I think that everybody over-thinks the issue. When yer, "in stroke" you don't think about these things except perhaps on the most difficult cut shots. If your main focus is on the position of the cue, the shot will go. The reason why so many people choke on the money ball is that they stop playing their position.
Aiming System revisted
- Thread starter TheConArtist
- Start date
TheConArtist said:
I quote myself here still asking for those of us who use Small Ball aiming the same question you know just incase noone seen it LOL.
Yeah i thought it was called that. Thanks.
I think the best aiming system is visualizing the ghost ball and to aim the center of it. Is so simple and precise and it works 100%.
I don't understand why you want to make this game harder than it is. So many complicated systems for what?
If you have a straight shot and you can visualize the ghost ball exactly then pocketing the ball is very easy.
The hardest thing is to control the cue ball exactly to have a good angle for the next shot. That's makes the difference between a good player who can pocket any ball and a great one who can control the cue ball.
If you have problems with pocketing then you are far away from being a pool player.
ADVICES:
1.Shoot the ball straight
2.Focus
3.When you shoot think just at the speed and where you want to hit the cue ball to gain position for the next shot . Aiming is something that comes naturally after a lot of practice.
There is no magic aiming system! Just practice every day and analize every missed shot!
Have you ever heard a pro player to use this stupid aiming systems?
This systems are for lazy people who want to improve fast without hard work!
I don't understand why you want to make this game harder than it is. So many complicated systems for what?
If you have a straight shot and you can visualize the ghost ball exactly then pocketing the ball is very easy.
The hardest thing is to control the cue ball exactly to have a good angle for the next shot. That's makes the difference between a good player who can pocket any ball and a great one who can control the cue ball.
If you have problems with pocketing then you are far away from being a pool player.
ADVICES:
1.Shoot the ball straight
2.Focus
3.When you shoot think just at the speed and where you want to hit the cue ball to gain position for the next shot . Aiming is something that comes naturally after a lot of practice.
There is no magic aiming system! Just practice every day and analize every missed shot!
Have you ever heard a pro player to use this stupid aiming systems?
This systems are for lazy people who want to improve fast without hard work!
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birdy said:
And I repeat, YOUR MENTALITY. Did you graduate first grade?
I'm a dick because I don't agree with you and the fact that you called them stupid? Get a grip man and possibly open up to the fact that they do exist and they do help.
What a waste of time you are.
I have to remind you that you insulted me first by saying that "I'm a nit" without knowing me.Koop said:
Just because you wrote 3200 posts doesn't make you a better pool player than me.
I just asked you to give some names of pro's that use a certain system and you responded with an insult.
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birdy said:
For the sake of argument, if you don't see this as insulting then there is no need to continue with this.
birdy said:
So without ever learning, nevermind trying them you deduct they are stupid and for lazy people. And that is not insulting to all those who use them?
My post count as nothing to do with my ability, I'm not dumb enough to even bring that into the conversation. I will say however, my game has gone up quite a bit since learning the systems and I'm now able to compete with local A players where 6 months ago I just took an absolute drubbing.
As for pro players who use an aiming system, call Hal Houle and ask him. Although, judging by your attitude about systems I would venture to guess it would be a short conversation.
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birdy said:
While I agree with you that many look for a magical way of improving, I must disagree regarding systems. There are many systems and some are just better than others based on the individual.
In my sons case at age 9, I just had him hit OB balls to the pocket w/o the CB. While he is doing this he is to take note of the point of contact to the pocket BEFORE he approaches the next shot. The point here is to know were contact must be made.
Next, after he was able to run 3 racks without missing a single ball I then introduced the CB. His object then became to see the OB to the center of the pocket while behind the CB. I did not introduce the ghost ball to him and will not. (Ghost ball is not real and imaginary things to not belong in a game of objects. You can not measure them and as we get tired, they tend to change on us) I did however place the CB by hand to where it should arrive. (Only to explain) He then started practicing getting the CB to contact that point on the OB.
Later we went on to playing with English and showing that there exists no method what-so-ever to compensate for effects, in fact this is the part of the game were feel must be developed correctly.
Anyway, my point is that he uses a system of aiming which is to see the absolute spot on the OB were contact must be made and the line to the center of the pocket. The next part is to use feel to get the CB at that spot. Everyone uses a system except for those that just bang balls around not caring.
i always thought if you look at the cueball and objectball wouldn't it be a aiming system or something you are doing to aim, but if you don't and just use feel then you wouldn't have to look at the cueball at all. I know for a fact i use aiming systems Thanks to Koop, Hal, DM, and ScottyCoyote.
cool man im glad some of that stuff is working for you. Log into yahoo sometime and we can poolchat some more.TheConArtist said:
otaye bro, i have been busy with yahoo pool lately LOL.
TheConArtist said:
Thanks buddy. Speaking of DM, here is something he wrote concerning playing with "Feel" that I thought was excellent and kept it.
Each of us are born with 5 senses:
1. SIGHT
2. TOUCH/FEEL
3. TASTE
4 SMELL
5. HEARING
When it comes to the process of AIMING in pool, one of those senses is much better than all the rest, and I've tried them all. One of the senses, TOUCH/FEEL gets incorrectly lumped in with SIGHT and the definition doesn't even apply. Here are the definitions of SIGHT, FEEL, and AIM:
SIGHT - 1. something SEEN; view 2. the act of SEEING 3. a view; look; glimpse 4. ANY OF VARIOUS DEVICES USED TO AID THE EYES IN LINING UP A GUN, OPTICAL INSTRUMENT, etc. ON IT'S OBJECTIVE. (POOL CUE SHAFT OR OB WOULD QUALIFY FOR THIS DEFINITION) 5. AIM or an OBSERVATION taken with mechanical aid, as on a sextant or gun, etc. 6the faculty or power of seeing; vision; eyesight 7. Mental vision or perception
8. Range or field of vision 9. Mental view; opionion; judgement 10. To observe or examine by taking a sight
11. To bring into the sights of a rifle, etc. AIM AT 12. TO AIM (a gun, etc. [pool cue-OB/CB]) using the sights 13. To look carefully inn a specified direction [sight along the line]
AIM - 1. To point (a weapon, pool cue, object ball) or direct a blow so as to hit. 2. To direct (one's efforts)
3 To try or intend (to do or be something) 4. To guess or cojecture 5. The act of aiming 6. The direction of a missile, blow, remark, etc. 7. The object to be attained; intention or purpose 8. TO POINT A WEAPON,
(pool cue, OB) AS BY VIEWING ALONG A SIGHT AT A TARGET 9. To direct a missile, blow etc.
FEEL/TOUCH - 1. To touch or handle in order to become aware of; examine or test by touching or handling
2. To perceive or be aware of through physical examination 3. a) to experience [an emotion or condition] b) to be moved by or very sensitive to [to feel death keenly] 4. To be aware of through intellectual perception [to feel the weight of an argument] 5. To think or believe, often for unanalyzed or emotional reasons [he feels we should go] 6. To have physical sensation; be sentient 7. To have the indicated emotional effect [it feels good to be wanted] 8. To try to find something by TOUCHING or GROPING 9. The sense of touch
10. The nature of the thing perceived through TOUCH 11. An emotional sensation or effect 12. instinctive ability or appreciation
If any one of us reads the definitions in their entirety, with AIM as the first one followed by SIGHT and then FEEL, it becomes quite evident that the sense of SIGHT is the appropriate definition and the sense of FEEL DOES NOT even apply. However, there will be those (including most unskilled players that follow others on this debate like lemmings) who will say the #12 definition of FEEL is what they do, aim by instinct and jump on that. It's still inappropriate and illogical because you MUST use the sense of SIGHT to AIM by definition alone. Which word, SIGHT or FEEL, has more definitions that are applicable to the act of AIMING?? It isn't even a close contest...you DO NOT FEEL the AIMING process in pool shots, You use SIGHT TO AIM pool shots.
The #12 definition of instinct also leads to another sense which is known as the 6th sense. Do you think that the process of making balls into pockets is done by the 6th sense? Does ESP, INTUITION, or INSTINCT play the larger role over SIGHT and AIM?? I've seen where some of the Ph.D.'s write that they play by INSTINCT. But I've also NEVER seen a Ph.D ever be able to play worth a damn to begin with. If you want to play a game by INSTINCT, go play a survival game where you're hunting bears, lions, tigers, or other wild animals, or they're hunting YOU in their environment and do it without a gun. That's INSTINCT...not pool. Pool is played by SIGHT and FEEL, that's it. The process of AIMING is done by SIGHT. The process of STROKING, STRIKING, APPLYING ENGLISH, SPEED, JUDGING POSITION PLAY, etc., is done by FEEL. The two are separate and you MUST AIM by SIGHT before doing the others.
To aim by FEEL makes about as much sense as trying to aim by SMELL. Hell, aiming by SMELL might be quite a bit MORE EFFECTIVE than aiming by FEEL, when you think about it. If and when you set up to the shot and it SMELLS like crap, you'll probably miss until you adjust and it now starts SMELLING like roses.
How about aiming by TASTE? That makes sense...if you set up to the shot and you start to "salivate or drool", you know you're on the mark. If you have a dry mouth or the taste of liver keeps coming to you until you get it
right by salivating or drooling, you'll miss the shot.
Just thought I'd share a little of DM's wisdom since he no longer joins us although I speak with him on a weekly basis.
DM so wise and humble. Great post there Koop, great reading.
Doesn't Efren use the edge of the balls to aim with, isn't this a aiming system that a pro uses....
TheConArtist said:
I agree, the feel is how you strike the CB and only that part. I can not see anyone playing this game without a system, at least of some sort. Doesn't matter whose, but a sytem is needed or otherwise foget making shots consitantly.
I like what J. Lee has to say. She trains herself each day looking at round objects on the wall or any place. She is looking for edges and trains herself to spot it. Clearly this helps her in her system of shot making.