Double the Distance Aiming ???
- By Oikawa
- Aiming Conversation
- 33 Replies
Been using double the distance as my primary aiming method for some months now and have had good results with it. I used to aim 100% by feel before it, but especially on close cuts and awkward angles (back-cuts, thin shots etc.) I am much more effective with this than just aiming only by feel.
My method is to start from the opposite (pocket) side of the contact point (furthest red cross from the aim point in the image), then move in equal steps from there (center OB, contact point, aim point). Movement between each point is the same distance in both X and Y axis. Using this extra step (opposite contact point) at the start allows for better feel of the correct distance for the last step, because you are doing three shifts instead of just two. To perform the system, I fix my gaze at the points, moving from one point to the next with a steady rhythm (slower for tougher shots, quicker for easy shots), once I am at the final aiming point I will perform an adjustment by shifting the aim point sideways if needed (e.g. accounting for throw/sidespin), and then go down on the shot.
More generally speaking about my own game, I used to think that feel-based aiming was the ideal way to go for me. And while it worked well some days, it has it's weaknesses under pressure. The issue is that with feel-based aiming, it often works the best the less you are conscious about it. And being under pressure sabotages that, turning competitive pressure into a negative feedback loop. But with a conscious aiming method, the extra focus/self-awareness under pressure will actually do me a favor, I can just channel that focus into the aiming method and trust it is correct, which turns into a positive feedback loop instead.
Just my two cents, not trying to make too general claims about conscious vs. subconscious aiming, everyone has their own way. But for me this shift back to conscious from subconscious seemed to elevate my game up a noticable amount.
The reason I find this method better than just using plain ghost ball is that I am horrible at visualizing the ghost ball. Some degree of aphantasia perhaps.
For context, I am playing at about 620-640 fargo speed. Probably improved like 20-30 points within the last year. No real rating because the tournaments I play in aren't registered to fargo, but this is based on relative performance compared to people that are in the system.
My method is to start from the opposite (pocket) side of the contact point (furthest red cross from the aim point in the image), then move in equal steps from there (center OB, contact point, aim point). Movement between each point is the same distance in both X and Y axis. Using this extra step (opposite contact point) at the start allows for better feel of the correct distance for the last step, because you are doing three shifts instead of just two. To perform the system, I fix my gaze at the points, moving from one point to the next with a steady rhythm (slower for tougher shots, quicker for easy shots), once I am at the final aiming point I will perform an adjustment by shifting the aim point sideways if needed (e.g. accounting for throw/sidespin), and then go down on the shot.
More generally speaking about my own game, I used to think that feel-based aiming was the ideal way to go for me. And while it worked well some days, it has it's weaknesses under pressure. The issue is that with feel-based aiming, it often works the best the less you are conscious about it. And being under pressure sabotages that, turning competitive pressure into a negative feedback loop. But with a conscious aiming method, the extra focus/self-awareness under pressure will actually do me a favor, I can just channel that focus into the aiming method and trust it is correct, which turns into a positive feedback loop instead.
Just my two cents, not trying to make too general claims about conscious vs. subconscious aiming, everyone has their own way. But for me this shift back to conscious from subconscious seemed to elevate my game up a noticable amount.
The reason I find this method better than just using plain ghost ball is that I am horrible at visualizing the ghost ball. Some degree of aphantasia perhaps.
For context, I am playing at about 620-640 fargo speed. Probably improved like 20-30 points within the last year. No real rating because the tournaments I play in aren't registered to fargo, but this is based on relative performance compared to people that are in the system.
