Have Aiming Problems? My Theory on Why That Is

BasementDweller

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here's why I think amateur players (myself included) have what we classify as aiming problems:

We don't have an accurate reference point for our true pocketing ability.

For instance, on a long straight in stop shot, how many times out of ten will you make that shot? How about if you try and draw the ball back 4 diamonds? How about follow?

How many of us have a real good gauge on our shot percentages for these straight in shots?

Now if you can't even aim a straight in shot this is what you need to focus on, but if you are pretty confident you can aim and align these types of shots you really need to know your make percentages on them because these straight in shots are a great starting point when it comes to analyzing your other misses.

I think most players have an inflated sense of how accurate they are at these straight in shots. They think they can make them all, so when they are faced with a shot of equivalent distance but it's off angle a bit -- they expect to make it. So when they miss, they immediately think they must have aimed wrong. What if you knew you were really only 7/10 for a straight in shot from that distance?

So if you know you are 7/10 on a particular straight in shot and find out you are only 3/10 on a shot of equal distance but off angle then you probably do have aiming issues. But if you are shooting off angled shots at a similar rate as you would it's straight in equivalent you are really just chasing your tail.

What do you think? Maybe I'm just off angle a bit.
 

His Boy Elroy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
That's not a bad idea to learn what my percentages are with the straight in shot; nevertheless, look at the diagram in post #23 of "Aiming - not everyone sees the same thing."

Move the OB 2 inches to the right or left and my percentages go WAY up. You're the opposite...huh? I'll guess I'll have to add you to my list of, "FINE POSTERS WHO BEFUDDLE ME ON THIS ONE ISSUE!"......C'mon.....you're crushed, aren't you? :grin-square:
 

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
There is no magic bullet for a straight stroke.
 
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JB Cases

www.jbcases.com
Silver Member
There is no magic bullet for a straight stroke.

And the straightest stroking player on Earth will miss when aimed wrong.

I don't know why you all confuse these two aspects of the game.

Aiming is the thing you do BEFORE you shoot.

Shooting is the thing you do AFTER you aim.

You can aim wrong, stroke straight and miss.

You can aim wrong, stroke crooked and make the shot.

You can aim right, stroke crooked and miss the shot.
 

bbb

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
And the straightest stroking player on Earth will miss when aimed wrong.

I don't know why you all confuse these two aspects of the game.

Aiming is the thing you do BEFORE you shoot.

Shooting is the thing you do AFTER you aim.

You can aim wrong, stroke straight and miss.

You can aim wrong, stroke crooked and make the shot.

You can aim right, stroke crooked and miss the shot.

nice post .....:thumbup:
and true regardless of system/method ....
 

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
Here's why I think amateur players (myself included) have what we classify as aiming problems:

We don't have an accurate reference point for our true pocketing ability.

For instance, on a long straight in stop shot, how many times out of ten will you make that shot? How about if you try and draw the ball back 4 diamonds? How about follow?

How many of us have a real good gauge on our shot percentages for these straight in shots?

Now if you can't even aim a straight in shot this is what you need to focus on, but if you are pretty confident you can aim and align these types of shots you really need to know your make percentages on them because these straight in shots are a great starting point when it comes to analyzing your other misses.

I think most players have an inflated sense of how accurate they are at these straight in shots.
They think they can make them all, so when they are faced with a shot of equivalent distance but it's off angle a bit -- they expect to make it. So when they miss, they immediately think they must have aimed wrong. What if you knew you were really only 7/10 for a straight in shot from that distance?

So if you know you are 7/10 on a particular straight in shot and find out you are only 3/10 on a shot of equal distance but off angle then you probably do have aiming issues. But if you are shooting off angled shots at a similar rate as you would it's straight in equivalent you are really just chasing your tail.

What do you think? Maybe I'm just off angle a bit.

Most misses are due to the wrong hit on the cue ball is what Mark Wilson teaches in his school.
I've never seen a straight shooter who was a bad pocketer .
 

Ralph Kramden

BOOM!.. ZOOM!.. MOON!
Silver Member
Most misses are due to the wrong hit on the cue ball is what Mark Wilson teaches in his school.
I've never seen a straight shooter who was a bad pocketer .

IMO there are quite a few players who aim OK.. but try to put english on the CB, without adjusting.
Or they actually adjust correctly for the english.. but then put too much side on the CB for the shot.
.
 

His Boy Elroy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
IMO there are quite a few players who aim OK.. but try to put english on the CB, without adjusting.
Or they actually adjust correctly for the english.. but then put too much side on the CB for the shot.
.
Could you define what a "Wrong hit on the cueball" is exactly?

Edit: Sorry Ralph. I meant to post this under post 6.
HEY JOEY! YOU OUT THERE DUDE? WHAT THE HELL IS A "WRONG HIT ON THE CUE BALL?"
 
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His Boy Elroy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here's why I think amateur players (myself included) have what we classify as aiming problems:

We don't have an accurate reference point for our true pocketing ability.

For instance, on a long straight in stop shot, how many times out of ten will you make that shot? How about if you try and draw the ball back 4 diamonds? How about follow?

How many of us have a real good gauge on our shot percentages for these straight in shots?

Now if you can't even aim a straight in shot this is what you need to focus on, but if you are pretty confident you can aim and align these types of shots you really need to know your make percentages on them because these straight in shots are a great starting point when it comes to analyzing your other misses.

I think most players have an inflated sense of how accurate they are at these straight in shots. They think they can make them all, so when they are faced with a shot of equivalent distance but it's off angle a bit -- they expect to make it. So when they miss, they immediately think they must have aimed wrong. What if you knew you were really only 7/10 for a straight in shot from that distance?

So if you know you are 7/10 on a particular straight in shot and find out you are only 3/10 on a shot of equal distance but off angle then you probably do have aiming issues. But if you are shooting off angled shots at a similar rate as you would it's straight in equivalent you are really just chasing your tail.

What do you think? Maybe I'm just off angle a bit.
I think I may have missread your post originally. I agree with you that most players probably have an inflated sense of how accurate they are at straight in shots; but, your comments about straight in shots vs. cut shots......If the OB is only a half inch off straight, it's the difference between night and day! I have MUCH more success with this shot than a PERFECTLY STRAIGHT shot. Is this the same with you?
 

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
If the OB is only a half inch off straight, it's the difference between night and day! I have MUCH more success with this shot than a PERFECTLY STRAIGHT shot.
I try to think of a straight shot as just another cut angle like all the rest, zero degrees instead of 5 or 15, to avoid aiming them differently. I don't think they're as visually "objective" as we like to think.

pj
chgo
 

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
I try to think of a straight shot as just another cut angle like all the rest, zero degrees instead of 5 or 15, to avoid aiming them differently. I don't think they're as visually "objective" as we like to think.

pj
chgo

They are , imo.
The cue ball does not lie either. Watch where your cue ball goes after contact. Left or right . You will most likely be consistent which side you hit the ob when you don't hit it dead on.
Bert Kinnister's shot number one is probably the best one-shot exercise there is.
 

336Robin

Multiverse Operative
Silver Member
Aiming is Off....

Even if your aim is stellar you still have to deliver which is easily half of the equation. So you can have a great aiming mechanism and if you are a little off that day, you wont trust yourself and you get shots hit off a little until something dials you in. Youre getting better when someone says hey you played good and you think you are off your game.

Here's why I think amateur players (myself included) have what we classify as aiming problems:

We don't have an accurate reference point for our true pocketing ability.

For instance, on a long straight in stop shot, how many times out of ten will you make that shot? How about if you try and draw the ball back 4 diamonds? How about follow?

How many of us have a real good gauge on our shot percentages for these straight in shots?

Now if you can't even aim a straight in shot this is what you need to focus on, but if you are pretty confident you can aim and align these types of shots you really need to know your make percentages on them because these straight in shots are a great starting point when it comes to analyzing your other misses.

I think most players have an inflated sense of how accurate they are at these straight in shots. They think they can make them all, so when they are faced with a shot of equivalent distance but it's off angle a bit -- they expect to make it. So when they miss, they immediately think they must have aimed wrong. What if you knew you were really only 7/10 for a straight in shot from that distance?

So if you know you are 7/10 on a particular straight in shot and find out you are only 3/10 on a shot of equal distance but off angle then you probably do have aiming issues. But if you are shooting off angled shots at a similar rate as you would it's straight in equivalent you are really just chasing your tail.

What do you think? Maybe I'm just off angle a bit.
 

BasementDweller

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think I may have missread your post originally. I agree with you that most players probably have an inflated sense of how accurate they are at straight in shots; but, your comments about straight in shots vs. cut shots......If the OB is only a half inch off straight, it's the difference between night and day! I have MUCH more success with this shot than a PERFECTLY STRAIGHT shot. Is this the same with you?

Sorry for the delayed response here...

I think I'm at the point where I prefer the straight in shot over any other but I practice these religiously so that's probably why.

But even though I practice them so much I will still go offline every once in a while and have to straighten out my mechanics again. This is why I think it's so important to have this knowledge of how well you can pocket these in order to compare it to the off angled shots.

I guess your example is a perfect illustration of what I was trying to get at. If you pocket a slightly off angled shot better than you do a straight in one then I would think you have fundamental (stroke) issues that should be addressed before you spent too much time worrying about an aiming solution. (Not necessarily addressed at you but just the idea in general).
 
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