Master the art of aiming and never miss another ball.

BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
Master the art of aiming and never miss another ball.

Now that's a fireball sentence right there! Most would say it's an impossibility, a pipedream, nothing but words written for positive thinking suckers. Lol. But let's look at the potential of making this impossible dream a reality.

I don't know a single pool player that never misses a shot on occassion. But I and countless others have played entire matches or long gambling sessions where we never missed a ball we intended to make, which means for that brief time period we got a taste of mastering the art of aiming, of never missing a ball. I wish it occurred more often, as does every other pool player out there. And I believe it can occur more often if we invest in quality practice. A player can continue moving up in skill level and consistency by incorporating and maintaining good practice habits. That's the toughest part about developing consistent, excellent skills -- it takes practice, practice, and more practice.

Now consider this.... One of the most important keys to playing good pool is similar to playing good poker. You have to be able to recognize the difference between low percentage and high percentage opportunities, and be disciplined enough to avoid the low percentage stuff. If you continually play low percentage hands you will lose far more than you win. The same thing applies in pool. I watch players do it all the time, selling out games because they fire at too many low percentage shots.

In competition you should avoid shooting any shot that you don't know or don't believe you can make. This strategy alone will increase your shot making consistency. Over time, with practice and experience, you will acquire the skills and knowledge to turn a few low percentage shots into high percentage shots. Of course there will be times when you have no other option but to attempt a low percentage shot. This happens, and all you can do is give it your best effort.

Knowing your current limitations, as far as what a low or high percentage shot means to you, is part of mastering the art of aiming. It's like a dance, and it doesn't matter if you don't know a million steps/moves -- you can stick to the moves you know, and as long as there's music...you can dance!

This same strategy can work in your pool game. Stick to what you know 100%, adding to your knowledge base little by little through practice. Quit losing games by thinking you can make every shot you see. Eventually you might be that good, but until then play within your known limitations, shooting only the shots that you honestly believe you can make most every time. No guessing. Do this and I guarantee you'll find yourself having matches or entire nights where you never miss a ball. If you can do it once then you can do it again.
 
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Boxcar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
May I respectfully suggest that now may be a good time to define terms. As gentlemen of the sport, can we arrive at a serviceable definition of the word "aim?"

May I also suggest that the concept of "mastery" is relative. Ty Cobb had a career batting average of .367, which means he only got a hit on roughly one in every three trips to the plate. Is there anyone who would say that Ty Cobb was NOT a master of the art of hitting a baseball?

I think Brian's contribution to our sport can be a good springboard to a clearer understanding of aiming. Brian, I hope you won't mind helping all of us as we continue to improve.

Boxcar
 

cookie man

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think Brian's contribution to our sport can be a good springboard to a clearer understanding of aiming. Brian, I hope you won't mind helping all of us as we continue to improve.

Boxcar

So what exactly do you know about Brian's system? Do you use it?
 

BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
So what exactly do you know about Brian's system? Do you use it?

This thread really has nothing to do with Poolology, other than the fact that the recent stir about never missing another ball is what prompted me to start a thread on the subject.

Any aiming system or method can lead a player to consistency with enough practice. This thread is more about mastering the process of aiming, not about mastering any particular aiming system.
 
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BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
May I respectfully suggest that now may be a good time to define terms. As gentlemen of the sport, can we arrive at a serviceable definition of the word "aim?"

May I also suggest that the concept of "mastery" is relative. Ty Cobb had a career batting average of .367, which means he only got a hit on roughly one in every three trips to the plate. Is there anyone who would say that Ty Cobb was NOT a master of the art of hitting a baseball?

I think Brian's contribution to our sport can be a good springboard to a clearer understanding of aiming. Brian, I hope you won't mind helping all of us as we continue to improve.

Boxcar

I believe Ty Cobb would've said that he never mastered hitting. But I think he'd be wrong. There is a major difference between baseball and pool. With pool you are working to master your mind and body to control inanimate, still objects. When hitting a baseball you are working to master your mind and body against a moving object thrown from another master's perspective, the pitcher.

If Ty Cobb or any worldclass batter were to swing at 1000 straight fast ball pitches, they would get a hit every time, and they could tell you where in the field each ball will go before hitting it. That's master level skills. The only reason they don't get a hit every time in actual gameplay is because on the other end of the pitch there's another worldclass player who has mastered the art of pitching, sending the ball in at different speeds and spins. This creates a challenge for even the greatest batters. It's very much like tennis or pingpong, where two masters go head to head against each other, and neither dominates the other, though in baseball the pitcher has the advantage, so he does often dominate the batter.

Concerning aiming pool shots....I think aiming should be defined as the ability to send the cueball to where it needs to be in order to pocket the object ball. And this ability is developed through consistent stroke mechanics, which includes body alignment, and accurate visualization skills, which can be developed through various aiming systems/methods (even old-school trial and error, though it requires more practice). When all of this comes together properly, the cb ends up where it needs to be. If any element is off, the cb doesn't end up where it needs to be.
 
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Low500

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
There you go again...

This thread really has nothing to do with Poolology, other than the fact that the recent stir about never missing another ball is what prompted me to start a thread on the subject.
Any aiming system or method can lead a player to consistency with enough practice. This thread is more about mastering the process of aiming, not about mastering any particular aiming system.
As Old Dutch said to Jimmy Carter..........."There you go again".
Every post you make is about or has something to do with poolology either directly or indirectly.
Why, you say? Because you have that logo advertising your book down at the left hand corner of your page, so people will see it, look you up and buy your product.
Why don't you remove that logo of yours? (it should be in the "For Sale" section anyway)
I sell used cars....is my car lot sign acceptable on all my posts around here? Not likely.
 

Low500

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If Ty Cobb or any worldclass batter were to swing at 1000 straight fast ball pitches, they would get a hit every time, and they could tell you where in the field each ball will go before hitting it.
Wrong.:shakehead:
 

Boxcar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I believe Ty Cobb would've said that he never mastered hitting. But I think he'd be wrong. There is a major difference between baseball and pool. With pool you are working to master your mind and body to control inanimate, still objects. When hitting a baseball you are working to master your mind and body against a moving object thrown from another master's perspective, the pitcher.

If Ty Cobb or any worldclass batter were to swing at 1000 straight fast ball pitches, they would get a hit every time, and they could tell you where in the field each ball will go before hitting it. That's master level skills. The only reason they don't get a hit every time in actual gameplay is because on the other end of the pitch there's another worldclass player who has mastered the art of pitching, sending the ball in at different speeds and spins. This creates a challenge for even the greatest batters. It's very much like tennis or pingpong, where two masters go head to head against each other, and neither dominates the other, though in baseball the pitcher has the advantage, so he does often dominate the batter.

Concerning aiming pool shots....I think aiming should be defined as the ability to send the cueball to where it needs to be in order to pocket the object ball. And this ability is developed through consistent stroke mechanics, which includes body alignment, and accurate visualization skills, which can be developed through various aiming systems/methods (even old-school trial and error, though it requires more practice). When all of this comes together properly, the cb ends up where it needs to be. If any element is off, the cb doesn't end up where it needs to be.

Great Post!

OK, so the first offering of a definition of the verb "aim" or the gerund or present participle, "aiming" is as follows, "the ability to send the cue ball to where it needs to be in order to pocket the object ball."

This "ability" is developed and/or achieved through;
1.) consistent stroke mechanics,
2.) effective body alignment,
3.) accurate visualization.

Is it possible that there are other components to this construct known as "aiming?"

Are there other ways to state or restate the definition above? When does aiming begin? When does it end?

Does the act of aiming end once the cue ball strikes the object ball? Should aiming also be responsible for sending the cue ball to other places on the playing surface after it strikes the object ball?

How complex and complicated is this thing called "aiming?" Does it defy definition?
 

BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
Great Post!

OK, so the first offering of a definition of the verb "aim" or the gerund or present participle, "aiming" is as follows, "the ability to send the cue ball to where it needs to be in order to pocket the object ball."

This "ability" is developed and/or achieved through;
1.) consistent stroke mechanics,
2.) effective body alignment,
3.) accurate visualization.

Is it possible that there are other components to this construct known as "aiming?"

Are there other ways to state or restate the definition above? When does aiming begin? When does it end?

Does the act of aiming end once the cue ball strikes the object ball? Should aiming also be responsible for sending the cue ball to other places on the playing surface after it strikes the object ball?

How complex and complicated is this thing called "aiming?" Does it defy definition?

Those are excellent questions! What other components could there be in aiming?

It'll be interesting to see other thoughts and opinions on this, if anyone chimes in.

We already know Low500 is stuck in a bad trolling loop, so his comments can be discarded or ignored.
 

BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
As Old Dutch said to Jimmy Carter..........."There you go again".
Every post you make is about or has something to do with poolology either directly or indirectly.
Why, you say? Because you have that logo advertising your book down at the left hand corner of your page, so people will see it, look you up and buy your product.
Why don't you remove that logo of yours? (it should be in the "For Sale" section anyway)
I sell used cars....is my car lot sign acceptable on all my posts around here? Not likely.

You troll here for free. I pay for an az membership, as do many people here that are involved (in one aspect or another) in the billiards industry, from instructors to cue makers to table builders, gadget designers, and writers. Your buddy peddled his DVDs here for years with a free membership. But you obviously didn't have a problem with that. Besides, I really like my logo...it's colorful down here in the slums.

If you have nothing productive to add to the aiming conversation then kindly disappear please. No need to pollute this thread with the sad disgruntled flames of a 20yr old CTE war.
 

Boxcar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Those are excellent questions! What other components could there be in aiming?

It'll be interesting to see other thoughts and opinions on this, if anyone chimes in.

We already know Low500 is stuck in a bad trolling loop, so his comments can be discarded or ignored.

When I think of mastery, I seem to think of it in relative terms. I find myself using the old "Compared To What" metric. If a scratch golfer plays par golf, is par mastery? Or, is a scratch golfer a Master of the Game of Golf? What about the guy who strings a line of 5 birdies on the front and two birdies and an eagle on the back? Is he a Master Master?

If Bolt's 9.58 is a World's Record, is he a Master? Has he mastered a 100 meter long foot race? When his record falls, will he no longer be a Master?

Is the act of mastering the gentle art of aiming subject to the same scrutiny? While we're at it, isn't it then germane to clearly define(in context) the word "master?

So, if an object ball is 2 1/4 inches in diameter, and the corner pocket is 4 1/2 inches at the mouth, a player actually has a 100% margin of/for error. Again, I find myself applying the "Compared To What" metric in the most inane circumstances. Cobb proved that he could put the baseball in play at least one time for every three times he came to the plate. In a way, the 4 1/2" pocket is the pitcher, the defender. A deep shelf, 4 3/8" rattle trap becomes Don Gibson.

Ability is a curious word. In certain ways, it is reminds me of the word "potential." It has been said that the worst curse you can put on a man is to say he has "potential."
"Ability" may fall in that group. After all, we all have some measure of ability. We have the ability to pocket an object ball, but do we always accomplish the task? So, perhaps there are many components, maybe very many.

I'm aiming while my opponent is still shooting. Whenever the balls are at rest, I'm aiming. If my next shot is at the other end of the table, I'm aiming while I'm walking that way. What is aiming? I don't know.
 

cookie man

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This thread really has nothing to do with Poolology, other than the fact that the recent stir about never missing another ball is what prompted me to start a thread on the subject.

Any aiming system or method can lead a player to consistency with enough practice. This thread is more about mastering the process of aiming, not about mastering any particular aiming system.

But if he's going to sing your praises he should have at least read your book. Sounds very similar to a former cheerleader you had, DW.
 

BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
But if he's going to sing your praises he should have at least read your book. Sounds very similar to a former cheerleader you had, DW.

Not sure if has read my book. When he said my "contribution" could be "a springboard to a clearer understanding of aiming", you assumed he meant my book. I thought he simply talking about this thread. Very seldom is there a thread in the aiming forum that actually dives into what aiming means and how we can master the components involved with it.

Once again, this is not a trolling thread to prompt heated debate over aiming systems. This thread is about the potential of mastering aiming through knowledge, practice, and individual limitations. It's about the reality of being able to compete without missing a shot by simply playing within your limitations, within whatever window of shots you feel you've mastered. It doesn't matter what system (if any) you use. What matters is knowing your current skill level and playing within that realm.
 

BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
When I think of mastery, I seem to think of it in relative terms. I find myself using the old "Compared To What" metric. If a scratch golfer plays par golf, is par mastery? Or, is a scratch golfer a Master of the Game of Golf? What about the guy who strings a line of 5 birdies on the front and two birdies and an eagle on the back? Is he a Master Master?

If Bolt's 9.58 is a World's Record, is he a Master? Has he mastered a 100 meter long foot race? When his record falls, will he no longer be a Master?

Is the act of mastering the gentle art of aiming subject to the same scrutiny? While we're at it, isn't it then germane to clearly define(in context) the word "master?

So, if an object ball is 2 1/4 inches in diameter, and the corner pocket is 4 1/2 inches at the mouth, a player actually has a 100% margin of/for error. Again, I find myself applying the "Compared To What" metric in the most inane circumstances. Cobb proved that he could put the baseball in play at least one time for every three times he came to the plate. In a way, the 4 1/2" pocket is the pitcher, the defender. A deep shelf, 4 3/8" rattle trap becomes Don Gibson.

Ability is a curious word. In certain ways, it is reminds me of the word "potential." It has been said that the worst curse you can put on a man is to say he has "potential."
"Ability" may fall in that group. After all, we all have some measure of ability. We have the ability to pocket an object ball, but do we always accomplish the task? So, perhaps there are many components, maybe very many.

I'm aiming while my opponent is still shooting. Whenever the balls are at rest, I'm aiming. If my next shot is at the other end of the table, I'm aiming while I'm walking that way. What is aiming? I don't know.

If the pocket could randomly change it's width or shift left or right as we are stroking the cb then I'd say the pocket could be, in a way, considered the pitcher. But it remains fixed, as does the cb and ob.

In the context of aiming, mastery has no set definition because each of us have varying degrees of skill that we've mastered. I mean, an old buddy of mine would play a lockup safety on you anytime he was facing a shot where he knew the safety was the high percentage choice. He never shot a low percentage shot unless no other opinion was available. He was a master at knowing what to do in nearly every situation. Aiming wise, he was a master at recognizing the difference between low percentage and high percentage shots/opportunities, and a master at execution.

We all have varying degrees of mastery already. The trick to winning more games and missing fewer shots and making less mistakes is being able to play within the boundaries of what we've mastered, all the while expanding those boundaries through practice and experience.

When I was playing all the time I'd find myself giving rediculous spots, like 12-4 in one pocket or the orange crush in 9ball. The buddy I mentioned above would spot me the call 7 in 9ball for me to have a chance. I didn't play him any one pocket because he wouldn't give me a spot I could win with. He was a great player. Looking back, I believe his greatest skill was his ability to know how to win, to recognize what he should do and what he shuldn't do within a reasonable window of probability.

To me this is the definition of mastery, and it's very much individually defined based on our individual abilities. But it has plasticity, meaning we can increase or decrease our level of mastery through quality practice or lack of quality practice.
 
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duckie

GregH
Silver Member
I suggest to look up the definition of never cause you are using it in the wrong context.

There’s is a difference in never missing a ball and having nights at the table where you are playing at a higher consistency level. The next night, you could be dogging simple shots for whatever reasons.

There goes never missing a shot.
 

Low500

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Not sure if has read my book. When he said my "contribution" could be "a springboard to a clearer understanding of aiming", you assumed he meant my book. I thought he simply talking about this thread. Very seldom is there a thread in the aiming forum that actually dives into what aiming means and how we can master the components involved with it.
Once again, this is not a trolling thread to prompt heated debate over aiming systems. This thread is about the potential of mastering aiming through knowledge, practice, and individual limitations. It's about the reality of being able to compete without missing a shot by simply playing within your limitations, within whatever window of shots you feel you've mastered. It doesn't matter what system (if any) you use. What matters is knowing your current skill level and playing within that realm.
Wrong overall with contradictions and primarily incongruent. :shakehead:
 

PRED

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Never miss a ball? I never miss the object ball (except for multi-rail kicks sometimes) but not missing the object ball doesn't guarantee the ball was pocketed.

No one plays pool without missing, that's BS.
 
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