Aiming

J

Jason Robichaud

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Aiming…I have read hundreds of threads here on Aiming…Contact points is a common problem, however, the problem most people have is determining the contact point and holding the point until they shoot. They find something that works for a little bit and then it goes. We search threads for more, find a fix, and then lose the contact point again.

One problem could be people are aiming with the wrong ball. I haven’t examined all aiming threads, so I hope I am not repeating.

The object ball only has 3 contact points to aim at. These are Full, Half and Quarter ball. You aim the cue ball at these points and fire away. This works probably 95% of the time or more. You don’t need to stand on the line, get the contact point, and walk back to the cue ball trying to remember that point. You can quickly get down on a shot and be ready and confident. Make a line to the pocket with the cue ball. This determines your contact point on the cue ball to the object ball. You take the cue-ball contact point and make it hit Full, Half or Quarter object ball for most shots. Easiest aiming system I have used. Wish it didn’t take me 3 years of practicing to figure out why some days I pot better than others.
 
Since DM's no longer here, I'll help everyone out:

DM- Everyone uses an aiming system.

Me- I don't.

DM- YES YOU DO!

Me- NO, I DON'T!

DM- Douche Bag!

Me- *%&^ you!

Ok, now that that's out of the way, please continue with the aiming discussion.
 
Jason Robichaud said:
Aiming…I have read hundreds of threads here on Aiming…Contact points is a common problem, however, the problem most people have is determining the contact point and holding the point until they shoot. They find something that works for a little bit and then it goes. We search threads for more, find a fix, and then lose the contact point again.

One problem could be people are aiming with the wrong ball. I haven’t examined all aiming threads, so I hope I am not repeating.

The object ball only has 3 contact points to aim at. These are Full, Half and Quarter ball. You aim the cue ball at these points and fire away. This works probably 95% of the time or more. You don’t need to stand on the line, get the contact point, and walk back to the cue ball trying to remember that point. You can quickly get down on a shot and be ready and confident. Make a line to the pocket with the cue ball. This determines your contact point on the cue ball to the object ball. You take the cue-ball contact point and make it hit Full, Half or Quarter object ball for most shots. Easiest aiming system I have used. Wish it didn’t take me 3 years of practicing to figure out why some days I pot better than others.
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I'm trying to visualize what you're talking about. Are you saying that you pick the contact point on the cue ball and aim it at either a full-ball, half-ball or quarter-ball hit on the object ball?


Cheers,
RC
 
sixpack said:
I'm trying to visualize what you're talking about. Are you saying that you pick the contact point on the cue ball and aim it at either a full-ball, half-ball or quarter-ball hit on the object ball?


Cheers,
RC
Click to expand...
That makes absolutely no sense. There is only one point on the cue ball that can make a half-ball contact with the object ball.
 
Jason Robichaud said:
Aiming…I have read hundreds of threads here on Aiming…Contact points is a common problem, however, the problem most people have is determining the contact point and holding the point until they shoot. They find something that works for a little bit and then it goes. We search threads for more, find a fix, and then lose the contact point again.

One problem could be people are aiming with the wrong ball. I haven’t examined all aiming threads, so I hope I am not repeating.

The object ball only has 3 contact points to aim at. These are Full, Half and Quarter ball. You aim the cue ball at these points and fire away. This works probably 95% of the time or more. You don’t need to stand on the line, get the contact point, and walk back to the cue ball trying to remember that point. You can quickly get down on a shot and be ready and confident. Make a line to the pocket with the cue ball. This determines your contact point on the cue ball to the object ball. You take the cue-ball contact point and make it hit Full, Half or Quarter object ball for most shots. Easiest aiming system I have used. Wish it didn’t take me 3 years of practicing to figure out why some days I pot better than others.
Click to expand...

Not correct. The aiming point is 1/10 of one of your defined contact "areas". If you don't get this precise you will miss, and often. Tighter pockets and partially blocked pockets will be even worse. There are no gimmicks, it is all in experience gained from pocketing balls over and over again.

See the absolute point from the back of the object ball to the portion of the pocket you are playing, thats all. Feel and knowledge gets the cue ball there. Mental adjustments allow you to now use english.

Players that use this method will probably tell you it is all feel and they do not use an aiming system. They do, it is just so well embedded in their game they do not need to think about it. That is unless they are off or in a rut, in which case they step back and make sure they are stroking correctly and do a visual fine tuning of the exact point of OB contact.
 
There is only one spot that will hit a half ball hit, yes. I didn’t say make a half ball hit. You aim half ball and the cue ball will contact the object ball where is has to be hit. These will be middle pocket pots if you line the cue ball middle pocket. Give it a try. Aim you cue ball at the pocket. If the object ball is partially blocking the path, aim the cue ball contact point full object ball. This will give you a middle pocket pot. If the object ball is a few inches out side of the cue ball to pocket line, try aiming the contact point at half ball object. “This is the aiming point not the actual contact points”.

Someone with a table at home try and post the results. I can post a diagram if required.
 
Jason Robichaud said:
There is only one spot that will hit a half ball hit, yes. I didn’t say make a half ball hit. You aim half ball and the cue ball will contact the object ball where is has to be hit. These will be middle pocket pots if you line the cue ball middle pocket. Give it a try. Aim you cue ball at the pocket. If the object ball is partially blocking the path, aim the cue ball contact point full object ball. This will give you a middle pocket pot. If the object ball is a few inches out side of the cue ball to pocket line, try aiming the contact point at half ball object. “This is the aiming point not the actual contact points”.

Someone with a table at home try and post the results. I can post a diagram if required.
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Please do post a diagram. It's very hard to understand what you're trying to say. What does "aim half ball" mean, except a half ball hit? We definitely need a diagram here. :confused:
 
aiming & contact points

I can understand your over simplified philsophy, but I have to say it is erred. By moving the object ball or cue ball, 1/8 inch, 3/16 or 1/4 inch, in almost any direction, the 1/4 ball, 1/2 ball or 3/4 ball is incorrect.
 
The full ball, half ball and quarter ball theory is not accurate. Just one example should put this dog to bed: a very thin cut on the ball when the cb and the ob are almost parallel to one another.

I was one of those that disagreed with DM on this subject. My feeling is that an aiming system is a good tool for those just learning how to play the game. However, once a player has logged hundreds of hours on the table, FEEL starts taking over how you shoot the balls. Most players will tell you that when they've been in the "zone", they didn't think about how they were shooting anymore, they just shot on "automatic pilot". I've been in the "zone" a few times and can also attest to that. I think the top pros spend more time in the "zone" than most of us and that's why they're so much better than other players. JMHO.
 
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The only aiming system that I FOUND that works well is joe tuckers systems:D It takes some practice but it is the most consistent.
 
Said it works for about 95%...Those really thin cuts you need to use different cue ball contact point...the 1/4 object ball contact still works.
 
Jason Robichaud said:
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So you are aiming point A at point AA? And point B at BB? If so, I'm pretty sure you'll hit too full in both cases. Look at Joe Tucker's system which 5ballcharlie mentioned. That system is geometrically correct, and deals with parallel lines. The lines that you're referencing in your diagram aren't parallel. For the shots that you've diagrammed, I think they're probably close enough to parallel that the ball could still make it to the pocket (especially if you make any subconscious adjustments), but that will change significantly with a more severe cut.
 
sixpack said:
I'm trying to visualize what you're talking about. Are you saying that you pick the contact point on the cue ball and aim it at either a full-ball, half-ball or quarter-ball hit on the object ball?


Cheers,
RC
Click to expand...

Sounds like index aiming, like what Hal Houle talks about. The best diagram and explanation is probably Pat Johnsons, which can be found as item 16 at the following link.

http://www.sfbilliards.com/misc.htm.

Pat estimates that about 25% of shots can be made using one of these aim lines. The possible advantage is that other shots will all fall somewhat close to one of these. So these may be useful reference aims.

mike page
fargo
 
This diagram is not 100% to scale, just approx. Angles are a little different...When you aim to these points the parallel lines do seem to line. I did aim with the parallel lines and it works great. I found that my aiming points when making those two parallel contact points touch, fell into those 3 aiming points. Full, half, and 1/4.
 
Well, AT LEAST, you and Fred have tried to describe Hal Houle's system in its entirety... with diagrams and all. THANK YOU! Just saying there are only 3 contact points or aiming points, whatever, explains nothing, nada, zilch. It's obvious there are thinner cuts with which those reference points don't help.

It's actually the first time I'm hearing that you aim the closest point on the CB to the pocket to those 3 points. That adds something to it. I'll try it tomorrow.

As far as I'm concerned, keep the discussion on aiming coming so long as it doesn't involve parables and cult cryptograms, etc.

I'm all for giving aiming systems a try AT THE TABLE. So long as someone is willing to explain them to me IN PLAIN ENGLISH.

Thanks again.
 
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