Which Variable Is the Cause of Most Missed Shots

[gregcantrall]

.I think most shots are missed by folks taking their 'eyes off of the spot on the object ball' during the last split second before the cue strikes the cue ball.

That could be the case with players that look at object ball last. Some of us focus on the intimate interaction of the cue tip and cueball. It works well for some, perhaps not the majority but it's hard to argue with success. Stephen Hendry speaks on the topic. He says Ronnie O'sullivan does it too. Cueball last that is.

 

[Jaden]

While some have deviated from your original options I will do the same. You originally stated, "assuming your aim is correct and your stroke is straight", I will add an option that causes most missed shots.
Refering to Zerksies post 103...I think most shots are missed by folks taking their 'eyes off of the spot on the object ball' during the last split second before the cue strikes the cue ball.

I would have to disagree. What you're describing is the symptom, not the cause. It's like looking away when you're driving, you tend to steer towards where you're looking.

If you stroke true and are lined up properly, you can close your eyes and still shoot the shot.

I was playing in either the predator 10ball open or one of the swannees when it was held at hard times, I think it was the predator 10 ball open, and I was practicing on big bertha. One of the locals setup a full table shot from D to corner, looked away and fired it in. I said I can do that. I set it up, looked away and closed my eyes and fired it, the onlookers erupted and I looked up. They pretended I missed, but what had actually happened was that it went dead center through the pocket and hit the back of the pocket and bounced up and over.

If you have a consistent stroke and your alignment is true, you should be good.

Jaden

 

[Tennesseejoe]

That could be the case with players that look at object ball last. Some of us focus on the intimate interaction of the cue tip and cueball. It works well for some, perhaps not the majority but it's hard to argue with success. Stephen Hendry speaks on the topic. He says Ronnie O'sullivan does it too. Cueball last that is.

What do you look at last?

 

[Tennesseejoe]

I would have to disagree. What you're describing is the symptom, not the cause. It's like looking away when you're driving, you tend to steer towards where you're looking.

If you stroke true and are lined up properly, you can close your eyes and still shoot the shot.

I was playing in either the predator 10ball open or one of the swannees when it was held at hard times, I think it was the predator 10 ball open, and I was practicing on big bertha. One of the locals setup a full table shot from D to corner, looked away and fired it in. I said I can do that. I set it up, looked away and closed my eyes and fired it, the onlookers erupted and I looked up. They pretended I missed, but what had actually happened was that it went dead center through the pocket and hit the back of the pocket and bounced up and over.

If you have a consistent stroke and your alignment is true, you should be good.

Jaden

What do you look normally look at last?

 

[sjm]

You left off the obvious "poor stance/positioning"

If your stroke is straight and your aim is correct, the placement of your body is the only thing that will truly cause a miss

This is an important point. Placement of the body is part of your pre-shot routine and, just as you note, more than a few misses are caused by errors made in pre-shot routine. Nice post!

 

[garczar]

This is an important point. Placement of the body is part of your pre-shot routine and, just as you note, more than a few misses are caused by errors made in pre-shot routine. Nice post!

Old saying in golf is that 80% of a good swing takes place before club ever moves. Stance/alignment/posture is king in both games.

 

[lfigueroa]

It's only placement of the body in the broadest sense.

More accurately it's placement of the body parts, in particular, the grip.

Lou Figueroa

 

[gregcantrall]

What do you look at last?

I started with object ball last as Willie Mosconi prescribed. I did quite well with it and was possibly still object ball last when I was elevated to the Masters division. I did however make the switch. When object ball last my shot making was my strength. Cueball last has my position play (controlling whitey) is what I now consider my strength. The better position play makes for fewer extreme shots. Still feel good about my shot making, just fewer occasions of hard shots.
As Jaden said, eyes closed is possible if the program is followed.

 

[easy-e]

While some have deviated from your original options I will do the same. You originally stated, "assuming your aim is correct and your stroke is straight", I will add an option that causes most missed shots.
Refering to Zerksies post 103...I think most shots are missed by folks taking their 'eyes off of the spot on the object ball' during the last split second before the cue strikes the cue ball.

Just to clarify, many people responded to his post before it was edited. His OP did NOT have the bolded line above.

 

[WobblyStroke]

I would have to disagree. What you're describing is the symptom, not the cause. It's like looking away when you're driving, you tend to steer towards where you're looking.

If you stroke true and are lined up properly, you can close your eyes and still shoot the shot.

I was playing in either the predator 10ball open or one of the swannees when it was held at hard times, I think it was the predator 10 ball open, and I was practicing on big bertha. One of the locals setup a full table shot from D to corner, looked away and fired it in. I said I can do that. I set it up, looked away and closed my eyes and fired it, the onlookers erupted and I looked up. They pretended I missed, but what had actually happened was that it went dead center through the pocket and hit the back of the pocket and bounced up and over.

If you have a consistent stroke and your alignment is true, you should be good.

Jaden

There's an interesting demo steve davis did many years ago on the importance of keeping ur eye on the ball...

3 specs with about 1cm between each.
Line up to the center spec. Thats where ur stroke finishes.
Close ur eyes and the stroke still fnishes on the center spec.
However, without consciously changing anything about how u deliver the cue, if you focus on the left spec with the eyes, the cue finishes left of center if not all the way on the left spec. Same for right.

The eyes are your guidance system. You are better off closing them than taking them off ur target.

Try it out. Almost spooky. Stroke feels the same every time, but the eyes def affect where it finishes.

 

[Flakeandrun]

I am going to go with vision and sighting. This impacts everything else.

 

[WobblyStroke]

It's only placement of the body in the broadest sense.

More accurately it's placement of the body parts, in particular, the grip.

Lou Figueroa

This is an excellent point that is both obvious and often brushed over.

 

[Jaden]

There's an interesting demo steve davis did many years ago on the importance of keeping ur eye on the ball...

3 specs with about 1cm between each.
Line up to the center spec. Thats where ur stroke finishes.
Close ur eyes and the stroke still fnishes on the center spec.
However, without consciously changing anything about how u deliver the cue, if you focus on the left spec with the eyes, the cue finishes left of center if not all the way on the left spec. Same for right.

The eyes are your guidance system. You are better off closing them than taking them off ur target.

Try it out. Almost spooky. Stroke feels the same every time, but the eyes def affect where it finishes.

Oh absolutely, I closed them on that shot, you don't want any point of focus if it's not the target. I only turned my head so that they would all know that my eyes were closed. But as a former marine, the thousand yard stare is just as good at avoiding a focal point as closing your eyes.

Jaden

 

[ShootingArts]

That is something somebody is overlooking. None of us are saying we don't know how to spin a ball effectively. Some of us just move on from that to what we find is a better way most of the time. Any game I play, including six, nine, and ten, I move the cue ball the minimum amount necessary. I watch video of the best in the world getting in trouble running the cue ball all over the table when they don't need to. I am nowhere near the shotmaker they are so I would get in trouble even more often.

I used to be rich, I drove late model full bodies and sprint cars around in circles to the left, and never turned my steering wheel to the left or even completely straight. The chassis of the cars and the tires were set up to turn left under power. To turn harder left, I turned the steering wheel harder right! Just when you think you know it all...

Hu

 

[easy-e]

Oh absolutely, I closed them on that shot, you don't want any point of focus if it's not the target. I only turned my head so that they would all know that my eyes were closed. But as a former marine, the thousand yard stare is just as good at avoiding a focal point as closing your eyes.

Jaden

I thought there was "no such thing as a former Marine".

 

[gregcantrall]

Any game I play, including six, nine, and ten, I move the cue ball the minimum amount necessary.

Sounds like straight pool foundation.
In my study of professional 9 ball starting mid 80s that was stamped on the games of the straight pool Champions. Then there was Cole then Efren with Aside of Earl.
Efren brought a game of 9 ball that was astronomical.

 

[Jaden]

I thought there was "no such thing as a former Marine".

there's no such thing as an ex-marine

Jaden

 

[ShootingArts]

Sounds like straight pool foundation.
In my study of professional 9 ball starting mid 80s that was stamped on the games of the straight pool Champions. Then there was Cole then Efren with Aside of Earl.
Efren brought a game of 9 ball that was astronomical.

I never played straight pool but the people that I watched to learn had been straight pool players in their prime. Then when I was starting to play pretty well I happened to catch what was old video of Willie Mosconi even then. I had to totally revise my ideas of what was possible, and what shape was. I thought I had played shape if I could hit the next ball.

Nobody before or after Willie made me change my game. It was many years later the first time I saw Efren. Made me revise my ideas of what was possible again but it had taken me two or three years of constant work to develop a game similar to Willie's. I wasn't at a time in my life to spend another two or three years devoted almost solely to pool.

My game unquestionably has it's basis in straight pool but I adapted it to the modern games. Some concepts not as recognized are using bridge balls and insurance balls playing games that will let me. I think my initial reading of the table is a bit different than young players too.

Hu

 

[gregcantrall]

I never played straight pool but

Me neither but a high run in practice just above 45. 3 racks was proof of concept. I saw Efren run 2 racks in rotation on the practice table. Somebody was barking to play straight pool. After the second rack Efren inquired, " are you sure you want to play straight pool?" Crickets....

 

[straightline]

I side with the good fundamentals bunch. Wrong stick line afflicts beeginners all the way through BeegChamps. Course beginners are expected to miss anyway but champs missing is a much more isolated and observable event.
Here's another paintistration. Both are aimed center ball. One is the correct shot and the other is a complete disaster. It doesn't matter which and the discrepancy is exaggerated for clarity but to me anyway, indicates the slim deviation the missing player will have. What you see isn't always what you shoot.

as you were...