Eye movements - calling Scott Lee and maybe others

[tedkaufman]

I have been noticing my eye movements as I shoot and realized that my most common pattern is to focus first on the cue ball as I position my tip near the point on the cue ball I intend to hit. Then I fixated on the object ball and home in on the contact point I need to hit for the shot. On my last warm up stroke, just before the final backstroke, I pause for a fraction of a second with my cue tip near the cue ball and glance at the cue ball, I guess assuring myself that the cue tip is going to contact the cue ball at the intended spot. Then, as I start my final backstroke, I return to a focus on the object ball and try to maintain that focus until I see the cue ball contact the object ball.

I seem to recall Scott Lee making a point about the pattern of eye movements, but I couldn't find a full explanation of his suggestion. Of course, I'm open to anyone else jumping in to critque my pattern or suggestion a different one. Thanks in advance for your contributions!

Bill, you may do this unconsciously anyway, but I believe you must focus on the object ball first, until you are settled into your stance. If you actually focused on the cueball contact point first, you could easily mis-align yourself.

 

[BillPorter]

I think you may be right

Bill, you may do this unconsciously anyway, but I believe you must focus on the object ball first, until you are settled into your stance. If you actually focused on the cueball contact point first, you could easily mis-align yourself.

You may be right. I have been surprised at how inaccurate my first description of eye movements was. But as you say, AS I am dropping into my stance I am sure that I am looking at the OB for at least part of that time. Today, at the pool hall, I am going to try to be more observant about this very point. Thanks for the response!