Eyes Playing Tricks

BeiberLvr

BeiberLvr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm going out on a limb and assuming I'm not the only one to have this happen to them.

Say you have a shot like the one in the diagram. Anytime I have a shot like this, it doesn't matter how I line up, it always looks to me like the CB has plenty of room to pass. But when I shoot the shot, I end up hitting the ball that I thought wasn't in the way.

In the diagrammed shot, and most of the ones I've faced, it would be really simple to give it a slight masse. However, I might not always want to masse the shot, especially when my eyes are telling me I don't need too.

Any suggestions to fix this problem?

BHOHrOnCQqGDC2lpc7rX.png
 
What I do is just hold the butt of the cue over the edges of the cb and the possibly impeding ob. That gives me a clear view of just how much room I really do have to work with.
 
Are you sighting along the right edges of the cue ball and one ball? It should be pretty easy to see if the two ball is within or close to that line if the shot is straight. Obvious: if the kiss is close, cheat the pocket as much as you are comfortable with. Practice slight swerve shots, such as the shot shown. This last point follows from the more general point: Practice the shots you have trouble with.
 
Clearance

If you are careless on the shot you may be thinking you are aiming to cheat the pocket, but then unknowingly adjusting to hit the ball toward the center of the pocket.

Most players will do one of two things: Shy away from the blocking ball and miss the shot or get too close and hit the blocking ball.

I try to see how much of the one I have to hit in order to cheat the pocket, and I focus on hitting that spot. If you are thinking about the blocking ball while you are down and stroking you are focused on the wrong thing.
 
Neil said:
What I do is just hold the butt of the cue over the edges of the cb and the possibly impeding ob. That gives me a clear view of just how much room I really do have to work with.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a neat little trick right there.

Those are the sorts of tips that keep me coming back to AZ.

Well that and all the arguing. I like them both.:thumbup:
 
As stated, I try and align down the right edges of the CB and OB (in this case) to see if the ball in the middle is interfering. If there is any doubt, I will cheat the pocket, shoot a slight swerve shot (easy to aim once practiced, also easier if within a diamond or two of the ball), or elevate slightly and jump over the small part of the ball that is interfering.

Those are the things I try to do anyway. Sometimes I just hit the ball too...
Scott
 
scottjen26 said:
As stated, I try and align down the right edges of the CB and OB (in this case) to see if the ball in the middle is interfering. If there is any doubt, I will cheat the pocket, shoot a slight swerve shot (easy to aim once practiced, also easier if within a diamond or two of the ball), or elevate slightly and jump over the small part of the ball that is interfering.

Those are the things I try to do anyway. Sometimes I just hit the ball too...
Scott
Click to expand...

That's what I do.

The problem is that it ALWAYS looks like it will clear, but sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't.
 
a different (and sometimes better) perception of the shot.

Walk to the other side of the shot and imagine shooting the object ball straight into the cue ball.....this gives a different (and sometimes better) perception of the shot.

BeiberLvr said:
I'm going out on a limb and assuming I'm not the only one to have this happen to them.

Say you have a shot like the one in the diagram. Anytime I have a shot like this, it doesn't matter how I line up, it always looks to me like the CB has plenty of room to pass. But when I shoot the shot, I end up hitting the ball that I thought wasn't in the way.

In the diagrammed shot, and most of the ones I've faced, it would be really simple to give it a slight masse. However, I might not always want to masse the shot, especially when my eyes are telling me I don't need too.

Any suggestions to fix this problem?

BHOHrOnCQqGDC2lpc7rX.png
Click to expand...
 
i havent read all the replies.....:embarrassed2::embarrassed2:
but im 61 (in may)
my eyes arent so good
so i go to the pocket and look at the object ball to cue ball from that perspective
often i get the answer ass backward...:embarrassed2:
 
Yeah, your right. It does ALWAYS looks like it will clear. Even using the cue or sighting from the pocket it looks clear. But in your head you know that you have to clear the 2 by a 1/4 of an inch.
You line up and...wack. I tell you it's the gravitational pull of the cue and two balls attracting each other.

Ask Dr. Dave.

From my vast experience in this area you can tell I'm not very good.
 
CJ Wiley said:
Walk to the other side of the shot and imagine shooting the object ball straight into the cue ball.....this gives a different (and sometimes better) perception of the shot.
Click to expand...

I got to say, that is a pretty good idea. Im going to try that.

When this happens to me, If I shot it and was wrong (didn't have enough room) it is because I probably wasn't lined up properly.
 
Go rail first & get on with it


Why am I the Colonel? Because I always get the chicken
 
BeiberLvr said:
That's what I do.

The problem is that it ALWAYS looks like it will clear, but sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't.
Click to expand...

That's strange, because usually the issue is that it looks like the cb won't clear the blocking ball but it really does. In fact, Gene Nagy used to tell me that if it looks like it would just barely miss, you can trust that it clears. I've used that method successfully ever since.

Could it be that it does clear and you're throwing the shot off as you shoot it?

Also, you might try closing your recessive eye and looking at it with your dominant eye to see if it clears. Many players do that to check out close shots like that.
 
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This helps me:

Sight down the shot line from a greater distance...10, 15, 20 feet away. With both eyes, and with dominant eye.

Don't know why, but it helps me see whether there is clearance for the shot...but be prepared for some strange looks from the players 2 tables away on that line as you look at the shot from their table:D
 
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