Experiments in looking at the cueball while delivering the stroke.

It doesn't have to be an all or nothing proposition.
You can look at the cue ball last for some specific shots, and the object ball last for others.

Certain shots are more sensitive to an incorrect tip placement (such as when jacked up over another ball). For me, it does wonders on long straight shots.

I had a buddy who was complaining last night about how he kept steering his stroke, and kept hitting long straight shots into the rails. I suggested staring at the cue ball the whole time and he drilled the next one. It may not mean anything but I think keeping an open mind is a good policy.
 
3andstop said:
You will need the perspective of looking at the OB last as you advance in the game. That is my opinion.
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In order to place a value on your "opinion" could you quantify how far you have advanced in the game? High runs? Titles? Greatest accomplishment?:confused:
 
I've always looked at the cue ball last. It feels so weird when I try looking at the OB when I pull the trigger. Guess that means I don't trust my stroke?
 
gregcantrall said:
I concur ;)
Starting at 42:40; Listen to this TAR interview with Johnny Archer, on aiming.
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At about the 45:38 mark Archer says...."Really, the #1 thing you have to concentrate on is the CB cause thats all you will ever hit"

He goes on to say a few seconds later..."Amateurs dont get any better because they dont focus on the CB"

Common sense - CB or OB - its personal preference.

DCP
 
gregcantrall said:
In order to place a value on your "opinion" could you quantify how far you have advanced in the game? High runs? Titles? Greatest accomplishment?:confused:
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Well, I'm a weekend warrior like many. Family man, prior poolroom owner, but older now. Been playing 50 or so years. I enjoy straight pool. I have multiple runs in the 50s and 60s. High run of 78. Never could muster enough focus to get to 100 playing part time. I fully expect a 30 or 40 something in any game of straight pool I play, and higher runs are always nice.
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
At about the 45:38 mark Archer says...."Really, the #1 thing you have to concentrate on is the CB cause thats all you will ever hit"

He goes on to say a few seconds later..."Amateurs dont get any better because they dont focus on the CB"

Common sense - CB or OB - its personal preference.

DCP
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I've paid attention to Johnny's eyes when he's shooting. He always looks at the OB. You can research it for yourself.
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
At about the 45:38 mark Archer says...."Really, the #1 thing you have to concentrate on is the CB cause thats all you will ever hit"

He goes on to say a few seconds later..."Amateurs dont get any better because they dont focus on the CB"

Common sense - CB or OB - its personal preference.

DCP
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Misinterpretation I suspect
 
I've heard that Earl Strickland said he looks at the CB last. I saw Allison Fischer advise looking at the CB last when shooting off the rail or over an obstructing ball which works best for me. Very weak players focus almost entirely on the OB and take it for granted that they know the CB's location relative to the OB. Both balls are important but the CB is the only ball that can be directly controlled and should always be the initial focus of attention.
 
BlindWizard said:
I've heard that Earl Strickland said he looks at the CB last. I saw Allison Fischer advise looking at the CB last when shooting off the rail or over an obstructing ball which works best for me. Very weak players focus almost entirely on the OB and take it for granted that they know the CB's location relative to the OB. Both balls are important but the CB is the only ball that can be directly controlled and should always be the initial focus of attention.
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You know this not to be true. And you know Earl does not look at the CB last. And you know you're not fooling anyone by saying this.
 
ChrisBanks said:
You know this not to be true. And you know Earl does not look at the CB last. And you know you're not fooling anyone by saying this.
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How do you know this? Please show this poster his due respect. This is why the forum should be shut down, you are hurting pool's image with posts like this.
 
easy-e said:
How do you know this? Please show this poster his due respect. This is why the forum should be shut down, you are hurting pool's image with posts like this.
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I have watched Earl play thousands of hours worth of pool. He does not look at the CB when he is shooting.
 
First, NO ONE KNOWS WHAT ANOTHER PERSON IS SEEING. This is the biggest reason I can not discount when anyone says that xxx system works for them. I can see if they have a bad stroke, I can not see what they are seeing even if are looking at the same thing.

You have no real clue as to a person line of sight. You are not in their mind.

Do not forget about peripheral vision and how it can be used to see the entire shot picture.

I can have my line of sight on the spot on the table for the CB to go, get into position and stroke the CB and never take my line of sight off that spot. I can "see" the CB in my peripheral vision. And yes,I make shots doing this.

This is a carry over from racing motorcycles. You had to learn to see something without taking your line of sight off of where you wanted to be on the track. You did not want to target fixate on anything. If you see a rider going off track in front of you, you did not want to have your line of sight on him or follow him, cause you will ended up following him off the track. Seen it happen several times.

Yet, you still had to "see" him in your peripheral vision in order to react to anything they do.....sometimes all at 100 MPH.

I'm doing the same thing in pool. So, if someone says they are looking at the CB last, I would ask what they are "seeing" in their peripheral vision.

Here's a good little read......http://www.basketballshootingcoach.com/peripheral_vision
 
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ChrisBanks said:
I have watched Earl play thousands of hours worth of pool. He does not look at the CB when he is shooting.
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I have watched him play twice that much, and I can assure you that he DOES look at the cueball when he is shooting.
 
ChrisBanks said:
I have watched Earl play thousands of hours worth of pool. He does not look at the CB when he is shooting.
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Okay Chris... thousands mean at least 2000. So lets just say you have watched 2000 hours of Earl playing pool (which I don't believe is true).

If you watched 2 hours of Earl playing every day, it would take close to 3 years to watch 2000 hours.

Wow... that's a lot of watching and time not spent playing on a pool table.

ChrisBanks said:
If it's not on a pool table, it's not a concern of mine.
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And after 2000 plus hours watching Earl play you still got it wrong.
 
I suggest everyone at least give it a serious try, not saying change what you are doing if it works for you. I thought it sounded crazy too, but I was really surprised. I may not use this method all the time, but I will utilize it in my game. Makes some shots easier. PS I do know some great players who do this.
 
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