Lesson
2

The Bridge

Open bridge, closed bridge and bridge length

Goal

Keep the tip traveling on a straight line, with no wobble.
15–20 cmbridge hand pressed into the cloth
Keep the bridge 15–20 cm from the cue ball and pressed firmly into the cloth. The cue slides through without wobbling.
Video lesson

Key points

Use a closed bridge (index finger looped around the cue) for power and precision; an open bridge (the cue resting in the V between thumb and index finger) is great for beginners and soft shots.
Your bridge hand usually sits 15–20 cm from the cue ball.
Press your hand firmly into the cloth and don't let your wrist lift.
Raise or lower your bridge to hit above or below center on the cue ball. Don't raise the butt of the cue.

Common mistakes

Bridging too far from the cue ball, so the tip wobbles
A loose bridge, with the index finger not wrapped around the cue
Raising the butt of the cue instead of lowering your bridge to hit low
Drill
Stand an empty water bottle on the table and stroke your cue through the mouth of the bottle 20 times without touching the sides.