Final pull

AKA: Your backstroke

After you've finished your practice strokes, PAUSE with the tip of the cue at the cue ball. Take a moment at this point to do one last check with your eyes to make sure you're ready to pull the trigger.

If everything looks good, slowly and controlled, pull your cue back only as far as you need to. This is an important distinction between pulling the cue as far as needed vs as far as your bridge length.

Sometimes even if you have a good bridge length, that doesn't mean you should pull the cue that far back during your final pull/backstroke. Controlling the speed and position of the cue ball is much easier if you intentionally give yourself an appropriate amount of cue swing.