Looking at Cue ball during some shots

AZslim

AZslim

Registered
All,

I have practicing shooting off the rail and when tree topped over a ball. I have found that looking at the cue ball instead of the object ball has increased my success on these shots.

I also look at the cue ball when I break.

We are taught to always look at the object ball when we stroke, but these exceptions seem to be working for me. it's possible that it is forcing me to stroke the ball better and perhaps I will be able to look at the object ball later...I don't know.

Do any of you look at the cue ball on some shots?
 
couldnthinkof01

couldnthinkof01

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Yes.
Jacked up, frozen on the rail, short safes where
you clip your ball and freeze behind it near
the rail, tree topped, and really long shots
very close to the rail. Never on the break for me.
 
MattPoland

MattPoland

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I heard Johnny Archer was quoted as once saying something like “The only time I miss is not from bad aim but from not striking the cueball where I intended.” To me that’s a factor where unaccounted deflection is real and disastrous.

I notice 95% of my aim is while standing. Once down it almost doesn’t matter what I’m looking at because if I change anything once I’m down...I miss. I can look at either and be fine. I think I have a better grasp on the feel of the shot needed to control the cueball if I look at the object ball last. And I have a better ball pocketing accuracy if I look at the cueball last. That’s why I similarly look at cueball last if accuracy is most important...or object ball if position is most important.


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Bob Jewett

Bob Jewett

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AZslim said:
... We are taught to always look at the object ball when we stroke, ...
Click to expand...
I think that the vast majority of instructors don't do what you accuse them of. On the other hand, nearly all of them will say "object ball last on most shots."
 
AZslim

AZslim

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Bob Jewett said:
I think that the vast majority of instructors don't do what you accuse them of. On the other hand, nearly all of them will say "object ball last on most shots."
Click to expand...

Hmmm, you could be right. I have been querying the best players from my room and so far they have all said always the object ball. I probably extrapolated this to instructors.
 
AZslim

AZslim

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MattPoland said:
I heard Johnny Archer was quoted as once saying something like “The only time I miss is not from bad aim but from not striking the cueball where I intended.” To me that’s a factor where unaccounted deflection is real and disastrous.

I notice 95% of my aim is while standing. Once down it almost doesn’t matter what I’m looking at because if I change anything once I’m down...I miss. I can look at either and be fine. I think I have a better grasp on the feel of the shot needed to control the cueball if I look at the object ball last. And I have a better ball pocketing accuracy if I look at the cueball last. That’s why I similarly look at cueball last if accuracy is most important...or object ball if position is most important.


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Click to expand...

This sounds reasonable. I have heard of a practice drill of closing your eyes before the final stroke. Cory Duel is one who advocated it, I think.
 
Tin Man

Tin Man

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careful

AZslim said:
This sounds reasonable. I have heard of a practice drill of closing your eyes before the final stroke. Cory Duel is one who advocated it, I think.
Click to expand...

Be careful not to overdo this. I did this for a few hours a day for a week once. Close eyes, one practice stroke, pull the trigger. I got to where I could run racks and thought that was cool.

Then I opened my eyes the next week and I was totally lost and couldn't figure out what to do with them. My eye patterns were all messed up and they were sharking me.

Didn't take too long to recover, but since then I've only done the eyes closed thing in small bursts to practice technique. More isn't always better.
 
AZslim

AZslim

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Tin Man said:
Be careful not to overdo this. I did this for a few hours a day for a week once. Close eyes, one practice stroke, pull the trigger. I got to where I could run racks and thought that was cool.

Then I opened my eyes the next week and I was totally lost and couldn't figure out what to do with them. My eye patterns were all messed up and they were sharking me.

Didn't take too long to recover, but since then I've only done the eyes closed thing in small bursts to practice technique. More isn't always better.
Click to expand...

Thanks....
 
JazzyJeff87

JazzyJeff87

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Tin Man said:
Be careful not to overdo this. I did this for a few hours a day for a week once. Close eyes, one practice stroke, pull the trigger. I got to where I could run racks and thought that was cool.

Then I opened my eyes the next week and I was totally lost and couldn't figure out what to do with them. My eye patterns were all messed up and they were sharking me.

Didn't take too long to recover, but since then I've only done the eyes closed thing in small bursts to practice technique. More isn't always better.
Click to expand...

Lol, I almost want to try that just to see what it would feel like. It seems like such an odd sensation to have but I think I’ll stick with my normal stuff :)

I look at the cue ball last whenever it’s frozen to the rail, tree topped, etc. Also when kicking, most of the time. If I’m sure where I need to hit the rail and what spin to use I look at cue ball last to make sure I do what I’m trying, sometimes I’m not positive what I need or it just doesn’t feel right and then I just take in all the info I can and shoot while looking in the general area of the rail and I let my subconscious apply occidental english. Which is like accidental English but not quite since I’m welcoming it if needed. Probably making instructors cringe hehe but it works well for me.

I had to look up the word Occidental...it doesn’t mean anything like what I use it for and I don’t even know when it entered my vocabulary but it helps me play well on occasion.
 
Scratch85

Scratch85

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I’m OK looking at the cue ball last when the sight picture includes the pocket. When the sight picture has the cue ball, object ball and the pocket in view, do whatever makes you confident. However, if you can’t see the pocket, whether off the roof or not, better look at the object ball last. My .02.


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Bavafongoul

Bavafongoul

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My eyes wil dart back and forth on tough shots but I always look at the object ball
unless I have to use a jacked up bridge or a masse shot requiring me to look down
at the cue ball to stroke or strike it where I aim so as to avoid unintended miscues.
Otherwise my vision focus always returns to the object ball or head ball on breaks.
 
J

jrctherake

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
AZslim said:
All,

I have practicing shooting off the rail and when tree topped over a ball. I have found that looking at the cue ball instead of the object ball has increased my success on these shots.

I also look at the cue ball when I break.

We are taught to always look at the object ball when we stroke, but these exceptions seem to be working for me. it's possible that it is forcing me to stroke the ball better and perhaps I will be able to look at the object ball later...I don't know.

Do any of you look at the cue ball on some shots?
Click to expand...

IMO, anyone that forces anything is more or less asking to never reach a very high level.

What ball you look at should be like what bridge you use or what grip you use or what type stance you use:

All of ^^^^^^, should always depend on the shot. Nothing should ever stay the same. Even the PSR may need to change at times.


Sometimes I may look at the cb last when on the rail. Then again, sometimes I may look at the ob last when on the rail.

Take jump shots for example. Most people have to look at cb last on jump shots while some are skilled enough to look at the ob last on "certain" jump shots.

Jeff
 
Sunchaser

Sunchaser

Belgian Malinois
Silver Member
I concur on looking at cue ball last when breaking specifically. I am fully concentrating on a direct center cue ball hit...and find it drastically helps to hold and control the cueball. Works for me and will continue to do it this way. Probably figured this out 20 years ago and I dont mind sharing this key to my break success. I will say that when doing a second ball break im focused on the exact second ball spot and not on the cueball last.
 
ceebee

ceebee

AzB Silver Member
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videoing your eye patterns

We have recorded Videos where we have the front, rear & side cameras, plus a Camera on the eyes. It's amazing what this reveals.

Some folks do OK, but then others will allow their eyes to glaze over, as in a trance, some folks blink, some folks flutter. The better ones control their eyes & their breathing, so they are still allowing info into their brain, from the eyes.
 
goettlicher

goettlicher

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Great post, good find!

Our School breaks the eye patterns into two different areas.
We highlight the Standard shot eye pattern and also discuss when
we might want to focus on the cue ball (or rail) last.

randyg
Masters Pool School
 
AZslim

AZslim

Registered
goettlicher said:
Great post, good find!

Our School breaks the eye patterns into two different areas.
We highlight the Standard shot eye pattern and also discuss when
we might want to focus on the cue ball (or rail) last.

randyg
Masters Pool School
Click to expand...

Could you discuss it here, please?
 
S

Seth C.

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I will focus on the CB when the OB is close to the pocket and easy to make, and when I need to use max english. I find that I can get the spin that I’m looking for, while reducing the chances of a miscue, by training my full attention on the exact spot on the CB that I want to strike. Of course, all of the caveats about getting down on the shot on the right line, and not taking “easy” shots for granted, fully apply.
 
fastone371

fastone371

Certifiable
Silver Member
After barely touching my cue for about 8 months I started to struggle horribly with consistency. I worked on fundamentals and my eye pattern, it turns out I was not focusing on the OB for many shots causing me to shoot erratic. I incorporated a long pause after my practice strokes to make sure I was happy with aim, alignment, etc and began staring down the OB before my final stroke started, it helped me tremendously. I have to thank Scott Lee for these fundamental lessons I learned and often return to during his coaching session.
 
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