lived the frustration: the object ball drops, and the cue ball sits exactly where it struck — a draw shot that never drew. The fix is rarely a new cue. It is almost always the same three flaws.

## Drill One: The Chalk Line

Snap a line of chalk across the cloth and stroke the cue ball along it, slow and centre. If the ball wobbles off the line, your cue is not travelling straight — fix the grip before anything else.

## Drill Two: The Penny Stop

Place a coin three feet away and try to stop the cue ball dead on it. You will fail for a day, then something clicks: speed, not spin, is what the cue ball actually reads.

## Drill Three: Draw the Length

Only when the first two drills are honest should you attempt the table-length draw. Short follow-through, low contact, and a grip loose enough to let the cue do the work.

:::note{type=tip}
Film yourself from the side. Nine times out of ten the elbow drops early — a flaw invisible from behind the cue but obvious on camera.
:::

:::faq
### How long until the draw shot feels natural?
Most players report a reliable stop shot inside a week of daily fifteen-minute sessions; the full draw takes two to four.

### Do I need a low-deflection shaft for these drills?
No. Centre-ball drills depend on delivery, not equipment.

### Why does my cue ball hop off the table?
You are striking too low or too steep. Raise the bridge a fraction and level the cue.
:::