Discussion: Focusing on the cue ball compared to other sports

bbb said:
This is not a scientific answer to your question
But if the majority of pros for years and years and years, look at the object ball last,
it must be the better way to play
If cue ball last was really better
By now I would think all of the pros would do it.
Jmho
Icbw
Click to expand...
In an IDEAL world, I think you are absolutely correct. I watch a fair amount of snooker and Chinese 8 ball, and almost all of those guys (the straightest shooters on the planet) lock on to the OB and their eyes NEVER leave it.
I say "ideal world" bcz how many of us have the eyesight to be able to do this. I sure as hell don't, so I have had to adapt and (somewhat) overcome. When I am 5 or more feet from the OB, I can't help but see double if I stare at the OB. Therefore, on long shots (and when CB is on the rail - for different reasons) I look at CB while delivering the stroke. It helps me make a straighter stroke, hit the CB where I intend to, be less anxious about "result" , and stay down on the shot.
When I am able to lock in on the OB the whole time, I think I shoot a little straighter.
just my 2 cents
 
JohnnyOzone said:
In an IDEAL world, I think you are absolutely correct. I watch a fair amount of snooker and Chinese 8 ball, and almost all of those guys (the straightest shooters on the planet) lock on to the OB and their eyes NEVER leave it.
I say "ideal world" bcz how many of us have the eyesight to be able to do this. I sure as hell don't, so I have had to adapt and (somewhat) overcome. When I am 5 or more feet from the OB, I can't help but see double if I stare at the OB. Therefore, on long shots (and when CB is on the rail - for different reasons) I look at CB while delivering the stroke. It helps me make a straighter stroke, hit the CB where I intend to, be less anxious about "result" , and stay down on the shot.
When I am able to lock in on the OB the whole time, I think I shoot a little straighter.
just my 2 cents
Click to expand...
QTF. Had not considered the vision thing but absolutely that as well.

I would add, it's a holographic existence of at least 4 dimensions. Obvious?
Take your average, over prepared, high dollar snooker/heyball etc... player.
It's reality for them. Their egos easily encompass "being the center of the universe". Aiming and shooting is easily a given in their world. The errors, well hem haw, can't be helped, part of the sport, Ronnie and Judd have the excellence cornered yada yada...
 
Mike Massey provided my Most Incredible shots First place 🏆. The South Shore Lake Tahoe event. The event where Parica spoke of another from the Philippines. 🤷‍♂️
The shot even made a Byrnes book.
Watching the Snooker provides So Many incredible shots.
 
This pretty much falls in to the "what's the best table" "what's the best cue" "what's the best chalk" category. Basically, it is whatever works best for you. Everyone looks at the OB & CB as part of their aiming process. Where your eyes are during your stroke is a matter of personal preference and you will find people on both sides of the argument from beginners through pros.

I think everyone can pretty much agree that stance and set up dictate aim to a large degree and if you don't land the cue tip exactly where you intend to on the cueball you will not get the intended outcome.

Sometimes it helps to look at a situation backwards, instead of saying "what do I need to do to make a shot ask "what can I do to miss the shot" with the answer being either "pick the wrong line for the cue ball to travel" or "don't deliver the cue ball to the correct line." The former is bad alignment or not understanding how the object ball reacts to the cue ball & looking at cueball or object ball last is not your issue. To me the latter is a bigger issue and it gets exponentially bigger as you increase the speed of your shot.

You need to understand what aiming means from a standpoint of how & where you need to deliver the cueball (angle, speed & spin) which is table knowledge and physics and not dependent on execution other than delivering the cueball. Where the rubber meets the road is actually delivering the cue ball accurately and the prerequisite to that is being able to deliver the cue tip to the exact spot you desire on the cueball. If you miss the first step the rest doesn't matter.

If you have a perfect stroke, just set up and fire with your eyes closed because your set up and stroke are perfect and you will rarely miss or get out of shape.
 
If you are lined up properly and are capable of a consistent and accurate strike delivery, you can look at the fine lady across the room last and it won't make any difference.

If you can't do that, then you are adjusting something while shooting and will have to figure out what works best for you.
 
I ain't reading seven pages of this argument, but I agree with your initial premise. I kinda go by the principles of rifle marksmanship I was taught in the Corps ... eye focus is on the front sight post, not the target.
 
Cord said:
I ain't reading seven pages of this argument, but I agree with your initial premise. I kinda go by the principles of rifle marksmanship I was taught in the Corps ... eye focus is on the front sight post, not the target.
Click to expand...
arent you looking THROUGH the front site post at the target?
when looking at cue ball last you are not looking at the target
i dont shoot rifles
asking sincerely
 
bbb said:
arent you looking THROUGH the front site post at the target?
when looking at cue ball last you are not looking at the target
i dont shoot rifles
asking sincerely
Click to expand...

Sort of? But your eye can only focus at one distance at a time. You can either have a sharp target and a fuzzy sight, or the reverse. I was trained to have a sharp sight picture and a fuzzy target, and then trust your mechanics. 🤷‍♂️
 
The VAST majority of top cuesport players are OBL. There's this one lone wingnut on here that had a 10yr thread that said how all top snooker players were CBL. Well Virginia, you're wrong. When i slowed down a bunch of top players its OBVIOUS that when they pull the trigger they are fixed on the OB. Sure you can play CBL but that's not the method of almost all top players.
 
joelpope said:
You need to understand what aiming means from a standpoint of how & where you need to deliver the cueball (angle, speed & spin) which is table knowledge and physics and not dependent on execution other than delivering the cueball. Where the rubber meets the road is actually delivering the cue ball accurately and the prerequisite to that is being able to deliver the cue tip to the exact spot you desire on the cueball. If you miss the first step the rest doesn't matter.

If you have a perfect stroke, just set up and fire with your eyes closed because your set up and stroke are perfect and you will rarely miss or get out of shape.
Click to expand...
I tend towards most not knowing where the tip actually lands. How can they? They've never looked.


garczar said:
The VAST majority of top cuesport players are OBL. There's this one lone wingnut on here that had a 10yr thread that said how all top snooker players were CBL. Well Virginia, you're wrong. When i slowed down a bunch of top players its OBVIOUS that when they pull the trigger they are fixed on the OB. Sure you can play CBL but that's not the method of almost all top players.
Click to expand...
And we all know every last one is consistently flawless. :p

I think what it amounts to is they can look wherever they want to/need to/has to. Winnage is what drives them.
 
Cord said:
Sort of? But your eye can only focus at one distance at a time. You can either have a sharp target and a fuzzy sight, or the reverse. I was trained to have a sharp sight picture and a fuzzy target, and then trust your mechanics. 🤷‍♂️
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply
 
Wingnut ? 🤔
gregcantrall

Thread 'Experiments in looking at the cueball while delivering the stroke.'

In the thread Shot / stroke problem a poster put forth the proposition that looking at the cueball while delivering the stroke was "fundamentally wrong". I had already provided evidence that Willie Hoppe considered looking at the cueball while delivering the stroke as fundamentally basic. I had read Willie Hoppies book Billiards As It Should Be Played well over 20 years ago. At the time I was content with my aiming process and just chalked up the cue ball last as a 3 cushion thing. Kind of the way I considered his more upright stance an "Old...
  • Like
  • Love
 
Ronnie in Rocket mode. Blink and you will miss it. The final black with the other hand. 🤷‍♂️
Ronnie had an affection for Ding. I read that he stayed with his family while in China and gave tutoring.
 
From Macro to Mike row, would be an accurate ass says mint of My method. 🤷‍♂️ 😉
Was it Irving Crane that got nicked The Surgeon?
Training is important.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top