Alignment

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fy1017

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What I have been noticing that aiming is not the issue. Most pool players can aim, but aiming at the CORRECT contact point is the issue. Coming from an Army background, the army teaches soldiers to shoot. The fundamental of shooting a rifle is similar to shooting in pool. Army teaches steady position, aiming, breathing control, and trigger squeeze. In pool, steady position is body alignment and stands and trigger squeeze is stroke, using these fundamental will work in pool.
I found out steady position was the most important and why soldiers will miss there mark. In pool I notice that when I miss a ball, it was NOT my aim or stroke. It was my alignment. I grantee when pool players take aim, pool players can see over 100 contact points on the OB and only about 3-5 contact point on the OB will make the OB go in the pocket. Aiming is not the issue, being in the correct alignment is the issue.
Try 10 straight in stop shot and try to be off aligned. Your subconscious will make you compensate for the incorrect alignment. If you know where the contact point is your subconscious will make you aim for the contact point but that does not guarantee the OB will go in the pocket. I would say practice body alignment to get more consistent on making shots.


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BC21

BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
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So true. You can know exactly where to aim, using instinct or a good aiming system, but if you don't align yourself properly you'll never be consistent at hitting the appropriate aim spot.

If a player can consistently pocket straight-in shots, where the OB is at least 4 or 5 feet from the pocket and the CB is at least 3 feet from the OB, there probably isn't much going wacky with alignment. But if the same player has trouble on cut shots, the problem is aiming. Most players miss shots because they are aiming where they "think" they need to aim instead of where they "know" they need to aim. Knowing exactly where to aim is much more dependable than knowing where you think you need to aim.
 
L

LAMas

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
BC21 said:
So true. You can know exactly where to aim, using instinct or a good aiming system, but if you don't align yourself properly you'll never be consistent at hitting the appropriate aim spot.

If a player can consistently pocket straight-in shots, where the OB is at least 4 or 5 feet from the pocket and the CB is at least 3 feet from the OB, there probably isn't much going wacky with alignment. But if the same player has trouble on cut shots, the problem is aiming. Most players miss shots because they are aiming where they "think" they need to aim instead of where they "know" they need to aim. Knowing exactly where to aim is much more dependable than knowing where you think you need to aim.
Click to expand...

So true. Close your eyes and admire the result of a straight stroke.
 
BilliardsAbout

BilliardsAbout

BondFanEvents.com
Silver Member
fy1017 said:
What I have been noticing that aiming is not the issue. Most pool players can aim, but aiming at the CORRECT contact point is the issue. Coming from an Army background, the army teaches soldiers to shoot. The fundamental of shooting a rifle is similar to shooting in pool. Army teaches steady position, aiming, breathing control, and trigger squeeze. In pool, steady position is body alignment and stands and trigger squeeze is stroke, using these fundamental will work in pool.
I found out steady position was the most important and why soldiers will miss there mark. In pool I notice that when I miss a ball, it was NOT my aim or stroke. It was my alignment. I grantee when pool players take aim, pool players can see over 100 contact points on the OB and only about 3-5 contact point on the OB will make the OB go in the pocket. Aiming is not the issue, being in the correct alignment is the issue.
Try 10 straight in stop shot and try to be off aligned. Your subconscious will make you compensate for the incorrect alignment. If you know where the contact point is your subconscious will make you aim for the contact point but that does not guarantee the OB will go in the pocket. I would say practice body alignment to get more consistent on making shots.


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Click to expand...

Indeed. There are three problems that plague a good portion of pool students:

1. Thinking one is aimed at center ball or another aim target, but not

2. Seeing the correct object ball target and thinking one is aimed at it, but not

3. Both

One very good solution--commit to a straight, unswerving stroke, even if you feel your aim is off. Analyze results and learn to hit more thickly or thin to adjust aim as you redo the shot in practice.
 
Ralph Kramden

Ralph Kramden

BOOM!.. ZOOM!.. MOON!
Silver Member
BilliardsAbout said:
Indeed. There are three problems that plague a good portion of pool students:

1. Thinking one is aimed at center ball or another aim target, but not

2. Seeing the correct object ball target and thinking one is aimed at it, but not

3. Both

One very good solution--commit to a straight, unswerving stroke, even if you feel your aim is off. Analyze results and learn to hit more thickly or thin to adjust aim as you redo the shot in practice.
Click to expand...

Place the CB on the foot spot, with the OB on the center spot. Aim your cue.
Look backwards to see if the cue is aligned directly over the center diamond.

Hit the CB, sending the OB to the end rail. Stop the cue and look back again.
The cue should remain over the center diamond. If it isn't correct your stroke.

The CB, hit with follow, should collide with the OB rebounding off the end rail.

.
 
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B

bbb

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
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Ralph Kramden said:
Place the CB on the foot spot, with the OB on the center spot. Aim your cue.
Look backwards to see if the cue is aligned directly over the center diamond.

Hit the CB, sending the OB to the end rail. Stop the cue and look back again.
The cue should remain over the center diamond. If it isn't correct your stroke.

The CB, hit with follow, should collide with the OB rebounding off the end rail.

.
Click to expand...

if you have a REALLY straight stroke the cue ball after colliding with the object ball will come back to you tip....:eek:
 
BilliardsAbout

BilliardsAbout

BondFanEvents.com
Silver Member
1. Many of my students play on tables where the rail is poor. I dislike rail-bounce measures.

2. Many students I've observed do the center rail drill brilliantly than alter their stroke on object balls.

I therefore like better aiming at object balls in practice, to cut them. Commit to straight strokes--if you miss reset cutting more thin or thick, depending. This also helps aim systems. Rarely do we play the rail straight on--we usually hit the rail at some angle. We have to cut balls, though.
 
Ralph Kramden

Ralph Kramden

BOOM!.. ZOOM!.. MOON!
Silver Member
Ralph Kramden said:
Place the CB on the foot spot, with the OB on the center spot. Aim your cue.
Look backwards to see if the cue is aligned directly over the center diamond.

Hit the CB, sending the OB to the end rail. Stop the cue and look back again.
The cue should remain over the center diamond. If it isn't correct your stroke.

The CB, hit with follow, should collide with the OB rebounding off the end rail.

.
Click to expand...

BilliardsAbout said:
1. Many of my students play on tables where the rail is poor. I dislike rail-bounce measures.

2. Many students I've observed do the center rail drill brilliantly than alter their stroke on object balls.

I therefore like better aiming at object balls in practice, to cut them. Commit to straight strokes--if you miss reset cutting more thin or thick, depending. This also helps aim systems. Rarely do we play the rail straight on--we usually hit the rail at some angle. We have to cut balls, though.
Click to expand...

I agree pool shots are rarely played straight on into a rail. The OP was about alignment.
Hitting a rolling OB straight on into a rail will sent the OB straight back on the same line.

Even if a rail is poor, it won't change straight back OB rebound unless it's on a tilted roll.
The CB hit with follow, collides with the OB somewhere on that line unless hit off center.

If the CB is hit off center, or the roll is tilted the OB & CB will travel along different paths.

This is different than a usual center rail drill that rebounds the CB back to hit the cue tip.
 
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BilliardsAbout

BilliardsAbout

BondFanEvents.com
Silver Member
Yes, I appreciate the refinements you've added.

One more thing? I need my students to see spots or fractions, etc. on object balls. The diamond atop the rail is removed from the true target. Looking at a cushion blue or green spot is just as difficult as ghost ball (off by 1 1/4") "targeting".
 
Ralph Kramden

Ralph Kramden

BOOM!.. ZOOM!.. MOON!
Silver Member
BilliardsAbout said:
Yes, I appreciate the refinements you've added.

One more thing? I need my students to see spots or fractions, etc. on object balls. The diamond atop the rail is removed from the true target. Looking at a cushion blue or green spot is just as difficult as ghost ball (off by 1 1/4") "targeting".
Click to expand...

What do you mean.. off by 1 1/4"?.. The ball diameter is 2 1/4" .. half ball is 1 1/8"

.
 
BilliardsAbout

BilliardsAbout

BondFanEvents.com
Silver Member
D'oh! Early onset dementia. Thanks for the reminder.

Next time I try to see an invisible spot in the air to pocket a ball (not!) I will adjust my aim up to 12 feet away by another 1/8".

:)
 
BilliardsAbout

BilliardsAbout

BondFanEvents.com
Silver Member
I'm just joking around. But I'm not a ghost ball fan. It DOES work for some players--and I try to be empathetic towards them--because I'm not a visual learner and I have tons of trouble seeing ghost balls.

A lot of pros were told about the ghost ball, for example, as kids, but then moved up to some kind of contact point or pivot soon after.
 
L

LAMas

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
BilliardsAbout said:
I'm just joking around. But I'm not a ghost ball fan. It DOES work for some players--and I try to be empathetic towards them--because I'm not a visual learner and I have tons of trouble seeing ghost balls.

A lot of pros were told about the ghost ball, for example, as kids, but then moved up to some kind of contact point or pivot soon after.
Click to expand...

He, he. I also look to aim at points but sometimes the CB gets bigger or smaller and I miss.:wink:
 
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