lining up the balls and the pockets.

kyootie,

What best describes the aiming system you're using? Do you focus on the contact point on the object ball, visualize a ghost ball, or picture a fractional ball (center to the edge of ball method)?

Viewing from the pocket, line up the object ball. Draw an imaginary line backwards from the pocket through the object ball and terminate 1 1/8" past the object ball. In ghostball, that should be your aiming point.

You can practice hitting that aiming point. Stick a donut sticker (notebook looseleaf reinforcement sticker) on that ghostball spot, and one underneath the object ball, and practice aiming for that ghostball spot from different positions on the table.

Sight the line going from the ball to the pocket. Pick a spot about 8 " away from the object ball on that line or imagine the pocket to be 8" away on that line. Either will work, just depends on what you are more comfortable with. Now shoot the OB ball at that spot or pocket.

To see how this works place a OB 8" from the pocket. It is easy to make it.
Now that you can make a ball that is 8" away you can pretend to be doing the same thing with the ball further away. Trick your mind into thinking that the pocket is only 8" away by making the target 8" or so from the ball instead of 4 ft or further. Adjust the distance closer or further according to what works best for you.

I use this method for most long shots.