Eye pattern when standing and while getting down

charlieeeh

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The last few months I've been trying to rebuild my game from the ground up and I constantly come back to this. Most of my PSR is pretty set and I'm comfortable, but the one thing I don't have consistency is eye pattern... namely eye pattern when standing/getting down. Once I'm down, I'm fairly comfortable.

Before I use to always aim by looking at the pocket/OB to find the contact point, most of my attention and focus while standing is spent looking from OB/pocket to find the contact. I keep the cue ball in the peripheral and almost never look at it while standing. I "feel" where it is. I'll take a few glances at the cue ball as I get down to make sure the cue is pointed at the center (or whatever english I'm using). I feel like this leads to inconsistency with my pocketing.

Recently (while standing) I'll spend less time looking at the pocket/OB to find the contact, then a lot more time looking from OB/CB (but still mostly the OB) and almost ignoring the pocket or keeping the pocket in the peripheral vision. As I'm getting down, I'll look at the CB a lot more, then flick my eyes to the OB contact point somewhere during the middle of my "getting down". My pocketing is about the same. I'm unsure if it's because I'm uncomfortable with this routine or if it's not any better.
 

strmanglr scott

All about Focus
Silver Member
I've put in some time on my PSR. I'm blind in my right eye, play right handed.

I stand behind the CB and look at the angle of the shot, this is when I determine speed and leave, track it a couple times, OB to pocket/CB to OB. Then I get behind the OB and get down and find the center of the pocket and follow it back to OB contact point. When I'm comfortable and have a lock on the contact point I go back behind the CB, track the shot again with contact point my main focus. I envision the ghost ball. I line up my stick behind CB, aimed at the contact point. Drop the bridge hand into place and step down into the shot. The entire time my eyes are on that contact point. That's when I sorta zone out, I don't hear anything in particular, I don't see anything around me, I'm solely on that contact point. When down I fine tune my aim, track the CB to the OB, envision the ghost ball behind the OB, still the contact point is my main focus. Usually I'm also going through a couple practice strokes just to feel loose. Pull the trigger.

So, once I've found the contact point, I'm done looking at anything past that.
 

Tin Man

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
eye patterns

From the time you are addressing the table standing up, through the time you start dropping into stance, to the time you are down in stance, you should be staring at the contact point on the object ball.

Eye patterns aren't 100% consistent among even top players but this much I believe is very important.
 

deanoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
ii really don't know what you guys are talking about

i look at something like where the object ball cue ball ought to be to point at the hole

no wonder i never got better
 

336Robin

Multiverse Operative
Silver Member
Once you find your spot you keep your eye on it and don't look away from
it. Then get down while continuing to look at it. Things will start to look different on the way
into position. Get behind your cue ball and adjust your delivery while looking at it.
When its all perfect you go through the PreShot Routine and play the shot. Take you eye off
of it if you want and compare that to not taking your eye off. You'll soon understand.



The last few months I've been trying to rebuild my game from the ground up and I constantly come back to this. Most of my PSR is pretty set and I'm comfortable, but the one thing I don't have consistency is eye pattern... namely eye pattern when standing/getting down. Once I'm down, I'm fairly comfortable.

Before I use to always aim by looking at the pocket/OB to find the contact point, most of my attention and focus while standing is spent looking from OB/pocket to find the contact. I keep the cue ball in the peripheral and almost never look at it while standing. I "feel" where it is. I'll take a few glances at the cue ball as I get down to make sure the cue is pointed at the center (or whatever english I'm using). I feel like this leads to inconsistency with my pocketing.

Recently (while standing) I'll spend less time looking at the pocket/OB to find the contact, then a lot more time looking from OB/CB (but still mostly the OB) and almost ignoring the pocket or keeping the pocket in the peripheral vision. As I'm getting down, I'll look at the CB a lot more, then flick my eyes to the OB contact point somewhere during the middle of my "getting down". My pocketing is about the same. I'm unsure if it's because I'm uncomfortable with this routine or if it's not any better.
 

Low500

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The last few months I've been trying to rebuild my game from the ground up and I constantly come back to this. Most of my PSR is pretty set and I'm comfortable, but the one thing I don't have consistency is eye pattern... namely eye pattern when standing/getting down. Once I'm down, I'm fairly comfortable.
Before I use to always aim by looking at the pocket/OB to find the contact point, most of my attention and focus while standing is spent looking from OB/pocket to find the contact. I keep the cue ball in the peripheral and almost never look at it while standing. I "feel" where it is. I'll take a few glances at the cue ball as I get down to make sure the cue is pointed at the center (or whatever english I'm using). I feel like this leads to inconsistency with my pocketing.
Recently (while standing) I'll spend less time looking at the pocket/OB to find the contact, then a lot more time looking from OB/CB (but still mostly the OB) and almost ignoring the pocket or keeping the pocket in the peripheral vision. As I'm getting down, I'll look at the CB a lot more, then flick my eyes to the OB contact point somewhere during the middle of my "getting down". My pocketing is about the same. I'm unsure if it's because I'm uncomfortable with this routine or if it's not any better.
IN my opinion, I think you're getting better.
When you learn the professional modern way to aim, once you're in full stance (down to shoot) it isn't necessary to look at the pocket at all.
 

RiverCity

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
That's a great video, but quite old, and has nothing to do with PEP's. Those are a 'taught' concept. The OP would do well with taking a lesson from an SPF Certified Instructor. A consistent, well practiced Personal Eye Pattern can raise a player's skill level almost immediately.

Scott Lee
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour

The part about chin lock answered his question well, and is still relevant even though the information is "quite old". :thumbup:
 

ceebee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Imagine this, if you will. Your brain is the computer & it's trying to see what you want to do. As long as your eyes are on the task, it is communicating with you about the task. When you look away, or blink too much, communication is broken & needs resetting.

As I stand behind the cue ball & visualize the path for it to follow, to the object ball, I set my eyes on that impact area, slide into shot, pause, make my adjustments, stroke a few strokes, while checking the stroke direction. THEN, I pause again, checking my cue stroke set direction, pause again & deliver the shot. All of this in a few seconds..
 

logical

Loose Rack
Silver Member
ii really don't know what you guys are talking about

i look at something like where the object ball cue ball ought to be to point at the hole

no wonder i never got better
I try to keep one eye somewhere on the table and the other on my drink.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 
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