Try stand and looking at should you want to make, then spend time ANALYZING THE SHOT IN MIND, last excuse what you analyzed. This may sound like BULL**** but works me.
Why did I miss the ball? Did my aim fail, or was it my mechanics?
- Thread starter jimstone
- Start date
I concur. It took me +20 years to book a session from a very good snooker coach who has an eye for pool also. He was able to correct my mechanics with 3 simple changes in 1 hour and I was kind of lucky it all clicked together. I am still riding this wave almost 10 years, my consistency is really high, despite usually having 2-3 weeks off table due work and family reasons.
I knew all the shots, but I had problems with my consistency. And that was my blocker, I thought I could do it myself, I am analytic, was videoing my playing already for years, but a good instructor knew how to fix issues. And he surely did.
The day after his lesson, I placed 10 reds on a full size snooker table for lineup. I was able to clear the table shooting reds in order with all blacks on my first attempt to make a 107 clearance, my first ever in snooker lineup. My biggest mistake was not to put all 15 reds on the table
You could start with a stroke check, like the MOSFUDAT, but since you specifically mentioned "long, difficult cut shots"--and I'm assuming "difficult" mean thin--you need to set the shot up and repeat it. However, focus on hitting it as consistently the same way for several times--even if you miss, you want to miss it similarly each time. You can learn to adjust from that, and decide if it's your aim or mechanics/delivery then, but I would recommend going a step further.
If you also set the "mirror" version of the shot up, you may find that you make the ball more easily, or it's worse. This can point to a vision-center issue, or an alignment issue (could *maybe* call that 'mechanics', but repeating the shot to achieve consistent results is intended to average that out). The idea here is that you may find that you aim/align and/or stroke off-center--even if you don't think you are--and shooting both 'sides' is intended to show if you favor one side. Any 'favoritism' doesn't usually get noticed when playing a game, because it's not usual to compare all of the left cuts vs. right cuts in a game, to compare makes vs. misses.
middleofnowhere
Registered
Before video tape players would actually try to see themselves in mirrors. Years ago I played in a pool room and had big glass windows and at night when the lights were on inside it was dark out were Giant mirrors. Players were always trying to see themselves stroking.
Just something I remember I thought interesting.
Just something I remember I thought interesting.
Going by the OP's definition "aim, or mechanics (stance, vision center, grip -stroke)" I'd put that miss in the mechanics category.
Going by general pool knowledge, I'd say its more the Geno Machino type eye alignment, and the eyes are leading the stroke either crooked or the vision center is off.
That's also why I think if someone has a perfectly straight stroke in the up/down CB drill back to the tip, or a straight in stop shot, it doesn't translate to a cut shot when the stick is aiming 1.5" off the OB at some arbitrary spot on the cloth.
Cue ball is always transitioning to its ''natural rolling state'' after being struck as it slows down.
A stop shot is a perfect example of when backspin stops, and a natural roll is going to begin, but doesn't.
When a cb unwinds and then begins to roll....it.
Always redirects the cb path to the right or the left Very slightly, and straightens out when ''natural roll'' begins.
A stop shot is a perfect example of when backspin stops, and a natural roll is going to begin, but doesn't.
When a cb unwinds and then begins to roll....it.
Always redirects the cb path to the right or the left Very slightly, and straightens out when ''natural roll'' begins.
VTEC John
Active member
You may have good mechanics that simply break down during the course of a session for any number of reasons: becoming tired; your head/cue/shot line alignment gets out of whack on long shots due to your vision; your opponent is putting pressure on you and you start gripping the cue tighter or dropping your shoulder, lots of possibles. You can't go wrong having an instructor improve your mechanics, but the real question is will they hold up when you're playing? And that's an unending mental challenge IMO.
George the Greek
Well-known member
BlueRaider
Registered
Alignment. Bridge hand wasn't in the exact right spot. I think people blame stroke maladies or mechanical flaws too quickly/often. They obviously can and do cause misses, but IMO, most of the "why did I miss that?" misses happen because of misalignment.
Here's an interesting almost 20-year-old thread on the topic: https://forums.azbilliards.com/threads/alignment-v-stroking.26809/
Here's an interesting almost 20-year-old thread on the topic: https://forums.azbilliards.com/threads/alignment-v-stroking.26809/
As Yogi said, "It's 90 percent mental and the other half is physical.
It is sometimes mechanics. Sometimes aim. Sometimes alignment. Sometimes inability to adapt deflection right. Sometimes just half assed effort...
and many more reasons to miss.
There is no easy answer to this. I am very good analyzing why i miss, and only 60-70% of misses I am sure why I missed it.
If it was so simple as many think(mechanics), why people miss same shots same way on pc pool simulations where is always perfect mechanics?
and many more reasons to miss.
There is no easy answer to this. I am very good analyzing why i miss, and only 60-70% of misses I am sure why I missed it.
If it was so simple as many think(mechanics), why people miss same shots same way on pc pool simulations where is always perfect mechanics?
boogieman
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping.
Once you really put forth effort to groove in good mechanics, it becomes a bit easier to understand what went wrong. That said, sometimes you may only have once chance to diagnose/fix an issue when in competition... then you lose. The more solid your personal PSR/mechanics are the easier it is to diagnose if something was wrong.
My friend was warming up. I wasn't really watching him warm up but once he told me something was off, I watched and immediately noticed his head was popping up on shots. I let him know and he fixed it right away. It can be good to have a second pair of eyes you can trust or video of shooting.
Sometimes you may be doing something and not even realizing it. Staying aware and also focused can be tough. It's best to groove your stance/mechanics so you don't have to think about them one bit. It's like a dance or pulling a recurve bow... practice it well but at some point it should feel routine.
I really hate/hated the idea of a PSR if I'm honest. To me it feels like busy work... but, once you personalize it to your own game it is strong. Most of what people say when describing a PSR is something I could care less about. Basically I chalk, look at the shot, breath out fully and get into stance. I've dicked with my stance so much I can usually just get into it without much thought. This game requires so much thought and focus that it's best to not dedicate any of those commodities to PSR and thinking about mechanics.
My friend was warming up. I wasn't really watching him warm up but once he told me something was off, I watched and immediately noticed his head was popping up on shots. I let him know and he fixed it right away. It can be good to have a second pair of eyes you can trust or video of shooting.
Sometimes you may be doing something and not even realizing it. Staying aware and also focused can be tough. It's best to groove your stance/mechanics so you don't have to think about them one bit. It's like a dance or pulling a recurve bow... practice it well but at some point it should feel routine.
I really hate/hated the idea of a PSR if I'm honest. To me it feels like busy work... but, once you personalize it to your own game it is strong. Most of what people say when describing a PSR is something I could care less about. Basically I chalk, look at the shot, breath out fully and get into stance. I've dicked with my stance so much I can usually just get into it without much thought. This game requires so much thought and focus that it's best to not dedicate any of those commodities to PSR and thinking about mechanics.
Most times it's because you let your conscious mind get in the way of your subconscious to simply execute....but to do it you gotta train your subconscious by shooting a million shots.
I actually used 2 mirrors for this, one behind me and one in front. It worked but it was fiddly to set up so I went and bought a cheap sony video camera and ran the output to a TV so that I could watch from different angles.
All great players in all sports use coaches, best thing I've done for my pool game, wish I could take them weekly
Pool is played like it's Ikea furniture modules. Not the best idea. Notice it's Ikea and not Idea.
CPG CBL BHE
CPG CBL BHE
"Why did I miss?" Is dealt with immediately upon sitting in my chair. The best answer would be, "it's a safety not a miss." 
The most difficult to get over is, "uh I don't know." The important thing for me is to analyze, categorize and then put it behind, clear the mind of baggage and prepare to re enter the fray.
From experience, I know that my method Can work. It doesn't Always work but it gives me the best chance. Clearing the mind to give full focus to the problem at hand if and when I return to the table.
Full focus leads to me having negligible memory of anything other than seeing the game ball take the fall.
A favorite memory: At the handshake my opponent said incredulously, "You shot that 8 ball left handed!" It was indeed such a difficult shot that required Full Focus, so I had to look down at the cue in my left hand and reply, "I guess I did."
It was a shot that fit the left hand as the right hand was table hooked.
The most difficult to get over is, "uh I don't know." The important thing for me is to analyze, categorize and then put it behind, clear the mind of baggage and prepare to re enter the fray. From experience, I know that my method Can work. It doesn't Always work but it gives me the best chance. Clearing the mind to give full focus to the problem at hand if and when I return to the table.
Full focus leads to me having negligible memory of anything other than seeing the game ball take the fall.
A favorite memory: At the handshake my opponent said incredulously, "You shot that 8 ball left handed!" It was indeed such a difficult shot that required Full Focus, so I had to look down at the cue in my left hand and reply, "I guess I did."
It was a shot that fit the left hand as the right hand was table hooked.
Study, Practice and Competition are my 3 basic ingredients. A good coach helped me take my game beyond what I could achieve on my own. I had reached a plateau and would have been ranked as a killer B. My good fortune of finding good coaching allowed me to attain a Master ratting.
Of course a Grand Master rating was never awarded but......
Of course a Grand Master rating was never awarded but......
Watching video of myself playing a couple or racks of nine ball last weekend. Slight head movements on most of my misses. As if I were trying to help the OB into the pocket with my chin. As a martial artist who has trained for 40 years, I'm quite aware that there is ALWAYS something to work on...
I don't know.....the most frustrating part, you go through your whole shot routine, VERY CAREFULLY, everything looks great and then.....you miss...recently I have found one thing I have never considered before but it's really helped my game, using the shot line to see where the cueball must contact the object ball so the object ball stays on the shot line, I'm having great results, now if I can get a repeatable stroke I might have something......."Why did I miss?" Is dealt with immediately upon sitting in my chair. The best answer would be, "it's a safety not a miss."
From experience, I know that my method Can work. It doesn't Always work but it gives me the best chance. Clearing the mind to give full focus to the problem at hand if and when I return to the table.
Full focus leads to me having negligible memory of anything other than seeing the game ball take the fall.
A favorite memory: At the handshake my opponent said incredulously, "You shot that 8 ball left handed!" It was indeed such a difficult shot that required Full Focus, so I had to look down at the cue in my left hand and reply, "I guess I did."
It was a shot that fit the left hand as the right hand was table hooked.