An interesting take on experience and aiming

[jalapus logan]

So, I started having eye trouble on Thursday night and by the end of Friday, I had full blown conjunctivitis. What a treat it is to have to loosen up some contrete like ooze and pry your eye lid open in the morning. To compound matters, I only had contact lenses and no glasses available (I went to the lens crafters and got some emergency glasses, but they overcorrected the right eye significantly and the world looks like a fun house - back to them on Monday...). So, everything 2' and greater is way blurry for me right now.

So, anyway, being the pool nut that I am, I am not going to let a petty concern like sight get in my way of knocking balls around. This is where it gets interesting. I can't read the numbers on the balls, and the balls look like fuzzy orbs about 1.5 times larger than normal, but I was able to run out pretty darn good using only a straight stroke, proper body alignment, muscle memory, and a bit of guess work (especially on a long shot - REALLY can't see the true location of the ball then...). I mean, there is no way I can make out the actual contact point on an object ball right now. But I am still able to pocket balls cleanly on my 9' Diamond pro, which IMO is a pretty demanding table.

I think that this experience really goes a long way to testify to the merits of a strong pre-shot routine, body alignment, etc. I've been playing pool for about 15 years now, so pocketing balls must now be in my DNA (yeah right, ha ha). I think that I read one of CJ's posts where he talks about training your subconscious mind in order to play great pool. I think he is on to something. In fact, I think that you must "sense" the location of the pocket in relation to the OB. It also reminds me of a discussion I had with John Brumback about aiming. He said "if I'm aiming, I'm missing".

Just thought that this was interesting.

Cheers mates,

JL

 

[ENGLISH!]

JL,

I started playing when I was 13. I had great eye sight, especially for distance I could read liscense plates far down the street that my friends, that did not need glasses, could not. Anyway, while playing a league session, my shooting eye developed an astigmatism from an injury. The balls are blurry, not as bad as you relay as I can read the blurry #'s but the edges are blurry/fuzzy.

That happened 27 years ago. I am 59 now. I often say that I have been playing from 'memory' ever since. I just can't seem to play with glasses & I can not put contacts in my eyes. Memory? Perception? I also never look at the pocket from the shooting position. Naturally I 'see' it in my peripheral vision.

I'm not saying one could play blind, but there is more to it than just 'seeing'.

IMHO,
Rick

 

[Pidge]

I agree on playing from memory. I've been playing on an American style table for about a year now. But played snooker to a decent level for 10 years. After playing for a year or so aiming didn't enter the equation and I just automatically aligned my body based on playing the shot 000s of times before. Once down on a shot I only think about speed of stoke.

When I first played 9 ball I couldn't pocket a ball even though the pockets were extremely large for me. Subconciously you will know what line to hit along once the balls come to a rest. Don't underestimate your subconcious powers!

 

[naji]

JL,

I started playing when I was 13. I had great eye sight, especially for distance I could read liscense plates far down the street that my friends, that did not need glasses, could not. Anyway, while playing a league session, my shooting eye developed an astigmatism from an injury. The balls are blurry, not as bad as you relay as I can read the blurry #'s but the edges are blurry/fuzzy.

That happened 27 years ago. I am 59 now. I often say that I have been playing from 'memory' ever since. I just can't seem to play with glasses & I can not put contacts in my eyes. Memory? Perception? I also never look at the pocket from the shooting position. Naturally I 'see' it in my peripheral vision.

I'm not saying one could play blind, but there is more to it than just 'seeing'.

IMHO,
Rick

For practic that works but in a match doubts start kicking in and will miss demanding shots for constancy no substitute for accurate aim

 

[Snapshot9]

Eye problems

I have 20/1000 vision with astigmatism front and back of both eyes, and with scarred corneas (from hard lense warping on me in my 20's). For most of my adult life, I have only had 20/40 vision with contacts (best vision I could get). Then about 3-4 years ago, my eye doctor recommended the new soft lenses that correct astigmatism. I went with them, and it has been a great decision. You don't feel them in your eye, and my vision is now 20/25. Going from 20/40 to 20/25 may not sound like a big improvement, but it has helped me tremendously in Pool.

I can now see the edge of balls downtable where I only saw a blur before.
BTW, I was 60/61 when I made the switch to the soft contacts, and they also let more air into your eye for less irritation.

I use the Bausch & Lomb pure vision for Astigmatism lenses. I get a six pack of monthly lenses for $116. They are well worth it.

 

[ENGLISH!]

For practic that works but in a match doubts start kicking in and will miss demanding shots for constancy no substitute for accurate aim

I don't practice. I'm always playing someone. The only doubt I have is in my eyesight. I've been playing for 46 years. You could probably hold a curtain between the object ball & the pocket & I could 'probably' make the shot.

What changes on the table between the times you practice & when you play? The shot is the same. It's something in you that is changing. I would suggest that you treat it for what it is, just another shot.

Regards,
Rick

 

[naji]

So, I started having eye trouble on Thursday night and by the end of Friday, I had full blown conjunctivitis. What a treat it is to have to loosen up some contrete like ooze and pry your eye lid open in the morning. To compound matters, I only had contact lenses and no glasses available (I went to the lens crafters and got some emergency glasses, but they overcorrected the right eye significantly and the world looks like a fun house - back to them on Monday...). So, everything 2' and greater is way blurry for me right now.

So, anyway, being the pool nut that I am, I am not going to let a petty concern like sight get in my way of knocking balls around. This is where it gets interesting. I can't read the numbers on the balls, and the balls look like fuzzy orbs about 1.5 times larger than normal, but I was able to run out pretty darn good using only a straight stroke, proper body alignment, muscle memory, and a bit of guess work (especially on a long shot - REALLY can't see the true location of the ball then...). I mean, there is no way I can make out the actual contact point on an object ball right now. But I am still able to pocket balls cleanly on my 9' Diamond pro, which IMO is a pretty demanding table.

I think that this experience really goes a long way to testify to the merits of a strong pre-shot routine, body alignment, etc. I've been playing pool for about 15 years now, so pocketing balls must now be in my DNA (yeah right, ha ha). I think that I read one of CJ's posts where he talks about training your subconscious mind in order to play great pool. I think he is on to something. In fact, I think that you must "sense" the location of the pocket in relation to the OB. It also reminds me of a discussion I had with John Brumback about aiming. He said "if I'm aiming, I'm missing".

Just thought that this was interesting.

Cheers mates,

JL

Thanks for the post, and truly sorry about your eye problems hope you get better. I agree with what you saying for simple less than 1/2 ball hit, they are automatic and the error margin is too much. But thin cuts and long pots the error margin shrinks to less than 1/8 of an inch, or when CB near the rail for long shot that is hard, yes you will make them two or three times out on 10 if you just go down correct, but you might make them 6 or 7 out of time if you aim and find that sweet spot that your subconscious finds. Plus table pockets size do matter larger the pocket the greater the error margin.


One thing that puzzles me is why Efren is missing easy shots lately after playing more than 50 years, or Earl for that matter, where is their subconscious when they need it? The fact is they got older and ability to focus got a bit slower, yet they still shoot at same speed, they have to slow down and find that sweet aim spot, especially when they are tired.


I just wonder what does John Brumback do when he goes down and up on a shot three or four times? isn't he trying to find the aim before he goes down so he is on line for the shot?


All pro players that take time while they are down do know there is no substitute for finding that sweet spot to be deadly accurate.