Perfect Aim

[nine_ball6970]

So when I get down in my stance, it appears my eyes are on the correct line but the shaft is angled from left to right.

1. I am wondering if I should be moving my back hand to get the cue perpendicular to the cue ball.

2. Should I be moving my head one direction to get the shaft to appear straight? If I do this, now the shot looks wrong.

I feel it is similar to what Robb Saez does where his practice strokes are on the left side of the cue ball but comes through dead straight on final stroke.

 

[Dan White]

So when I get down in my stance, it appears my eyes are on the correct line but the shaft is angled from left to right.

1. I am wondering if I should be moving my back hand to get the cue perpendicular to the cue ball.

2. Should I be moving my head one direction to get the shaft to appear straight? If I do this, now the shot looks wrong.

I feel it is similar to what Robb Saez does where his practice strokes are on the left side of the cue ball but comes through dead straight on final stroke.

I had this same problem for most of my pool playing life. I tried perfect aim but it did not correct that problem. It is a rather lengthy answer as to how I finally corrected it so if you would like to send me a private message and I'll give you my phone number.

 

[cookie man]

So when I get down in my stance, it appears my eyes are on the correct line but the shaft is angled from left to right.

1. I am wondering if I should be moving my back hand to get the cue perpendicular to the cue ball.

2. Should I be moving my head one direction to get the shaft to appear straight? If I do this, now the shot looks wrong.

I feel it is similar to what Robb Saez does where his practice strokes are on the left side of the cue ball but comes through dead straight on final stroke.

There is nothing wrong with playing with an angled cue

 

[Patrick Johnson]

So when I get down in my stance, it appears my eyes are on the correct line but the shaft is angled from left to right.

1. I am wondering if I should be moving my back hand to get the cue perpendicular to the cue ball.

You should at least try that - but focus on moving your elbow, not just your hand, so your stroke stays straight.

I had the same issue and had to also raise my rear shoulder a little to get my stick directly under and in line with my sightline (without "chicken winging" my elbow out too far).

Good luck!

pj
chgo

 

[Patrick Johnson]

There is nothing wrong with playing with an angled cue

?? Unless you want to see where your stick is pointing.

pj
chgo

 

[nine_ball6970]

There is nothing wrong with playing with an angled cue

There may be nothing wrong with it, but I feel like it leads to inconsistency that can be corrected. I am willing to put in the work. Just trying to figure out a way to correct it. I think it can lead to issues especially under pressure where eyes may play tricks in the first place.

I have worked on putting my upper arm on the shot line and that leads to a straighter stroke but now I miss some balls I made regularly before. I believe I was subconsciously steering to get the ball to go in even though on wrong line.

 

[SpiderWebComm]

There may be nothing wrong with it, but I feel like it leads to inconsistency that can be corrected.

An angled cue at setup or from a faulty backstroke or forward stroke can/will lead to inconsistency if your goal is to play with a perfectly straight cue all the time for parallel English and everything else.

But playing with an angled cue on purpose for BHE or slightly offset and angled for cut shots in the aiming process can be extremely consistent and accurate once you know what to do, how to do it, and why you're doing it.

Unfortunately, this has been one of the contentious misunderstood subjects that have led to the 20 year flame wars. Unbeknownst to you, Cookie threw out a gem of information in one short sentence. A gem that elicits negativity and guffaws from those not in the know based on lack of knowledge, experience and desire to learn. There are those who have always thought they know everything and aren't bashful about expressing and arguing it.

 

[nine_ball6970]

An angled cue at setup or from a faulty backstroke or forward stroke can/will lead to inconsistency if your goal is to play with a perfectly straight cue all the time for parallel English and everything else.

But playing with an angled cue on purpose for BHE or slightly offset and angled for cut shots in the aiming process can be extremely consistent and accurate once you know what to do, how to do it, and why you're doing it.

Unfortunately, this has been one of the contentious misunderstood subjects that have led to the 20 year flame wars. Unbeknownst to you, Cookie threw out a gem of information in one short sentence. A gem that elicits negativity and guffaws from those not in the know based on lack of knowledge, experience and desire to learn. There are those who have always thought they know everything and aren't bashful about expressing and arguing it.

I use backhand English when needed. I am talking about trying to keep the cue at center cue ball when that is my intention. I believe the tip is at center but the cue itself is right of that line. I make adjustments to get the cue close to that line but rarely does it come through straight. I believe I figured out a solution though.

 

[SpiderWebComm]

I use backhand English when needed.

How, dynamically or preset? When you set up to use it, do you make any adjustment with the aim point whatever it may be? Contact point, fraction, etc.

What do you do differently for outside and inside?

Do you hand and arm pivot or hip pivot?

 

[sixpack]

So when I get down in my stance, it appears my eyes are on the correct line but the shaft is angled from left to right.

1. I am wondering if I should be moving my back hand to get the cue perpendicular to the cue ball.

2. Should I be moving my head one direction to get the shaft to appear straight? If I do this, now the shot looks wrong.

I feel it is similar to what Robb Saez does where his practice strokes are on the left side of the cue ball but comes through dead straight on final stroke.

Probably a left-handed cue.

 

[sixpack]

I use backhand English when needed. I am talking about trying to keep the cue at center cue ball when that is my intention. I believe the tip is at center but the cue itself is right of that line. I make adjustments to get the cue close to that line but rarely does it come through straight. I believe I figured out a solution though.

I had to put the CB on the spot and a piece of chalk on the middle diamond other end rail shoot a bunch of shots trying to get the CB to come straight back to my tip. That forced everything to be straight. Then I aligned to where that looked right.

That gave me a straight stroke when I need it but I still slip back to a crooked stroke often. When I’m using a pivot method then as mentioned straight is relative and the difference in perception between ‘straight’ and ‘straight from this perspective’ is the difference between the system working and the system not working.

 

[Dan White]

That gave me a straight stroke when I need it but I still slip back to a crooked stroke often. When I’m using a pivot method then as mentioned straight is relative and the difference in perception between ‘straight’ and ‘straight from this perspective’ is the difference between the system working and the system not working.

FWIW, my hunch is that you have not really fixed it yet. Just because the ball comes straight back does not mean you have a straight stroke, as in straight back and straight forward.

I know this because that's how I played for many years. What I figured out is that I would address the ball with the cue slightly crooked. I would draw the cue back, but just before the forward stroke I would pull the butt end of the cue in a little to the correct shot line without even realizing it and stroke through. This worked so well that I didn't notice for years. It was when I started trying to get to the next level up of real precision play that I found all this out. The problem with the old stroke is that when I needed more power I couldn't control that little swoop motion at the back of the cue and didn't have good consistency.

 

[genomachino]

Not even close. This is coming from the horses mouth. Gene Albrecht and perfect Aim. This was a description from someone that got the dvd from someone and tried to figure it out. Like I said, Not even close.....

 

[genomachino]

If the stick looks crooked when down on the shot it's usually because your dominant eye is not in the most dominant position. The other eye is working like the dominant eye a little bit. The more crooked it is the more off the eyes are.

 

[AtLarge]

Not even close. This is coming from the horses mouth. Gene Albrecht and perfect Aim. This was a description from someone that got the dvd from someone and tried to figure it out. Like I said, Not even close.....

Gene -- Apparently quite a few people had trouble understanding your first dvd on Perfect Aim. As I recall, you had a new version in the works at least 6 years ago. Does that revised edition exist? If not, are you still planning to do one?

 

[sixpack]

FWIW, my hunch is that you have not really fixed it yet. Just because the ball comes straight back does not mean you have a straight stroke, as in straight back and straight forward.

I know this because that's how I played for many years. What I figured out is that I would address the ball with the cue slightly crooked. I would draw the cue back, but just before the forward stroke I would pull the butt end of the cue in a little to the correct shot line without even realizing it and stroke through. This worked so well that I didn't notice for years. It was when I started trying to get to the next level up of real precision play that I found all this out. The problem with the old stroke is that when I needed more power I couldn't control that little swoop motion at the back of the cue and didn't have good consistency.

Thanks! I need to think about that a little. At first blush I am inclined to agree with you.

 

[genomachino]

I did the video but it never got edited and completed. Gave up on ever getting it. Got a new setup and I'm finally feeling pretty good after my last car accident. Neck fused, then 6 months later rear ended. This Perfect Aim started out so small but became very huge. So huge that it takes me 4 hours to do a personal lesson. it starts out with the dominant eye then the stance, the stroke, eye patterns and so many other parts of a players structured being. It's the glue that makes everything right so a player can improve at a higher speed. Not an accident that many of the top guns are coming right here from the Minnesota/Wisconsin area. So many others that I taught in my travels teaching. The new video should be done in about 2 months. Provided i stay healthy............Thanks for asking.....

 

[Dan White]

If the stick looks crooked when down on the shot it's usually because your dominant eye is not in the most dominant position. The other eye is working like the dominant eye a little bit. The more crooked it is the more off the eyes are.

Gene - I did a phone consultation with you some years ago, which I appreciated. I had the same issue of a crooked cue at initial alignment, and then a correction in mid stroke. I eventually fixed the problem but the solution for me was surprising. I am left eye dominant and left handed. However, through trial and error and video feedback, I now have a very straight stroke. The solution for me was to actually switch to cue alignment under my RIGHT non dominant eye (inside corner of the eye) and to have my body turned more. It seemed odd at first but now if I try to get down on the shot with my dominant eye it looks all wrong.

I suppose it is possible for me to have straightened out the cue by keeping my dominant eye over the cue (although I wasn't able to figure that out at the time). Have you seen anyone switch over to the non dominant eye as the solution? I realize this is the exact opposite of your system but you know so much about visual perception that I thought you might be able to shed some light on it. And, yes, I really am left eye dominant.

Thanks.

 

[SpiderWebComm]

I am left eye dominant and left handed. However, through trial and error and video feedback, I now have a very straight stroke.
Thanks.

I know you addressed this to Gene, but after all of this video to achieve the perfect stroke, what is the bottom line in ball pocketing and game improvement from before to now?

My golf game sucks but I watch it on TV. It's amazing how some of the most perfect pure swings don't produce the most wins or any wins.. The guys who do win and win consistently have flaws, glitches, and abnormal positions.

So again, what's the bottom line?

 

[Dan White]

I know you addressed this to Gene, but after all of this video to achieve the perfect stroke, what is the bottom line in ball pocketing and game improvement from before to now?

My golf game sucks but I watch it on TV. It's amazing how some of the most perfect pure swings don't produce the most wins or any wins.. The guys who do win and win consistently have flaws, glitches, and abnormal positions.

So again, what's the bottom line?

Bottom line is that straightening out the stroke has significantly improved my shot making and fine position play, and I was running 70's and 80's in straight pool even before then. I decided if I wanted to run 100's regularly then I had to step up my game.

You are talking about professional players who have done virtually nothing in their life but hone their swing. Out of a million guys who do it wrong you find one Lee Travino who does it all wrong but gets it right at impact. The rest of us who have stroke problems do not get it right at impact. The proof for me is that I had concluded at one time that I just could not play the game of pool if I had to hit the ball with speed and at any distance. That isn't a problem any more.

I should stipulate that I do not yet have 100% perfect cue delivery all the time. I'm still working out some details, at which point I will try to ingrain that stroke and make it automatic.

Glad to see we're back to pool and not outing other AZ members and seeing what celebrity they look like. :thumbup: