Aiming to win.
As you know there are players that don't take any practice strokes at all. It would be interesting to hear their thoughts on this in regards to their game.
And that would be me. This is long but maybe you will find it interesting.
I don't use an aiming system per say and I don't do a bunch of practice strokes except when I'm having a problem locking my brain in on the shot and then I'm actually delaying the shot and not so much practicing. I'm telling my heart to slow down to allow the computer in my head to catch up and check if the chalk light is on. Then looking for a lock or getting up.
I've been working on point shooting quite a bit for some time now and in an accelerated manner. It's showing these days too..
So, I stand back from the table and look at the object ball. where is it? Maybe look at the angle it needs. where is the cue ball?. step into the "shot line" in the perfect spot a few feet back from the table. Right foot/toes up (idk) and I'm ready. Step in and go down on the shot, and fire, if I start missing I switch to practice strokes.. 1 stroke and fire, fail = 2 strokes next time and fire. fail again.. walk away from the table and reset eyes and brain.
I don't adjust my stance, or my hand or my bridge but sometimes my cue hand. but if that's going on I need to get up and take a break. Everything I'm going to do is either automatic or pre planned like my choice of bridge. I do like to pick my bridge and have my hand already in that mode 3 feet back from the table.
Tip placement is controlled by my brain and I am concerned about not having a reference but I'm not playing for money either. I basically tell my myself what I need to accomplish the shot and shoot. I don't measure a tip amount. I think it, and since I believe, I can do all sorts of things.
For aiming. you've seen the shot where the guy puts a handkerchief over the ball and pockets it in the side a couple times. well I was doing this yesterday and nearly broke a sweat I was doing it so fast. But into the corner with an angle on it.
The easy shot is with an object ball one diamond out either side of the corner pocket. pretty easy shot. I can also put it in other locations. put the cue ball down the other side of the middle pockets and look at the shot. cover the object ball with the handkerchief and assume the position 3 feet back. I'm having an over 90% success rate. My point is though I know where the ball is on the table in my head and all that's left is executing the shot you could say from memory.
Then if that wasn't weird enough I've been practicing holding both balls and rolling one down the table, setting down the cue ball and pocketing a moving ball in the corner. Again with an over 90% success rate and fast enough to break a sweat.
there, everything is on auto pilot and my brain is consumed with the object ball speed and direction, then the hit, then the timing of the returning cue ball and new object ball. repeat.
I have met my first goal of running a table of 16 randomly spread out balls point shooting in under 2:30. I've done it twice now and don't really try much anymore but that was fun. I have also accomplished a couple related skill based trick shots I liked now. I use the full length rolling object ball as a test now. I can tell what my "playing state" is and the level of game I'll be able to accomplish. maybe. That can change.
Now if I'm playing the girl. it's about fun and I take a lot of practice strokes and work on girlfriend shots like cue ball in the side pocket without her knowing. We both win and folks, that's the game I like to play.
'"practice strokes" are part of stance/alignment or part of aiming - or both.'
When I practice my stroke I often use several practice strokes for checking various things including stance, hand position on cue and table, lazy elbow support issues, how close to the table the cue is getting for the shot, head and back position, finger position, and if that wasn't bad enough I put on the digicue blue and crank it up to irritating. There is no object ball in this case. The object is to simply hit the pocket line using various forms of English and get the ball off the table so I can take the next practice shot starting 3 feet back from the table. 16 practice balls keeps things moving along at a quick pace.
When I practice my aiming I use a snooker cue with a 9.5mm Kamui super soft tip and I pay more attention to bridge height, shot picture, speed, and accuracy. Here I like to do 1 or 2 practice stokes so I can better see the shot and smooth out my stroke speed. It's a cool view. On most days I use a 11.75 Kamui super soft.
In the end all this stuff all gets applied automatically and I use a 12.85 Kamui medium tip and just have a blast dropping balls. When I chill out I do one or two strokes just to make sure I'm working right.
What can I say but it's fun and zero drama except for the sharks. HTH
*I don't do leagues or suggest this for league players.