How many aiming systems have you gone through?

[CJ Wiley]

look at the TIP before you get down, it locks your eyes to the TIP.

CJ

Thx for commenting.

Wish we could just all get together and go over these issues in person as these things are hard to explain on paper sometimes.

I'm very right eye dominant.......so much so that I'm seeing the shot from way over to that eye. So what I perceive (visually) to be lined up tip-to-center of my CB, is actually lined up just left of center. Dave Bollman told me I was left of center about 10 years ago......didn't believe him. But then Stan S. told me the same thing a couple years ago and it was then that I knew Dave was right.

Much has been said about John S. and Cory D. conversation about aiming during their TAR podcast. I do remember Cory saying "I aim the cue ball at my target". He never went on to explain what he meant by that but I think he meant he aims the center of the CB to the center of the ghost
ball. I think I do the same........and my pivot point (where my stick is touching my bridge hand at address) is straight back from that line as well.............so my sight line is always the same on almost every shot. From there I just move my back hand right of left to get the desired english (back-hand-english). I have been toying around with the TOI using a parallel shift. But I think I need to get instruction directly from you or from your upcoming video to make sure I'm doing it correctly before I make any solid commitment to that technique.

Aiming the tip at the contact point doesn't work in my mind.........I see hitting these shots fat (undercut) by doing this. But I may by thinking of this in the wrong way........that paper thing again.

Anyway, maybe I'll be on of the lucky ones and get to talk to you at the DCC. Maybe an in-person demo on this and other things would make it all clear. You gonna bring some of those TOI videos to the Derby?

DTL

Yes, it's difficult to explain the first try, and that's why it's important to "brainstorm".

I wasn't recommending to aim the tip at anything, my point was you need to have your eyes aligned to the center of the tip, which is aligned to the center or TOI :wink: of the cue ball.

Just try looking at the part of the tip you're going to use for the shot BEFORE you get down. Then, do whatever you usually do, Ghost, CTE, Contact Points, TOI, etc. and notice that when you look at the TIP before you get down, it locks your eyes to the TIP.

If you don't do this above the shot you'll have to do it while down on it. The Game is played with the TIP. The cue is just a way to deliver the TIP into the cue ball with velocity.

Align and connect to the TIP with your eyes....it sounds like a small thing, just try it and let me know what you noticed. Remember, don't turn your head to look at it, just put it in front of your eyes or look at it while it's to your left side.

You be at choice about that, the important thing is to make that connection so you are "centered". Focusing on the relationship between your TIP and your eyes will overcome some of those issues you mentioned. IMHO

 

[LAMas]

.......how can you sight down 2 lines at the same time? Thx again.

DTL

You don't.
1. You are very close and based on bdorman's shot diagram in post #7, I drew this contact point to contact point initial aiming while standing and dropping down with your bridge hand.

2. If it looks correct, then slide your tip, bridge and butt laterally and parallel until the tip is aimed at the center of the CB...add BHE or TOI and shoot.

 

[Mikjary]

You don't.
1. You are very close and based on bdorman's shot diagram in post #7, I drew this contact point to contact point initial aiming while standing and dropping down with your bridge hand.

2. If it looks correct, then slide your tip, bridge and butt laterally and parallel until the tip is aimed at the center of the CB...add BHE or TOI and shoot.

View attachment 256849

This is the same idea as stick aiming. Instead of moving your stick to center cue ball, you move your eye placement. Perfect Aim uses this idea and ultimately CTE gets you there, too.

Best,
Mike

 

[ENGLISH!]

I suggest you look at the part of the tip you want to contact the cue ball BEFORE you get down on the shot. Just a quick glance will do, however, don't move your head to do it. Look at your tip with your eyes, then back to the shot as usual.

This "connects" your eyes to your tip before you get down, instead of trying to do it on the way down, or after you're down. Waiting to align your eyes til after you're down is not prudent, yet many inexperienced players do it every time, advanced players do it too. 'The Game is the Teacher'

Thanks CJ,

I don't look at my tip while up, but it is the first think that I look at as I settle into the shot. I think I am doing a 'bit' of what you are saying but not while still up. I do it once I've made up my mind & on the way down to settle into position to shoot the shot. I focus on the tip as I settle into position to shoot the shot. My focus is diverted ever so briefly to the cue line & the tip & then immediately back onto the line of the shot through the tip.

As you have said, it is difficult to focus on what you are actually doing as it is very much subconscious. The point is that I too make a connection to the tip as that is what I will be using to execute the shot. That is what I will connect to the cue ball to send it where & how I want it to go.

I hope this makes some sense. It is very difficult to describe what one actually does.

Best Regards to You &

 

[CJ Wiley]

As long as you "real eyes" you are doing it the difficult way

Thanks CJ,

I don't look at my tip while up, but it is the first think that I look at as I settle into the shot. I think I am doing a 'bit' of what you are saying but not while still up. I do it once I've made up my mind & on the way down to settle into position to shoot the shot. I focus on the tip as I settle into position to shoot the shot. My focus is diverted ever so briefly to the cue line & the tip & then immediately back onto the line of the shot through the tip.


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If you're doing it that way and want to continue - "be at choice."

I would not want you to discontinue something that's bringing you an unnecessary challenge (it's obviously doing something for you).

As long as you "real eyes" you are doing it the difficult way, my communication has been successful.

 

[ENGLISH!]

Thx for the comments. See above blue highlights.......how can you sight down 2 lines at the same time? Thx again.
DTL

DTL,

My apologies.

I just lost a long attempted explanation. I have been shooting with such a parallel perception for so long that it is 2nd nature.

I am not actually 'sighting' down 2 lines. I am looking down my stick line while visually gauging & connecting the contact line points of each ball at the opposite & equal portions as in the diagram earlier in this thread. That line is just slightly 'parallel' to my stick line.

As I stated with the long football & baseball anaylogies I am looking at the 'start' line vector, 'a point in the sky', which is away from the intended end target. I believe my eyes shift back & forth between the contact line & the cue line. I see both at the end of the 'lines' & to be honest I'm not sure where my final eye focus is. The contact point or the parallel 'ghost ball' line. But I am fairly sure that it is the cue line onto what would be the ghost ball but I never picture a ghost ball. My focus is the intersection of connection of the dividing lines of each ball. It's kind of like, 'how far out do I need to shoot the CB so that 1/x part of the CB hits 1/x part of the OB. Okay, there it is, shoot'. It sort of like driving a car. You do not sit in the middle. You sit on the left side but you can guide the right side of the car so that it does not hit anything, but if you wanted to, you could also hit something with the right side of the car.

I hope this makes some sense. It is very difficult to try to describe what one does subconsciously.

Regards to You &

 

[LAMas]

This is the same idea as stick aiming. Instead of moving your stick to center cue ball, you move your eye placement. Perfect Aim uses this idea and ultimately CTE gets you there, too.

Best,
Mike

We and a few others have discussed edge of the CB aiming. The secondary aim line using the edge of the CB was disclosed to me by you and pete and though not a new concept, it inspired me to diagram that the edge of the CB can be aimed at points on the OB that are a doubling of the distance from the contact point to it's edge.

If anyone is interested, this method is without the parallel shift:

Go to post #4

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=299390&highlight=edge+aiming