DigiCue

DigiCue is a unique, and technically advanced stroke training device from OB Cues. The training aid is intended to help players of all levels develop and maintain a smooth, consistent and error free stroke. The idea behind it is that it is an “instant feedback” device that slips onto the butt of your cue and provides feedback when you are stroking, vibrating when your stroke is imperfect. There is no other product on the market like it, that I know of.

Let’s take a look at the DigiCue and how to use it:

The DigiCue definitely comes across as a high quality product that is packaged accordingly. In the package are two different sized rubber adapters for the butt end of your cue, the electronic sensor and instruction material. The foam packing holds everything snugly and securely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To equip the device to your cue, you first find the rubber adapter that fits the butt end of your cue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then you insert the sensor into the adapter and push it all the way down. Following the instructions, there is an alignment to assure that the sensor lines up with a “button” indentation in the rubber adapter. I found inserting the sensor into the rubber adapter to be a bit cumbersome. I kept dropping it inside and having to fish it out. Then twisting it into place to get the proper alignment was a bit trying.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once the electronic sensor is seated in the bottom of the rubber adapter, you simply slide the rubber adapter to the butt end of your cue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once in place, you hit the button on the sensor to select the sensitivity. There is a novice, intermediate and pro setting. Each is more unforgiving than the next and is designed for progression. Once set, you perform your stroke practice drill. The device will vibrate if it detects imperfections in your stroke. I found the vibration to be an effective alerting mechanism as it is very easy to “feel” in your grip hand and will not distract players around you. It is very discrete and other players will not even know you are using the device. I really appreciated this in the design as an audible alert would have been quite annoying.

Ob Cues has some good videos depicting how to use the Digi Cue trainer here.

My experience with using this stroke trainer was a frustrating one. I am an APA skill level 7 and have studied fundamentals for years under coaching by certified master instructors. When I seek my tune-ups from professional coaches, I only focus on fundamentals as they are that important. While I am far from perfect, I consider myself to have fairly good fundamentals and would consider myself more advanced than novice.

I set the device on the novice level and set out to do one of my regular stroke tuning practice drills – straight in corner to corner shots (follow, stop and draw). Regardless of the consistency of my ball pocketing in this drill, I was not able to do it without the vibration telling me my stroke was off. So I simplified the training drill by removing the object ball and reverted to one of my other stroke practice drills which is to place the cue ball on the head string dot and aim for the middle of the rail on the opposite side of the table and have the cue ball travel the length of the table and return precisely to my tip. Again, regardless of my success with this drill, I was unable to do the drill consistently without the training aid vibrating, indicating my stroke was off (on the novice setting).

Overall, my success rate is about one in twenty strokes. Meaning I can only get one “non-vibrating” clean stroke out of about 20 on the novice setting.

While I agree that ball pocketing is possible with an imperfect stroke and that practice can overcome that, I do not disagree that it is much more desirable to develop the right stroke mechanics and fundamentals. But my experience in using this product reinforced my perspective on the effectiveness of this training aid. My view is that used in conjunction with proper training and practice, this could be a helpful complement to instructional material and coaching, but on it’s own, will fall short of meeting the expectations of helping a player achieve a perfect stroke.

Bottom line, it’s a pricey training aid that is not a magic bullet to perfecting your stroke and on it’s own, I cannot recommend this product to perfect your stroke.

My ratings are indicative of using this device ONLY. It could be more effective when used in conjunction with live coaching from a certified coach or advanced player that can provide you specifics on why your stroke is off and what you can do to correct it.