eye dominance?

mm4pool

mm4pool

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
i have searched the older threads and have not come across an answer, so here goes. i play right handed and sometimes really struggle with my aim, other times i just walk up, see the line shoot and make everything. a buddy suggested that i might be left eye dominant. at times when i get out of shape with position and have had to shoot left handed the people watching have stated that i line up more natural looking when shooting leftie. any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Mike:confused:
 
Well, here is one possible solution.

http://www.azbilliards.com/gallery/showplayergallery.php?playernum=682

Ralf Souquet is obviously left-eye dominant and puts his left eye over the cue by turning his head. Other players might shift their head to get a cross-dominant eye over the cue.

What you need to do is determine what your head-eye position should be so that you see your cue perfectly lined up with the shot. This may or may not involve having it right over the cue.

I never found a position that was consistent, as my eye dominance shifts like crazy, so I close one eye (my dominant one). But that should be your solution of last resort.

Or, you can pop $80 for the Perfect Aim DVD, which may or may not be the answer for you.
 
Here is something i found that may help you.

mm4pool said:
i have searched the older threads and have not come across an answer, so here goes. i play right handed and sometimes really struggle with my aim, other times i just walk up, see the line shoot and make everything. a buddy suggested that i might be left eye dominant. at times when i get out of shape with position and have had to shoot left handed the people watching have stated that i line up more natural looking when shooting leftie. any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Mike:confused:
Click to expand...

http://www.archeryweb.com/archery/eyedom.htm
 
mm4pool said:
i have searched the older threads and have not come across an answer, so here goes. i play right handed and sometimes really struggle with my aim, other times i just walk up, see the line shoot and make everything. a buddy suggested that i might be left eye dominant. at times when i get out of shape with position and have had to shoot left handed the people watching have stated that i line up more natural looking when shooting leftie. any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Mike:confused:
Click to expand...

I wouldn't waste a lot if time worrying about which eye is doniment. Focus on positioning your head over the cue in whatever position it needs to be to allow you to sight down the cue in such a way that what you see as a straight line is actually a straight line.
Like Randy said, head position will determine how you see the line. After all, you use both eyes to see.
I had the unfortunate issue of having to wear an eye patch for about 3 months. If you are going to only use one eye, then it might be a factor, but when you use both eyes, the ideal position will place the cue somewhere between both eyes.
Steve
 
thanks for all the feed back guys, i will try your suggestions and try to find someone to monitor my head position when shooting.:)
 
As both randyg and pooltcher said, it's much more important to find out where the cue is lined up (generally somewhere under your head), when you PERCEIVE a straight line. Perception is different for all of us, which is why the instructional suggestions, that you MUST line up with the cue under your dominant eye...or you MUST line up with the cue centered under your chin...don't work for everybody. Find out where you "see a straight line"...make a note of where, under your face, the cue is lined up...and work on your fundamentals and preshot routine, so that you have the skill to deliver the cue, accurately, into the straight line that you see!

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

pooltchr said:
I wouldn't waste a lot if time worrying about which eye is doniment. Focus on positioning your head over the cue in whatever position it needs to be to allow you to sight down the cue in such a way that what you see as a straight line is actually a straight line.
Like Randy said, head position will determine how you see the line. After all, you use both eyes to see.
I had the unfortunate issue of having to wear an eye patch for about 3 months. If you are going to only use one eye, then it might be a factor, but when you use both eyes, the ideal position will place the cue somewhere between both eyes.
Steve
Click to expand...
 
pooltchr said:
I wouldn't waste a lot if time worrying about which eye is doniment. Focus on positioning your head over the cue in whatever position it needs to be to allow you to sight down the cue in such a way that what you see as a straight line is actually a straight line.
Like Randy said, head position will determine how you see the line. After all, you use both eyes to see.
I had the unfortunate issue of having to wear an eye patch for about 3 months. If you are going to only use one eye, then it might be a factor, but when you use both eyes, the ideal position will place the cue somewhere between both eyes.
Steve
Click to expand...

I think it's dangerous to generalize like this (what I've bolded). I'm very right eye dominant, and I don't see a straight line to the object ball unless the cue is under my right eye. If I try to position the cue between my eyes, I am sighting to the right of the cue. Don't try to copy other players in this respect - the only person who can tell what your eyes see is you. What they see could be very different.
 
I understand what you are saying, but I stand by that comment. Stating that the ideal position is somewhere between the eyes still allows a variation of 3 or 4 inches. That would include positioning the cue under one eye or the other, or anywhere between. I do agree that individuals will see the straight line differently, but I have yet to see anyone who could accurately aim the cue when it is outside of that range. And from my experience working with students, those who see it best with the cue at the extreme edge of that range are a small minority. I'm not saying it can't happen, just that it would be quite rare. The brain receives information from both eyes, not just one.

Steve
 
pooltchr said:
I wouldn't waste a lot if time worrying about which eye is doniment. Focus on positioning your head over the cue in whatever position it needs to be to allow you to sight down the cue in such a way that what you see as a straight line is actually a straight line.
Like Randy said, head position will determine how you see the line. After all, you use both eyes to see.
I had the unfortunate issue of having to wear an eye patch for about 3 months. If you are going to only use one eye, then it might be a factor, but when you use both eyes, the ideal position will place the cue somewhere between both eyes.
Steve
Click to expand...
As a former golf professional, playing and teaching, I will have to partially disagree with this. You dont use both eyes to see. There are a few people in the world that actually see with both eyes. Not saying you dont have vision out of both, but your brain only sees with one. That being your dominant eye. The non-dominant eye is used mainly for depth perseption and peripheral vision. You need to have your dominant eye looking down the shaft. If not, you will be the slightest amount off. Might not be much, but you will be off a little. There are some easy ways to find out which eye is dominant. I am sure someone has provided a good way of doing so.

For those of you that may doubt this, try this. Go to Walgreens, CVS or another drugstore and buy an eyepatch. Put it on and get into your car and drive. You wont go 10ft. before you say to yourself this is f'ed up. Why? 0 Depth perception. Anyway, good luck to you on your quest for knowledge.

Also, if it doesnt matter, then why put one eye behind the barrel of the gun? It is the exact same thing. The best way to see an exact line to any object is to put you eye on that line.
Sub
 
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I hope this helps.

The following method is one of the easiest ways to checking eye dominance for both adults and even very young children:

eyedom.gif


Extend both hands forward of your body and place the hands together making a small triangle (approximately 1/2 to 3/4 inch per side) between your thumbs and the first knuckle.

With both eyes open, look through the triangle and center something such as a doorknob or the bullseye of a target in the triangle.

Close your left eye. If the object remains in view, you are right eye dominant. If your hands appear to move off the object and move to the left, then you are left eye dominant.

To validate the first test, look through the triangle and center the object again with both eyes open.
Close your right eye. If the object remains in view, you are left eye dominant. If your hands appear to move off the object and move to the right, then you are right eye dominant.

One more alternative method is to assume the same position with your hands forming the triangle around the object and have both eyes open. Now, slowly bring your hands toward your face while continuing to look at the object with both eyes open. When your hands touch your face, the triangle opening should be in front of your dominant eye.
Click to expand...

http://www.archeryweb.com/archery/eyedom.htm

LWW
 
This is the method I thought about explaining but I didnt feel like typing that much. But it is very effective.
 
I am left eye dominate just look at my picture. Left eye over the shaft.
Years ago i tried shooting with my right eye over the shaft and could not make 2 in a row.
 
Once again, you don't have to put your cue under your dominant eye. You have to put it were you see a straight line!....SPF=randyg
 
subdude...While you may be a former professional golfer/teacher, it would appear that your information is outdated. Your statement implies that everyone has a dominant eye. That is simply not true, and has been documented many times. As Randyg said, it's far more important to line up the cue, where you PERCEIVE a straight line. Even more important, is being able to deliver the cue, accurately, into the perceived straight line.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

subdude1974 said:
As a former golf professional, playing and teaching, I will have to partially disagree with this. You dont use both eyes to see. There are a few people in the world that actually see with both eyes. Not saying you dont have vision out of both, but your brain only sees with one. That being your dominant eye. The non-dominant eye is used mainly for depth perseption and peripheral vision. You need to have your dominant eye looking down the shaft. If not, you will be the slightest amount off. Might not be much, but you will be off a little. There are some easy ways to find out which eye is dominant. I am sure someone has provided a good way of doing so.

For those of you that may doubt this, try this. Go to Walgreens, CVS or another drugstore and buy an eyepatch. Put it on and get into your car and drive. You wont go 10ft. before you say to yourself this is f'ed up. Why? 0 Depth perception. Anyway, good luck to you on your quest for knowledge.

Also, if it doesnt matter, then why put one eye behind the barrel of the gun? It is the exact same thing. The best way to see an exact line to any object is to put you eye on that line.
Sub
Click to expand...
 
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That's true. There is a select portion of people who do not have a dominant eye. Guess they can never play pool.....:-)
randyg
 
subdude1974 said:
As a former golf professional, playing and teaching, I will have to partially disagree with this. You dont use both eyes to see. There are a few people in the world that actually see with both eyes. Not saying you dont have vision out of both, but your brain only sees with one. That being your dominant eye. The non-dominant eye is used mainly for depth perseption and peripheral vision. You need to have your dominant eye looking down the shaft. If not, you will be the slightest amount off.

Don't tell Moe Norman that. If you do, he may not be the "greatest" ball striker of all time.

Might not be much, but you will be off a little. There are some easy ways to find out which eye is dominant. I am sure someone has provided a good way of doing so.

For those of you that may doubt this, try this. Go to Walgreens, CVS or another drugstore and buy an eyepatch. Put it on and get into your car and drive. You wont go 10ft. before you say to yourself this is f'ed up. Why? 0 Depth perception. Anyway, good luck to you on your quest for knowledge.

Also, if it doesnt matter, then why put one eye behind the barrel of the gun?

Because that's where the rear sight is.


It is the exact same thing. The best way to see an exact line to any object is to put you eye on that line.

Then there must not be "binocular vision".


Sub
Click to expand...

I'm always up for a good debate....SPF=randyg
 
subdude1974 said:
This is the method I thought about explaining but I didnt feel like typing that much. But it is very effective.
Click to expand...

Thanks.

That is the best test I've ever found.

Being a target shooter as well as amateur photographer I have found many of the skills adaptable across the three.

Here's one commonly taught in target shooting and photography, but I don't think I've ever seen mentioned for pool.

Extend the arm of the same side as your dominant eye at a point several feet, or further, away from you.

Now watch as your finger bobs slightly as you breath. Your body is using the lens/gun/cue/arm as a lever and even the slight movement of your lungs is causing a large effect at the end of the "lever" you are using.

Yo correct this simply hold one's breath, no huge gasp of air is needed ... just consciously stop for a full second or two, as the trigger/shutter/stroke is fired.

LWW
 
Scott Lee said:
subdude...While you may be a former professional golfer/teacher, it would appear that your information is outdated. Your statement implies that everyone has a dominant eye. That is simply not true, and has been documented many times. As Randyg said, it's far more important to line up the cue, where you PERCEIVE a straight line. Even more important, is being able to deliver the cue, accurately, into the perceived straight line.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Click to expand...

Everyone DOES have a dominant eye.

Where it gets confusing is that in some people it is a slight dominance, and in others it is a huge difference.

Much study has been done on this in art and photography, and here's the gist of how and why it works.

Early man, being the first creature to develop aimed weapons for hunting such as spears and arrows, had a much higher survival rate among males who had a dominant eye.

The advantage of this genetic trait was that the dominant eye would focus clearly on a target, in that case dinner ... for this discussion a spot on a ball ... while the other eye would flit about and fill the brain in on any movement ... such as something seeing you as dinner ... that the dominant eye might need to shift to.

The brain actually only "SEES" a small section of any scene ... the center of concentration which is kept up to date in real time ... and the brain fills in the rest from info supplied by the non dominant eye.

That explains the phenomenon of how something can appear to sneak up on you unseen in an area which you are quite familiar with. You are concentrating on the center of attention and the brain fills in the rest of the picture with past data.

In art/photography this is expressed in the rule of thirds. IOW if you draw across any picture an imaginary tic tac toe board of a 3X3 grid and place the center of attention at one of 4 intersection points the brain will perceive it comfortably as the dominant eye locks on and the non dominant eye rolls around and surveys the rest. Place the center of attention dead center or off to an extreme edge and the brain is more confused and sees the scene as too busy.

I'm far from a pro level pool player, but the more we understand how each body part functions in the process the more likely we are to master the total.

LWW
 
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