While down on the shot: do you roll your eyes along THE line between the 2 points?

KoolKat9Lives

KoolKat9Lives

Taught 'em all I know
Silver Member
When you're down on the shot, and (assuming) you're looking at both the OB and CB, do you roll your eyes along the line between the 2 points - the line that encompasses the cloth and any balls along that line? If so, does this rolling help establish a mental line of sorts that better helps you deliver the CB to your contact point?


Or do you quickly switch your view from one to the other?
 
Before I get down on the shot, I will draw the line with my eyes from CB to OB. Once I get down, I primarily focus on the OB, with cursory checks on the CB to make sure I've got the tip where I want it.
 
I sight the line before I get down. I then "walk into the shot" down this line. Only after I'm down will I glance at the CB.

When I pull the stick back on practice strokes my eyes go to CB, as it goes forward it goes to OB. I pull back slowly on final stroke keeping eyes on OB, pause, and fire.
 
aiming

I don't specifically visualize the line from CB to OB, but the movement between the balls is more a matter of shot setup. When I have decided where and how to hit the ball (speed, strke and english) in the early part of setup I am setting the cue tip at the spot on the CB. With the practice strokes (3 typically) I do look back and forth between the 2 balls, but by the end I am locked on the OB contact point.

As you know, shot setup is a very complicated issue, with lots of mental and physical tasks, in sequence over just a few seconds. This becomes abundantly clear when you are out of stroke and struggling. Since eye movements are a conscious act, focusing on this can help get the stroke back and maintain focus.

For me the end of my setup is signaled by locking on the OB and focusing there. If a few more practice strokes are needed on difficult shots I allow myself to take them until all systems are go.
 
Why I asked:

stljohnny said:
Before I get down on the shot, I will draw the line with my eyes from CB to OB. Once I get down, I primarily focus on the OB, with cursory checks on the CB to make sure I've got the tip where I want it.
Click to expand...

So, on your cursory checks, are you quickly switching views, or rolling your eyes along the line?

This is what prompted me to start this thread. I had a friend, a good player himself, watching me last night (and I was struggling by my standards) and today he emailed me this:

"i was watching you shoot yesterday, very closely as usual. i realize people use many different methods of aim. you look at the cue and then at the object ball, over and over and then pull the trigger as you fixate on the object ball. maybe this is a requirement of your vision. an alternative would be to roll your eyes (as the pros do), back and forth from the cue to the object ball and back; that technique creates a phantom line that includes the cloth also. back and forth, back and forth until you see it and then execute the shot. some golf teachers teach that the swing is one move, not two. you have a two part aiming technique that i feel gets lost in the middle.
your leave game is excellent. i hope this helps."
 
KoolKat9Lives said:
So, on your cursory checks, are you quickly switching views, or rolling your eyes along the line?

This is what prompted me to start this thread. I had a friend, a good player himself, watching me last night (and I was struggling by my standards) and today he emailed me this:

"i was watching you shoot yesterday, very closely as usual. i realize people use many different methods of aim. you look at the cue and then at the object ball, over and over and then pull the trigger as you fixate on the object ball. maybe this is a requirement of your vision. an alternative would be to roll your eyes (as the pros do), back and forth from the cue to the object ball and back; that technique creates a phantom line that includes the cloth also. back and forth, back and forth until you see it and then execute the shot. some golf teachers teach that the swing is one move, not two. you have a two part aiming technique that i feel gets lost in the middle.
your leave game is excellent. i hope this helps."
Click to expand...


LOL considering my last post I'll be trying this out today.

Thanks!
Justin.
 
KoolKat9Lives said:
So, on your cursory checks, are you quickly switching views, or rolling your eyes along the line?

This is what prompted me to start this thread. I had a friend, a good player himself, watching me last night (and I was struggling by my standards) and today he emailed me this:

"i was watching you shoot yesterday, very closely as usual. i realize people use many different methods of aim. you look at the cue and then at the object ball, over and over and then pull the trigger as you fixate on the object ball. maybe this is a requirement of your vision. an alternative would be to roll your eyes (as the pros do), back and forth from the cue to the object ball and back; that technique creates a phantom line that includes the cloth also. back and forth, back and forth until you see it and then execute the shot. some golf teachers teach that the swing is one move, not two. you have a two part aiming technique that i feel gets lost in the middle.
your leave game is excellent. i hope this helps."
Click to expand...

I switch back and forth - not rolling my eyes along the travel path. At least, I don't think I do that, lol.
 
what i do

as ive aged my vision has deteriorated from 20-15 to 20-30 in one eye and 20-40 in the other. Still not bad but very noticeable difference when i wear my glasses.

Ive adjusted my game to allow for me to use my glasses to sight and discovered that its easier to aim while standing up and easier to stroke accurately while down on the shot.

So i step into the shot and roll my eyes from the cb to the ob with the shaft linedup behind the cb with minor adjustments until the line is right, then i get down on the shot t looking ayt the cb i practice stroke twice then look at
the ob and fire.


jaden
 
stljohnny said:
I switch back and forth - not rolling my eyes along the travel path. At least, I don't think I do that, lol.
Click to expand...

I hear ya, lol. Now I'm going to play today and be all "wtf do I normally do?"

I think most all of us do things we don't have a clue we're doing!
 
KoolKat9Lives said:
I hear ya, lol. Now I'm going to play today and be all "wtf do I normally do?"

I think most all of us do things we don't have a clue we're doing!
Click to expand...

That's why I like to video myself playing - but my phone doesn't have enough resolution for me to be able to accurately see what my eyes are doing. Getting one of those flip ultra hd's pretty soon though.
 
KoolKat9Lives said:
When you're down on the shot, and (assuming) you're looking at both the OB and CB, do you roll your eyes along the line between the 2 points - the line that encompasses the cloth and any balls along that line? If so, does this rolling help establish a mental line of sorts that better helps you deliver the CB to your contact point?


Or do you quickly switch your view from one to the other?
Click to expand...

The "Quiet Eye" studies suggest you should not quickly switch anything. Look at the cueball contact point for a solid couple seconds while completely still (Shane often does this for about five seconds), and then SMOOTHLY switch your gaze to a specific point in your target (object ball ) area.

Here's a little ditty about putting, but it carries over pretty well to what we teach about eye patterns in pool.

http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/sink-more-putts-with-the-quiet-eye.php
 
mikepage said:
The "Quiet Eye" studies suggest you should not quickly switch anything. Look at the cueball contact point for a solid couple seconds while completely still (Shane often does this for about five seconds), and then SMOOTHLY switch your gaze to a specific point in your target (object ball ) area.

Here's a little ditty about putting, but it carries over pretty well to what we teach about eye patterns in pool.

http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/sink-more-putts-with-the-quiet-eye.php
Click to expand...

Awesome input Mike. Thanks a ton. :thumbup: It's about time to roll on over to the hall. Nice and slow, lol.
 
I do this exactly, then on my last stroke when I pause I focus totally on the object ball and shoot away.
 
visualization

The first 100 or so pages of the The Advanced Pro Book by Bob Henning covers what happens in the 5 seconds that it takes to step to the table and shoot, a complicated process when done correctly. We can work around improperly performing them, but it hurts one's game. If you read that book a few times and really think about your setup during practice time it will improve your game. After awhile it all becomes automatic, once old habits are corrected.

You see great players with alot of positional and aiming flaws. Somehow they compensated. The best setup is like a simple machine, few parts and built to withstand pressure. That's what I strive for with setup and stroke fundamentals.

For me visualization of the shot and the intended CB part is crucial. With difficult shots it's essential. It's not as simple as just hitting the ball. Visualization is nonverbal self talk, which works best because because it is unconscious. Nothing ruins setup and shotmaking more than conscious effort during the execution phase.

I strongly reccomend the Advanced Pro Book for those interested. The last half of the book covers some higher level shots, safetys and positon routes that are great to have in the bag and win games.
 
Target of Aim

When I look at the shot, I look at the OB, make an imaginary line from there to the center of the pocket, I line up focused on the point of aim, if using english I allow for the curve, I stroke my shot, never pause at all, when I come back, it's all follow thru to the delivery of the CB, ....works for me, they get in the hole!


P.S. I've never looked at the cloth to line my shot, just never thought about it, I'm to low down on the shot anyway to see the cloth or too focused on the OB, I shoot more snooker style.


David Harcrow
 
Interesting topic. It certainly will vary from player to player. One thing that should be consistent is everyone should be looking at the object ball last.

Personally my eyes move back and forth from cue ball to object ball as I kind of glance at both before taking one final peak at the object ball and firing. On most shots I am not looking at an exact spot on the ball to aim at however. It's more of I am looking at the object ball but I feel where to hit.On difficult shots I will sometimes be looking at a spot on the ball or an edge on tough cuts before shooting but when I actually pull the trigger it's still more feel.Hope that makes sense.
 
KoolKat9Lives said:
When you're down on the shot, and (assuming) you're looking at both the OB and CB, do you roll your eyes along the line between the 2 points - the line that encompasses the cloth and any balls along that line? If so, does this rolling help establish a mental line of sorts that better helps you deliver the CB to your contact point?


Or do you quickly switch your view from one to the other?
Click to expand...

Once I raise my eyes after checking my tip position ,I do not look at anything but the ob . If the ob is hanging in the pocket on the opposite end of the table and the cb is on the rail ,Then I will look at the cb on my last stroke if I am trying to draw it hard
 
I think i am doing it wrong.

The way I do it is I will confirm the direction from the CB to the OB and then look at the CB last before delivery and try to ensure that CB travel along that same direction(path)
 
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