the way a pool ball skids before it starts rolling

You’ve seen it a thousand times down the local: you crack the cue ball, and for a split second, it just glides across the green baize like it’s on ice. It’s not actually rolling yet; it’s just sliding along, stubborn as a mule.

This happens because your cue gave it plenty of forward shove but not enough spin. The ball is moving forward faster than its surface is turning. It’s a proper tug-of-war between the force of your hit and the friction of the table.

Eventually, that friction acts like a tiny brake on the bottom of the ball, forcing it to start tucking and rolling. Once the spin finally catches up to the speed, the skid dies and the true roll begins.

Right, so where exactly do you hit it to stop that skidding?

You’ve got to aim higher than the dead centre, mate. If you poke it right in its belly, you’re just shoving it forward, which is why it skids like a pig on a frozen pond.

To get a 'natural roll' instantly, you need to hit it about two-fifths of the way up from the middle. That’s the sweet spot where the forward punch and the forward tumble are perfectly in sync.

Do that, and the ball behaves itself from the first millimetre. No sliding, no drama—just a smooth, honest roll straight into the pocket.

Wait, if higher is better, why not just whack the very top?

Steady on, Icarus. If you clip the very top, you’re moving out of 'natural roll' territory and into the world of 'topspin'—or what we call 'follow' down the club.

Instead of the speed and spin being mates, the spin takes over. The ball starts rotating faster than it’s actually travelling. It’s like a runner whose legs are moving at a sprint while their body is only doing a jog.

The moment that ball hits another one, it won’t just stop. It’ll 'bite' into the baize and lunge forward like a terrier chasing a pigeon. Great for positioning, but hit it too high and you’ll likely miscue and look like a right muppet.

If hitting high makes it lunge, does hitting low make it retreat?

Spot on. That’s the legendary 'screw' shot. You’re essentially telling the ball to go one way while its feet are trying to run the other. It’s like a car doing a burnout in reverse while being towed forward.

When that spinning ball clobbers the target, the forward momentum stops dead, but the backspin is still screaming. It grips the cloth and zips right back toward you like it’s forgotten its keys.

It’s the ultimate party trick, but it’s a risky business. Get it wrong and you’ll scoop the ball right off the table and into your opponent's pint.

How come hitting it low makes the ball jump off the table?

It’s all about the angle of your stick, mate. If you’re digging downward into the bottom of the ball, you’re essentially trying to squeeze it through the slate. Since the table won't budge, the ball has nowhere to go but up.

It’s like squeezing a wet bar of soap. The pressure from your cue tip pinches the ball against the cloth, and it squirts out the top like a champagne cork.

Do it on purpose and it’s a 'jump shot.' Do it by accident, and you’ve just performed a 'scoop,' which usually ends with you buying the next round in apology.