What ball do you look at last before shooting?

[JAW725]

These are all XOP (xtra-care operating procedure) situations, where either there the CB is more important. In SOP shots you look at the OB last, because your cue goes where your eyes go.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Scott,

I completely agree with this statement "your cue goes where your eyes go", so why is it that players look at the contact point of the OB and not down the stroke line??? Also if lined up correctly why couldn't you look at the CB last, remember "....where your eyes go"
I for when shoot much better looking at the CB last, I perform my CTE/Pro-One and find the new center ( CTE talk ) then I'm golden, could close my eyes really. Two renown instructors told me that once you line up properly you could look at either and even close your eyes. One thing though, I'll never understand the whole OB contact point thing, that would be looking away from the line.

 

[SK Custom Cues]

I think this thread is getting more and more confusing.

The cueball, the shaft, and the contact point on the object ball all falls on the line of sight. What people need to understand is that when you are playing well, the cue and the cue ball become a part of the player and if your game is developed enough, you just automatically know where you're hitting the cue ball, and don't even need to really confirm that you're hitting the cue ball in the right place. All you really need to do is to get the feel of the shot and fire at the contact point on the object ball, going from shot-to-shot.

That to me, is what is known as 'deadgear', or playing pool with an extremely high gear. That kind of play is what every player should aspire to.

 

[SK Custom Cues]

Well put brother. I think for the players who depend more on their mechanics or the players who are a bit lesser in skill need to reconfirm where they are hitting on the cue ball because it is not deeply ingrained, or it is simply not their style of play. Pool is a game of feel and finesse, and in any sport or art, the player must practice until it becomes a part of them. If that hasn't been achieved, then the separate aspects remain separate. It isn't until the player has truly mastered his skill that he becomes one with the stroke.

This is the reason why we have so much misunderstanding in this thread.

IN EVERY SPORT IN THE PLANET

You look at where you want to deliver the object that your delivering.

Baseball- bat to ball, you look at the ball.

Basketball -ball to rim, you look at the rim.

Archery -arrow to target, you look at target


When you punch someone in the mouth, you look at their mouth not your fist.

To not look at your objective target last is just plain silly as hell in any endeavor that takes eyes to perform.

 

[JAW725]

I agree, but some others would say the cue is the object your delivering and the CB is the target.

For me this is correct. I aim and line up from the standing position and once I'm down in my stance I'm done. If my cue is on the line of the shot and I'm looking right where my cue meets the CB, it is a done deal. I know the CB is on the shot line but the OB contact point is not. I could try looking down the line at the center of the Ghost Ball but I still don't see how it's really any different then the CB - since it's all on the shot line

 

[JAW725]

IN EVERY SPORT IN THE PLANET

You look at where you want to deliver the object that your delivering.

Baseball- bat to ball, you look at the ball.

Basketball -ball to rim, you look at the rim.

Archery -arrow to target, you look at target


When you punch someone in the mouth, you look at their mouth not your fist.

To not look at your objective target last is just plain silly as hell in any endeavor that takes eyes to perform.

You're right Ghost. The CB is the target you hit which is already lined up to go where you aimed it.

 

[ShootingArts]

such a simple question . . .

This is such a simple question to have dozens of answers. For me, I have looked at the cue ball last, the object ball last, a point between the balls last, a point behind the object ball last, and nowhere at all, a thousand yard stare, all with great success. The only time I really shoot like dirt is when I shoot with my eyes still moving. One thing I have noticed which may be worth considering, when I look at something close my stroke is more constricted, when I look at something further away I naturally stroke more freely.

Here is something for all of the object ball last people. Go to the pool hall and grab a cue ball and polish it up good. Set it and a single ball seven or eight feet apart on the table. Don't set up an extremely tough shot, just one that requires a little attention. Then start roping in "victims" as they pass by the table. Tell them you want them to cut the ball in the pocket on the other end of the table hitting the cue ball on the logo that can be square center or favoring english how many people shoot this shot. I found that the "A" players and Shortstops never hit the ball on the logo until after a few shots when they learned this was the object of the exercise then they changed focus and were able to do it.

Then I roped in a couple of absolute bangers. These guys aren't even regular bar room players, maybe three or four times a year players. They had to focus on the logo to try to hit it and they hit it perfectly every time regardless of where I put it!

It is hard to compare shooting pool to most of the other things mentioned because when we are trying to hit a moving target or hit a target with us in motion we most often focus on the target. A gun with iron sights or red dot is the exception, front sight is everything if some parts of the equation are in motion or all stationary. I would have to say that the tip or cue ball equates most closely to the front sight so by that comparison the cue ball would be what to look at however pool may be a rule unto itself just as shooting with iron sights is. Shooting a bow instinctively, no sight, I looked at the target but also had the arrow in my line of view so that I knew exactly the angle it started off on.

Watching video I have seen many pro's shift their vision to the cue ball at the last instant, even those that say they look at the object ball last. Those that say they look at only one thing are often looking at multiple things too. Not that they deliberately mislead but close examination of video is a far more accurate way to discover what people really do than asking them. That is why some talented competitors make horrible instructors, they are trying to teach what they think they do, not what they do.

I checked this in another sport. Out of 80 shooters over 75 said they shot "free recoil". Walking just behind the line during several relays of a major invitational shoot I found that over 70 of these shooters were not shooting free recoil! They would have been very upset had I disputed that they shot free recoil as I did tell a few after the shoot was over. Too much of a sharking move to tell them while we were in the middle of a competition.

Playing my best pool when I am putting in the most hours I just come down on the line and fire most of the time. The more I pay attention to what I am doing the more I miss. When I am struggling I carefully build each shot but there is no flow and each shot is a battle. This is when vision tricks can bite me too, which eye is dominant at the moment or true binocular vision. I swap between all three and not recognizing which I am using at the moment can result in spectacularly bad misses!

Hu

 

[greyghost]

Yeah.. you're delivering the cue to the cue ball.

In tennis, the pro's look at the ball contacting the racket, not where they want the tennis ball to land.

It is a little different because everything is stationary, so I think looking at OB last isn't such a bad thing.

yes tennis is just like baseball, your reacting to a moving target.

You might be delivering the Cue to the CB, but the REAL object is the delivery of the CB to the OBJECT CONTACT POINT that your trying to hit either on the rail or on the OB. The CB is not moving so there is no need to look at it on a final stroke.

HU, I have to admit I like how you relate other sports or aspects from other areas of life when comparing or trying to explain the game we all love to play, keep on posting brother.

 

[Celtic]

I've been wondering about this myself. I've always looked at the object ball last but I attended the Johnny/Earl pool school and talking to Johnny he told me that he is now looking at the cue ball last. He said he always used to look at the object ball last but after years he is now looking at the cueball last.

If that is true the player of the decade in the 1990's might want to rethink that after his slip from his place right at the top echelon of the sport. Johnny back in his younger years was a monster, he is now very good but IMO if he switched from one way of doing things to another and then slipped a notch that does not bode well for the switch he did.

 

[accustatsfan]

Yes, the front sight, not the object.

I like the shooting analogies, but I don't relate it to pool (except concentration and correct repetition of fundamentals).

The focus point changes depending on the sighting system and type of target.

Iron sights front sight and rear sight alignment for precision targets. Some people focus on the sight alignment rather than the front sight for bulls eye shooting. Index of the reticule for magnified optics.

Target focus for up close targets (not point shooting) with iron sights and non magnified optics (aim point etc).

With firearms precise sight alignment with trigger control can be very critical depending on distance.

I wonder what would be considered the most critical sighting element in a standard pool shoot?

 

[woody_968]

If that is true the player of the decade in the 1990's might want to rethink that after his slip from his place right at the top echelon of the sport. Johnny back in his younger years was a monster, he is now very good but IMO if he switched from one way of doing things to another and then slipped a notch that does not bode well for the switch he did.

I have heard (or read) that Earl looks at the cueball last, anyone ever talked to him about the subject?

 

[Neil]

..................

 

[PetToilet]

yes tennis is just like baseball, your reacting to a moving target.

You might be delivering the Cue to the CB, but the REAL object is the delivery of the CB to the OBJECT CONTACT POINT that your trying to hit either on the rail or on the OB. The CB is not moving so there is no need to look at it on a final stroke.

The object is to hit the CB in the right spot. In all of these sports, you look at the thing connected to you contacting something not connected to you.

Now because the CB is not moving, this is less important, but you are aware if you are a couple mm off of where you hit the CB, you can get different swerve angles...

 

[Colomblanco]

just like putting

I focus on the cue ball. I already have the shot lined up, I already know what the distance is. During my stroke, I just want to make sure that I hit the exact point on the ball that I want, just like when you putt.

 

[DrCue'sProtege]

I've had instructors tell me object ball last.
i've had instructors tell me cue ball last.
i've had instructors tell me its personal preference.

i've had outstanding pro players tell me object ball last.
i've had outstanding pro players tell me cue ball last.
i've had outstanding pro players tell me its personal preference.

for me personally its cue ball last and always will be. absolutely makes no sense to me and never will why anyone looks at the object ball last when the only thing you are hitting is the cue ball. i've tried object ball last, just doesnt work for me.

i still say its like Tom "Dr Cue" Rossman told me. that being.....

"If you are aligned properly, aiming good, and you stroke it straight, you can be looking at the blonde in the 5th row and you will have shot success..."

DCP