back to basic - How to aim?

T

tomx

Registered
Guys,

I haven't played pool for 12 years and now I got a pool table at home (thanks to many people who helped me on how to find movers, choose new cloth, etc. I will post some pictures of my new game room soon :)).

I tried to warm up a little bit in the last 2 nights and did make a lot of progress. But, I found out I don't know how to aim anymore. As a result, I missed a lot of "easy" shots. I know which point on the object ball I need to hit, but that's not the point I should be aiming at. I know some people aim at the center point of the ghost ball (an imaginal ball). Is that the right way to aim? I tried that method but it confused me sometimes.

How do you guys aim? Do you use ghost ball or not? Or just intuition after years of practice? Any input is welcome. I really appreciate it!

Tom
 
Not pro

But i started off with ghost ball and other systems just to figure out where to properly hit the ball, or what fraction of the ball to hit for what angle, etc. After hitting lots of balls it becomes more natural and instinctive. Most shots after practicing with aiming techniques will be easily recognizable later. Still some shots are deceiving and require a second look, or going back to said systems to ease my mind. Overall i rely more on what my gut is telling me, eyes, and from what i've practiced... over and over and over
 
Thanks for the reply!

Does anybody else have any input? Or it's really not an issue and just needs more practice.

Tom
 
Gamble. Among friends, I usually play for push-ups. The only way you can cut-down on your missing is if there's a penalty.
 
See if you are hitting where you are aiming first.

Well, if I gave up the game for 12 years I would expect it to
take a lot more than 2 nights of practice to be able to cut in
balls correctly again!

First setup some straight-in shots. My favorite is cue ball on
head spot, and object ball in line to a corner pocket on the
foot string (about 2 diamonds away from the corner
diagnonally). But start with the cue ball closer first. Work on
that for a while, and I suspect that you will not be making 10
out of 10. If you are not making that 10 out of 10, then you are
not able to hit where you are aiming all the time, so it's not
very helpful to try cut shots. Then try increasing the angle
of the cut a little from straight in, and stay with the same
shot several times, using a little white chalk dot or anything
to make sure the balls are in the same place. Before you know it you'll be shooting fine again.
 
tomx said:
... How do you guys aim? Do you use ghost ball or not? Or just intuition after years of practice? Any input is welcome. ....
Click to expand...
There are lots of systems that will put your aiming into a framework, and I think this can speed learning up to a point. Unfortunately, there is no system that I know of that is accurate enough to make anything except short shots. Or at least none that can be consciously implemented by human beings. I'm convinced that in the long run you have to aim by feel, especially if you start to use side spin, but also if you do nothing more complicated than use draw.

There are lots of books and systems on the market. I've covered a bunch of systems in my articles in Billiards Digest which are available on-line and for free at: http://www.sfbilliards.com/articles/BD_articles.html and from On the Break News at http://www.onthebreaknews.com/JewettIndex.htm
 
i really beleive everyone has to develop there own style of aiming. not everyone will see the same cut the same. some might aim center then find the sweet spot from there and others might focus directly in on the contact point.

play for 2 more weeks and you will be able to aim. a steady stroke on the otherhand is more of a problem then aiming IMO.
 
tomx said:
Guys,

I know which point on the object ball I need to hit, but that's not the point I should be aiming at. Tom
Click to expand...

That is the point you should be aiming at, only not always with the center of the cue ball. On straight or nearly straight-in shots, you can aim directly at that point through the center of the cb. On cuts, you must aim at it with a point on the cb that corresponds with that point. In other words, the angle thru the object ball to the target should be identical and parallel to the angle thru the cb that terminates at the contact point. Phewww, sure sounds more complicated than it is.:eek:
 
In my experience as a full time professional instructor, many people who have 'perceived aiming problems' in reality have trouble setting up and delivering the cue in an accurate, repeatable manner. When I teach how to set up and deliver an accurate, repeatable stroke, their 'aiming' problems go away.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
 
Scott Lee said:
In my experience as a full time professional instructor, many people who have 'perceived aiming problems' in reality have trouble setting up and delivering the cue in an accurate, repeatable manner. When I teach how to set up and deliver an accurate, repeatable stroke, their 'aiming' problems go away.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Click to expand...
Tap, tap, tap.
Joey~Has CSS disease, Can't Shoot Straight~
 
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