An AIMING tidbit....yes...one more...

[Matt_24]

Here is just a little tidbit of what I do when I aim. This is derived from what I learned from Jimmy Reid - but I throw in an extra step to help me find the proper point of contact on the object ball.

This is what I do when I'm lining up the shot in the stand-up position. Doing this helps me find the point of contact on the cue ball. I look at the object ball as it relates to the pocket I want to shoot it in.

Next, I look at the object ball - and where the point of contact on it would be if I just wanted to hit it 'straight' (into a rail, --- the process is simplified if I have a straight shot) on into a rail. I see that POC, and then I look again at it in relation to the pocket and find the correct point of contact.

Doing this REALLY helps me find the point of contact much easier, especially on long shots.

Again -- this is just my little system I've figured out for myself to make things easier when I'm not finding the point of contact easily. Hope this helps some of you.

 

[Koop]

Hi Matt,

Sounds like an advanced version of ghost ball. Probably a little more accurate from the sounds of it.

Thanks for sharing,
Koop

 

[Matt_24]

You could call it that. For whatever reason...you might say doing that little extra step helps "clarify" the ghost ball for you - if that makes sense...or FIND the ghost ball a bit easier. I don't know...it just works for me, and might for others. We're all students right...every little bit helps.

When I start reading about all of these advanced aiming systems my brain locks up. The ghost ball was the only thing that ever made a lot of sense to me, and I just figured out the little extra step on my own.

I think more people should consider the K.I.S.S method when aiming. Keep it simple stupid. Mostly, just hit a lot of balls and focus on why you're missing particular shots and adjust until you get it right.........maybe...LOL.

 

[Koop]

I think more people should consider the K.I.S.S method when aiming. Keep it simple stupid. Mostly, just hit a lot of balls and focus on why you're missing particular shots and adjust until you get it right.........maybe...LOL.

I agree Matt that KISS is the way to go. The thing that the systems do for me is tell me right away what I am doing wrong. If I miss a few I check my alignment, etc..
Just really seems to help to get back on track quicker than prior to using them.

 

[jongreve]

Aiming isn't always easy to explain...

When I first started I used simple ghost ball

After a while I went to an "eclipsing" method. Nothing I really was taught, just what I ended up doing. A mental, 2 dimensional, overlapping picture that I tried to duplicate with the shot. Not really thinking about a contact point between CB and OB, just a pre-conceived image to create.

From there I went similar to what Matt is doing. Pre-shot routine. While standing focus on desired pocket. Shift focus to object ball and place chalk on table (essentially mentally drawing a desired OB path and finalizing it with placing chalk on table..point of no return). Shift focus THROUGH cue ball to desired cue tip contact while getting into stance and performing first practice stroke. Re-trace desired cue ball path on second practice stroke. One final practice stroke for good measure...FIRE.

Lately it seems that I have zero clue about how I aim or even know anything about contact points anymore. Kind of feels like I'm just trying to direct the cue tip to a point in space that "feels" right. Thinking about experimenting with this 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 cuetip to OB thingy that I keep hearing about.

But not for now, my aim is very rarely the actual reason that I miss a ball, I have allowed my fundamentals to become sloppy. I have more important work to do.

 

[av84fun]

Aiming isn't always easy to explain...

When I first started I used simple ghost ball

After a while I went to an "eclipsing" method. Nothing I really was taught, just what I ended up doing. A mental, 2 dimensional, overlapping picture that I tried to duplicate with the shot. Not really thinking about a contact point between CB and OB, just a pre-conceived image to create.

From there I went similar to what Matt is doing. Pre-shot routine. While standing focus on desired pocket. Shift focus to object ball and place chalk on table (essentially mentally drawing a desired OB path and finalizing it with placing chalk on table..point of no return). Shift focus THROUGH cue ball to desired cue tip contact while getting into stance and performing first practice stroke. Re-trace desired cue ball path on second practice stroke. One final practice stroke for good measure...FIRE.

Lately it seems that I have zero clue about how I aim or even know anything about contact points anymore. Kind of feels like I'm just trying to direct the cue tip to a point in space that "feels" right. Thinking about experimenting with this 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 cuetip to OB thingy that I keep hearing about.

But not for now, my aim is very rarely the actual reason that I miss a ball, I have allowed my fundamentals to become sloppy. I have more important work to do.

That is a KEY issue and IMHO most people who aim by "feel" have a difficult time determining WHY they missed. Was it a stroke/alignment error or was the "feel" wrong?

That is a major reason why taking instruction is such an excellent idea...as opposed to just banging 'em around trying to figure out...eventually...how to solve problems that a good instructor can teach in a matter of hours.

But a lot of people like tinkering on their own and that's cool. Whatever is fun is what people should do.

However, it is rare if not totally unprecedented, for any great athlete in almost any sport not to have had top quality instruction/coaching as they developed and in most cases, throughout their entire careers.

In fact, the vast majority of pool players have never had a single formal lesson and a small minority have been lucky enough to even play against championship players and at least learn by observation.

Most players...even serious ones...won't even WATCH top pros at tour events. At the BCA in Vegas there are 8 or 9,000 pool players within spitting distance from the pro events and yet, except for the semis and finals, you can shoot a canon in the event room and probably won't hit a spectator!

But....oh well.

(-:

Jim