New aiming process "Striking Line Aiming" just introduced at the BCA Nationals 2012

I figure that it's time to post here also. Carl Oswald said it all. Gordy has a product that will help most pool players become better at ball pocketing.

I have seen this product in action and am impressed on how many players can still benefit from Gordy's Striking Line Aiming!

Keep em coming Gordy.

Proud of you
randyg

Great Aim Training System

There are many aiming “systems” in pool: Ghost Ball, SAM, Fractional, CTE and Contact Point. Each aiming system relies on “visuals” for alignment and aiming. Of course you can’t see the track line, a contact point, or ghost ball with your physical eyes, you have to see them with your “minds eyes”. Eventually, after successfully pocketing many balls, your minds eyes become trained to see the shot and it becomes a sub-conscious routine.
The Striking Line Aim training system can speed up the process. The templates provide the visuals for your physical eyes to focus on to successfully align to the shot and pocket balls. Through repetition, your minds eyes begin to see the shot and the transformation begins. Soon, aiming will be a sub-conscious effort and more time will be spent on determining speed and spin to get position for the next shot. It’s like using training wheels to learn to ride a bicycle – first the wheels are used to help learn balance, then they come off and soon you ride without thinking about balance – you can now focus on looking where you are going.
Gordon Vanderveer developed a great aim training system; the templates are colorful and made of a scratch resistant vinyl. Everything is included in the system including training balls and instructions to take your game to the next level. As a PBIA Certified Instructor, I plan on using the system during lessons to help student learn to develop their alignment and aim. The aim training system can also be used in conjunction with - and will compliment - other stroke training aids like Tom Simpson’s Stroke Groover and the Billiard Dynamics Cue Track. I use both successfully in class to help student’s correct flaws in their stroke. The Striking Line Aim training system becomes another tool in my arsenal to help students.
Gordon keeps all transactions confidential; I had no problem giving him my credit card information over the phone. The product was packaged to prevent damage and comes with a rigid tube to keep the system protected when transporting. Delivery was in a couple of days and Gordon provided his phone number to answer any questions I had.
I highly recommend the system for any individual or pool league looking for a practical, reasonably priced training system to improve performance.

John M. Harlach
Cue Chief Pool Instruction

Why won't you state the price in an open forum?

Quick Response

I just ordered one. Gordon was very quick to respond and mail it immediately.

On the other note, I think it would be better to be little open about price, which is reasonable, as people have to give credit card number on the phone. Though I do not have any issues with it.

I should be getting it in few days, very excited.

Mitchxout said:

Why won't you state the price in an open forum?

Click to expand...

The price is on his blog. $95 plus $15 for shipping.

My turn to throw in my two cents and maybe a little more :smile:

First I will say I also lived in the DFW area while Gordy was coming up with this product. I once overheard him telling someone at a tourney that this aiming system he was working on would teach you how to use the cue ball as an aid to pocketing balls .... I thought he had gone off the deep end, little did I know he was right on target so to speak.

Before meeting Gordy personally, I was basically a self taught player through vids and the written word, watching and asking questions of the better player. I had a goal of becoming the best player to never take a lesson in my own mind but the last year I recognized and admitted to myself that I was missing something. I knew I had a fundamental flaw or flaws somewhere but I didn't know what they were. Pocketing balls on a consistent basis was always a problem for me, so I was always searching for that " magic bullet " to help my game.

Turns out Gordy's training aids are not the " magic " bullet after all. There's nothing magic about it. It's proven geometry and physics which has been illustrated to the mechanics of pool, specifically alignment and shot making. If you will, this system has become the means of not only showing me how to load that bullet, but also how to aim the gun once the bullet has been loaded.

Gordy and I crossed paths because he needed a photographer for his training manual so I agreed to do his photos and also hoping to find out more about his aiming process. It was the second day when I had that " aha " moment. I was setting up the camera when I accidentally set it up behind the striking line instead of the ghost ball path. It hit me like a ton of bricks. My exacts words were " OMG I see it!!!! " My reference was to the striking line where the balls actually make contact with each other. What I saw seemed like magic but its what I should have been training to see from the beginning. This is the first product that specifically helps you visualize that striking line to pocket balls.

The cue stick track template. So valuable this tool is, even to the seasoned player. A lot of top players, even some pros stopped by while Gordy displayed his product in Vegas and stated how much they like the cue stick track, great tool to keep your game in tune. The cue stick track is what you use to fix or tweak your alignment. This tool not only gives you " instant " feedback, it gives you feedback on your alignment before you even hit one ball. It teaches you where " actual " center ball is, shows you your follow thru in inches, shows how true the back swing and forward portion of your stroke is, teaches you straight in stop shots at different distances, you can also do the same drill with follow and draw shots, and again the feedback you get from this tool is " immediate ".

I now understand that my shot making problems were first because of my alignment and then no tried and true system for aiming. So, the first thing I did of course was to fix and then tweak my alignment, then work on cue stick track drills, the next thing was the aiming template. Now to put it to the test .... WOW!!! I think i was that special case. First I will say I spent four days at Gordy's place taking pics for his training manual, so there was all that time spent behind the drills taking pics as if I was actually shooting the shots. After that I shot on the cue stick track for two days solid. In other words the time I spent with the system was very concentrated for at least a week. My game has gone through the roof in less than two weeks, and the results have shown it. I'm starting to have wins that I thought would never happen.

I know I sound like a Homer, but this systems works. I was craving for something to help my game advance and it seems I have found it. It can be applied to all areas of your game, because it's fundamentals at its base.

My best example on how it can help other areas of your game. Combinations .... usually always very low percentage for me. Not any more. Now I use a striking line from both balls and then to the cue ball, my percentages have gone up tremendously. I get all of the striking lines and then I align myself properly to that line. It's been a domino effect for me. Fixing my alignment and training my eyes to see the striking line has improved the rest of my game. Other areas.... tangent lines are now more precise, breakouts, caroms, safeties etc.. have all gotten better because I'm not worried about making balls like I used to be. Now I can concentrate on things like speed and position.

So for me this system is right on target, pun intended. IMO this system is simply gold, it takes so much wasted time and guess work out of your training. You will be able to focus on what " needs " to be and not what you think " might " be wrong. This system will tell you what " is " wrong and doing this will accelerate your learning and progress. It did mine.

Well,

now i also think it s time to *jump* into this thread.
I noticed the thread from Gordy and as usual i watch things like this always interested and carefully. And i was immediatley curiousl. The things Gordy developed here are fantastic! I am using parts of it already for ages-- but helping myself here with tools had been more kind of improvisation.

He really developed here a sensational helpful tool to help players- and not just for beginners. For beginners and also for bit advanced players this should be anyway awesome! But also advanced players can benefit here to correct issues etc. -

Gordy, hats off- and i m curious when the package arrived. The material i sometimes using (made by myself) had been (how i said^^) always more kind of improvisation- and the thoughts i had.........you made them happen. You really made a great job!

At least: With these *tools* and the necessary knowledge you can work with each type of players- no matter which aiming-system a player is using........here you can test and see if *his* system works for him to align properly and making his shot (or not )

More if the package arrives

lg from overseas,

Ingo

Looks pretty cool, good luck with your product.

I've been using this tool now for a couple of weeks. I haven't made it through all the drills and therefore haven't had the chance to use every tool in the package. So I'll comment again as I get through all the drills.

This tool has really, really helped me. I quickly learned my stance/alignment were out of whack. Using Gordy's tools helped me find the proper stance/alignment which also served to put me in a near perfect shoulder/elbow/forearm position. It took far less time than I would have imagined, using the tools, to get comfortable with stepping into the shot with the proper stance/alignment.

I then saw I was slightly off center on the cue ball. Getting the right sight line by using the tool to center on the cb quickly helped with stop, draw and length of table shots.

What I've gained thus far easily gives me a better than break even return on investment with the system. Those that buy it will likely be stunned like I was when you see all the things included and how well made they are. The training manual is well done with both the text descriptions and diagrams.

I would think this tool would be beneficial to any skill level. To the lower level players, I think it is essential. Even the pros though could use this tool to "fine tune" and check their benchmarks if they get slightly off.

To be clear here, I have no affiliation with Gordon whatsoever. I had never even heard of Gordon until I read this thread. Thank you AZ and thank you Gordon!

I have been doing something similiar at home with tailors chalk, painters tape, plumb bob, laser and reinforcement markers. This thing here looks great and easy to move and set back up. I think i will be ordering one of these for my training
It looks very nice thanks for putting this training set together

elvicash said:

I have been doing something similiar at home with tailors chalk, painters tape, plumb bob, laser and reinforcement markers. This thing here looks great and easy to move and set back up. I think i will be ordering one of these for my training
It looks very nice thanks for putting this training set together

Click to expand...

agree here elvicash-- i like to work with *beginners* or guys who are having alignment-problems similar things. but it was always kind of improvisation- the instructionan-stuff Gordy developed here looks fantastic. Yesterday received letter from german custom- i think my *stuff* just arrived here in germany. will try to make it tomorrow to the custom,

lg from overseas,

Ingo

Forgive me Gordy for not posting sooner, but I too am a user of Gordy's system. Before I worked with Gordy, I didn't have a system. I just played strictly of of of feel. I have been using the system now for almost a year and have been seeing results. It's nice when you get in a slump to be able to have some visual aids to go along with the drills to help straighten me out and get my stroke back in line. Before this system I didn't know what practice really was. So thank you Gordy for giving me the tools to succeed!

I spent a Saturday with Mr. Vandeveer a couple of weeks ago. I had a wonderful time listening to him and learning from him. He is very passionate and knowledgeable about "The Game"!

Thanks Gordy!

Ken

Met Gordy in las Vegas last year.

Gordy has great respect for the game. He was very easy to approach and I didn't want to take up too much of his time, since I'm from Oklahoma. I figured that I would see you at home at a local tourney, but we've not crossed paths. What's he easiest way to get a hold of you. I will be getting back into pool in the next month or two, so to get a proper tool to start practing should bring my game back faster, as well as another level.

hi, any recent/updated thoughts on this product?
I'm most interested in the template itself..seeing the shot line drawn out is kinda cool
but am open, as ever, to all input
cheers

evergruven said:

hi, any recent/updated thoughts on this product?
I'm most interested in the template itself..seeing the shot line drawn out is kinda cool
but am open, as ever, to all input
cheers

Click to expand...

thanks for bumping this thread
as a student of the game i just bought one....:thumbup:

I've never seen this! Thanks for the bump. I made similar templates to test out fractional aiming alignments all over the table. Seems like a great tool to help develop good shot recognition.

Gordy is one of the good guys in pool. Good player and good teacher. He put a lot of time into this tool.