Aiming B.S.

[dquarasr]

I just read through this entire thread. I will be honest: I can't understand the gentleness of the responses so I will also try to be easy on the OP while calling "BS" in turn on the OP.

My first gut reaction was "You gotta be kidding me. This is either a troll post or the OP is so out of touch it's not even funny." But incredulously, the OP has never heard of the various aiming methods?

Ghost Ball
Fractional Aiming
Poolology
HAMB (just see it, shoot it)
CTE (more than one dialect as far as I can tell)
Shaft / ferrule aiming
there are numerous others but I can't seem to think of them now, bc I use ghost ball.

Has the OP ever read through the pages and pages and pages of posts regarding aiming?

My second, more helpful reaction is "OK, let's assume the OP is sincere and very inexperienced" (which, BTW, I doubt). From OP's posts, seems OP is looking for a simple recipe to successful pool playing. OMG, there are so, so, so many resources.

Just a few I can think of off the top of my head:
Dr. Dave's billiards.colostate.edu
Sharivari on YouTube
FX Billiards on YT
Niels Feijen on YT
Tor Lowry's videos and book(s)
Lil Chris on YT
Anthony Beeler on YT
Ron The Pool Student on YT
Mark Wilson's Play Great Pool book

OP should separate aiming from cue delivery. Aiming is knowing where to deliver the CB. Yes, there are things that affect aim like parallax, vision center, etc. Cue delivery is how to get the CB to the determined aim spot; it involves fundamentals, body alignment, cue alignment, overcoming or customizing for individual physical characteristics.

Yes, there are things like swerve, squirt, cut induced throw, spin induced throw. And of course, one has to learn not only how to pocket the OB, but get the CB into position for the next ball. It's all part of learning the game.

Pool is an extremely complicated game, requiring both physical and mental acuity and expertise. It seems the OP is looking for a simple recipe for success. There is none.

Perhaps OP needs a good instructor, or if self-motivated and good at independent learning, can mine the numerous resources listed above and indeed all over this site and many other sites.

 

[jjohnson]

hmmm, not really.

Sure your body has to be in alignment but more importantly all the small parts of your body have to be in the right configuration to execute an accurate stroke. Eyes have to give you a proper view of the shot, particularly the CB; your bridge must be in the right spot and height, and your grip must be able to launch at a true and consistent trajectory. And don't forget that sometimes you'll be in a relatively natural stance at the table but other times you'll be stretched out on one foot and other times something in between.

What you're saying about Varner and Matlock is far too simplistic.

Lou Figueroa

"hmmm, not really." Really?

Okay then. How do you aim?

I aim with my eyes. Every aspect of the shot that requires aiming, I aim with my eyes. No?

Okay. Then get down over your shot and immediately close your eyes.
You can't correct for parallax.
You can't align the cue stick or place the bridge center on the shot line, or at the correct height.
You can't consistently aim aligning your body into the shot, even on awkward shots.

Aiming is the fundamental basis of the holistic nature of playing pool.
The water that engulfs the swimmer.

 

[lfigueroa]

"hmmm, not really." Really?

Okay then. How do you aim?

I aim with my eyes. Every aspect of the shot that requires aiming, I aim with my eyes. No?

Okay. Then get down over your shot and immediately close your eyes.
You can't correct for parallax.
You can't align the cue stick or place the bridge center on the shot line, or at the correct height.
You can't consistently aim aligning your body into the shot, even on awkward shots.

Aiming is the fundamental basis of the holistic nature of playing pool.
The water that engulfs the swimmer.

I look at the OB, pocket, and CB, then get into shooting position.

I don’t shoot with my eyes closed, lol, though that can be done on simple shots not requiring position play.

IOWs, that’s a silly exercise that has nothing to do with actually shooting pool.

Lou Figueroa

 

[jjohnson]

Parallax? Wtf. The op is waaaay overthinking this. Its nowhere near as hard/complicated as he's trying to make it.

Do you even know what parallax is? In pool, where it shows up? How to recognize it? How it can effect your shot? How to correct/eliminate it? All of these things are easily answered. Ever miss a shot by a foot? And corrected as easily as snapping your fingers. But maybe some people like missing shots by a foot. Go figure. Maybe I am probably over thinking this whole thing way out of proportion. Not.

 

[jjohnson]

I look at the OB, pocket, and CB, then get into shooting position.

I don’t shoot with my eyes closed, lol, though that can be done on simple shots not requiring position play.

IOWs, that’s a silly exercise that has nothing to do with actually shooting pool.

Lou Figueroa

To precisely place the bridge in the proper place you must use your eyes aiming to do this.
To precisely place the cue stick within the bridge curl you use your eyes to aim by adjusting your fingers.
To precisely place the cue stick at the proper height you use your eyes to aim the bridge height.
Using your eyes you aim the cue tip to make sure it hits the cue ball at the proper point.
You are aiming all the time.
That is why to close your eyes when getting down on a shot is ridiculous.
It was an exercise to prove a point.
"If you're agin it, you're agin it."

 

[jjohnson]

I just read through this entire thread. I will be honest: I can't understand the gentleness of the responses so I will also try to be easy on the OP while calling "BS" in turn on the OP.

My first gut reaction was "You gotta be kidding me. This is either a troll post or the OP is so out of touch it's not even funny." But incredulously, the OP has never heard of the various aiming methods?

Ghost Ball
Fractional Aiming
Poolology
HAMB (just see it, shoot it)
CTE (more than one dialect as far as I can tell)
Shaft / ferrule aiming
there are numerous others but I can't seem to think of them now, bc I use ghost ball.

Has the OP ever read through the pages and pages and pages of posts regarding aiming?

My second, more helpful reaction is "OK, let's assume the OP is sincere and very inexperienced" (which, BTW, I doubt). From OP's posts, seems OP is looking for a simple recipe to successful pool playing. OMG, there are so, so, so many resources.

Just a few I can think of off the top of my head:
Dr. Dave's billiards.colostate.edu
Sharivari on YouTube
FX Billiards on YT
Niels Feijen on YT
Tor Lowry's videos and book(s)
Lil Chris on YT
Anthony Beeler on YT
Ron The Pool Student on YT
Mark Wilson's Play Great Pool book

OP should separate aiming from cue delivery. Aiming is knowing where to deliver the CB. Yes, there are things that affect aim like parallax, vision center, etc. Cue delivery is how to get the CB to the determined aim spot; it involves fundamentals, body alignment, cue alignment, overcoming or customizing for individual physical characteristics.

Yes, there are things like swerve, squirt, cut induced throw, spin induced throw. And of course, one has to learn not only how to pocket the OB, but get the CB into position for the next ball. It's all part of learning the game.

Pool is an extremely complicated game, requiring both physical and mental acuity and expertise. It seems the OP is looking for a simple recipe for success. There is none.

Perhaps OP needs a good instructor, or if self-motivated and good at independent learning, can mine the numerous resources listed above and indeed all over this site and many other sites.

"Aiming is knowing where to deliver the CB."
No it's not. Knowing where to deliver the CB, is knowing where to deliver the CB. There is no aiming in this knowing.
Aiming begins when you use this "knowing" and ends when you execute the shot.
You may not think about it when you carry this out but this could be at your loss.
You begin aiming the moment you step up to the shot at the table.
Where you place your feet...
Through when you release the cue ball.
You've been aiming even when you are stroking up.
No? Then what are you doing?
Just trying to look good?
No? Prove it. Close your eyes when you shoot?

 

[Cornerman]

I just read through this entire thread. I will be honest: I can't understand the gentleness of the responses so I will also try to be easy on the OP while calling "BS" in turn on the OP.

My first gut reaction was "You gotta be kidding me. This is either a troll post or the OP is so out of touch it's not even funny." But incredulously, the OP has never heard of the various aiming methods?

Ghost Ball
Fractional Aiming
Poolology
HAMB (just see it, shoot it)
CTE (more than one dialect as far as I can tell)
Shaft / ferrule aiming
there are numerous others but I can't seem to think of them now, bc I use ghost ball.

Has the OP ever read through the pages and pages and pages of posts regarding aiming?

My second, more helpful reaction is "OK, let's assume the OP is sincere and very inexperienced" (which, BTW, I doubt). From OP's posts, seems OP is looking for a simple recipe to successful pool playing. OMG, there are so, so, so many resources.

Just a few I can think of off the top of my head:
Dr. Dave's billiards.colostate.edu
Sharivari on YouTube
FX Billiards on YT
Niels Feijen on YT
Tor Lowry's videos and book(s)
Lil Chris on YT
Anthony Beeler on YT
Ron The Pool Student on YT
Mark Wilson's Play Great Pool book

OP should separate aiming from cue delivery. Aiming is knowing where to deliver the CB. Yes, there are things that affect aim like parallax, vision center, etc. Cue delivery is how to get the CB to the determined aim spot; it involves fundamentals, body alignment, cue alignment, overcoming or customizing for individual physical characteristics.

Yes, there are things like swerve, squirt, cut induced throw, spin induced throw. And of course, one has to learn not only how to pocket the OB, but get the CB into position for the next ball. It's all part of learning the game.

Pool is an extremely complicated game, requiring both physical and mental acuity and expertise. It seems the OP is looking for a simple recipe for success. There is none.

Perhaps OP needs a good instructor, or if self-motivated and good at independent learning, can mine the numerous resources listed above and indeed all over this site and many other sites.

Once in a while, a player will find themselves on the Internet… Find themselves on a fourm… And think that the once they get there, they’re going to illuminate everybody on there with their wisdom because in their mind, nobody in the freaking universe has thought for one second about any of the subjects that they want to touch on. The next thing you know he’s gonna say that fancy inlays don’t make anybody shoot better. And then the next instant, he’s gonna ask which stick you should buy

To the OP, there’s an aiming forum for a reason.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

You can't correct for parallax.

Pardon my ignorance, but how does parallax affect aiming - how should it be corrected for?

pj
chgo

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Pardon my ignorance, but how does parallax affect aiming - how should it be corrected for?

pj
chgo

Bet if you did a Phone Lesson with Genomachino, you learn how to finally AIM.

BTW id you believe this I will sell you some Pacific Ocean Beach Property cheap in Kansas City, Kansas I have in as part of my realist portfolio.

 

[jjohnson]

Pardon my ignorance, but how does parallax affect aiming - how should it be corrected for?

pn
chgo

okay. after this I am going to take the advice some of you will be happy with.

Watch the pros. Even Keith with his side arm stroke.
Every one of them have their dominant eye directly over the cue stick such that they can see if the
cue stick center line is directly over the shot line on the table top.
If their eye is not vertically perfectly over the cue stick center line, it's on one side or the other,
they cannot confirm that the cue stick center line lies exactly over the table top shot line.
And if their eye is not vertically perfectly over the cue stick center line,
they cannot aim the cue stick to bring it in line with the table top shot line.

You can see this too. Here is the easiest way.
So the first thing is to aim your eye placing it directly in line vertically perfectly over the table top shot line.
Then aim your cue stick center line vertically perfectly overlaying it on top of the table top shot line.
You can easily see when this is so. Eye, cue stick center, table top shot line all overlaid. Easy.

Now you know what it looks like. How to get there. And why.
Soon, you will do this automatically, intuitively, by rote.
If you let up and piss this off, you can forget about ever running balls.

I just explained it in a few sentences.
You didn't have to go rummaging across the Internet and through books to get it.
There is more about aiming but it is just as simple and brief.

But I understand, you don't need to here this from me.
I get it.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

 

[dquarasr]

"Aiming is knowing where to deliver the CB."
No it's not. Knowing where to deliver the CB, is knowing where to deliver the CB. There is no aiming in this knowing.

What kind of double talk is that?

Yeah, I’m out. Best of luck in your pursuits.

 

[lfigueroa]

To precisely place the bridge in the proper place you must use your eyes aiming to do this.
To precisely place the cue stick within the bridge curl you use your eyes to aim by adjusting your fingers.
To precisely place the cue stick at the proper height you use your eyes to aim the bridge height.
Using your eyes you aim the cue tip to make sure it hits the cue ball at the proper point.
You are aiming all the time.
That is why to close your eyes when getting down on a shot is ridiculous.
It was an exercise to prove a point.
"If you're agin it, you're agin it."

No.

To get into shooting position I'm not looking at my bridge hand any more than I'm looking at my feet.

Lou Figueroa

 

[boogieman]

Okay. Then get down over your shot and immediately close your eyes.
You can't correct for parallax.
You can't align the cue stick or place the bridge center on the shot line, or at the correct height.
You can't consistently aim aligning your body into the shot, even on awkward shots.

On anything but the most severe cuts I can do this and pocket a majority of them. It's a dance. Your eyes lead. Your feet are in place, then it's a "simple" prospect of coming down on the shot and shooting. See the shot, breath in fully, breath out fully, come down with no tension in your body. The only issue I have with my eyes closed is that it makes it harder to hit the microdot on the CB.

Parallax correction is done while standing. You should come down with your stick aligned and your bridge already formed on the shot line, and close to the correct height. No adjustment necessary, unless minute. If you have to adjust more than 1/8" get back up and do it again. You can absolutely consistently aim by aligning your body into the shot, even on the awkward ones. It takes practice and a solid foundation. It's not easy but it's a reachable goal.

The dance of getting from standing up (in the correct spot) to getting down onto the shot is what the whole thing is about. You should have a good idea of how to stand, even on the awkward shots.

There are many optical illusions on/at the pool table. Always be sure your head is level with the table, no tilt. This is one aspect. Tilting your head induces optical illusions. Turning your head slightly (while level) can be ok in circumstances (think like a tank turret).

I could go on, but this stuff has been talked about a hundred times already. Pool is a game of mastery. Mastery doesn't come easy. While no mere mortal will ever master it, it's a good game to practice mastery. As they like to say about video games "git gud" is about the only motivator you need to keep the game interesting. No human will ever be good enough to master the game, but you can inch closer as long as you are willing to try.

 

[boogieman]

Bet if you did a Phone Lesson with Genomachino, you learn how to finally AIM.

BTW id you believe this I will sell you some Pacific Ocean Beach Property cheap in Kansas City, Kansas I have in as part of my realist portfolio.

Cowboy, I love you man, but anything you say concerning Geno makes you sound like a serious nit. What he teaches has value. I was his biggest doubter until I saw what he taught with my own eyes and ears. It's not readily understandable for some people, especially off DVD. In person he can explain something a dozen different ways until the light bulb turns on. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.

 

[garczar]

Cowboy, I love you man, but anything you say concerning Geno makes you sound like a serious nit. What he teaches has value. I was his biggest doubter until I saw what he taught with my own eyes and ears. It's not readily understandable for some people, especially off DVD. In person he can explain something a dozen different ways until the light bulb turns on. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.

Does ANYONE on here take cocoloco seriously on ANY subject? Dude lives in another dimension.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Cowboy, I love you man, but anything you say concerning Geno makes you sound like a serious nit. What he teaches has value. I was his biggest doubter until I saw what he taught with my own eyes and ears. It's not readily understandable for some people, especially off DVD. In person he can explain something a dozen different ways until the light bulb turns on. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.

Well as I said before, and will say again, had the opportunity view the First Edition of Perfecting Aiming DVD. It was loaded to me, got nothing but confusion. I would rate the DVD awful, unprofessional, and last confusing. Geno might be good Pool Player, but he is not a Dr. Dave Type Instructor.

Many great players try teaching, they fail because they can play, but do not know the skill to be a teacher. Dr. Dave actually was a College Professor and know how to teach.

 

[Dan White]

okay. after this I am going to take the advice some of you will be happy with.

Watch the pros. Even Keith with his side arm stroke.
Every one of them have their dominant eye directly over the cue stick such that they can see if the
cue stick center line is directly over the shot line on the table top.
If their eye is not vertically perfectly over the cue stick center line, it's on one side or the other,
they cannot confirm that the cue stick center line lies exactly over the table top shot line.
And if their eye is not vertically perfectly over the cue stick center line,
they cannot aim the cue stick to bring it in line with the table top shot line.

You can see this too. Here is the easiest way.
So the first thing is to aim your eye placing it directly in line vertically perfectly over the table top shot line.
Then aim your cue stick center line vertically perfectly overlaying it on top of the table top shot line.
You can easily see when this is so. Eye, cue stick center, table top shot line all overlaid. Easy.

Now you know what it looks like. How to get there. And why.
Soon, you will do this automatically, intuitively, by rote.
If you let up and piss this off, you can forget about ever running balls.

I just explained it in a few sentences.
You didn't have to go rummaging across the Internet and through books to get it.
There is more about aiming but it is just as simple and brief.

But I understand, you don't need to here this from me.
I get it.

This is wrong on several levels but not worth the time to explain to someone who already knows everything.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

This is wrong on several levels but not worth the time to explain to someone who already knows everything.

When you know it all you are dumb. Friend ended a 39 year career at EMT, Paramedic, SWAT Medic, and Fire Fighter almost two years ago.

On his LAST SHIFT WORKING, it happened, a Call like he never saw in his career.

One more learning expierence to talk about.

 

[Mensabum]

But it's more than just aiming, much more. We are humans, not machines, our stroke, at least for the layman who doesn't spend 6-10 hours a day at the table, have inconsistencies. If you set up 2 golf tees at the opposite end of the table 2 1/2" a part and have someone spot balls in front of you and you don't move other than to complete the stroke I doubt that you will split the golf tee's on every shot. So now as a human you have to figure out if you missed because of aim or a stroke inconsistency. In a real game you then have to make adjustments based on incomplete info so you don't miss your next shot. Throw in getting your whole body in proper alignment, sometimes the table interferes so you have to alter your stance, cut induced throw, skid, english, vision center, etc there are so many variables that can cause your aim point to be incorrect how can there just be a simple way to say "this is how you aim"?

They gotta start somewhere.