Aiming: seeing things differently

C

Crispy Fish

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I don't want to start an "aiming system" flame war here, just wanted to share some thoughts. All this talk about "right way" and "wrong way" and "feel" versus "aiming" really misses the point. The point is that there are so many different ways of looking at the table, and if you dismiss the possibility of new ways being helpful you can miss out on improvements in your game.

For example, last night I tried a variation of Joe Tucker's "Aiming by the Numbers" method. Not with the Aramith practice balls, just by thinking of the cue ball as a clock and finding the point that I want to contact the object ball. The great thing is, once you've found that point on the cue ball, there's only one possible way it can contact the object ball, which is a lot easier to see FOR ME than trying to hold a ghost ball in my mind or calculating degrees versus fullness of hit.

Again, the point isn't to say that this is the "right" way to aim -- just that I gave a new method a try, and found that it made a lot of sense to me. My game improved tremendously in just a few minutes after trying this method. Funny thing is, I explained it to a friend, and his response was basically, "Well, duh." Some people just see things a certain way and it makes sense right away, and others like myself need to try different techniques until we find the one that clicks.

Always keep your mind open... there's so much to learn... :)
 
Crispy Fish said:
Always keep your mind open... there's so much to learn... :)
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Right you are Fishy Crisps:D

Soon you'll progress to my patented Calendar Aiming System and the 7th Eye!:eek:
 
whitewolf said:
If it is one thing I learned from Scott Lee and others, it is to 'keep it simple'.
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Exactly! You have to find what's simple for you, not what's simple for somebody else. For me, systems like the ghost ball are very difficult... maybe because I don't have any depth perception... but Joe's method only takes me a few seconds. What's simple for me might not be simple for another player, and vice versa. It's just whatever works for that particular player. If you have a technique that's simple for you and works, stick with it! Just don't be afraid to try new things from time to time...
 
the SAM method has made a huge difference in my pocketing ability. Hasnt helped me that much with long distance cut shots but for shots where say the object ball is in the middle of the table and the cue is a foot or so away with an extreme off angle shot to one of the corners......ill make this shot probably 95% of the time now using sam where before i was prob 50% at best
 
My game always seems to jump up quite a bit when using a new aiming system. Although this may be due to the aiming system itself, I think it is more due to the increased concentration you need to put on each shot. If I were to concentrate this much on every shot all the time maybe I would play well all the time.
 
Im gonan unleash the Jbell Aiming System.

Step 1: Hit balls for ATLEAST 4 to 6 hours a DAY
Step 2: REPEAT Step 1 until you understand how balls react and move.
Step 3: REPEAT Step 1 & 2 for many YEARS.
Step 4: Repeat Repeat Repeat Repeat All Steps Above.

LOL sorry had to do it im bored at home.
 
Crispy Fish said:
I ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
For example, last night I tried a variation of Joe Tucker's "Aiming by the Numbers" method. Not with the Aramith practice balls, just by thinking of the cue ball as a clock and finding the point that I want to contact the object ball. The great thing is, once you've found that point on the cue ball, there's only one possible way it can contact the object ball, which is a lot easier to see FOR ME than trying to hold a ghost ball in my mind or calculating degrees versus fullness of hit.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Always keep your mind open... there's so much to learn... :)
Click to expand...

tried that. i have several ways to look at an angle,,,and they vary because situations vary. i have also found that on certain days certain methods work better than others simply because of how i feel that day.
 
jbell said:
Im gonan unleash the Jbell Aiming System.

Step 1: Hit balls for ATLEAST 4 to 6 hours a DAY
Step 2: REPEAT Step 1 until you understand how balls react and move.
Step 3: REPEAT Step 1 & 2 for many YEARS.
Step 4: Repeat Repeat Repeat Repeat All Steps Above.

LOL sorry had to do it im bored at home.
Click to expand...

Its ok, in every aiming thread someone always chimes in with a "practice for 10 years nonstop" post and it just gets funnier and funnier every time! :rolleyes:
 
jbell said:
Im gonan unleash the Jbell Aiming System.

Step 1: Hit balls for ATLEAST 4 to 6 hours a DAY
Step 2: REPEAT Step 1 until you understand how balls react and move.
Step 3: REPEAT Step 1 & 2 for many YEARS.
Step 4: Repeat Repeat Repeat Repeat All Steps Above.

LOL sorry had to do it im bored at home.
Click to expand...
Don't sweat it jbell. I hate to admit it, but that is pretty much the exact method/system/path I chose to use. I guess if no one ever shows a "real" aiming system, then this one will have to do. Sometimes it is the best one.
 
mnShooter said:
My game always seems to jump up quite a bit when using a new aiming system. Although this may be due to the aiming system itself, I think it is more due to the increased concentration you need to put on each shot. If I were to concentrate this much on every shot all the time maybe I would play well all the time.
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I think you hit it right here.
 
jbell said:
Im gonan unleash the Jbell Aiming System.

Step 1: Hit balls for ATLEAST 4 to 6 hours a DAY
Step 2: REPEAT Step 1 until you understand how balls react and move.
Step 3: REPEAT Step 1 & 2 for many YEARS.
Step 4: Repeat Repeat Repeat Repeat All Steps Above.

LOL sorry had to do it im bored at home.
Click to expand...
This "aiming system" does have its flaws. You can practice for years and years with the wrong set of aiming fundamentals.

This happens in the sport of golf often. One can play decently after several years of practice with no professional instruction. However, if professional instruction was introduced at the very beginning, this player may reach the same level at a fraction of the time.

Likewise for pool and aiming systems. You can try to work it out yourself after a decade's worth of banging balls. However, you may reach the same level of potting in a year or two using an aiming system that works best for you.

There's no harm trying out a new aiming system or two. It's a lot less expensive than professional golf lessons. And besides, it might save you 6 or 8 years of trial and error on the pool table.
 
OK the BIG and MAIN reason you play better when trying ANY I repeat ANY New system your not used to for pool be it a Aiming system pre shot routine after shot routine or whatever is that you are CONCENTRATING very hard as you should on every shot anyhow. Learn just to hold your concentration and you cna use any method you want to aim because after seeing so many great players one thing i learnt at a early age was nobody plays the same way but the end results are what matters.

just my thoughts

p.s. this will sound stupid but when im playing in deadstroke i cant see or hear anyone away from the table and I see flat spots to aim at on the balls ,I know its stupid but its what happens to me .
 
jbell said:
OK the BIG and MAIN reason you play better when trying ANY I repeat ANY New system your not used to for pool be it a Aiming system pre shot routine after shot routine or whatever is that you are CONCENTRATING very hard as you should on every shot anyhow. Learn just to hold your concentration and you cna use any method you want to aim because after seeing so many great players one thing i learnt at a early age was nobody plays the same way but the end results are what matters.

just my thoughts

p.s. this will sound stupid but when im playing in deadstroke i cant see or hear anyone away from the table and I see flat spots to aim at on the balls ,I know its stupid but its what happens to me .
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it doesn't sound stupid to me, i am the same way, use three systems to aim but when i am in the zone then i just get down over the shot and i can see the contact point and fire, and their it goes dead center in the pocket. other then that i have to use my systems to pocket balls. speaking of pocketing balls my game got way more exciting cause of my shot making, it has become more consistent the last few days.
 
everybody's doing it.

jbell said:
OK the BIG and MAIN reason you play better when trying ANY I repeat ANY New system your not used to for pool be it a Aiming system pre shot routine after shot routine or whatever is that you are CONCENTRATING very hard as you should on every shot anyhow. Learn just to hold your concentration and you cna use any method you want to aim because after seeing so many great players one thing i learnt at a early age was nobody plays the same way but the end results are what matters.

just my thoughts

p.s. this will sound stupid but when im playing in deadstroke i cant see or hear anyone away from the table and I see flat spots to aim at on the balls ,I know its stupid but its what happens to me .
Click to expand...

nobody plays the same but everybody's doing it, and only one can be the best.

I know that was cheesy, I couldn't help it. I'm bored and in pool withdrawals.
 
It's not just concentration... I've concentrated pretty hard with other systems before, but never had this kind of consistency in shotmaking. I think this system just makes more "sense" to me, so it requires less concentration to get a better result. I found the system that's easiest for my way of seeing the table, that's all... :D
 
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