Fantastic resource for flipper skills: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcX-RTccjyvQS2k3ozBKW8Q

On any pinball machine, identify the "common feeds," and then based on trial/error and watching others play *that physical copy,* use the best technique that not only gets control, but gets control on the flipper you want to execute your next shot in your strategy.

In CFTBL case, they are:
- down the R lane (the reverse of the Slide, coming from the pops)
- down the L lane (the reverse of the Kiss shot, coming from a full plunge or from the Slide VUK)
- out of the R inlane VUK (coming from the Snack Bar or Kiss shots)

Down the R Lane:
Coming out of the pops, others have already identified the two most common: live catch and dead bounce (the latter also called a bounce pass). A third that sometimes work is a simply "held up flipper," meaning you raise the flipper long before the ball gets there, and the ball either comes to rest eventually in a cradle, or bounces high enough off of it to span the gap and go safely to the other flipper.
Different physical copies of CFTBL will behave very differently, so you have to experiment. In my opinion, a live catch is the most versatile and works on most CFTBL, particularly if you use a cabinet side slap while the ball is still on the rail coming down the Slide lane, to get the ball closer to the tip of the raised flipper.

Dead bounce is awesome if it works, but on many CFTBL, the feed from the pops might end up going SDTM instead of bouncing off of a flipper at rest.

Down the L Lane:
This one is typically much more difficult to handle than the R lane, because it's usually coming with a LOT more speed than the slow feed from the pops. Thus, you've either got to be really good at a live catch (the timing is more difficult when the ball is moving faster), pray that a dead bounce not only gets a flipper on the ball, but also that the ball doesn't bounce up too high and into the opposite sling (this is typical), or use an even more advanced -- and dangerous -- technique of a loop pass. I'll leave it to you to look up that last one.

Out of the R inlane:
You'll likely need to flip away at this feed, but it's also a nice relatively slow-rolling feed, and you should grow comfortable with the timing to shoot the Kiss lane, the L ramp, and the Center Lane from this feed. On some CFTBL copies, you can also hit the Snack Bar with ease from this rolling feed.

Your last option on the first two above is to flip away at them. But as you've realized, this leads to more misses and out-of-control play a higher % of the time, particularly if you're not dialed in on those timings from play game after game on that CFTBL.

Last point: when you first start practicing controlled play, you're going to SUCK at it. Don't give up! It takes time to master, and it's WELL worth the time and drains to do so.

Hope this helps.