Straight in shots

Straight in shots seam to give some people a problem. Remember when shooting high on the cue ball it will follow the object into the pocket. Shooting low will stop or reverse cue ball. Shooting center is good only if the object ball is close to the cue ball, otherwise shooting center at a distance could also cause the cue ball to drift forward and scratch. Again speed has a lot to do with the shot. Set up the same straight in shot and shoot in using the various speeds and techniques, then you will be able to determine how to shoot different straight in shots.
Coming off the edge of the object ball

When the cue ball hits the edge of an object ball, the cue ball drifts dramatically. Remember the tangent and this will show you the direction the cue ball will travel, but it will take off and roll. One way to stop the roll is to use extreme reverse English. Another thing to remember is when you have a small cut on a long shot on the short rail, using high English makes the cue ball die. So in this type of shot use low English so the cue ball will come back up table.
Cue ball off the rail shots

When your opponent’s ball is blocking you from shooting at your ball and their ball is not real close to your ball on or near the rail, try coming off the rail using center English to make your ball. One way to judge this is to determine where you would place the cue ball on that rail and see where you need to hit the object ball, this should give you a good idea where to aim the cue ball to come off the rail. If you are coming off the rail and cutting the ball to the right the use center left English and visa versa. Remember using center left or right English off the rail the English will take quick or short and using High left or right English off the rail the English will go long or wide.
Shaping your Tip

Just as important chalk is to you tip, shaping your tip is just as important. Applying English with a mushroomed flat tip will not take very well and your chance of miscuing is greater. There are several different types of tip shapers out there and some give you the shape of a nickel and some give you the shape of a dime. This means that if you place a nickel or dime behind the top of you tip it will be shaped like that. Some tip shapers come with a grove to check if your tip needs shaped. When you use the tip checker you place it over the top of your tip and it should fit the shape of the tip, if it doesn’t then your tip needs shaped. In addition, if your tip is shaped properly and you seam to be miscuing a lot, then you might have a layered tip and the glue is actually causing the miscue, so try reshaping your tip until you get past the thin layer of glue.