Alignment problem

midnightpulp

midnightpulp

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Last week while practicing a long straight in draw shot, I discovered I naturally address the cue ball a hair outside. I believe this is a carry over from my younger days where I used outside english to assist in aiming ( and as you know, outside engish is the most frequently used type for position). I hardly ever used centerball in those days, preferring to use high outside to produce the same effect. Hey it worked, but it's hardly correct.

As I return to the game, I intend to retool my game so it's fundamentally sound. For the past couple of practice sessions, I've been setting up different shots and hitting those shots using only the vertical plane of the cueball.

I still intuitively line up on the outside. Not really a problem with straight in or shorter shots (and I can also do the centerball drill with relative ease, it's when I have to aim at a ball), but long shots trouble me in this regrard. I have no problems sighting the center of the cueball, but my body keeps pulling me, and then when I realign my tip to the dead center of the cueball, the shot looks all wrong, probably because I'm used to seeing a fuller hit from using outside so much. When the time to shoot comes around, I'm so psyched out, I invariably miss. Now, if I was able to shoot the shot naturally, but incorrectly, I'll make it everytime.

I intend to get some instuction in the coming months, but I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions to help with this. (Just bought JT's 3rd Eye Stroke Trainer.)

Has anyone had any similar problems?
 
You need to see yourself.

Steve Davis recommends placing a mirror at the end of the table so that you can see how you are lined up on the shot.

Video yourself - front, back, side.
 
Scaramouche said:
You need to see yourself.

Steve Davis recommends placing a mirror at the end of the table so that you can see how you are lined up on the shot.

Video yourself - front, back, side.
Click to expand...

I need to try that.

I also suspect I'm subconsciously steering the cue ball to produce a fuller hit when I get lined up properly, since my body is so used to hitting those shots with outside english. Can't tell you how many times I drove the ball into the rail. Think I need to reprogram my muscle memory. I did start to hit it better at the end of my practice session.

Thanks.
 
midnightpulp said:
I have no problems sighting the center of the cueball, but my body keeps pulling me, and then when I realign my tip to the dead center of the cueball, the shot looks all wrong, probably because I'm used to seeing a fuller hit from using outside so much. When the time to shoot comes around, I'm so psyched out, I invariably miss.
Click to expand...

You shouldn't realign your tip without getting out of your stance and back into it in an aligned position. Before you ever get down on the shot, you should address the cue ball in much the same fashion that golfers address their ball. Once you know the path you want the cue ball to take look only at it and concentrate on positioning your body so it can deliver the correct stroke. Hope this helps.
 
jjr183 said:
You shouldn't realign your tip without getting out of your stance and back into it in an aligned position. Before you ever get down on the shot, you should address the cue ball in much the same fashion that golfers address their ball. Once you know the path you want the cue ball to take look only at it and concentrate on positioning your body so it can deliver the correct stroke. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

Thanks.

I should've mentioned that I do that. I usually step into line of the shot. As I mentioned, I kept hitting the ball too full, even when I thought I was properly aligned, which is why I suspect I was steering the cue since my brain is used to aiming a little fuller.

Got Joe Tucker's 3rd eye coming in the mail. Heard this is great for those types of kinks.
 
Wait a second. I'm confused.

"Outside" (english) on a straight in shot? Such a thing doesn't even exist!
 
midnightpulp said:
Last week while practicing a long straight in draw shot, I discovered I naturally address the cue ball a hair outside. I believe this is a carry over from my younger days where I used outside english to assist in aiming ( and as you know, outside engish is the most frequently used type for position). I hardly ever used centerball in those days, preferring to use high outside to produce the same effect. Hey it worked, but it's hardly correct.

As I return to the game, I intend to retool my game so it's fundamentally sound. For the past couple of practice sessions, I've been setting up different shots and hitting those shots using only the vertical plane of the cueball.

I still intuitively line up on the outside. Not really a problem with straight in or shorter shots (and I can also do the centerball drill with relative ease, it's when I have to aim at a ball), but long shots trouble me in this regrard. I have no problems sighting the center of the cueball, but my body keeps pulling me, and then when I realign my tip to the dead center of the cueball, the shot looks all wrong, probably because I'm used to seeing a fuller hit from using outside so much. When the time to shoot comes around, I'm so psyched out, I invariably miss. Now, if I was able to shoot the shot naturally, but incorrectly, I'll make it everytime.

I intend to get some instuction in the coming months, but I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions to help with this. (Just bought JT's 3rd Eye Stroke Trainer.)

Has anyone had any similar problems?
Click to expand...

There is considerable debate on the subject of using outside as a standard.

The problem in not doing so is that due to collison induced throw, (CIT)the CB won't travel along the the path suggested by the gemoetrically derived contact point (the one that is on the line of centers between the CB and the center of the pocket)...given reasonably long distances between OB and pocket.

CIT will throw the OB at least 4 degrees on most cut shots.

If you're going to use center ball, then you have to aim somewhat thinner than the "intuitive" or "ghost ball" contact point. That is why you are missing (too thick) when you use center ball.

I use a half tip of outside as "standard" on all cuts and adjust my aim whenever the shape calls for center ball or inside..

IMHO, the required adjustments...especially when inside is required...is what separates the pros from the rest of us. That is especially true because regarding off-center hits, swerve and squirt also come into play and there is no "cure" for making all those adjustments successfully...except to hit a few million shots.

So, if I were you, I wouldn't abandon the use of a little outside as standard and rather, would practice so that you can SEE the correct aim adjustments when you don't use outside.

Ju
 
StevenPWaldon said:
Wait a second. I'm confused.

"Outside" (english) on a straight in shot? Such a thing doesn't even exist!
Click to expand...

No. I was practicing long cuts.

I discovered my alignment problem while practicing long straight in shots.
 
av84fun said:
There is considerable debate on the subject of using outside as a standard.

The problem in not doing so is that due to collison induced throw, (CIT)the CB won't travel along the the path suggested by the gemoetrically derived contact point (the one that is on the line of centers between the CB and the center of the pocket)...given reasonably long distances between OB and pocket.

CIT will throw the OB at least 4 degrees on most cut shots.

If you're going to use center ball, then you have to aim somewhat thinner than the "intuitive" or "ghost ball" contact point. That is why you are missing (too thick) when you use center ball.

I use a half tip of outside as "standard" on all cuts and adjust my aim whenever the shape calls for center ball or inside..

IMHO, the required adjustments...especially when inside is required...is what separates the pros from the rest of us. That is especially true because regarding off-center hits, swerve and squirt also come into play and there is no "cure" for making all those adjustments successfully...except to hit a few million shots.

So, if I were you, I wouldn't abandon the use of a little outside as standard and rather, would practice so that you can SEE the correct aim adjustments when you don't use outside.

Ju
Click to expand...

Thanks, Jim.
 
Hey there Midnight, get someone to take some "still" photos of your ADDRESS, perpendicular to your shaft. That will help you understand that your mental picture is subcontiously modified.

We all make that mistake & others, that happens over time. Constant monitoring of our address & stroke is what makes the difference between Champion and/or Good Player.
 
Here's the shot I've been working on:

CueTable Help



Hit it a little better today. I can rountinely make it using soft/medium centerball, which is expected since there's more margin for error. It's the draw stroke I was having trouble with.

Kept hitting too full. Plus, I could never seem to align my body and cue-tip simultaneously to the aim point. If my body was aligned, my tip would be off to left. If my tip was perfectly center, my body wasn't correctly aligned with the aim point.

I started hitting it much better when I slid my back foot a couple of inches to the left, and everything fell in line. That couple of inches really made a world of difference.

Now, where's the professional alignment system that will turn a D player into an A player in 3 months :p
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top