Alignment Issue Question for Instructors

Good info. I believe this is something I struggle with from time to time. As a lefty I sometimes fell like my tip is striking the cue ball slightly right of center and at these times i struggle with long straight shots. Everything in the pool dawg artical rang true with me and now I realize that I'm likely not being consistent with my head placement. I know I have found my vision center at some point because there are times i feel i can't miss a full table length shot. This is going to the top of my fundamentals list and I'll be experimenting with it ASAP.

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ChrisinNC said:

I hear the owner is a washed up old man who doesn't shy away from mixing it up with the road players that pass through looking for an easy score. Watch out though, he'll try to get you on that 10-foot table! - LOL

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Ten foot table??
Sounds like work, which is an anathema to me.
I want bargains...not pool players. The kind of pool enthusiast who will draw two cards to a flush after standing raises at the poker table or who will bet even money on making 5's, 9's, and ten's, after the comeout at dice...or some idiot who will bet on The Field at a casino craps table because "there are more numbers there to win on".
Any of those around that you'd like to share? (I just know you have your private stock:smile.
And, I'll throw you a nice jellyroll.
:thumbup:

Im the exact opposite of your friend (right handed/left eye dominant). Here is something I do in my PSR that helps me get on shot line. When I am standing back and looking at shot, right before im moving down into my stance, i have my head turned right (about 1:30 on a clock face) and I have my shoulders turned 35-40 degrees to shot line. This helps me get my left eye centered up to my body, and makes moving straight into the shot easier.

Have your friend try the opposite: nose pointed to about 1030 on a clock face, shoulders about 35 degrees to shot line, and then move straight into shot line. (Its something that should be quick and easy to try for a little while, and something easy to discard if it doesnt seem to help any).

I owe suggest Perfect Aim from Gene.

It was the second part of my three big jumps in playing.

I am left eye dominant and right handed. I use a fractional system for aim. And only front hand English.

I use Lee Bretts PSR for the most part.

Just my three cents worth.

I had a day lesson with one of the popular instructors on here, and while he did have a lot of good information, he attempted to completely change my stroke to a pendulumn, where I had many years of muscle memory with a piston stroke. Straight back and forth, even dropping the elbow on exaggerated follow throughs.

I say that, to clarify that he did mention to me, I was one of the very very few people he had taught that was dead on center ball when I lined up on the ball.

And how did I get that way? Stroking into a bottle/Buddy Hall cue guide, until I could pretty much do it with my eyes closed, without touching the edge at any point.

What I think this does for me, is it forces me to align my head/stance in the proper locations to be able to both aim along the correct line, and deliver the cue straight upon that line. So I am not really just training my arm to move correctly, but also forcing all elements of my stance into a configuration that works for my vision center.

Now.. To those who will immediately dismiss my training method... Keep in mind that I played with Little Joe Villapando a few years back at Derby, and he specifically comllimented me on my game, and I asked him about the piston stroke and my training method, and he was of the opinion that you do what works for your body, and pendulumn versus piston doesn't really matter if you make the ball and the cue ball goes where intended.

So, to the OP, I guess this all depends on what your student's stroke looks like. If it incorporates a piston type movement, then using my method will force everything into the right planes. If he has a pendulumn stroke, totally ignore everything I said, because it won't work for him.

Short Bus Russ

owll said:

Im the exact opposite of your friend (right handed/left eye dominant). Here is something I do in my PSR that helps me get on shot line. When I am standing back and looking at shot, right before im moving down into my stance, i have my head turned left (about 1:30 on a clock face) and I have my shoulders turned 35-40 degrees to shot line. This helps me get my left eye centered up to my body, and makes moving straight into the shot easier.

Have your friend try the opposite: nose pointed to about 1030 on a clock face, shoulders about 35 degrees to shot line, and then move straight into shot line. (Its something that should be quick and easy to try for a little while, and something easy to discard if it doesnt seem to help any).

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Can you clarify this? If your nose is facing 1:30 on the clock, you are turning your head right, not left. I am a little confused here..

Short Bus Russ

ya turning it right, thanks (post corrected)