??Question??

[Fatboy]

some time ago there was a pic of a before and after shot of me shtoking through the CB. My bride hand had moved I believe Randy said my preshot stance was a 8 and afterwards a 2 or3. I thought long and hard about this and when out and did it again. The reason my bridge hand moved is because I turned my head to the photog and said take another pic, I raised up a little. the follow through was darn near to the joint, yeah I drop my elbow after the impact with the CB.

Now to my question. I have a big stroke, not Cory Harper or JA big but big and powerful. I have knocked more action by other players seeing my stroke "I'd need the 7 from a guy with a stroke like yours" I have heard that time and time again in years past-truth is I couldnt win if i was getting the 7, all flash no horse power.

Here is what I noticed recently, I am missing most balls to the left, just hair even when I make them they are going into the left side of the pocket, I tightened my pockets to a little less than 4.25" so naturally I miss more often. Dosent if im cutting the ball from left to right or right to left. If I'm dead straight(my favorite) 90% of my misses are to the left. I shoot real straight so full table length straight in shots are usually hangers for me. not Shane straight but still real straight.

What I noticed is that when I follow through like in that picture a long way the tip dosent follow straight it flows to the left and my shooting arm is moving away from my body slightly atthe end og the stroke.

This still happens If I use the Scott no elbow drop, it still happens to a lesser degree.


so if i hit the CB just off center to the left does that cause the OB miss to the lefi??? i am dyslexic with right and left and get confused so easy.



There is something causing me to miss to the left consistantly or make the ball but in the left side of the pocket, the harder i hit the ball the more noticable it is, if I shoot pocket speed its not a issue.


any suggestions?

 

[greyghost]

by the sounds of it eric your either aligned so your delivery is to the RIGHT OF THE CONTACT SPOT or Your hitting right hand english on the CB when you think your hitting Center.

watch your CB and think about the past.......if your aligned properly and the shot veered to the left and the CB didn't drift much from where it made initial contact with the OB......YOUR HITTING ON RIGHT SIDE OF THE CB (english)

If your shooting the same shot and the CB is rolling away a bit like a stun or actually ROLLING AWAY then you know your its your alignment.

Hope you can understand what I'm trying to relay, give me a call and we'll talk about it.

your friend in the marsh,
Keebie

 

[Run the Century]

Hey Eric

One thing I do is stretch a long piece of painters tape (diagonal accross the table). Stick a couple paper circle (re-inforcers) one for the cue ball and one for the object ball - make it about a half table length shot. Shoot this shot over and over and freeze your shaft at the finish - you will be able to easily tell which way your shaft is at finish (based on comparing it to the straight in circle where the object ball was). I have found the "3rd eye" training device invaluable in practicing this shot.

Another nice thing about this shot is if you hit it enough times you will see the path of the cue ball on the painters tape as well (any curve will be shown as a wear mark on the blue tape). If your stricking the cueball off center you will see a slight curve (as your cue is never perfectly horizontal).

Chris

 

[pooltchr]

so if i hit the CB just off center to the left does that cause the OB miss to the lefi??? i am dyslexic with right and left and get confused so easy.

In a word, yes. If you hit the CB left of center, the CB will squirt slightly to the right. And if you hit the OB right of where you wanted to hit, the OB will miss to the left.

Steve

 

[Neil]

Try moving you back hand a little and see if that fixes it. Try moving it forward about 2 fingers width first.

 

[Fatboy]

Try moving you back hand a little and see if that fixes it. Try moving it forward about 2 fingers width first.

i do shorten my bridge playing 1P and that does work well Neil, especially open bridge,but on the big table where I need a bit more gas, it rears its ugly head.


thanks Steve,

i get that so confused. i cant tell right from left 90% of the time, and i have to think long and hard sometimes on a shot when I need to kill the CB comming into a rail, or running english. When I'm playing $10/game I get up and hit a ball with 3'o clock instead of 9'o clock and butcher the shot. I just get my wires crossed. now when I'm betting something those mistakes dont happen I have to think through every shot. I cant ever rely on myself to get it correct when it comes to side spin anything off the 1-180 degree axis then I must think through. I have no problem with draw or follow, but when I have to go to the side of the CB ever so slightly i'm in trouble.


I know this isnt my OP but I was just mentioning what my issues are, I dont have a natural straight stroke like JA, Believe it or not SVB dosent have a ton of natural talent, he earned his speed and thats why he has to practice so much, and he does and he has a good straight stroke, but he earned it. So my point is it can be solved by practice or be just have it.


I just noticed that my tip is ending up to the left and I'm missing to the left. I need to figure out a was to practice hitting the ball firmly with a big stroke and not get that "Finish to the right" issue revolved, My arm is comming away from my body to the right a hair. I'm talking less than 1mm but thats alot on a Diamond with 4 1/4" pockets.

i sincerly appericate any more input and if I can help anyone here ,let me know. if I know ya you awalys have a spot in Vegas.

 

[Neil]

i do shorten my bridge playing 1P and that does work well Neil, but on the big table where I need a bit more gas, it rears its ugly head.


thanks Steve,

i get that so confused. i cant tell right from left 90% of the time, and i have to think long and hard sometimes on a shot when I need to kill the CB comming into a rail, or running english. When I'm playing $10/game I get up and hit a ball with 3'o clock instead of 9'o clock and butcher the shot. I just get my wires crossed. now when I'm betting something those mistakes dont happen I have to think through every shot. I cant ever rely on myself to get it correct when it comes to side spin anything off the 1-180 degree axis I must think through. I have no problem with draw or follow, but when I have to go to the side of the CB ever so slightly i'm in trouble.


I know this isnt my OP but I was just mentioning what my issues are, I dont have a natural straight stroke like JA, Believe it or not SVB dosent have a ton of natural talent, he earned his speed and thats why he has to practice so much, and he does and he has a good straight stroke, but he earned it. So my point is it can be solved by practice or be just have it.


I just noticed that my tip is ending up to the left and I'm missing to the left. I need to figure out a was to practice hitting the ball firmly with a big stroke and not get that "Finish to the right" issue revolved, My arm is comming away from my body to the right a hair. I'm talking less than 1mm but thats alot on a Diamond with 4 1/4" pockets.

i sincerly appericate any more input and if I can help anyone here ,mlet me know. if I know ya you awalys have a spot in Vegas.

O.K., check to see if you are tightening your grip when you want a little more power. (you don't need to) That can do what you are describing also. Also, check to see if you are turning your wrist on power shots.

 

[ndakotan]

I am not an instructor

I am not an instructor, so I'll pose this with a question at the end.

When I miss a shot, I usually realize that I did not get my elbow above the cue. I think back and realize that my elbow was outside the shot alignment. Usually I have to consciously pull my elbow in slightly to make balls. If I don't, I miss the OB to the left of the pocket consistently.

Is it possible or likely that OP has disparity in his eye alignment, cue alignment, and elbow?

Does it make sense that I (a right handed player) miss the OB to the left when my elbow is flying out a few inches (right of the shot line)?

 

[Ratta]

Hi Eric,

First- you already noticed that there is a problem-and further you thought about it! This is alread a big and important step. From that what i read Steve and Keebie already gave good advices.
From my point i would say that in your case it s (*just*) an alignment/setup problem. Therefore i could bet that one session with a qualified *observer* (i love this word since Scott Lee used this^^). He will show you where you have to change some cm or mm in our alignement/setup to fix your problem. Like always it will usualy be done with a vid-cam. And i m sure that you ll fix it, if you ll try it this way, faster and more easily than you think my friend^^

lg from overseas,

Ingo

 

[Fatboy]

I am not an instructor, so I'll pose this with a question at the end.

When I miss a shot, I usually realize that I did not get my elbow above the cue. I think back and realize that my elbow was outside the shot alignment. Usually I have to consciously pull my elbow in slightly to make balls. If I don't, I miss the OB to the left of the pocket consistently.

Is it possible or likely that OP has disparity in his eye alignment, cue alignment, and elbow?

Does it make sense that I (a right handed player) miss the OB to the left when my elbow is flying out a few inches (right of the shot line)?

no is the answere to your question: if my elbow isnt above the cue?, Mine awalys is unless for some reason I dont want it to be. I have been playing 25 years and have reasonably solid fundementals and have worked through the thoughts in your post. I'm not bragging or belittling you at all, I'm just saying that my issue is much much smaller than the situation you describe. Thats all.


I'm mostly right eye dominate but not 100% right eye dominate. My problem is for what ever reason I'm hitting less than .25MM on the left side of the CB, everything else is in order. When I follow through another 12" then the tip is off to the right perhaps 1MM maybe 2MM, a very very small amount. But big enough to matter.

I been playing with the new Aramith Tournment /balls the durmith 4th generation polymer, they seem to throw a bit more than Centennials and the CB that comes with them is heavy and goes right through the OB, but its a soft CB(another topic), I noticed that when I'm useing these balls the missing to the left(even if I make the shot) is exaggerated, the OB is not going where I expect it to based on where I hit the CB, its obviously going where I hit it, but not where I expect to see it go. Those balls are very sensitive and not forgiving. They seem to spread more when you cut them than Centennials, its funny how you get so used to knowing exactly the path the OB is gonna take when you pull the trigger and then the OB goes a half a inch wide or a quarter inch. These balls, tighter table and me just working on my game brought this minute problem into the spot light, and I bet its cost me a lot of games. I'm glad that i spotted it now, its gonna take a bit of time and then some to sort out, because its such a small problem with big dangerous results.

I have a set of cheap old Aramith(I think thats what they are) the numbers on the stripes are in the white part of the ball and no circles around them. they make a "pock" sound and are a hair lighter than any premium ball. I play much better with them as they arnt as responsive to a miss hit CB and its harder to throw the OB. They are cheap probably 10-20year old balls but play so much different-they are not mud or Chinese plastic balls. Its funny how some balls are more forgiving than others. I fire them center pocket with out think a thing about it,

I hope you guys enjoy me sharing my experiences, I have many many sets of balls and I take good care of them. I like to try everything in pool as its fun to try new things and learn-I enjoy that aspect of pool, and it dosent get talked about much. All these balls are here and if anyone wants to come by and see what I have noticed that would be great. Its fun to learn. Equipment especially the balls is over looked way to much, they will talk about tips all day long or CTE(what ever the heck that is) its all BS some balls dont come off the CB at the same angle other types of balls do-and no one ever mentions that.


"the elasticity of different balls causes different balls to come apart(after a collision) at different angles" all other things being equal, table, cloth, temperature, velocity. This is my theory, And I think there is merit to it. Harder balls will yeild truer angles than soft rubber balls would.

I know I got off topic but thats ok, I brought up some good points, I'm gonna share them with Dr.Dave, he is brilliantI hope he likes my theory.

 

[dr_dave]

"the elasticity of different balls causes different balls to come apart(after a collision) at different angles" all other things being equal, table, cloth, temperature, velocity. This is my theory, And I think there is merit to it. Harder balls will yeild truer angles than soft rubber balls would.

I know I got off topic but thats ok, I brought up some good points, I'm gonna share them with Dr.Dave, he is brilliantI hope he likes my theory.

I like your "Dr. Dave is brilliant" theory. :grin:
Although, it probably wouldn't hold up to true scientific scrutiny. :frown:

Concerning your "elasticity affects angles" theory, you are most certainly correct. For more info, see my April '05 BD article.

Regards,
Dave

 

[SpiderWebComm]

Eric:

Do you know if you're right-eye dominant? Let me know if you know how to do the little hand test.

Setup a medium difficulty cut to the left. Get down into your stance and address the CB as if you were going to hit it. Close your right eye--- what do you see? Did you lose the shot? Open your right eye and then close your left eye-- what do you see? Did you lose the shot? Record your findings with each and post here.

Finally, get a JoeT 3rd-eye and put it on the end of your cue and address the CB with the same shot and repeat the eye thing (close each, 1 at a time). Let me know if there's an eye that gives you the "wrong" picture of CB center (even though you're definitely at it, because of the device).

This sounds like an alignment issue caused not by mechanics, but how you see. I have the identical problem but to the right, not the left.

Dave

 

[Fatboy]

Eric:

Do you know if you're right-eye dominant? Let me know if you know how to do the little hand test.

Setup a medium difficulty cut to the left. Get down into your stance and address the CB as if you were going to hit it. Close your right eye--- what do you see? Did you lose the shot? Open your right eye and then close your left eye-- what do you see? Did you lose the shot? Record your findings with each and post here.

Finally, get a JoeT 3rd-eye and put it on the end of your cue and address the CB with the same shot and repeat the eye thing (close each, 1 at a time). Let me know if there's an eye that gives you the "wrong" picture of CB center (even though you're definitely at it, because of the device).

This sounds like an alignment issue caused not by mechanics, but how you see. I have the identical problem but to the right, not the left.

Dave

Dave,


I'm 85%/15% right eye dominate-those are rough numbers. perhaps 75/25. I tested it with a few people over the years and the main conclusion is that i'm not 100% dominate in one particular eye.

Why the hell my cue isnt following through straight now(And it was for the past 18 months) is anybodys guess. soon as i get it all figured out I'll be a champion. :smile:

i have bad coordination plain and simple.

i'd love to spend a few days working with you-not just about me but pool theory/science discussions in general.

best

eric

 

[Fatboy]

I like your "Dr. Dave is brilliant" theory. :grin:
Although, it probably wouldn't hold up to true scientific scrutiny. :frown:

Concerning your "elasticity affects angles" theory, you are most certainly correct. For more info, see my April '05 BD article.

Regards,
Dave

Thanks Doc,

I'd love to meet you as well someday sooner than later.

 

[dr_dave]

I like your "Dr. Dave is brilliant" theory. :grin:
Although, it probably wouldn't hold up to true scientific scrutiny. :frown:

Concerning your "elasticity affects angles" theory, you are most certainly correct. For more info, see my April '05 BD article.

Thanks Doc,

You're welcome. I aim to squerve.

I'd love to meet you as well someday sooner than later.

Same here. Just drop me a line if you ever plan to be in Colorado.

Regards,
Dave

 

[SpiderWebComm]

Dave,


I'm 85%/15% right eye dominate-those are rough numbers. perhaps 75/25. I tested it with a few people over the years and the main conclusion is that i'm not 100% dominate in one particular eye.

Why the hell my cue isnt following through straight now(And it was for the past 18 months) is anybodys guess. soon as i get it all figured out I'll be a champion. :smile:

i have bad coordination plain and simple.

i'd love to spend a few days working with you-not just about me but pool theory/science discussions in general.

best

eric

Setup a medium range, medium difficulty cut to the left. Step into the shot and get into a stance. Have someone take a picture of you head-on and post it here (take a pic straight down the cue). If you don't want to post it, PM it to me.

Dave