Consistently undercutting shots

[prad]

You need to see the shot in the right way.
Gene (perfect aim guy) might help you. Here is his profile send him a pm.
http://forums.azbilliards.com/member.php?u=58153

 

[genomachino]

It's a naturally occurring glitch we all have that can be corrected easily..

Need some help on a problem I have developed. On cut shots, I seem to undercut the ball, hitting the high side of the pocket. When I was learning the game, a long time ago, I had a habit of playing outside english, and I did not have this problem. After a long layoff, I picked the game back up about three years ago, but this problem has popped up, and nothing I've tried corrects it. Any help would be appreciated.
T

Set up a quarter ball hit, medium long shot and cut this ball 10 times to the right and ten times to the left.

You will find that you have more trouble one way than the other.

The way that you have more trouble is when you cut the way of your non dominant eye. Example: Your right eye dominant and your cutting to the left.

This is a natural glitch that all players have. Just some worse than others.

This is the main thing that I fix with Perfect Aim that helps so many players. This effects half of your shots almost.

Especially when you've had a layoff from pool for awhile the problem is really pronounced.

If it works out just the opposite for you, think again on which eye is your pool shooting dominant eye.

The normal eye dominance tests of pointing and circle looking through don't work correctly for about 25% of all players.

I do free phone lessons to help players with this.

Just give me a call. I'll help you solve the problem as I have with everyone else that has called.

3:00 to 6:00 is the best time to call. 715-563-8712

And be at a table. Talk to you soon.

 

[measureman]

What conditions are you playing on? If the balls on the table are dirty or worn, they will throw more and you have to compensate by cutting thinner.

Also, be aware that the slower the cue ball is moving on contact with an object ball, the more it throws as well.

I 've telling people this for years and i get a blank look. The slower the contact the more friction there is and it will grab the object ball and throw it more off line.

 

[ronscuba]

[/B]

I 've telling people this for years and i get a blank look. The slower the contact the more friction there is and it will grab the object ball and throw it more off line.

Meaning if I hit softer I need to cut thinner ?

I tend to undercut shots when the CB and OB are close together. Could the speed of the CB be a reason ?

 

[CreeDo]

slow rolled balls definitely do undercut balls a bit. This is at pretty gentle speeds. Like less than lag speed.

Sometimes I'll see someone seemingly freak out at random and hit a ball wayyy too soft (like it doesn't reach the pocket)... I bet it's a subconscious understanding that they're about to overcut the ball and they slow down the stroke to throw it.

 

[measureman]

Meaning if I hit softer I need to cut thinner ?

I tend to undercut shots when the CB and OB are close together. Could the speed of the CB be a reason ?

Yes And the farther the object ball is from the pocket the more it will be off line. And you thought this was an easy game.
So you have speed and distance.
When the cue ball and the object ball are very close-inch or so and the cut is extreme I cut and spin it in.And if you use this method you need to jack up -raise the butt of the cue just a bit. and half masse it. That way the cue ball isn't running wild-see it is an easy game.
If I had you at a table and you watched me for 10 minutes you would get it.

 

[ronscuba]

Yes And the farther the object ball is from the pocket the more it will be off line. And you thought this was an easy game.
So you have speed and distance.
When the cue ball and the object ball are very close-inch or so and the cut is extreme I cut and spin it in.And if you use this method you need to jack up -raise the butt of the cue just a bit. and half masse it. That way the cue ball isn't running wild-see it is an easy game.
If I had you at a table and you watched me for 10 minutes you would get it.

When you say spin it in, you are putting english on the CB ? Inside or outside english on the CB ?

 

[cardiac kid]

Need some help on a problem I have developed. On cut shots, I seem to undercut the ball, hitting the high side of the pocket. When I was learning the game, a long time ago, I had a habit of playing outside english, and I did not have this problem. After a long layoff, I picked the game back up about three years ago, but this problem has popped up, and nothing I've tried corrects it. Any help would be appreciated.
T

Read most of the replies. Have you ever tried to figure out which of your eyes is dominant? You may be lining up incorrectly. Find out first before you try to change the rest of your game. Just a guess. Three years is a long time in pool.

Lyn

 

[supergreenman]

Need some help on a problem I have developed. On cut shots, I seem to undercut the ball, hitting the high side of the pocket. When I was learning the game, a long time ago, I had a habit of playing outside english, and I did not have this problem. After a long layoff, I picked the game back up about three years ago, but this problem has popped up, and nothing I've tried corrects it. Any help would be appreciated.
T

This sounds like your aiming at the contact point instead of aiming your cue ball to make contact on the contact point.

I know this sounds confusing, let me see if I can make it simple.

For examples sake, you're about to cut a ball into the top left pocket. To get the right angle to the pocket, the contact point on the object ball would be at 5:30 (hypothetical situation) the contact point on your cue ball should be 11:30.

A rudimentary aiming system you can use to line these points up would be a parallel aiming system.

To aim with a parallel system make a line with your cue from the object ball to the pocket and not the point on the back side of the ball that runs directly through the ball to the pocket.

move your cue to the cue ball on a parallel line from the line to the pocket from the object ball and find the spot on the cue ball that is the exact opposite of the point on the object ball. This is your contact point on the cue ball.

After that all you have to do is make a line from the cue ball to the object ball where the two points you've identified meet.

Ball pocketed.

 

[CJ Wiley]

the 3 Part Pocket System

Need some help on a problem I have developed. On cut shots, I seem to undercut the ball, hitting the high side of the pocket. When I was learning the game, a long time ago, I had a habit of playing outside english, and I did not have this problem. After a long layoff, I picked the game back up about three years ago, but this problem has popped up, and nothing I've tried corrects it. Any help would be appreciated.
T

Outside english is really helpful to undercut balls...if you don't find a solution soon click 'The Game is the Teacher' and discover the TOI.....and the 3 Part Pocket System.

 

[TSW]

This sounds like your aiming at the contact point instead of aiming your cue ball to make contact on the contact point.

I know this sounds confusing, let me see if I can make it simple.

For examples sake, you're about to cut a ball into the top left pocket. To get the right angle to the pocket, the contact point on the object ball would be at 5:30 (hypothetical situation) the contact point on your cue ball should be 11:30.

A rudimentary aiming system you can use to line these points up would be a parallel aiming system.

To aim with a parallel system make a line with your cue from the object ball to the pocket and not the point on the back side of the ball that runs directly through the ball to the pocket.

move your cue to the cue ball on a parallel line from the line to the pocket from the object ball and find the spot on the cue ball that is the exact opposite of the point on the object ball. This is your contact point on the cue ball.

After that all you have to do is make a line from the cue ball to the object ball where the two points you've identified meet.

Ball pocketed.

I think what you are saying is there are two contact points: the one on the front of object ball and the one on the back of the cue ball. Your goal is to have the two contact points meet. Ball pocketed.

Joe Tucker (among others) offers a good description and drills on this.

 

[supergreenman]

I think what you are saying is there are two contact points: the one on the front of object ball and the one on the back of the cue ball. Your goal is to have the two contact points meet. Ball pocketed.

Joe Tucker (among others) offers a good description and drills on this.

Exactly what I'm saying. Except it's back of the object ball, front of the cue ball.....

The front of the object ball would be headed towards the pocket.

 

[Mole Eye]

WOW! First, thanks for all the responses. I am going to work on these ideas and see which one works for me. I have a feeling it is more an aiming problem than anything else. Just bought my first table, and this gives me a chance to play much more often, as with one exception, all the tables are in bars, which I avoid. I did work on the TOI this afternoon and saw some improvement right away. All advice appreciated, and thanks again

 

[TSW]

Exactly what I'm saying. Except it's back of the object ball, front of the cue ball.....

The front of the object ball would be headed towards the pocket.

I almost took out the "front" and "back" references because they are relative to where you are standing

The key is, you have two contact points. They have to align to make the shot.

 

[Slasher]

WOW! First, thanks for all the responses. I am going to work on these ideas and see which one works for me. I have a feeling it is more an aiming problem than anything else. Just bought my first table, and this gives me a chance to play much more often, as with one exception, all the tables are in bars, which I avoid. I did work on the TOI this afternoon and saw some improvement right away. All advice appreciated, and thanks again

Sometimes it's not always clear from the driver seat that's why I suggested a quick video analysis to get a better take on what your doing.
You don't have to post it public if your not comfortable with that but maybe an instructor would take a look at it and give you some feedback.
Good luck :thumbup:

 

[CJ Wiley]

Just make sure you don't "spin" the cue ball with the TOI.

WOW! First, thanks for all the responses. I am going to work on these ideas and see which one works for me. I have a feeling it is more an aiming problem than anything else. Just bought my first table, and this gives me a chance to play much more often, as with one exception, all the tables are in bars, which I avoid. I did work on the TOI this afternoon and saw some improvement right away. All advice appreciated, and thanks again

Just make sure you don't "spin" the cue ball with the TOI...just cue it to the inside and go STRAIGHT through the cue ball. Soon you'll be cutting the paint off the ball, I would suggest you use the CTC or CTE alignment, so you have a consistent reference point for your "aiming".

Play Well

 

[driven]

When I was learning the game, a long time ago, I had a habit of playing outside english, and I did not have this problem.

the above is what u said.
what is the problem???
steven

 

[measureman]

When you say spin it in, you are putting english on the CB ? Inside or outside english on the CB ?

Left spin to make it go right and right spin to make it go left. But in most cases you have to half cut it and spin it the rest of the way.It's a great way to make the ball with less force(the spin adds speed to the shot) and with some practice you can control the cue ball pretty good.And you need get your bridge hand real close to the cue ball and slide your hand up the cue to the top of the wrap or above the wrap and use a short quick slightly downward(try it out at first by raising your grip hand about a foot above your belt line) stroke.A short sharp little 2 inch poke.

 

[dr_dave]

Need some help on a problem I have developed. On cut shots, I seem to undercut the ball, hitting the high side of the pocket. When I was learning the game, a long time ago, I had a habit of playing outside english, and I did not have this problem. After a long layoff, I picked the game back up about three years ago, but this problem has popped up, and nothing I've tried corrects it. Any help would be appreciated.
T

FYI, here's a quote from my undercutting cut shots resource page:

Why do some people undercut some cut shots (i.e., hit OB ball too full)?​

Some people have trouble visualizing the required ghost-ball center for a cut shot, and get influenced too much by the ball contact point. For more info and illustrations, see "Fundamentals - Part II: aiming" (BD, October, 2008).

Sometimes, cut-induced throw (CIT) is the cause; and when english (especially inside english), swerve and/or throw might be the culprit. For more info, see: aim compensation for squirt, swerve, and throw

One way to compensate for undercutting the ball is to use outside english, but this isn't the best approach for all people. For more info, see: outside engligh resource page​

Enjoy the resources, and I hope they help,
Dave

 

[3andstop]

Try this, I'm not kidding. Get 3/4" painters tape and after you set up the shot, tape a line from the OB to the center pocket. Shoot the shot and follow the tape line.

I have to mention this again because this is such a strong visual aid that if you just give it a try, I'm betting that after as little as 5 to 10 shots your brain will be reprogrammed to see these angles from OB to center pocket almost automatically.

Do it in both directions cutting left and cutting right. I've done this with lots of people I've helped in the past, and the results were very positive.

It may very well resolve the problem like magic. This game if full of optical illusions that fool our brain into fixating on things that throw us off. Just sighting the shot with the tape down will give you an entirely different perspective.