Do I need an aiming system?

fastone371

fastone371

Certifiable
Silver Member
Hey everyone, Im considering learning an aiming system and I wanted to see what you guys thought or use and how it works for you. A little background first, I grew up with a pool table in our basement and played around alot as a kid. Around 17 or so I almost quit playing pool completely except for the odd game here or there on a bar box. Now almost 30 years later I joined my friends league and I am diappointed in how I shoot. I have a 9' GC in my home, second table since last Nov. first table such a p.o.s. I burned it for Xmas! I practice about 10-15 hours a week. I started playing Fargo and at best Im a low c player in Fargo. My aiming system I use now is ghost ball if it is a system. Ive learned alot from you guys on this forum, you guys are great. Would I benefit from an aiming system and which ones do you guys like? thank you for taking the time to look and help.
 
M

Mitchxout

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Some quality instruction would help but it doesn't neccessarily have to include an aiming system. There's no magic bullet, sorry.
 
sfleinen

sfleinen

14.1 & One Pocket Addict
Gold Member
Silver Member
fastone371:

It looks like you haven't been here long, as the topic of aiming and aiming systems have been moved to their own subforum:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=95

You might want to post your question there, as it will be there it gets the proper focus and attention by folks that specialize in the topic of aiming systems.

Hope this helps,
-Sean
 
M

mohrt

Student of the Game
Silver Member
If you are a C level player, I'd get proper instruction first. Work on fundamentals and a solid pre-shot routine.
 
M

Masayoshi

Fusenshou no Masa
Silver Member
If you are a C player, your stroke is probably the cause of the vast majority of your misses. Work on that first, then worry about aiming.
 
JC

JC

Coos Cues
sfleinen said:
fastone371:

It looks like you haven't been here long, as the topic of aiming and aiming systems have been moved to their own subforum:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=95

You might want to post your question there, as it will be there it gets the proper focus and attention by folks that specialize in the topic of aiming systems.

Hope this helps,
-Sean
Click to expand...

I would not follow this advice. All you will accomplish if you do that is to lose faith in the basic goodness of mankind. I agree with most of the posts here. You will benefit most from some quality instruction. Other fundamentals are probably what's holding you back although an instructor can also help you with the entire question of how to aim. It's money well spent if you're dedicated to make the changes necessary. I think the best question you can ask here is "I live at location A, who do you recommend for some lessons"? I wish I would have done that 25 years sooner.
 
whitewolf

whitewolf

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
fastone371 said:
Hey everyone, Im considering learning an aiming system and I wanted to see what you guys thought or use and how it works for you. A little background first, I grew up with a pool table in our basement and played around alot as a kid. Around 17 or so I almost quit playing pool completely except for the odd game here or there on a bar box. Now almost 30 years later I joined my friends league and I am diappointed in how I shoot. I have a 9' GC in my home, second table since last Nov. first table such a p.o.s. I burned it for Xmas! I practice about 10-15 hours a week. I started playing Fargo and at best Im a low c player in Fargo. My aiming system I use now is ghost ball if it is a system. Ive learned alot from you guys on this forum, you guys are great. Would I benefit from an aiming system and which ones do you guys like? thank you for taking the time to look and help.
Click to expand...

Maybe you would benefit, maybe you wouldn't. I think the ghost ball method works fine and you cannot beat a KISS (keep it simple stupid) method.

You are better off trying to get your fundamentals down first.....grip, stance, bridge length, controlling whitey, preshot routine, etc. There are a billion things you can learn without first wasting time on aiming systems. Just my opinion.

BTW, some of the best players ever don't use aiming systems - something to consider before you plunge yourself into never-neverland.
 
sfleinen

sfleinen

14.1 & One Pocket Addict
Gold Member
Silver Member
metmot said:
I would not follow this advice. All you will accomplish if you do that is to lose faith in the basic goodness of mankind.
Click to expand...

???

Not sure how pointing the OP to where the aiming systems folks and information lives, is going to cause the OP to "lose faith in the basic goodness of mankind"?

metmot said:
I agree with most of the posts here. You will benefit most from some quality instruction. Other fundamentals are probably what's holding you back although an instructor can also help you with the entire question of how to aim. It's money well spent if you're dedicated to make the changes necessary. I think the best question you can ask here is "I live at location A, who do you recommend for some lessons"? I wish I would have done that 25 years sooner.
Click to expand...

Yes, I agree wholeheartedly here. Solid repeatable fundamentals are MORE important to a C player's development than aiming, that's for sure. I think this is definitely the path the OP should take, and the recommendations to seek quality instruction (e.g. the SPF discipline) is right on cue.

-Sean
 
P

PoolSharkAllen

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
sfleinen said:
???

Not sure how pointing the OP to where the aiming systems folks and information lives, is going to cause the OP to "lose faith in the basic goodness of mankind"?
Click to expand...

Perhaps it's a obtuse reference to the Aiming System Inquisition, which will persecute any naysayers who dare to oppose them? ;)
 
Cdryden

Cdryden

Pool Addict
Silver Member
metmot said:
I would not follow this advice. All you will accomplish if you do that is to lose faith in the basic goodness of mankind. I agree with most of the posts here. You will benefit most from some quality instruction. Other fundamentals are probably what's holding you back although an instructor can also help you with the entire question of how to aim. It's money well spent if you're dedicated to make the changes necessary. I think the best question you can ask here is "I live at location A, who do you recommend for some lessons"? I wish I would have done that 25 years sooner.
Click to expand...

Lol yeah, dont follow this advice. It's always better to place your question in the proper forum. As sfleinen said, it's the best place for it. In the general discussion it will only spark a flame.
 
Cdryden

Cdryden

Pool Addict
Silver Member
PoolSharkAllen said:
Perhaps it's a obtuse reference to the Aiming System Inquisition, which will persecute any naysayers who dare to oppose them? ;)
Click to expand...

Naysayers are free to post there as well, I think the idea of giving it its own forum was to keep from clogging up the general forum with repeat arguments over what works and what doesn't.

I could be wrong though!:D
 
JC

JC

Coos Cues
Cdryden said:
Naysayers are free to post there as well, I think the idea of giving it its own forum was to keep from clogging up the general forum with repeat arguments over what works and what doesn't.

I could be wrong though!:D
Click to expand...

I think that's right I just don't think a C player looking to solidify their game needs to get involved there. I think he asked a valid question but in it's context it probably did belong here and got good answers. I don't expect this thread to degrade into a typical aiming thread as it may well have had it been posted in the aiming forum. I'm sure by now the OP has checked out the aiming forum and this probably needs no further explanation.
 
fastone371

fastone371

Certifiable
Silver Member
Thanks guys, I appreciate the advice. Id like to clarify my skill level a little, I hope I am better than what I describe here but I very well may not be either. We dont play on a sanctioned league so I have no idea what my handicap would be. The "c" level that I used was my score thru about 6 games (10 frames per game) of Fargo, Im still working on the best strategy (or strategery) for Fargo, I tend to take risky shots early in the game trying to break up clusters and problem balls I may face later in the game which may be holding my scores down. Our league is partners 8 ball/3 or 1 bank. Ive had 1 break and run game, probably would have had maybe 6 if we were playing straight in 8 ball but I find it tough to bank the 8 when opponent has all 7 on table yet. I pretty regularly pocket 4-5 balls on my first turn, I started doing that as I learned to somewhat control the cue ball, I have alot more to learn on that subject. I am not saying my PSR could not use some help but I completely understand the need for consistancey and attention to detail in that respect from my other hobbies. As far as my stroke, it is anything but perfect but Im practicing that with some stuff I saw on interweb and some of my own drills.
 
randyg

randyg

www.randygpool.com
Silver Member
whitewolf said:
Maybe you would benefit, maybe you wouldn't. I think the ghost ball method works fine and you cannot beat a KISS (keep it simple stupid) method.

You are better off trying to get your fundamentals down first.....grip, stance, bridge length, controlling whitey, preshot routine, etc. There are a billion things you can learn without first wasting time on aiming systems. Just my opinion.

BTW, some of the best players ever don't use aiming systems - something to consider before you plunge yourself into never-neverland.
Click to expand...



If they don't use an aiming system, what do they use?
randyg
 
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