Do you look at the object ball?

Matt Stockman

Matt Stockman

give me the 7 & a whiskey
Silver Member
In my ongoing quest to become at least halfway proficient at this game (so I dont have to be embarresed to tell people I have a table in my basement :rolleyes:) I've been working a lot on my preshot routine and aiming sequences.

My question would be ones final destination of the eyes. I've heard lots of different things: picture a ghost ball; secquence down the shot line to the object ball before moving the cue forward on the final stroke; and I remember Bartram saying he focuses in on a small spot on the object ball during his final stroke. On the other hand, I thought I read somewhere that Earl looks at the cue ball when hes pulling the trigger.

During my practice Ive found focusing too much on the object ball seems to take me out of the rhythm of shooting and often causes me to cinch on shots instead of moving the rock like im supposed too.

Anyhow, I was hoping I could hear a few opinions from you fine folks. Do you have one and only one sequence that you use? if so what is it? or do you do different things for different shots?

Thanks in advance,
Matt
 
Matt Stockman said:
In my ongoing quest to become at least halfway proficient at this game (so I dont have to be embarresed to tell people I have a table in my basement :rolleyes:) I've been working a lot on my preshot routine and aiming sequences.

My question would be ones final destination of the eyes. I've heard lots of different things: picture a ghost ball; secquence down the shot line to the object ball before moving the cue forward on the final stroke; and I remember Bartram saying he focuses in on a small spot on the object ball during his final stroke. On the other hand, I thought I read somewhere that Earl looks at the cue ball when hes pulling the trigger.

During my practice Ive found focusing too much on the object ball seems to take me out of the rhythm of shooting and often causes me to cinch on shots instead of moving the rock like im supposed too.

Anyhow, I was hoping I could hear a few opinions from you fine folks. Do you have one and only one sequence that you use? if so what is it? or do you do different things for different shots?

Thanks in advance,
Matt
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Yes, look at the object ball last.

I get down on the shot. Give the cueball a glance to make sure I'm applying the correct english. Then I move my eyes to my aiming point on the object ball.

My eyes then never leave the object ball until after contact.

I think you will find most top players play this way.

matta
 
Just before your final stroke, when the tip of your cue is at the cue ball (this is where your eyes should be, BEFORE you start your back stroke.)

Eyes come up and focus on your aim point at/on/near the OB. (What ever you use to aim. A spot on the ball. The ghost ball. Etc.)

Smooth back stroke, with a small pause, before your forward stroke (I.E. Finish stroke)
 
I play by instinct, so please don't use me as an example for anything. Repetition of every shot. I really don't know what I look at. I just remember the shot.
 
Thanks Crawfish

crawfish said:
I play by instinct, so please don't use me as an example for anything. Repetition of every shot. I really don't know what I look at. I just remember the shot.
Click to expand...

I was hoping someone would post a reply like that. The closest I have come to making the 9 ball ghost sweat a little was done while just playing by feel, and without a strict sighting routine for each shot.

I wonder if anyone else shoots like that?
 
personally when i approach a shot, i analyze the shot, determine which kind of shot it is based on the aiming system i use, i stand down on the cue ball and look at the cue ball while i take 2 practice strokes, look at the object ball again for a second or so, and then back at the cue ball before i deliver the final stroke.

this is what i've trained myself to do, but i dont ALWAYS do it... when i get to feeling good and free wheeling a little more its a little quicker and a little less rigid.
 
Matt Stockman said:
I was hoping someone would post a reply like that. The closest I have come to making the 9 ball ghost sweat a little was done while just playing by feel, and without a strict sighting routine for each shot.

I wonder if anyone else shoots like that?
Click to expand...

Are you kidding? I've been playing $20 a game, up $200 and had people wake me up to take my turn. Instinct? Fu@# yeah.
 
Matt Stockman said:
I was hoping someone would post a reply like that. The closest I have come to making the 9 ball ghost sweat a little was done while just playing by feel, and without a strict sighting routine for each shot.

I wonder if anyone else shoots like that?
Click to expand...

Most people. The only place to look during your stroke that will help you is where your tip is going. So it is best imo not to focus on anything if you don't know where exactly you want your tip to go.

Disregarding english, your tip will only go through the cue ball to object ball contact point on a dead straight shot. So you need to shoot throught the center of the ghost ball on most shots. With english you need to know how much you will deflect and or curve the cueball to aim your tip relative to the ghostball.
 
Chico Esquella (Saturday Night Live, Garret Morris) Said "baseball been veddy veddy good to me. Keepa you eye on the ball" That would be the one you're trying to hit (object ball). A few good players look at the CB last, mostly on the break or on jump shots. Most, however look at the OB last. To shark young natural players, ask them which they look at last, they usually don't know.
Rod. <---wouldn't shark a young player, just saying.
PS; There have been other threads on this, try the search feature.
 
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Keith McCreedy also looks at the cueball last. But this list of pros who do this is VERY short.

The first two years of my pool career I looked at the cuball last. When I made the switch to looking at the object ball last, my game went up 2 skill levels after a few months.
 
Matt Stockman said:
In my ongoing quest to become at least halfway proficient at this game (so I dont have to be embarresed to tell people I have a table in my basement :rolleyes:) I've been working a lot on my preshot routine and aiming sequences.

My question would be ones final destination of the eyes. I've heard lots of different things: picture a ghost ball; secquence down the shot line to the object ball before moving the cue forward on the final stroke; and I remember Bartram saying he focuses in on a small spot on the object ball during his final stroke. On the other hand, I thought I read somewhere that Earl looks at the cue ball when hes pulling the trigger.

During my practice Ive found focusing too much on the object ball seems to take me out of the rhythm of shooting and often causes me to cinch on shots instead of moving the rock like im supposed too.

Anyhow, I was hoping I could hear a few opinions from you fine folks. Do you have one and only one sequence that you use? if so what is it? or do you do different things for different shots?

Thanks in advance,
Matt
Click to expand...

Well I look at the object ball last. It allows me to be more precise in pocketing the ball... or which part of the pocket I need to sink the object ball.

If ur developing pre-shot routines troubles, there are plenty of topics in this forum that can be searched. :) I would put my 2cents in, but it is a bit lengthy. Besides, it may not suit to ur needs: pre-shot routines are not only part of pool mechanics, but it is also a confidence builder, which can be different for everyone else.
 
I recently had a bit of a break-through in pocketing routine, but very missable, shots, and it had to do with realizing that I wasn't really focusing in on the object ball enough during setup and during the final stroke. I've been playing a lot better since then.

As a matter of fact, I posted a thread about it. I think you'll find it interesting:
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=147371

-Andrew
 
Cue ball last here. You'll get answers on both sides of the fence. "Look at the ball you're trying to hit". I'm hitting the cue ball, not the object ball, that's how consider things. If my alignment is correct, hitting the cueball where I want will send it on the correct line.

Bottom line - There are great players that do it each way, do what is most comfortable for you. Just be consistent, that's the main thing.
 
It varies from shot to shot and from player to player. Looking at the OB last is usually considered best, especially if aim is the most demanding part of the shot (longer shots, for instance). Looking at the CB last is often considered best if tip placement is the most demanding part of the shot (break shots, jacked up shots, closer shots with extreme english, for example).

I like to be aware of where my tip is pointing in relation to the OB, so I try to keep it in my peripheral vision on the shot stroke, which means I mostly focus on the OB last but not fully - maybe that's just me.

Playing "by instinct" is probably how we all shoot best, but our instinct needs to be nurtured and trained by consciously applied knowledge and practice. This might include practicing a specific eye pattern until it becomes second nature. Don't give up on anything just because it isn't "instinctive" in practice.

pj
chgo
 
whitewolf said:
Keith McCreedy also looks at the cueball last. But this list of pros who do this is VERY short.

The first two years of my pool career I looked at the cuball last. When I made the switch to looking at the object ball last, my game went up 2 skill levels after a few months.
Click to expand...

Ditto. I seen an instructor and he changed my perception on what to be looking at last. Object ball last took a little while to get used to but it made me a couple balls better on average. Jump shots and break shots are the only instances when im looking at the cue ball last.
 
djpstacked03 said:
Ditto. I seen an instructor and he changed my perception on what to be looking at last. Object ball last took a little while to get used to but it made me a couple balls better on average. Jump shots and break shots are the only instances when im looking at the cue ball last.
Click to expand...

Also when your jacked up over a ball
 
Matt Stockman said:
On the other hand, I thought I read somewhere that Earl looks at the cue ball when hes pulling the trigger.
Click to expand...

I read once that Earl had said this as well, so I went and carefully studied close-ups of Earl's eyes on tv matches and Accu-Stats tapes. It was very clear to me from these tapes that Earl in fact looked at the object ball last on all normal shots (not masse shots, or break shots, etc.). I suspect many players who think they look at the cueball last in fact do not.
 
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