My Aiming Routine

Johnnyt

Johnnyt

Burn all jump cues
Silver Member
I have bought and used many aiming systems over the years and still use them for certain shots that come up that I seem to miss more than I should with my own aiming routine. I probably shoot 95% of all cut shots with mine.

I imagine a line from center pocket though the OB. I use the numbers, stripes, circles, and other images on the OB for a reference to my contact point. I’ve always come back to this way of aiming after trying another way. I believe that I get a placebo effect in the first few days of trying a new system. I believe this is because while learning it I focus more on the contact point.

If we could all stay in line 100% of the time and only needed natural spin on the shots we’d all be champions.
If a few members here would put up their system/routine I think you'll find almost everyone aims a bit different. Aiming center ball shots is a very small part of the game anyhow. Johnnyt
 
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Its hard to explain my way of aiming as i see two cueballs when i address the cueball. I know i use more then one system though and to double check things are good to go i combine two of them together.

What i picked up on Stans dvd of CTE/Pro 1 was rather then stand behind the cueball in line with the shot i sorta stand a bit to the right cause im lefted handed and bend the top of my body over the cueball and drop down over the shot. Puts me on the line which is needed to make the shot.
 
On most cut shots I just feel the angle, sort of a relationship between 2 lines.
So, one could say I draw a line (not really) from the pocket to OB and then try to make the OB move that way.
I don’t pick any points of contact or aim on the OB and don’t imagine a ghost ball either.
On some shots sort of impose the CB on OB.
On extremely sharp cuts it is edge to edge.
 
My aiming system is aiming at 1,000,000 balls shooting an making as many as possible. Taking a long time many hours at the table, but when I get done I will be feared. :grin:
 
Johnnyt said:
No one else wants to share the way they aim? Johnnyt
Click to expand...

Okay, here's what I do. I stand behind the OB, determine the spot furthest away from the intended pocket. Sometimes I place the tip in the pocket and lower the cue over the top of the OB to get a good look. Then I move to the CB, hold the cue over the table lining up the shot while keeping the cue locked into my hip. Then I step forward down into my stance. I stroke at the point where the CB is sitting on the table (that's dead center), checking my alignment (if it does stroke straight or feels wrong, I stand back up and try again). I pause on each forward stroke or every other one. I focus on the contact point on the OB, and pull the trigger (I put the tip where I want on this execution stroke; if I need to put follow, I will do my pre-shot strokes at the higher point so I'm not moving the tip so radically), putting the cue ball where it needs to be to contact that point on the OB. I usually adjust for throw with a little english (not adjusting the aim point).

As far as putting the CB there, it's like "steering" it to the position. I like to think of putting a small chalk mark on a rail and trying to rub it off with a cue ball from various parts of the table. No real concrete aim, you just have to account for the size/curvature of the cue ball to make it glance exactly off the spot. That happens through experience and muscle memory. When you can reliably do that, hitting the spot on the object ball with your cue ball isn't a big deal. And yes, I have no problem seeing the invisible spot on the object ball, as it's just the furthest spot from the pocket on that sphere. As long as you have 3-D vision, you should be able to "see" that hypothetical spot. It's where I focus my eyes on from pulling the trigger through contact. I can then see if I'm delivering the cueball where I mean to and adjust, if not. If I hit the intended spot but it doesn't go, then I'm looking at throw and need to adjust (which for me is usually with english, not "aim" adjustment).

The biggest key for me is visualizing a) hitting the contact point, b) making the shot and c) where the CB will go after contact.
 
Snooker's "back-of-ball" aiming

Johnnyt said:
No one else wants to share the way they aim? Johnnyt
Click to expand...

JT:

Are you actually going to ask such a question, with what's going on now with some of these aiming threads? :eek:

In the spirit of answering your question, however, here's a YouTube video that describes the "back-of-ball" or "eclipse" aiming technique used in snooker, which is the technique I personally use:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kLjSlHr38dc

(Terminology note as used in the video: "plain ball shot" means a dead-straight-in shot.)

-Sean
 
sfleinen said:
JT:

Are you actually going to ask such a question, with what's going on now with some of these aiming threads? :eek:

In the spirit of answering your question, however, here's a YouTube video that describes the "back-of-ball" or "eclipse" aiming technique used in snooker, which is the technique I personally use:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kLjSlHr38dc

(Terminology note as used in the video: "plain ball shot" means a dead-straight-in shot.)

-Sean
Click to expand...

I understand your point on what goes on in aiming threads, but there is no need here to tell someone their method doesn't work or not. The person knows if they pocket balls well or not. If someone sees something on here that they want to try they can just try it. No need to come back on the thread to bash someone. I think we ALL can agree that one way to aim to pocket balls won't work for everybody. I know mine works for me and thats really all I care about. Thank you for your input. Now I'll go watch the video. Johnnyt
 
I'm Just a low level league player in his 2nd season.

So take this with a grain of salt.

I stand behind the OB and picture a line from pocket to center of OB. Call it the OB to pocket line.

Then I stand behind the CB picture a line that will roll the CB to the OB. Call it the CB to OB aim line.

Standing behind the CB, the aim line is adjusted so when the balls collide the OB will roll down the OB to pocket line.

Once my mind is made up on the CB aim line, I step in put my cue and head on the aim line. Cue shaft must stay straight on the aim line at all times. Practice strokes, pulling back, going forward to finish.

I don't know what this aiming routine is called. It's pretty basic, but it works OK for me. Cue ball control is my challenge. Pocketing balls is pretty consistent.
 
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My old method: Basically looking at the shot and deciding how thick to hit the ball to get it to the pocket. Didn't really imagine ghost balls or anything like that, just looking at thickness. Once I had that picture in my mind (pretty quick on most shots after shooting a zillion of them), I would get down and make any adjustments needed for speed, spin, etc. and shoot. Only very rarely would I look at the ball from the side, or another angle, in order to really confirm the aim.

New method: Primarily using CTE/Pro1, although lately I've been going back to the above feel or rote method on simpler shots.

Scott
 
Johnnyt said:
I understand your point on what goes on in aiming threads, but there is no need here to tell someone their method doesn't work or not. The person knows if they pocket balls well or not. If someone sees something on here that they want to try they can just try it. No need to come back on the thread to bash someone. I think we ALL can agree that one way to aim to pocket balls won't work for everybody. I know mine works for me and thats really all I care about. Thank you for your input. Now I'll go watch the video. Johnnyt
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Johnny:

You missed my humor -- I put an "eek" emoticon there, but I really meant a smiley. I was trying to poke a little fun at you asking the question of how people aim, when there's at least couple active aiming system threads burning AZB down like a raging house fire. Sort of like asking you why you want to play with matches, when certain items in the house around you are already on fire. Get it?

Where in the world do you get that I'm trying to say someone's method (or any method, for that matter) "doesn't work"? I'm scratching my head on that one. You need to read posts better, JT. (My personal observation: mention that three-letter word -- a-i-m -- and normally well-grounded people lose their mind.)

Actually, I'm chuckling at this whole thing, for I'm sure you completely misunderstood my post. No biggie.

-Sean
 
sfleinen said:
Johnny:

You missed my humor -- I put an "eek" emoticon there, but I really meant a smiley. I was trying to poke a little fun at you asking the question of how people aim, when there's at least couple active aiming system threads burning AZB down like a raging house fire. Sort of like asking you why you want to play with matches, when certain items in the house around you are already on fire. Get it?

Where in the world do you get that I'm trying to say someone's method (or any method, for that matter) "doesn't work"? I'm scratching my head on that one. You need to read posts better, JT. (My personal observation: mention that three-letter word -- a-i-m -- and normally well-grounded people lose their mind.)

Actually, I'm chuckling at this whole thing, for I'm sure you completely misunderstood my post. No biggie.

-Sean
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No, I understood you were kididng me. Sometimes (a lot of times) what I write comes out the wrong way. I just thought we could just have one civil thread about how we aim. My point would be that people aim in many different ways, and I'll bet the 100 ball runners in 14.1 (if they chose to share) aim a bit different than the next 100 ball runner. I'm pretty sure you are a 100 ball runner and I have run over 100 (just) on a 9' and a 7' Valley and we aim a bit different. Johnnyt
 
Pretty simple really, but as I'm apparently a goof ball in thinking that aiming is pretty simple anyway .....

I find the spot on the back of the ball directly opposite where I want it to go, adjust for the effects of throw or required English as necessary, and then hit that spot.

That's why I don't get involved in the multitude of aiming threads, I just don't think aiming should require that much thought. But like I said, I guess I'm just the goof ball around here.

:)
 
I learned to aim using eclipse aiming style that Sean mentions. It's the basis for what I do though it's not a concious thing anymore as I just tend to recognize the various angles, it's more about making sure I'm lined up properly. On thinner contacts or anytime I lack confidence I guess I use something similar to Joe Tucker's number system, though I don't think about numbers, it's basically to make sure I have the right angle (If that makes any sense).

I agree with RRfireblade, aiming isn't hard. It doesn't need nearly as much attention as is given to it. I wish there were a greater obsession for finding a way to get your body lined up properly.
 
yo adrian!!!

i shoot like sly does..... cross my eyes until i see three objectballs then hit the one in the middle.:grin:
 
I agree that aiming isn't necessarily hard, but I've given enough lessons to see that while some people have athletic talent and good eye/hand coordination and just need help with mechanics and position play, others just have no clue where to hit the ball. They guess and are all over the place. People like that can benefit from a more systematic approach, whatever it is. Also occasionally we all have shots that just don't look right, using a system can help verify your line of aim as well in those situtations.

I recently taught a pretty decent player how to bank. She plays well but was horrible at banking, tried visualizing the angle in/angle out but just couldn't "see" the lines, angles, didn't know how to make adjustments, etc. I taught her a simplified version of CTE/Pro1 and she started making them instantly and became more confident. So far she's only practiced for maybe an hour or two total, but enough to start making the connection and forming that picture in her mind of what's right and wrong.

Last night we were playing, she made a nice standard cross side bank, and I asked her if she used the system. She said "no, I just felt it". By teaching her a systematic approach to making the shots, and a relatively small amount of practice, she had filed away those visuals in her brain and now the banks looked a lot more clear, even when not using the system consciously to make the shot.

So even if people don't feel they need a system to play better, and admittedly other aspects (alignment, mental game, etc.) are more important, having the knowledge of the various aiming systems can't be a bad thing.

Scott
 
I aim where I want the cueball to go. Thicker or thinner or with spin, draw, hard, soft, etc. Aiming is different depending on the cueball condition at impact. Hit a million balls, no way around it.
 
scottjen26 said:
I agree that aiming isn't necessarily hard, but I've given enough lessons to see that while some people have athletic talent and good eye/hand coordination and just need help with mechanics and position play, others just have no clue where to hit the ball. They guess and are all over the place. People like that can benefit from a more systematic approach, whatever it is. Also occasionally we all have shots that just don't look right, using a system can help verify your line of aim as well in those situtations.

I recently taught a pretty decent player how to bank. She plays well but was horrible at banking, tried visualizing the angle in/angle out but just couldn't "see" the lines, angles, didn't know how to make adjustments, etc. I taught her a simplified version of CTE/Pro1 and she started making them instantly and became more confident. So far she's only practiced for maybe an hour or two total, but enough to start making the connection and forming that picture in her mind of what's right and wrong.

Last night we were playing, she made a nice standard cross side bank, and I asked her if she used the system. She said "no, I just felt it". By teaching her a systematic approach to making the shots, and a relatively small amount of practice, she had filed away those visuals in her brain and now the banks looked a lot more clear, even when not using the system consciously to make the shot.

So even if people don't feel they need a system to play better, and admittedly other aspects (alignment, mental game, etc.) are more important, having the knowledge of the various aiming systems can't be a bad thing.

Scott
Click to expand...

I agree, and I do believe most non pros can come away with something useful from just about any of the systems out there. Thanks for the feedback. Johnnyt
 
Johnnyt said:
I imagine a line from center pocket though the OB. I use the numbers, stripes, circles, and other images on the OB for a reference to my contact point.
Click to expand...
I also have been taught contact point aiming and been using it since then. The only aiming system which helped me aim even better recently was the one shared by 3andstop - shaft aiming. I could have started utilizing it earlier when I was browsing through the instructional videos by Megan Minerich. Overall basic stuff, that might have been the reason I wasn't attentive to everything she said, but she mentions such way of aiming as well.
I won't be searching for 3andstop thread now, hoping you will find it easy. If you are able to spot numbers, dots, scratches and other references for your contact point, getting familiar with adge of the shaft aiming won't hurt for sure.
 
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