S.A.M. Anyone use it? Does it really work?

cuekev · Mar 21, 2007

I learned S.A.M. from Randy and Scott and it seems to work well most of the time. I am wondering if any of the forum members use it exclusively. Is it really a complete aiming method? Have any of the forum members had success with it or have they eventually abandoned it? It seems to work well enough to use in certain situations.

scottycoyote · Mar 21, 2007

cuekev said:
I learned S.A.M. from Randy and Scott and it seems to work well most of the time. I am wondering if any of the forum members use it exclusively. Is it really a complete aiming method? Have any of the forum members had success with it or have they eventually abandoned it? It seems to work well enough to use in certain situations.

yes and yes.......i use it for all my shots except extreme cuts

SoundWaves · Mar 21, 2007

I don't use it all the time, but I find it most usefull when I have trouble seeing a shot or am in a pressure sutuation. It easy to shark yourself into missing the money ball, but aiming at the edge of a ball and saying to yourself it's a number three can make it easier sometimes under stress.

cuekev · Mar 21, 2007

Hi! Scotty,

Do you find yourself making adjustments to it or do you aim only at the 6 aim points? Also do you think it works on all tables (large with tight pockets)?

Curdog · Mar 21, 2007

I also learned this system from Randy. My personal experience has been less than satisfying shooting on a GC with double shims. It seems that adjustments are often needed for success. If I can see the needed adjustment, it was really no need to use the system in the first place.
I will say that I have not used the system over any substantial period of time. Maybe if I used it more, it would be more personally valuable.

poolplayer2093 · Mar 21, 2007

i'm not familuar with the SAM method. where can i get more informatin on it?

scottycoyote · Mar 21, 2007

cuekev said:
Hi! Scotty,

Do you find yourself making adjustments to it or do you aim only at the 6 aim points? Also do you think it works on all tables (large with tight pockets)?

i use it exclusively for 1 thru 4's........since most of your shots are 2's and 3's it works great. On 5's and 6's i use sam in my initial aiming then i switch over to more of an edge to edge system to fine tune my aimpoint before i pull the trigger. This system has worked great for me, first time i used it, it just all clicked and i ran with it. Give it some time and i think youll love it. Once I get my aimpoint I just concentrate on hitting it, its really taken alot of the "worry" out of my game.

ScottW · Mar 21, 2007

Is S.A.M. also known as "Quarters"? Your description sounds almost exactly the same.

I was taught Quarters a few weeks ago - and it worked well - but later that day I was taught another system (also a Hal Houle system) that I found worked just as well, if not betterb. With Quarters, every shot, you have to figure "Is this a 2? Is this a 3? Is this a 4?" etc. based on the cut angle - and if your estimation is off, you can easily miss a shot. I opted to adopt this other system that is simpler and IMHO more consistent.

asn130 · Mar 21, 2007

Damn. Ghost ball is all i've ever known. But i find that i can't "imagine" the ghostball like i could in my early 20's.

I'd like to try some alternate aiming methods. Where do i go?

Bob Jewett · Mar 21, 2007

cuekev said:
... Do you find yourself making adjustments to it or do you aim only at the 6 aim points? Also do you think it works on all tables (large with tight pockets)?

There is no system that works for all shots on all tables. Most of them -- and especially systems that use only a few fractional values -- are ways of putting the task of aiming into a framework so that you approach shots in a consistent manner. Perhaps as important is that when you go through the steps/framework of the system, you are forced to pay attention to the angle.

Some people claim that a fractional ball system that only goes down to quarter-ball increments is sufficient for nearly all cut shots. It takes about five minutes of simple geometry with typical shots to see that this is false. The only way to make such a system work for most shots on the table is to make subconscious corrections for the actual cut angle, speed, spin, table conditions and a bunch of other stuff.

In the end, you must trust your feel for the aim. A system will not get you there by itself.

BYGJERRY · Mar 21, 2007

I use it all the time. The only shots I really do not use it for our my bank shots. But, only because I can't see them yet. SAM is BOSS for sure. As a reference or not it just feels good to have something in your arsenal other then guestimations. I just wish I could find my right tempo...now that would be something.

Bob Jewett · Mar 21, 2007

asn130 said:
... I'd like to try some alternate aiming methods. Where do i go?

I've written a bunch of articles on aiming methods for Billiards Digest. Those articles are on line at http://www.sfbilliards.com/articles/BD_articles.html
Included in those articles are pointers to five or six books that each discuss several systems.

Bob Jewett · Mar 21, 2007

poolplayer2093 said:
i'm not familuar with the SAM method. where can i get more informatin on it?

Perhaps someone here who uses it would like to describe it here. That could help the discussion.

Andrew Manning · Mar 21, 2007

Curdog said:
If I can see the needed adjustment, it was really no need to use the system in the first place.

This is how I've always felt about aiming systems, but I have a lesson with Scott Lee this afternoon, and maybe he'll change my mind. I've heard some very good players on here say that S.A.M. works for them, so my mind is definitely open. As soon as I've had time to digest what he teaches me today a little, I will post my thoughts.

-Andrew

randyg · Mar 21, 2007

Bob Jewett said:
Perhaps someone here who uses it would like to describe it here. That could help the discussion.

Hi Bob. Come to school and I will show you the S.A.M. system. Better yet, maybe I can get out to you this Summer. I have a "Road Show" close to you.

See ya soon
S.A.M. & SPF=randyg

randyg · Mar 21, 2007

cuekev said:
I learned S.A.M. from Randy and Scott and it seems to work well most of the time. I am wondering if any of the forum members use it exclusively. Is it really a complete aiming method? Have any of the forum members had success with it or have they eventually abandoned it? It seems to work well enough to use in certain situations.

S.A.M. is an aiming principle that combines three of the common aiming methods.

I like S.A.M because it gives me something to aim at.

S.A.M. is BOSS in my game.....SPF=randyg

seymore15074 · Mar 21, 2007

I just know where to hit it. Loose the systems, and keep playing, and you'll know where to hit them eventually, too...

poolplayer2093 · Mar 21, 2007

is this info on a website or a book i could buy or something like that. i'll try anything to help my game

Boro Nut · Mar 21, 2007

cuekev said:
S.A.M. Anyone use it? Does it really work?

I think it depends on whether you're a pool player or the Taliban.

Boro Nut

randyg · Mar 21, 2007

poolplayer2093 said:
is this info on a website or a book i could buy or something like that. i'll try anything to help my game

S.A.M. is taught exclusively at CUE-TECH Pool School by our BCA Master Instructors.

Email me about school dates.........SPF=randyg

S.A.M. Anyone use it? Does it really work?

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