Can’t make the 8 ball in the side pocket any more? Can’t steady the cue when lining up the shot?
The ThumbBridge™ cue stick guide is a thumb-worn assistive device primarily for pool/billiard players with limited hand mobility due to injury, arthritis and other factors that make it difficult for them to form a “natural” open bridge between the thumb and forefinger.
The device forms a cradle/secure channel for the cue stick, allowing a player to better stabilize and direct the cue stick when lining up the cue ball with the object ball to make a shot.
Why I invented the ThumbBridge cue stick guide.
The ring finger of my bridge hand has had 2 tendon operations and the finger is curled in at about 35 degrees so I cannot lay my hand flat on the table. I also am in the 1st stages of Dupuytren’s contracture and had a TIA stroke that effected my bridge hand. These type of injuries have effected the flexibility of the my whole hand.
When I was younger I loved playing pool and was quite good at. I hadn’t played for many years when I got the urge to play again. I was in NYC visiting friends and one afternoon I went off to play pool. It was a disaster, not only was I having trouble bridging but my approach to the cue ball and my stroke were horrible. After an hour I had enough and left. I didn’t play again until last month and I continued to have the same problems. Between my bridge, my approach and my stroke I completely lost my concentration. The next week I played again and again disaster.
Then I realized that if I could eliminate the bridging problem I could work on my approach and stroke. I went home and designed the ThumbBridge cue guide. I am a sculptor/installation artist and have a good size studio. Within a week I had a rough but working open bridge device. I went to my local pool room but this time it was different. Using the ThumbBridge cue guide allowed me to focus on my approach and stroke. I was happy playing pool again. I don’t think that I will ever play at the level of my younger days but I am having fun again shooting pool. I love the sound of the cue ball hitting the object ball at the proper speed and I love pocketing the object balls.
Terry Marashlian – installation artist, sculptor, inventor