Centerball...haters gonna hate

WildWing said:
These are the closest to the truth in this whole argument. Though some recalcitrants won't accept it, a little english helps to keep the cueball from dragging the object ball wide of the pocket. In other words, a little english (side spin) allows you to use the natural angle that your eyes see.

Also, I hate to give away too many secrets, but to avoid object ball skid, the object ball has to have forward roll as soon as possible. The best way to achieve this is to hit the cue ball low, so that it transfers forward spin to the object ball. Do you think there's a reason why Efren rarely, if ever, gets skid on an object ball? Even Grady Matthews mentioned this on an Accu Stats tape more than once.

Obviously when you're on the rail, you have to hit high. Otherwise, low, and with english, and you've discovered how to make the game more playable.

Or, just keep on doing it your own way.

All the best,
WW
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ktrepal85 said:
Ever since I've been playing pool most of the instructional material states that you should try to play shape so that you can hit centerball on every shot and float into position.

What's so great about hitting centerball? Is it just that you can see the tangent line easily? Anyone that has been playing this game for a while can just as easily see the follow line and draw line of the cue ball to predict it's path so that point is moot.

I think hitting centerball makes you more likely to miss the shot. If you try to hit centerball and miss by half a tip to the left or right you are throwing the shit out of the ball. And if you hit centerball on a 20 - 30 degree cut shot you are maximizing the cut induced throw effects which makes aiming more difficult.

I think Tor Lowry started the whole centerball craze and I just don't see what all the hype is about.

Playing position for you to use follow or draw seems much more effective.

So why does everyone like centerball so much?
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Because that eliminates squirt and allows natural roll. I once bet a friend I could beat him only using center ball and I drilled him.

I always start out to see where the ball goes with center and then adjust as needed for spin.
 
I once bet a friend I could beat him a game of 8 ball shooting one handed & I left him with 4 balls on the table...

AND... I still hit shots with right & left english & force follow & draw.

The next game I left him with 7 balls on the table as I broke & ran out.

It was a bar box though.
 
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WildWing said:
...a little english helps to keep the cueball from dragging the object ball wide of the pocket.
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So does aiming a little differently - without the added aiming variables of side spin.

In other words, a little english (side spin) allows you to use the natural angle that your eyes see.
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I think your eyes "see" whatever angle you've learned to shoot. If you mostly hit cut shots without side spin, your eyes learn to see a slight overcut as "straight".

...to avoid object ball skid, the object ball has to have forward roll as soon as possible.
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Skid happens at the moment of contact, before the OB can have forward roll. Putting draw (or follow) on the CB does help reduce throw and skid, but it's because the vertical spin reduces the amount of friction in the horizontal direction - not because the OB rolls sooner.

pj
chgo
 
FranCrimi said:
The late, great Johnny Ervolino told me that he preferred to favor either left or right of center, depending on the shot, because when you try to hit center and fail, your error may be on the wrong side of the cue ball.

Of course, there were times when it was absolutely necessary to strive for a center ball hit, but mostly, he preferred not to.

Also, there are spin players and there are punch players. Punch players prefer to play closer to the center of the cue ball.
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I agree with Mr. Ervolino....
 
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