where to go from beginner ghost ball system

don't put the cart (aiming system" before the horse (a solid pre shot routine)

smokey777 said:

I would rank myself about a C player and ive been using a combination of feel and ghost ball, for the majority of my pool playing career(2 years) Im ready to move onto a real aiming system, Ive explored a few like TOI but i would like to know where is the best place to move as a first real aiming system.

Warning, for those of you who are about to reccommend the perfect aim system, Im cross dominant, meaning im right handed, but my left eye is dominant

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TOI would be too advanced right now - quite honestly until you can make a 5' straight in shot 10 times in a row I'd recommend concentrating on basics. Aiming systems have no value until you can hit the cue ball straight EVERY TIME.

Make sure you're getting the same distance from the cue ball (with your body/hip) every time is a great place to start your cue ball awareness. The connection you develop with the cue ball will define how quickly you become a "B", then an "A" player.

You can do it quickly, just don't put the cart (aiming system" before the horse (a solid pre shot routine). 'The Game is the Teacher'

The best move? First and foremost, make SURE you have a straight, repeatable stroke, or no aiming system is going to work for you. After that, read up on various systems, try them all, and see which ones "fit" you. 90/90 might be the easiest to learn, but you may have a hard time finding correct info on it on here.

Since you use ghost ball aiming, you understand how to see the contact point (CP) on the OB that sends it to the pocket/target.

There is a complementary contact point (CP) on the CB. If you can connect the CP on the CB to the CP on the OB, you will arrive at the ghost ball connection.

You can line up the CPs when down on the shot by seeing the appropriate eclipse created by the alignment of the CP to CP while stroking the tip of the cue at the center of the CB.

You can also use stick aiming while standing by using your cue to line up the CP to CP line and then moving the tip and butt (parallel) until the cue is now aimed at the center of the CB. then dropping down on the shot.

You can also use stick aiming while standing by using your cue to line up the CP to CP and pivoting from your shoulder until the tip of the cue is aimed at the center of the CB, then dropping down on the cue without moving it. You should be very close to the proper stance to make the shot. You will be within 2 degrees of the parallel shift sending the CB to the GB.

The straight in shot will have the center (contact point) of the CB aimed at the center (contact point) of the OB and no shift or pivot is required.

The 90 degree cut to the left aim line will have the contact on the right edge of the equator of the OB lined up to the left edge of the equator of the CB ...then parallel shift or pivot to the center of the CB and shoot.

The other cut angles require the appropriate eclipse based on the CP on the OB aligned with the CP on the CB.

When my Dad first introduce me to the game, he showed me how a ball is cut into a pocket without ever mentioning 'ghost ball'. Ive never really looked at or consider contact points. Instead I almost immediately gravitated to 'seeing' a vertical line on the OB at the 'contact point' & then send the CB so an equal portion on the inside of the CB contacted that portion of the OB on the outside. It is an equal & opposite fractional overlap system that I found out many, many years later was taught by Jimmy Ried. However I do not assign any numbers such as 1/2, 1/4, or 1/8. There are many more fractions than that, probably 90 of them. Don't be scared of by that number that is where 'feel' comes in.

So, Jimmy Ried's aiming system might be a good spot to start or as Neil suggested 90/90.

Good Luck with whatever you choose & Best Wishes.

I began playing with ghost-ball aiming too -- it was the most common way mentioned in youtube beginner videos. But I couldn't consistently estimate the ghost-ball center. After approaching it as a simple geometry problem, I realized that the contact points (CB and OB) were equal distances, as below:



I posted this graphic in an earlier thread and may AZers offered helpful advice http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=297243

The above diagram is a very good depiction of equal & opposite overlap. I would leave out the ghost ball center completely.

In that shot depiction, it is a center to edge alignment and one could focus on the edge of the OB but on all other cuts it is difficult to picture the ghost ball in the exact correct location & then difficut to aim at the center of a ball that does not actually exist. I think that's why it is call a ghost ball because it is not easily seen.

Regards,

Duplicae post. Sorry.

I started with ghostball too years ago and sometimes still use it in some way to help visualize a shot. Just like you I feel good with straight in long shots and very thin cut shots. Slight long cut shots are the ones that I need to work on at feeling comfortable with in 9ft tables. I move from ghostball to using the BAT which I would definitely recommend! Also check out Joe Tucker aiming system which I really liked, is similar the diagram posted above and also endorsed by Mike Massey. Now humidity, how clean balls are, etc.. will have an effect and you have to adjust for that.

I haven't checked out TOI or Pro One yet. I am defenitly interested and will be my next step to see what else I can add to my arsenal. Just heard about them here in AZ and I joined recently. YouTube and The Drill instructor have been a great help in my game too.

http://www.joetucker.net/store/aiming_system.htm

http://billiardaimtrainer.com/about/

If you don't line up every time you will not get the assistance from the subconscious

icucybe said:

I started with ghostball too years ago and sometimes still use it in some way to help visualize a shot. Just like you I feel good with straight in long shots and very thin cut shots. Slight long cut shots are the ones that I need to work on at feeling comfortable with in 9ft tables. I move from ghostball to using the BAT which I would definitely recommend! Also check out Joe Tucker aiming system which I really liked, is similar the diagram posted above and also endorsed by Mike Massey. Now humidity, how clean balls are, etc.. will have an effect and you have to adjust for that.

I haven't checked out TOI or Pro One yet. I am defenitly interested and will be my next step to see what else I can add to my arsenal. Just heard about them here in AZ and I joined recently. YouTube and The Drill instructor have been a great help in my game too.

http://www.joetucker.net/store/aiming_system.htm

http://billiardaimtrainer.com/about/

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When I was growing up no one ever talked about "aiming systems" and I reached a professional level without doing anything other than lining up to the center or the edge of the object ball every time. Then, when I got down on the shot I let my mind create the angle and it worked. I never questioned it, I was more interested in other aspects of the game that involved deflection, spin and creating "zones".

Later in my life I decided to spend as much time as necessary to figure out consciously what I was doing subconsciously. You don't need to know what you're doing to make it happen at a high level, although I would advise lining up the Cue Ball and Object Ball the same way every time. This gives you a reference point for your mind to use to calculate the angles. If you don't line up every time you will not get the assistance from your subconscious that is essential. imho 'The Game is the Teacher'

Basic Aim Systems:

Aim Systems

My guess is you're asking about aim systems because you are not cutting in as many balls as you like. What do you currently use for a system? I can go from there and advise you.

CJ Wiley said:

When I was growing up no one ever talked about "aiming systems" and I reached a professional level without doing anything other than lining up to the center or the edge of the object ball every time. Then, when I got down on the shot I let my mind create the angle and it worked. I never questioned it, I was more interested in other aspects of the game that involved deflection, spin and creating "zones".

Later in my life I decided to spend as much time as necessary to figure out consciously what I was doing subconsciously. You don't need to know what you're doing to make it happen at a high level, although I would advise lining up the Cue Ball and Object Ball the same way every time. This gives you a reference point for your mind to use to calculate the angles. If you don't line up every time you will not get the assistance from your subconscious that is essential. imho 'The Game is the Teacher'

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I agree from all the things I study when I am away of the table or practicing. When it comes time to shoot a match I only trust my feeling of the shot and a good pre shot routine to approach it. My head clear of other distractions and focused on the game. This game is awesome like chess. Love it!

This made sense to me 30 years ago and it still holds true today.

icucybe said:

I agree from all the things I study when I am away of the table or practicing. When it comes time to shoot a match I only trust my feeling of the shot and a good pre shot routine to approach it. My head clear of other distractions and focused on the game. This game is awesome like chess. Love it!

Click to expand...

Yes, it takes much more "mental energy" and focus to drive a car across town than play pool so we are all capable of doing it on a subconscious level. Of course there are basic fundamentals that must be learned (like driving fundamentals) and then it's a matter of understanding how to be consistent. This means even if you "miss" the {cue ball} target, you still make the ball.

As long as you find a way to connect the cue ball to the object ball consistently you can create any angle. The reason so many people argue over pool techniques is because it's not done consciously. I played for years and gave no thought to "aiming systems," I just wanted to increase my margin of error in HITTING THE CUE BALL.....everything else relies on this, so why not focus on how to hit the cue ball more precisely and allow yourself a sixteenth of an inch of leeway? 'The Game is the Teacher'