How to Aim Pool Shots (HAPS) - new videos by Dr. Dave and Bob Jewett

I am happy to announce that Bob Jewett and I just finished up a year-long project called How to Aim Pool Shots (HAPS). If you want to check it out, the following free clips are posted online:

HAPS-I: Aiming Systems, Aiming with Sidespin
NV E.1 - Fractional-Ball Aiming, from HAPS I
NV E.2 - Back-Hand (BHE) and Front-Hand English (FHE), from HAPS I
NV E.3 - Using "Gearing" Outside English to Eliminate Throw, from HAPS I

HAPS-II: Aiming Specialty Shots
NV E.4 - Carom-Shot Trisect-Draw System, from HAPS II
NV E.5 - Combination Shot Throw Adjustment, from HAPS II
NV E.6 - Rail Cut Shot Aiming, w/ and w/o Sidespin, from HAPS II

HAPS-III: Aiming Kick and Bank Shots
NV E.7 - Mirror Kick-Shot Aiming System, from HAPS III
NV E.8 - 1/3-More-Than-Twice Bank-Shot Aiming System, from HAPS III

We hope you enjoy and benefit from the clips, and we look forward to your comments and questions.

Best regards,
Dave and Bob

PS: If you want to learn more about HAPS, lots of info including a complete, detailed outline (listing everything covered) and useful online resources, can be found on the HAPS website.

TheThaiger said:

I don't understand E.3 at all.

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Bob and I were worried about this one being a little confusing because it is difficult to put it in simple terms. I did the best I could, but maybe the following will help.

If the correct amount of outside english is used (the "gearing" amount), there will be absolutely no throw, and the OB will head exactly in the "line-of-centers" direction. If this is unclear, more info and video demos can be found on the outside english resource page.

To create the "gearing" amount of outside english, the tip contact point on the CB must be as shown in the following diagram:


If you imagine or use your cue to visualize the line through the OB to the pocket, that gives the "line of centers." If you parallel-shift this to the CB (the red lines in the diagram), that defines the "line-of-centers" point on the CB (the red dot in the diagram). The tip contact point must be a little less than half (2/5 or 40% to be precise) of the distance from center ball to the "line-of-centers" point to create "gearing" outside english.

I hope that helps. If not, feel free to ask specific follow-on questions. Also, it might help to watch the video more than once.

Catch you later,
Dave

BRussell said:

Out of two and a half hours of video about aiming, I see one minute devoted to pivoting aiming systems.

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That depends on what you include in "pivoting aiming systems." If you include ghost-ball cue-pivoting techniques, BHE, FHE, "gearing" outside english, and other shots requiring english (e.g., rail cut shots and english game-situation examples), the amount of time dedicated to "pivoting aiming systems" is probably closer to 40-50 minutes.

Also, a big part of some "pivoting aiming systems" (e.g., CTE) involves line visualization, cut-angle estimation, visual alignment, and pre-shot routine. We certainly cover these important fundamentals on the DVDs.

Regards,
Dave

GideonF said:

Thanks for this. I will have to go through these at the table, some good stuff.

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You're welcome. I hope you find something you can use.

GideonF said:

Question - on the first clip, when Bob is shooting the 3/4 ball hit at about 2:55, he seems to be moving his back hand (sideways) at contact, rather than a straight line. Is this intentional? If so, why?

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Maybe Bob can offer his explanation. Mine, based on the countless hours of filming with Bob over many years, is below. This is probably a longer answer than you (or Bob) asked for, but here it goes anyway.

Bob has been playing for a long time, and he developed a "less than ideal" habit a long time ago for which he compensates during his stroke. Being a past national collegiate champion, he's very good at compensating. His "habit" is: he doesn't align his vision center perfectly over the cue. Because of this his visualization of center-ball and the shot line are lightly off. If he stroked straight, he would miss some shots. Over the many years of experience, he learned (probably subconsciously) that he needs to swoop his stroke slightly to compensate for his visual alignment. Bob is well aware of this (especially when he seems himself on "film"), and he would certainly recognize these issues in others, but it is difficult to change something that you have learned to master.

Should he change? Probably not, because he does what he does quite well. Now, if he had aligned his vision center more accurately when he first started playing, maybe he could have been a world beater by now (... or not).

Bob, I hope you don't mind my public "analysis." (You deserve it for setting a bad example on our videos. :grin-square

Catch you later,
Dave

dr_dave said:

Bob has been playing for a long time, and he developed a "less than ideal" habit a long time ago for which he compensates during his stroke. Being a past national collegiate champion, he's very good at compensating. His "habit" is: he doesn't align his vision center perfectly over the cue. Because of this his visualization of center-ball and the shot line are lightly off. If he stroked straight, he would miss some shots. Over the many years of experience, he learned (probably subconsciously) that he needs to swoop his stroke slightly to compensate for his visual alignment. Bob is well aware of this (especially when he seems himself on "film"), and he would certainly recognize these issues in others, but it is difficult to change something that you have learned to master.

Should he change? Probably not, because he does what he does quite well. Now, if he had aligned his vision center more accurately when he first started playing, maybe he could have been a world beater by now (... or not).

Bob, I hope you don't mind my public "analysis." (You deserve it for setting a bad example on our videos. :grin-square

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BTW, for the record, Bob is still a much better player than me. There is probably a lot Bob (or others) could analyze about me. For example, when I watch footage of me, it is painful to see how carelessly I caulk at times, how soon and fast I get up on shots at times, how I sometimes decelerate into shots, etc. Unlike Bob, I plan to do my best to change all of these things. Bob doesn't need to change his "thing."

Catch you later,
Dave (open to additional "analysis" by Bob or others)

cookie man said:

Wrong place for this. please move to aiming forum

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I don't think this would be appropriate.

Does that forum still exist? I looked for it and couldn't find it. I never followed it much. The only forum I've ever really followed closely is the Main Forum.

Catch you later,
Dave

PS: Did you watch the clips yet. I know we haven't always "seen eye to eye" in the past, but I would still appreciate your input.

Mooneye said:

Dr Dave and Bob, thanks for the hard work in putting this series together. I just ordered a set and look forward to watching and learning from it.

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Thanks Larry.

I hope you enjoy and benefit from our new stuff. Please let us know what you think after you review everything.

Best regards,
Dave

Wedge said:

About a month ago Karen Corr wanted to try my Balance Rite Extension. I loaned it to her and she froze a ball to the center of the end rail and placed the cue ball on the spot at the other end of the table and kept firing at it. I was playing a match and never did ask her what she was doing! Now I know. She was checking the difference using BHE and FHE with the extension on!

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Maybe.

Maybe she was also just checking to see if the extension would change the cue-ball-deflection (squirt) characteristics of her cue. There is no reason why it would, but it is still reassuring to check.

Catch you later,
Dave

Wedge said:

Dave provides valuable information and does not clutter the main forum like some other folks! Keep this on the main forum as it addresses far more than aiming!

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Thanks Wedge!

I agree. It would be unfortunate if our information and discussion got "lost" in a "non-main-stream" forum.

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Wedge again."

Best regards,
Dave

Wedge said:

She did say that the deflection was a little different when she gave me the extender back the next day. She bought one and has been using it every day for about a month to include tournaments. Doesn't look like she is going to take the Balance Rite off any time soon!

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Thanks for the info.

Unfortunately, this thread is probably now dead since it was moved to the dreaded "Aiming Conversations" forum.

Catch you later,
Dave