Dominant Eye

Adam Brown

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Good Morning,

I was reading a post by hang-the-9 this morning and he made me think of something I had been wondering about. I write with my right hand and other things throughout the day right handed. I shoot pool left handed because I am left eye dominant. I also shoot a gun and bow left handed. It just feels more natural that way. If I try to shoot pool,gun,or a bow with my right hand I find myself naturally trying to aim through my left eye. Those of you that have tried that know how awkward and hard it is to do.

I was wondering if any of you are in the same boat as me or am I just abnormal. I have an identical twin brother and he plays right handed and my dad also plays pool left handed and is right handed.

Thanks, Adam
 

CreeDo

Fargo Rating 597
Silver Member
There are a few pool players who are, I forget the term, opposite eye dominant maybe?

In pool their adjustment is to sort of tilt the head until that opposite eye is now over the cue. You see a few players with a very defined head tilt.

However if you already have spent some time with your left hand then you might as well stick with it. I think someone said Mike Sigel is a righty naturally, but taught himself pool left handed. Worked out pretty well for him.
 

PC_John

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Yep, Lots of folks that way. I shoot pool, rifle left handed. Write, shoot pistol right handed.

My oldest son, writes, plays guitar, shoots, etc. left and right handed.

You are not alone. :D
 

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
I'm right-eyed and right-handed.
I wish I was left-eyed....players that are opposite-eye dominant look more
comfortable over the cue(to me), even more than 20/20 players.

At one time there were 3 players who were cross-dominant...
...Willie Mosconi, Joe Davis, and George Chenier...if you compare them to
Earl Strickland and Neils Fejien...they look a lot better.
 

stljohnny

knowledge > execution. :(
Silver Member
I thought I heard on a stream just the other week that Shawn Putnam was right-handed in life, but he plays left-handed.
 

Tramp Steamer

One Pocket enthusiast.
Silver Member
I am opposite eye dominant. I shoot both pool, and guns, right handed with the left eye doing most of the work. An injury as a youngster was the cause of this condition. It has caused no problems.
Coincidentally, I knew a girl in Panama who was right eye dominant because her left eye was glass. She used to tell me that whenever I came to town she'd keep an eye out for me. :smile:
 

CJ Wiley

ESPN WORLD OPEN CHAMPION
Gold Member
Silver Member
The "master eye" is an issue if you are getting down on the cue ball unnaturally

Good Morning,

I was reading a post by hang-the-9 this morning and he made me think of something I had been wondering about. I write with my right hand and other things throughout the day right handed. I shoot pool left handed because I am left eye dominant. I also shoot a gun and bow left handed. It just feels more natural that way. If I try to shoot pool,gun,or a bow with my right hand I find myself naturally trying to aim through my left eye. Those of you that have tried that know how awkward and hard it is to do.

I was wondering if any of you are in the same boat as me or am I just abnormal. I have an identical twin brother and he plays right handed and my dad also plays pool left handed and is right handed.

Thanks, Adam

I'm right eye dominant, but started out playing golf and batting in baseball left handed. The "master eye" is an issue if you are getting down on the cue ball with your body out of alignment, however, if you open your stance and put your left foot (right handed players) parallel to the "line of the shot" it will enable you to face the shot more naturally.

I had to make this adjustment after my first tournament in Toronto - glad I did because I have no neck or back aches and pains like many players do that twist or align their head/neck/chin to the line of the shot without aligning the rest of the body. I like the feeling of "shooting the cue ball out of my chest" so I get that full, square, and aligned shooting position.
 

Pete

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm right eye dominant, but started out playing golf and batting in baseball left handed. The "master eye" is an issue if you are getting down on the cue ball with your body out of alignment, however, if you open your stance and put your left foot (right handed players) parallel to the "line of the shot" it will enable you to face the shot more naturally.

I had to make this adjustment after my first tournament in Toronto - glad I did because I have no neck or back aches and pains like many players do that twist or align their head/neck/chin to the line of the shot without aligning the rest of the body. I like the feeling of "shooting the cue ball out of my chest" so I get that full, square, and aligned shooting position.



CJ,

Can you post a picture of this. becuase I am in the middle of reworking my stance and this sounds similar to what I am doing (like a snooker stance moreso than a pool stance)???

Pete
 

Adam Brown

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm right eye dominant, but started out playing golf and batting in baseball left handed. The "master eye" is an issue if you are getting down on the cue ball with your body out of alignment, however, if you open your stance and put your left foot (right handed players) parallel to the "line of the shot" it will enable you to face the shot more naturally.

I had to make this adjustment after my first tournament in Toronto - glad I did because I have no neck or back aches and pains like many players do that twist or align their head/neck/chin to the line of the shot without aligning the rest of the body. I like the feeling of "shooting the cue ball out of my chest" so I get that full, square, and aligned shooting position.

When I get down on the ball I extend my right foot and plant my left foot behind me just a little. I shoot left handed though so I guess it is opposite of your stance. I am a bigger guy so it is hard for me to get down as far as you but I guess I have been doing it so long it just feels more comfortable than what I "need" to be doing. Thanks for the input CJ
 

leehayes

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
ok...now for the question...is it better to have the cue centered over your dominant eye or between both?
 

Adam Brown

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm not sure if I center the cue between my eyes or not but I do see a lot of people aim while the cue is centered ON their chin. I don't get down quite that far but I guess it would be better on my aiming if I did. I know that I use my left eye but I don't know if I center the cue under my eye or not. I have never really paid that much attention to detail. I just get down on the ball and do what feels natural. It is hard to unlearn bad habits especially if you have been doing them for a while.

Thanks, Adam
 

LuckyStroke

Full Splic Addict
Silver Member
You guys are over thinking this a bit much. I shoot rightie and am left eye dominant. The trick is aim with your non dominant eye
 

genomachino

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I travel and teach this 24/7

I'm not sure if I center the cue between my eyes or not but I do see a lot of people aim while the cue is centered ON their chin. I don't get down quite that far but I guess it would be better on my aiming if I did. I know that I use my left eye but I don't know if I center the cue under my eye or not. I have never really paid that much attention to detail. I just get down on the ball and do what feels natural. It is hard to unlearn bad habits especially if you have been doing them for a while.

Thanks, Adam

Hi there Adam,

there is no reason to guess what does what. I teach players to find the most dominant spot for the dominant eye and how to keep it in the dominant position. Once this is done you never have to worry about getting down on a shot and lining it up right.

This puts the stroke, stance in the proper position also. The body follows the eyes.

I do a free phone lesson with what I call Perfect Aim.

No reason to guess anymore unless you are having fun not knowing.

I have hundreds of testimonials on my site. They don't have to guess anymore.

Give me a call sometime when your by a pool table.

This will solve any questions you have. It's the nutz in a bag.

715-563-8712 Gene Albrecht
 

Taco

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
There are a lot of people who are righties and left-eye dominant, including me. Since you’re aligning your stick over your left eye you might have some problems since you’re shooting more across your body, and if you’re overweight it becomes even more of a problem - sort of like women who have to figure out how to get those things that give milk to babies out of the path of the stick.

Good luck.
 

Adam Brown

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
There are a lot of people who are righties and left-eye dominant, including me. Since you’re aligning your stick over your left eye you might have some problems since you’re shooting more across your body, and if you’re overweight it becomes even more of a problem - sort of like women who have to figure out how to get those things that give milk to babies out of the path of the stick.

Good luck.

Yeah but I shoot left handed so it shouldn't be any different. Do you shoot right handed?
 
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