Good System for Backcutting Balls?

Attn, announcing my new system, which works on back cuts... the GFBH* system. Get the ****ing ball in the hole. Exclusive 20% off if you purchase now.

This system works on every shot imagineable, and long, tough shots when you're frozen to the rail or jacked up too!



*patent pending
 
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Now you should do the same thing in red, for every shot.

Get_A_Grip said:
After practicing backcutting shots for about an hour this morning, so far, using the edge of the shaft (left when cutting to the left and right when cutting to the right) with a center ball really did help.

I just read Philly's comment "This is the best aiming system I have ever found and it is simple. Hit the point on the object ball that is furthest away from the pocket." -- I will try visualizing this in addition later today.

What also helped on these shots, was to walk over behind the ball and to point my stick on the cloth from the OB to the pocket to establish an accurate contact point. Then keeping my eye on that spot when walking back to the CB.
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Tony_in_MD said:
Now you should do the same thing in red, for every shot.
Click to expand...

I don't actually put my stick on the table, but I do get behind the object ball on every shot, pick out my contact point and keep my eyes fixed on it until I'm lined up behind the cue ball.

For thinner cuts (or other shots that give me trouble), I try and pick out the point on the cue ball that needs to contact the object ball. Then the goal simply becomes making that spot on the cue ball actually contact the object ball somewhere...if it contacts, the ball goes in.

I don't think too much about it. It's not an aiming "system" or anything like that. It's just a way to double check myself when the shot doesn't look right.

Biggest thing that's helped me is to concentrate on actually making the ball. A lot of my misses, especially on back cuts, is getting distracted by where the cue ball's going to go. I'm getting better at just trusting what I'd already figured out before getting down on the shot, and then just focusing 100% on making the stupid ball.
 
JC said:
Learn to recognize a half ball angle upon sight. They occur all over the table over and over again both back and front cutting balls. Using this as a base line you can look at many cut shots and recognize they are either a half ball hit or that they are shallow or wide there of incrementally. With practice you will recognize this angle with great precision and it's a powerful tool for aiming.

JC
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This might be the most well versed and abridged answer
you could wish for on the subject.
Extremely helpful advice.
 
Tony_in_MD said:
Now you should do the same thing in red, for every shot.
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Ahhh, no. That is plain crazy. Name one pro who does this? My only problem right now is missing some backcut balls.

The actual full aiming systems seem like a big waste of time to me, since I have no trouble making 90% of shots consistently with ghost ball aiming.

I honestly can't imagine during a game figuring what zone the object ball is in, only then to do some subtraction to figure what type of ball hit to use. Yikes. Talk about taking the fun out of the game!


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Get_A_Grip said:
Ahhh, no. That is plain crazy. Name one pro who does this? My only problem right now is missing some backcut balls.

The actual full aiming systems seem like a big waste of time to me, since I have no trouble making 90% of shots consistently with ghost ball aiming.

I honestly can't imagine during a game figuring what zone the object ball is in, only then to do some subtraction to figure what type of ball hit to use. Yikes. Talk about taking the fun out of the game!


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Did you get a copy of Poolology online and read it?
 
Just practice them until you can put a confident stroke on it. No different then any other shot.

Hit em with inside.
Hit em with outside.
Hit em with draw.
Hit em with follow.
Make them your b!#$*

*Always tell the cueball where you want him to land before you hit em

All this aim buisness seems to only complicate what your brain already knows how to do.
 
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Get_A_Grip said:
Well yeah. That's a given. But I'm having trouble aiming at backcut shots. I just can't see the contact point as naturally as all other shots.




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Set them up and shoot them until you can see them naturally. There are pool shots that need more feel than others.

Lou Figueroa
 
lfigueroa said:
Set them up and shoot them until you can see them naturally. There are pool shots that need more feel than others.

Lou Figueroa
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Actually, over the last couple days I've done exactly that. I've come to realize that the ones that I'm missing, I'm just not spending enough time getting a good look at the OB and seeing the contact point. The extreme backcuts are definitely some of the toughest shots on the table though, at least for me.
 
Dan White said:
If you can divide a number in half, then Poolology is for you. Several people have mentioned that finding a half ball hit will give you a good reference point, and that you just have to learn what path the ob takes when you hit a half ball hit. If you can recognize that, you can adjust from there on back cuts. I think the thing many people here don't realize is that if you can divide a number in half, then Poolology TELLS YOU whether the shot can be pocketed with a half ball hit or not. You can use Poolology like a half ball hit detector. You'll know quickly whether it is half ball, or maybe a little thinner or thicker.

It's simple and gives you a head start on learning the cuts intuitively, and I don't see anything else out there that can give you an objective reference like that.
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I can't recall where I heard or read this but someone pointed out an analogy to a flight of stairs for a half ball hit. We are so used to seeing stairs at the proper angle required by building codes that when they are even slightly steep or shallow we know it by sight. Our brain is trained. Imagine a half ball angle like a proper flight of stairs. Learn what it looks like. Suddenly a light will click on and you will see it all over the table. And when it's steep you will recognize it. Same with shallow. You can then make slight adjustments in the half ball aim to compensate for the difference.

No "detector" needed. If you put your mind to it to learn it then you will see it too just as sure as you can tell when a flight of stairs is on or off. And you will be amazed at how often shots you shoot are right there.

JC
 
JC said:
I can't recall where I heard or read this but someone pointed out an analogy to a flight of stairs for a half ball hit. We are so used to seeing stairs at the proper angle required by building codes that when they are even slightly steep or shallow we know it by sight. Our brain is trained. Imagine a half ball angle like a proper flight of stairs. Learn what it looks like. Suddenly a light will click on and you will see it all over the table. And when it's steep you will recognize it. Same with shallow. You can then make slight adjustments in the half ball aim to compensate for the difference.

No "detector" needed. If you put your mind to it to learn it then you will see it too just as sure as you can tell when a flight of stairs is on or off. And you will be amazed at how often shots you shoot are right there.

JC
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I am one of those guys who says "I don't need no stinkin' aiming system." I have played long enough that I just see the shots. However, I do miss back cuts more than any other shot. I found that Poolology helped immediately with these shots for me. Just start with the Zone A shots and play around with it. It's not nearly as complicated as the OP is making it out to be. If you only want to use it to help train your eye for half ball hits, then only use it for calculating whether you are on a half ball, or thinner or thicker. This should take all of about 4 seconds. The system is sold as a way to help train your eye more quickly than just HAMB alone.
 
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Dan White said:
I am one of those guys who says "I don't need no stinkin' aiming system." I have played long enough that I just see the shots. However, I do miss back cuts more than any other shot. I found that Poolology helped immediately with these shots for me. Just start with the Zone A shots and play around with it. It's not nearly as complicated as the OP is making it out to be. If you only want to use it to help train your eye for half ball hits, then only use it for calculating whether you are on a half ball, or thinner or thicker. This should take all of about 4 seconds. The system is sold as a way to help train your eye more quickly than just HAMB alone.
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Yes, back cuts can be easier if it happens to be sitting on 1/2 ball cuts, but usually it won't be. The other short cut is to do the work. Practice back cuts.
 
Name a pro that isn't consistent in what they do when the approach every shot, and I will show you dead money.

A solid PSR goes a long way to consistency, and the best thing about it, it works regardless of what aiming system you use.

Sorry I don't have the magic pill for you, except to say practice, practice, practice.

Get_A_Grip said:
Ahhh, no. That is plain crazy. Name one pro who does this? My only problem right now is missing some backcut balls.

The actual full aiming systems seem like a big waste of time to me, since I have no trouble making 90% of shots consistently with ghost ball aiming.

I honestly can't imagine during a game figuring what zone the object ball is in, only then to do some subtraction to figure what type of ball hit to use. Yikes. Talk about taking the fun out of the game!


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Tony_in_MD said:
Name a pro that isn't consistent in what they do when the approach every shot, and I will show you dead money.

A solid PSR goes a long way to consistency, and the best thing about it, it works regardless of what aiming system you use.

Sorry I don't have the magic pill for you, except to say practice, practice, practice.
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You said to get behind EVERY OB with your cue to find the contact point. That is just silly. I am an advanced player already and was just looking to see if anyone had any tricks for backcuts.


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Yes I did, didn't you say it worked for you on the back cuts? Why would you not want to do the same for the rest?

Consistency my friend, no tricks necessary.

Get_A_Grip said:
You said to get behind EVERY OB with your cue to find the contact point. That is just silly. I am an advanced player already and was just looking to see if anyone had any tricks for backcuts.


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Have you tried video recording yourself hitting some backcuts in practice?
Maybe you have some funny buisness going on in your psr for these shots.
Are you popping up, always missing to the inside/outside, etc.?

Maybe try video to self diagnose.
Shortcuts are usually not realistic in my experience.
 
couldnthinkof01 said:
Have you tried video recording yourself hitting some backcuts in practice?
Maybe you have some funny buisness going on in your psr for these shots.
Are you popping up, always missing to the inside/outside, etc.?

Maybe try video to self diagnose.
Shortcuts are usually not realistic in my experience.
Click to expand...

I've already figured out the reason. Backcut balls need extra attention to view the contact point from above and/or behind the OB. The ones I was missing in games I believe were a result of getting down on the shot too quickly.


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