Aiming Is Really Simple

[JoeW]

I agree that aiming at the contact point (determined as the line from the back of the OB to the center of the pocket opening is (for me) the best way to aim. However, I think there is more to the aiming process. Recently I have begun to concentrate on two additional aspects of the problem. It seems these aspects receive very little attention in most discussions of this type.

It is the “front” of the CB that strikes the OB. Therefore one must know the center line through the CB and then learn to use the right part of the CB (relative to its center line) to pocket the OB. This is true for straight in and for cut shots.

To “aim” with a cue stick one must line up the front and the rear of the cue stick to place the CB on the best line (depending upon contact point, English, swerve, etc). When I concentrate on what I am aiming with such as the area between my thumb and index finger I am more often accurate when shooting. Recently I have learned that Snooker players call this the V grip and it amounts to the rear site in my thinking.

Consistent ball pocketing requires all three skills.

 

[JoeyA]

One training cue ball was created by pro player Joe Tucker which has lots of information on it.

http://www.joetucker.net/store/aim_by_numbers_ball_set.htm

JoeyA

 

[JoeyInCali]

Aiming is easy. We can all do it.


Knowing where we need to aim...that's where things get tricky!

Steve

How about shooting a million rail shots at different angles?
Aim to him the ball and rail at the same time.
Then after a while ALL object balls can be imagined as being frozen to the rail .

 

[Patrick Johnson]

"in stroke". this is the zone between the unconscious and conscious mind.

I think that's a pretty good description (also called "the zone").

good players can turn it on and off like a switch

If they could do this, why would they ever turn it off?

I think as you get better your average days and your best days are more alike (your up-and-down swings aren't as big or as frequent), but you actually "find the zone" (play extraordinarily better than usual) less often. I don't think that's a drawback of getting better - I think your daily game just isn't so far below your best game any more.

pj
chgo

 

[bigfred]

My feeling is why aim? There are six pockets on the table and is you hit it hard enough, you should find at least one!! LOL All valid points on aiming. I shoot with way more english than I should, but after 40+ years, aiming kinda comes automatically. I teach the ghost ball for what I think is easier to understand for beginners.

 

[unknownpro]

The only real aiming method is ghost ball. If you are looking at the contact point on the object ball and not using sidespin on a cut shot you cannot be sighting down the line of your stick for a straight stroke.

When using sidespin, your cuestick has to move to a different line to hit the cueball on the side. If your aim point through the ghost ball is the same, you are thinking the cueball will curve back in front of your stick, but it is not high percentage to regularly play curve shots. The better your stroke is and the harder you shoot, the further you will miss. For a good stroke you must adjust your aim for deflection of the cueball.

Using sidespin is the only reason any aiming method is needed, and that is only to determine how far you will deflect the cueball so you can aim your stick where your tip needs to go. Controlled deflection is your friend.

 

[pooltchr]

I agree that aiming at the contact point (determined as the line from the back of the OB to the center of the pocket opening is (for me) the best way to aim. .

Technically, unless you have a straight in shot, you should never aim at the contact point. We aim through the center of the cue ball, so on every shot with any angle at all, the contact point and the aim point are two different places. If you aim at the contact point on a cut shot, you will always under cut.

(but, I know what you meant) :smile:

Steve

 

[JoeW]

While we are on the subject I would like to bring up a related issue and learn what others have to say about using center ball to make shots. Perhaps someone would be interested in replicating my findings.



I wanted to learn just what can and cannot be accomplished using only center ball and always aiming at the contact point with the front center of the CB. The CB was placed two diamonds from the head of the table and one diamond from the right side of the table for all subsequent shots.

The OB was placed in various positions as shown in the diagram. The OB was placed so the numbers on the OB were oriented towards the center of the front of the lower left corner pocket for each shot.

For each shot I aimed at the contact point using only the center of the CB. Each shot was made three times to insure that the shot could be consistently made using only center ball. I used a “lag” shot for power with slightly below center aim so the CB would stop or roll only a few inches after contact. (Other studies I conducted have shown that slightly above center aim can be used for a highly similar result).

The diagram shows what I found. Essentially, when the distance to the OB is three diamonds, the CB can be up to 2.5 diamonds off the straight in shot line and center ball will place the OB in the pocket. When the CB is backed up to one diamond off the head rail and the whole study is replicated, the same diagram of balls that can be pocketed with center ball is obtained (allowing for the distance changes, that is, the diagram backs up the table)

This diagram is not based on a mathematical approach and is simply a test of the limits of center ball aiming. I have found it to be quite useful when playing a game and have learned that even shots down the rail from a one diamond (possibly more) can be pocketed using only center ball.

I can state that all of the shots in the shaded area will go using only center ball aimed at the contact point as described.

 

[pooltchr]

I see it the other way with most that are having trouble shot making.

Most on here know where you must hit the OB (aim point) to make it go in the pocket.

Hitting that aiming point is the main problem with most that are having problems...unless their using too much spin on QB. Then that's another problem all together. Johnnyt

If you think about it in it's most basic form, there are only two ways to miss a shot in pool. You either aimed at the wrong place, or there was something wrong with your mechanics that prevented you from getting the cue ball to go where you were aiming.

If you pick the correct aim point, and can get the cue ball there accurately, the shot will go.

That's why I said that knowing where to aim is critical. Anyone who has ever done the drill, shooting straight down table and making the cue ball come back to the tip already knows how to aim.

Steve

 

[Craig Fales]

If you want FEEDBACK if you are hitting you point of aim, I would recomend this device. It wil straighten your stroke, and tell you each time if indeed your ball is hitting the TARGET!

This is one pool gadget that's actually worth the money. It has three settings for accuracy, the tightest is I believe a 1/4 inch or less accuracy, 1/8 inch or less from the centerline.

 

[JoeW]

It has been stated that some people think that I am unconsciously compensating as these shots should not, theoretically, be made. This is possible but I do not think it is true. I have now made well over 200 shots using this method and various arrangements of balls with the contact point defined as indicated above. I have attempted to pay particular attention to not compensating.

In addition, with my new found technique I have also learned to compensate for shots that do not fit these diagrams and have learned just how much to compensate so that my ball pocketing percentage has gone up substantially. If nothing else it is a great learning tool that will help one learn the limits of center ball aiming.

The best way to determine if the diagram is accurate is to replicate the study paying much attention to all of the details. If nothing else it will improve your ability to aim when you know the real (not theoretical) limits of center ball aiming.

 

[JoeW]

I fail to see why this aiming gadget is worth buying. It is a simple matter to place two balls on either side of an OB and then remove the OB. The margin of error is easily adjusted to fit one's needs.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

While we are on the subject I would like to bring up a related issue and learn what others have to say about using center ball to make shots. Perhaps someone would be interested in replicating my findings.



I wanted to learn just what can and cannot be accomplished using only center ball and always aiming at the contact point with the front center of the CB. The CB was placed two diamonds from the head of the table and one diamond from the right side of the table for all subsequent shots.

The OB was placed in various positions as shown in the diagram. The OB was placed so the numbers on the OB were oriented towards the center of the front of the lower left corner pocket for each shot.

For each shot I aimed at the contact point using only the center of the CB. Each shot was made three times to insure that the shot could be consistently made using only center ball. I used a “lag” shot for power with slightly below center aim so the CB would stop or roll only a few inches after contact. (Other studies I conducted have shown that slightly above center aim can be used for a highly similar result).

The diagram shows what I found. Essentially, when the distance to the OB is three diamonds, the CB can be up to 2.5 diamonds off the straight in shot line and center ball will place the OB in the pocket. When the CB is backed up to one diamond off the head rail and the whole study is replicated, the same diagram of balls that can be pocketed with center ball is obtained (allowing for the distance changes, that is, the diagram backs up the table)

This diagram is not based on a mathematical approach and is simply a test of the limits of center ball aiming. I have found it to be quite useful when playing a game and have learned that even shots down the rail from a one diamond (possibly more) can be pocketed using only center ball.

I can state that all of the shots in the shaded area will go using only center ball aimed at the contact point as described.

:thumbup:GREAT POST, GREAT INFO:thumbup: U get a GREENIE:smile:

 

[SpiderWebComm]

Aiming is as easy as aiming center-to-edge, pivoting to CB center, and pulling the trigger on every single shot.

 

[Pushout]

I fail to see why this aiming gadget is worth buying. It is a simple matter to place two balls on either side of an OB and then remove the OB. The margin of error is easily adjusted to fit one's needs.

Not to mention that is says it's "unavailable".

 

[JoeW]

Thanks, I really hope that others will give it a try. One study proves nothing. It could simply be some form of bias of which I am not aware. Further research by others is needed -- or so it is said :embarrassed2:

If anyone is interested in replicating I should note that I begin the study with the straight in shot and make it about 5-6 times in a row to be sure that my stroke and sighting are working as they should. Then I move the OB by half diamonds and pocket it at least three times in four shots before I can conclude that the shot can be made. One study takes about one hour or so because it takes time to set up the OBs exactly as needed.

It would be interesting to see if a left handed person or left eye dominent person obtained the same diagram. I am right handed and right eye dominent.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

It has been stated that some people think that I am unconsciously compensating as these shots should not, theoretically, be made. This is possible but I do not think it is true.

I can see just by looking that you're compensating, and it can be easily proved by carefully freezing a "ghost" cue ball against the OB in the position you think you're hitting, and then shooting the real CB into that ghost CB.

I think this is a good demonstration of how easy it is to compensate without being aware of it, even when you're on the lookout for it. This is how all the "approximation" aiming systems work.

pj
chgo

 

[Patrick Johnson]

Aiming is as easy as aiming center-to-edge, pivoting to CB center, and pulling the trigger on every single shot.

Sure, if the definition of "aiming center-to-center" or "pivoting to CB center" is different for every different cut angle.



pj
chgo

 

[SpiderWebComm]

Sure, if the definition of "aiming center-to-center" or "pivoting to CB center" is different for every different cut angle.



pj
chgo

It is (for every distance, not angle). You're getting warmer with every one of your drill-downs.

 

[JoeW]

I can see just by looking that you're compensating, and it can be easily proved by carefully freezing a "ghost" cue ball against the OB in the position you think you're hitting, and then shooting the real CB into that ghost CB.

I think this is a good demonstration of how easy it is to compensate without being aware of it, even when you're on the lookout for it. This is how all the "approximation" aiming systems work.

pj
chgo

I tried a couple of shots and they went in. Tried a couple of others and they did not go in. A "ghost ball" frozen to the OB is not the same as rolling the CB to the OB. The frozen GB has a tendency to push the OB off line. Seem that throw is different when the balls are touching than when a rolling CB strikes the OB.

Thanks for the thought but the idea does not answer the question.