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I'm just recently back to the game after a 25 year layoff. Squirt and deflection were totally new to me, as were jump/break cues, Simonis cloth, and laminated shafts such as Predators. Being an old straight pool player I had plenty of experience with "throw" as it applies to a single object ball or multiple balls though.
Other than on brand new cloth, but still playing on Simonis, I still notice throw when I load up the cue ball on a slow stroke. I can easily miss and jar the ball or hang it if I'm not careful. If I'm shooting a difficult cut, let's say 1/3 the table length, and I have to send it 2 1/2 ft - 4 ft to the pocket, and use extreme english for position, I not only have to compensate for the curve of the cue ball enroute to the object ball, but also for the throw effect on that ball's way to the pocket.
Playing one-pocket, you must always look for dead combinations out of the rack, and many of them will not go without throw, or are not even dead without throw. This is all learned in straight pool. Of course, in a tournament or for the cash you don't shoot these shots unless you're positive that they go, and again, you learn that in straight pool.
Simonis cloth really changed the game. A player has to be able to adjust to new and older cloth which we always had to, but also squirt and throw, AND the curve of the cue ball in the direction that the english is applied enroute to the object ball. Keeping it as simple as you can , and by that I mean striking the cue ball on it's verticle axis, is best, but we certainly must be able to accurately judge throw as well. It's a whole different effect that a player must master...Tom
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