Helpful tip

nataddrho

nataddrho

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
During your final forward stroke, use your central vision to look at the object ball and simultaneously use your peripheral vision to watch your cue shaft, making sure it follows through along the shot line that you decided upon.

I've noticed over time that this is extremely obvious to many players to the point where it is never mentioned, and a completely evasive concept to many others (I was one of them). I don't think that humans are used to watching two actions simultaneously so it is not a natural thing to do. The peripheral feedback will help you KEEP your stroke straight, where as many players who struggle wonder why they are on a roller coaster of performance, and what happens is your blind calibration based on muscle memory is affected by pressure, stress, and fatigue. If you hook your cue shaft delivery into some sort of visual feedback, you'll be much more consistent, which is what we all want out of this sport.

It'll also improve your DigiCue BLUE scores across the board!

Enjoy your Sunday :)

Nate
 
Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
nataddrho said:
During your final forward stroke, use your central vision to look at the object ball and simultaneously use your peripheral vision to watch your cue shaft, making sure it follows through along the shot line that you decided upon.

I've noticed over time that this is extremely obvious to many players to the point where it is never mentioned, and a completely evasive concept to many others (I was one of them). I don't think that humans are used to watching two actions simultaneously so it is not a natural thing to do. The peripheral feedback will help you KEEP your stroke straight, where as many players who struggle wonder why they are on a roller coaster of performance, and what happens is your blind calibration based on muscle memory is affected by pressure, stress, and fatigue. If you hook your cue shaft delivery into some sort of visual feedback, you'll be much more consistent, which is what we all want out of this sport.

It'll also improve your DigiCue BLUE scores across the board!

Enjoy your Sunday :)

Nate
Click to expand...
I've been thinking of posting the same tip - my practice strokes start with checking my stroke straightness and alignment with my line-of-sight, then I strive to keep the moving stick "in sight" (peripherally) throughout the shot. Takes a little practice, but worth the effort.

pj
chgo
 
MattPoland

MattPoland

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
My brother got to a higher level than I am at before he stopped playing. He said he would close his eyes on his delivery while practicing. He said his game raised up quite a bit when he got good at it because he reached a point where he could trust his stroke.
 
RoadHustler

RoadHustler

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Because that is the target.

DrCue'sProtege said:
why on earth would you look at the object ball on your final forward stroke???????
Click to expand...

The contact point on the object ball is the target for your cue ball. You are not shooting the cue ball at the pocket or anywhere besides the contact point unless you are shooting a kick shot. Where else would you propose looking out of curiosity?
 
MattPoland

MattPoland

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
RoadHustler said:
The contact point on the object ball is the target for your cue ball. You are not shooting the cue ball at the pocket or anywhere besides the contact point unless you are shooting a kick shot. Where else would you propose looking out of curiosity?
Click to expand...


There are players that look at the cueball last to ensure they are delivering spin only as intended. Other players look at the object ball last to ensure they deliver with their intended aim. It is common to view either practice as reasonable although looking at the object ball last appears to be a more prevalent behavior.
 
RoadHustler

RoadHustler

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
looking at the cue ball

MattPoland said:
There are players that look at the cueball last to ensure they are delivering spin only as intended. Other players look at the object ball last to ensure they deliver with their intended aim. It is common to view either practice as reasonable although looking at the object ball last appears to be a more prevalent behavior.
Click to expand...

Assuming you have a effective PSR you will most always deliver the cue as intended. Isn't looking at the cue ball last the equivalent of looking at your arrow before you release the string.
 
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MattPoland

MattPoland

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
RoadHustler said:
Assuming you have a effective PSR you will most always deliver the cue as intended. Isn't looking at the cue ball last is the equivalent of looking at your arrow before you release the string.
Click to expand...



Yes except you don’t put English in an arrow. I’ve read on some older posts here that even some professionals look at cue ball last (Rodney? Efren?). I think that might be more common with beginners too. I personally favor object ball last.
 
RoadHustler

RoadHustler

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Oki Doki

MattPoland said:
Yes except you don’t put English in an arrow. I’ve read on some older posts here that even some professionals look at cue ball last (Rodney? Efren?). I think that might be more common with beginners too. I personally favor object ball last.
Click to expand...

Trust me a good personal eye pattern is going to end with their eyes at the object ball. But to each their own I suppose.
 
Lawnboy77

Lawnboy77

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks for the tip. It's almost like you guys read my mind today. It's really what I have been working on most of late. The long shot and sight picture on the stroke and follow through. It's coming back to me. I have moments of brilliance, followed by extreme disappointment. LOL I just turned 55 and trying to get back into a game I left back in my 20s. Just going to have fun this time though.
 
hang-the-9

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
DrCue'sProtege said:
why on earth would you look at the object ball on your final forward stroke???????
Click to expand...

I would guess because 95% of good players and instructors say that is the way to shoot.

When you throw a ball do you look at your hand or where you are throwing?

Actually, I was just thinking and I don't know a single time you look at the thing you are trying to hit something else with instead of the target last. That is why people try to get a nice stoke, so that once they are set in where you are hitting the cueball, you don't have to keep starring at it when you shoot. Your practice stokes zone you into the contact point on the cueball, then you shift your eyes to the target when you actually are ready to shoot, pause a sec to even out your muscles and bring your focus to the shot, and shoot.

I think the only time more than a handful of players look at the cueball last is on the break.
 
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nataddrho

nataddrho

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
hang-the-9 said:
I would guess because 95% of good players and instructors say that is the way to shoot.

When you throw a ball do you look at your hand or where you are throwing?

Actually, I was just thinking and I don't know a single time you look at the thing you are trying to hit something else with instead of the target last. That is why people try to get a nice stoke, so that once they are set in where you are hitting the cueball, you don't have to keep starring at it when you shoot. Your practice stokes zone you into the contact point on the cueball, then you shift your eyes to the target when you actually are ready to shoot, pause a sec to even out your muscles and bring your focus to the shot, and shoot.

I think the only time more than a handful of players look at the cueball last is on the break.
Click to expand...

I'm saying that you can look at both at the same time! Choose which one will get your center vision and which one will get your peripheral vision. But process both images simultaneously. I have a feeling many of us go blind to the other as we look back and forth. Don't go blind.
 
Push&Pool

Push&Pool

Professional Banger
Silver Member
This is surely an interesting tip, I'm planning to apply it during my next pool session. My own two cents regarding this topic: when I feel my accuracy and stroke are all over the place, or downright terrible, I make sure I start shooting more powerful shots. This way I instinctively change my technique, using more body motion while moving the cue in a different manner. Also, it lets my subconscious guide me, allowing me to perform some crazy shots I wouldn't ever accomplish intentionally. After some time I tend to get my feeling back.
 
Cornerman

Cornerman

Cue Author...Sometimes
Gold Member
Silver Member
nataddrho said:
During your final forward stroke, use your central vision to look at the object ball and simultaneously use your peripheral vision to watch your cue shaft, making sure it follows through along the shot line that you decided upon.

I've noticed over time that this is extremely obvious to many players to the point where it is never mentioned, and a completely evasive concept to many others (I was one of them). I don't think that humans are used to watching two actions simultaneously so it is not a natural thing to do. The peripheral feedback will help you KEEP your stroke straight, where as many players who struggle wonder why they are on a roller coaster of performance, and what happens is your blind calibration based on muscle memory is affected by pressure, stress, and fatigue. If you hook your cue shaft delivery into some sort of visual feedback, you'll be much more consistent, which is what we all want out of this sport.

It'll also improve your DigiCue BLUE scores across the board!

Enjoy your Sunday :)

Nate
Click to expand...
I teach this concept. I think it's important to know that when you're doing all your stroke mechanics, the tip actually fired to and through where you were aiming on the cueball.

I'm an "object ball last" advocate, but I introduce this idea of making sure you fire through the intended point of the cueball as an early building block for my students.

Freddie
 
Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
If you have trouble keeping the stick in your field of view when shooting, try getting your chin closer to the stick - makes a big difference. On many shots (straighter is easier) you'll be able to have your stick, the CB, the OB and the pocket in sight - that's when shooting is easiest.

pj
chgo
 
Echelon

Echelon

The hill hill thrilla
Silver Member
When I feel I am missing that 1mm point on the cue ball and am worried I'll miss a long shot "or have been missing them" I sometimes look last at the cue ball as I make contact with the tip. Believe it or not I cinch the long ones nearly everytime I do this. If I'm in stroke and hitting them well I fell no desire to do it. I was doing this a lot when I first returned to the game and it was the only way I could consistently pocket long shots. Anyone else experience this? All I could surmise from this was that everything was in line but I was not hitting the intended spot on the cue ball. I still go back to it time to time.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
hang-the-9

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
nataddrho said:
I'm saying that you can look at both at the same time! Choose which one will get your center vision and which one will get your peripheral vision. But process both images simultaneously. I have a feeling many of us go blind to the other as we look back and forth. Don't go blind.
Click to expand...

This may be harder for people with glasses, I can barely keep a focus on one thing LOL

My eyes love to focus on a point between the cueball and object ball, that leads to some fun things happening with my aiming.

This would depend on the distance between the balls also, shooting a 4-5 foot shot would be harder to have both balls in your vision without putting too much concentration into looking vs shooting.
 
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