Which shots give you AIMING problems?

Straightpool_99 · Mar 6, 2016

I thought I'd try to start an actual aiming thread (knowing it will die in just a page, but I'll try it anyway). I wonder, what shots you guys find problematic to AIM specifically. Are these shots only tough for that certain individual, or for everyone. Maybe we can help eachother, or figure out what specific factors are tough, so as to improve methods?

Please diagram the shots, otherwise there will be many misunderstandings. At the moment I'm struggling a bit with certain, high, high angle straight pool breakshots. Don't get me wrong, I don't miss them too much, but I do find them difficult to aim. There is a lot of feel involved when aiming them, at least for me, even if I do know some aiming systems. I feel that the rack of balls makes the edges of the ball harder to make out, and also distracts my aim somewhat. When I do miss them, I tend to undercut them for some reason.

ENGLISH! · Mar 6, 2016

How are you shooting that shot? With high follow & no english?

You might want to try it with high left.

Or you might want to try CJ's TOI & align inside edge of the CB to the outside 1/4 line of the OB & then parallel shift to the inside & use the squirt to add cut.

Actually that is my adaptation.

CJ would align CTE & use what ever amount of tip offset to get enough squirt... or he might set up that way & then pivot to center or for a bit of outside english.

duckie · Mar 9, 2016

The trick for high angle shots is to look past the object ball and do not look at the object ball.

That shot is a possible carom break shot which would not be such a high angle cut shot.

It's fun to do a carom break because a lot of people never see em or use them.

By carom, I mean the 1 into 2 ball with the 1 ball going into the corner.

Once you get use to not looking at the OB but where the CB needs to be to make the ball....high angle cuts are simple.

My biggest issue is execution of a shot consistently and not where the CB needs to be.

The concept is being able to see everything in your field of view without looking at anything. Most shots I'm looking at a spot on the table that lets be see what I need to in order to do a complete shot....complete shot being OB goes where you want plus the CB does also.

This is how sterographic 3D pictures work....by not looking at any certain point in the pictures, but looking at the picture as a whole.

But this is just my way.......your way will be different.

ENGLISH! · Mar 9, 2016

Some good stuff there, Greg.

In the pic it looks a lil tuff to carom off the one. It looks to me that it would go more easily off of the 7 unless the one would get in the way near the pocket after coming off the rail.

I've not played any straight pool in probably 30 years or more but caroms come up rather often in one pocket which I have only been playing for about 8 months now but I'm only playing about once a week, two if I'm lucky.

I 'never' look at the pocket when shooting a shot once I start to go down for a shot. It's all it that peripheral thing. One knows where the pocket is & it is not moving or going anywhere.

It's just seeing the shot picture as you say with the OB going to that pocket & the me, the CB, going where I, the CB, want to go.

Some Good Stuff there, Greg.

You Be & Stay Well.
Rick

magicrat69210 · Mar 10, 2016

long shots about 40-60 degree cuts that are 6 to 18 inches off the long rail and at least 3 to 5 diamonds away from pocket.....hard for me to get this shot right.....i even see good players get a bad look on there face when this shot pops up.......i think alot of players have trouble perceiving this shot.....some hit it really well......sorry dont know how to post a pic of the table.....these shot i think are usually over cut

ENGLISH! · Mar 10, 2016

magicrat69210 said:
long shots about 40-60 degree cuts that are 6 to 18 inches off the long rail and at least 3 to 5 diamonds away from pocket.....hard for me to get this shot right.....i even see good players get a bad look on there face when this shot pops up.......i think alot of players have trouble perceiving this shot.....some hit it really well......sorry dont know how to post a pic of the table.....these shot i think are usually over cut

Are you hitting them with any spin or are you trying to cut them with a hit just on the vertical axis of the cue ball?

GoldenFlash · Mar 10, 2016

magicrat69210 said:
long shots about 40-60 degree cuts that are 6 to 18 inches off the long rail and at least 3 to 5 diamonds away from pocket.....hard for me to get this shot right.....i even see good players get a bad look on there face when this shot pops up.......i think alot of players have trouble perceiving this shot.....some hit it really well......sorry dont know how to post a pic of the table.....these shot i think are usually over cut

The best I ever saw at drilling those 60 degree cut shots was St. Louis Louie.
I don't know what he was doing but he could do a demonstration of that skill in a heartbeat.
I know, I know....this post doesn't do much to help. I just thought I'd throw out a little history of what I was lucky enough to see.
As for me, I just practice them the way Stan Shuffet says to practice them and then hope for the best. What can I say :shrug:

bbb · Mar 10, 2016

back cuts greater than 30 degree back cuts
i tend to over cut them
i have corrected my misses by aiming for the facing rather than the center of the pocket

magicrat69210 · Mar 10, 2016

ENGLISH! said:
Are you hitting them with any spin or are you trying to cut them with a hit just on the vertical axis of the cue ball?

both......im just not good at it...... i must admit i have never spent several days and hours working on this weakness.....if i did it probly wont be a weakness anymore......hmmm wat im i doing tomorrow?
I have an old book by Mizerack and he says when he had trouble with a shot he shot it 200 times......good advice but boring as hell!!!!

BilliardsAbout · Mar 11, 2016

A little trick for the shot as diagrammed. Pick out the parallel points on cb and ob and stand behind the parallel point on the cb to begin your aim process.

magicrat69210 · Mar 12, 2016

Straightpool_99 said:
I thought I'd try to start an actual aiming thread (knowing it will die in just a page, but I'll try it anyway). I wonder, what shots you guys find problematic to AIM specifically. Are these shots only tough for that certain individual, or for everyone. Maybe we can help eachother, or figure out what specific factors are tough, so as to improve methods?

Please diagram the shots, otherwise there will be many misunderstandings. At the moment I'm struggling a bit with certain, high, high angle straight pool breakshots. Don't get me wrong, I don't miss them too much, but I do find them difficult to aim. There is a lot of feel involved when aiming them, at least for me, even if I do know some aiming systems. I feel that the rack of balls makes the edges of the ball harder to make out, and also distracts my aim somewhat. When I do miss them, I tend to undercut them for some reason.

would u like to write a quick summary of how to post that table with the balls?? thank u

Bank it · Mar 12, 2016

None, because I don't aim. If I had one wish for all of those on here obsessed with aiming is that they eventually see that positive visualization of what they want to transpire is what they should aspire to.

Sloppy Pockets · Mar 12, 2016

Bank it said:
None, because I don't aim. If I had one wish for all of those on here obsessed with aiming is that they eventually see that positive visualization of what they want to transpire is what they should aspire to.

May I direct you to the "Positive Visualization Conversation" sub-forum? Oh, that's right... there isn't one. :grin:

Pool is a visual game, therefore all "aiming" in pool requires visualization (even objective aiming methods). I think the OP is in effect asking which shots are harder to visualize. If a method or "system" (I hate that word, as it is often thought to involve "complexity") helps a player pocket a ball and get the shape needed to execute the desired patten, I see no reason not to learn this method... even if it is only for one particular shot.

All methods become automatic in time, and visualization is always the goal in the end. However, since some shots require a rake, a cue extension, a jump cue, or maybe even a knee on the table, it's pretty clear to me that all shots are not equal. These are all gimmicks that are allowed within the current rules, so what is wrong with a visualization "gimmick" to aid in making these shots?

BTW I don't "aim" either, but I do know a few aiming systems, and enjoy learning new ones whenever I can. I'm being taught Hal Houle's original 3-line system right now, and it is very cool. Makes visualizing the shot correctly so much easier, and I can switch to total "feel" anytime I want, so no harm is being done to my game.

Saturated Fats · Mar 12, 2016

BilliardsAbout said:
A little trick for the shot as diagrammed. Pick out the parallel points on cb and ob and stand behind the parallel point on the cb to begin your aim process.

Sorry, but I'll need an explanation of "parallel points".

magicrat69210 · Mar 12, 2016

ok i practiced my problem shot for about 35 minutes today......after about 60 reptitions was firing it in just placing the balls in about the same place from memory.....if i do this a few more times im sure this shot will be a strength....mayb there is something to hamb

LAMas · Apr 13, 2016

BilliardsAbout said:
A little trick for the shot as diagrammed. Pick out the parallel points on cb and ob and stand behind the parallel point on the cb to begin your aim process.

Matt,

If I understand, then I like it?

Parallel points on the OB and CB - those contact points would create a line that is parallel to the center point of the CB to the center of the GB point.

Standing back helps as does stick aiming the CP 2 CP as far back as arms length. If one does that and angles the tip of the cue from the shoulder to the center of the CB, your aim line from there will be only a couple of degrees to the outside of the center CB to the center of the GB line. The couple of degrees will help eliminate the CIT error.

Using the paper arrow as a tool, gets you to the geometrically correct GB, but if one hits center CB, then CIT can cause the OB to travel thick to the pocket.

Just sayin and be well.:smile:

Mikjary · Apr 14, 2016

I like to line up with a tip of inside and pivot to center for a "slight over cut" on really thin shots. :wink:

Best,
Mike

LAMas · Apr 19, 2016

Mikjary said:
I like to line up with a tip of inside and pivot to center for a "slight over cut" on really thin shots. :wink:

Best,
Mike

Good recommendation.:thumbup:

(((Satori))) · Apr 21, 2016

Straightpool_99 said:
I thought I'd try to start an actual aiming thread (knowing it will die in just a page, but I'll try it anyway). I wonder, what shots you guys find problematic to AIM specifically. Are these shots only tough for that certain individual, or for everyone. Maybe we can help eachother, or figure out what specific factors are tough, so as to improve methods?

Please diagram the shots, otherwise there will be many misunderstandings. At the moment I'm struggling a bit with certain, high, high angle straight pool breakshots. Don't get me wrong, I don't miss them too much, but I do find them difficult to aim. There is a lot of feel involved when aiming them, at least for me, even if I do know some aiming systems. I feel that the rack of balls makes the edges of the ball harder to make out, and also distracts my aim somewhat. When I do miss them, I tend to undercut them for some reason.

As far as aiming goes for this shot... to me its all mental. Here is a little trick I like to do.

Pretend the 13 ball is your pocket and you are banking the 9 ball. Pretend the actual pocket is your target to bank to. Pick out a specific point in the pocket that will allow you to bank the ball but visualize the shot like a bank and I think you will be surprised how much more acurate you are with this shot.

Texas Carom Club · Apr 21, 2016

Wow I'll give that a shot, straight pool is pretty much the only pool game I'll play

Which shots give you AIMING problems?

I see dead balls

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