Holding your Butt like a Pro

Your bridge hand is important, but many games are lost because of your other hand. Most amateurs hold the cue like they hold a sledge hammer. The fingers are wrapped tightly around the stick. The wrist is rigid. The muscles are way too tense.

Relax your hand. The pros use a very loose grip, and you should too. Usually, if you have four fingers wrapped around the cue, your grip is too tight. Three fingers is about average. Two fingers and one finger is used by some, but you should avoid it. It promotes other problems.

General rules: Hold the stick loose. The thumb points toward the floor. Do not tighten your grip as you stroke. Try not to flex your hand or any of your fingers as you stroke.

Forget all the mumbo-jumbo you hear about how to hold the stick. Just relax your hand, and keep it relaxed throughout the stroke. If you do that, your stroke will be true and accurate -- at least as far as your butt hand goes.