Hard to Find the Center of the Cue Ball

maha said:
if you cant hit the exact center of the cueball that means you are putting more or less english in either direction than you realize on every shot you shoot. except the rare times you do hit the center.

which obviously makes you miss balls you think you hit well. the more off center your shots are that you dont know about, the more you miss and miss farther off.
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It's nore fun playing with juice than without, for me anyway. But when playing for the rent, I wouldn't advise it. Just stay close to center, roll it around a bit, maybe tweak a little low, thats about it. Park your ass mid table, play angle and speed. Big ol cue ball. Tip only covers a small piece, but what a piece it is!!
 
straightline said:
Makes me think TOI is just cover for a natural tendency. Can't have the top players doing anything unintentionally now can we?

I started using outside on unfrozen shots down the rail after stubbornly missing 40% maybe more with center ball. It's entirely a throw thing - bad climate control, worn cloth, room has front door squad...
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Few people even consider room conditions. One of the tricks of the trade and one a traveling man learns. I have mentioned many times the lighting in the closest bar to my house. Unusually strong sidelight made the balls seem maybe a sixty-fourth or less over from where they really were. People didn't notice on most shots, it would bite somebody in the ass when they needed a tough shot perfect for all the marbles. Not something I mentioned to many, I had to learn so did they!

Another hall had the main table by an unshielded picture window. For about forty-five minutes a safety was anywhere along one long rail. Bend over without squinting your eyes to slits first and your eyes were toast for a game or two. It was a safety++ to trick somebody into looking into the sun eyes wide open. Another place, climate control blowing on just one side of a table was murder on an unsuspecting banks or one pocket player in particular. One half of the table had soft cushions, the other side they were like bricks!

There was an old time road man that would sneak his personal set of balls into big matches. He would sometimes refuse a tough match if he couldn't get at least his cue ball into the game.

Shots down the rail, touching or not, became almost unmissable when I quit shooting at the front corner of the pocket and started shooting at the middle of the back pocket wall I could see clearly. I first learned to move out a little when the old ten footers with unequal pockets would bounce out into the table when rolling past a side pocket tight on a rail. It was one of my checks for years to see if balls went past the side pockets cleanly or not.

If one player reads the table and the room, often the cue ball too, and the other doesn't, the careful player will win some games just by observation. If you are really a cold hearted bastard you can bait people into taking these bad shots, not that I personally ever did such a thing!grin)

Hu
 
ChrisinNC said:
Obviously I agree, so does that mean to forget about trying to hit center ball and accept that I should hit most shots with some degree of left or right, or to keep practicing my stroke on hitting center ball?

At age 69, I’m currently having issues dealing with a 10 year old shoulder replacement that is wearing out, so my practice time is very limited as I consider whether it’s worth it’s getting revision replacement surgery.

For now I think I’m better off giving up on worrying about striking center ball and stick with applying a little inside or outside even when it’s not needed for positioning. And for myself as opposed to most, that preference is often using inside.
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Whatever you enjoy and works for you, stick with it. At your age, enjoyment should be the focus, yes??
 
ChrisinNC said:
Obviously I agree, so does that mean to forget about trying to hit center ball and accept that I should hit most shots with some degree of left or right, or to keep practicing my stroke on hitting center ball?

At age 69, I’m currently having issues dealing with a 10 year old shoulder replacement that is wearing out, so my practice time is very limited as I consider whether it’s worth it’s getting revision replacement surgery.

For now I think I’m better off giving up on worrying about striking center ball and stick with applying a little inside or outside even when it’s not needed for positioning. And for myself as opposed to most, that preference is often using inside
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straightline said:
Ok. Center ball is a figment. Hold the cue ball at eye level - or anywhere comfortable. Place a second ball on top. Balance for 40 seconds. If this is too easy, try in a crowded bar...

Center ball might be a function of stroke and stroke speed.

What to do? It's on you.
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I like spending quiet nights stacking BBs.😉
 
ShootingArts said:
Few people even consider room conditions. One of the tricks of the trade and one a traveling man learns. I have mentioned many times the lighting in the closest bar to my house. Unusually strong sidelight made the balls seem maybe a sixty-fourth or less over from where they really were. People didn't notice on most shots, it would bite somebody in the ass when they needed a tough shot perfect for all the marbles. Not something I mentioned to many, I had to learn so did they!

Another hall had the main table by an unshielded picture window. For about forty-five minutes a safety was anywhere along one long rail. Bend over without squinting your eyes to slits first and your eyes were toast for a game or two. It was a safety++ to trick somebody into looking into the sun eyes wide open. Another place, climate control blowing on just one side of a table was murder on an unsuspecting banks or one pocket player in particular. One half of the table had soft cushions, the other side they were like bricks!

There was an old time road man that would sneak his personal set of balls into big matches. He would sometimes refuse a tough match if he couldn't get at least his cue ball into the game.

Shots down the rail, touching or not, became almost unmissable when I quit shooting at the front corner of the pocket and started shooting at the middle of the back pocket wall I could see clearly. I first learned to move out a little when the old ten footers with unequal pockets would bounce out into the table when rolling past a side pocket tight on a rail. It was one of my checks for years to see if balls went past the side pockets cleanly or not.

If one player reads the table and the room, often the cue ball too, and the other doesn't, the careful player will win some games just by observation. If you are really a cold hearted bastard you can bait people into taking these bad shots, not that I personally ever did such a thing!grin)

Hu
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You probably didnt have a go to in your case either, If you took a case. When possible, I try to match equipment to the conditions that day. Thats my go to. Or the best house cue i can find.😉
 
Mensabum said:
It's nore fun playing with juice than without, for me anyway. But when playing for the rent, I wouldn't advise it. Just stay close to center, roll it around a bit, maybe tweak a little low, thats about it. Park your ass mid table, play angle and speed. Big ol cue ball. Tip only covers a small piece, but what a piece it is!!
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I was a dead boring player to watch. Almost all shots under thirty inches, most under twenty-four. The cue ball rarely went around the table until the last shot or two when there was no traffic to tangle with. With that big cue ball you learned "draw for show, follow for dough" fast!

Hu
 
ShootingArts said:
Almost all shots under thirty inches, most under twenty-four.
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That reminds me of watching Ray Martin playing 9 ball. His cueball movements were always minimal and very precise. My assessment was his game shouted, "straight pool champion".
My earliest study of Mosconi's book led me to a drill that refined short draw to precision. Starting with A line of balls between the two side pockets and ball in hand on the first shoot them in order to the foot corner pockets. Cueball can't touch a rail. A drill that teaches how to apply the side in small precision manner to help when just a little out of line. The throw of the object ball and slight change of cueball path are worth studying.
 
ShootingArts said:
Gonna make a guess based on issues making the money ball. I missed the money ball far more than I should have for years. Finally figured it out. Every other shot, I played to make the ball and get shape. Money ball, I didn't need shape so I just played not to scratch. I was playing the money ball shot differently than any other shot!

I cured my problem by choosing a spot for shape when I shot the money ball, then it became just like any other shot.

For practice, shoot the spot to spot shot but put a gate to go through. Something else, put a ball near the cue ball's path. Keep getting it closer until you can almost rub it without the cue ball getting sucked into it.

99% certain your unconscious is causing your issues. Need to train it not to anticipate.

Hu
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What is even better is to imagine a second money ball sitting in front of a pocket in a convenient location. Then you end up playing the shot exactly the same as if you were playing for shape on a next ball. Playing to a spot is very similar but may not be exactly the same depending on if you play every shot to a spot you pick out or if you just play to windows.
 
ChrisinNC said:
I know center CB is advised when you don’t need spin for positioning, but I’ve found that particularly under pressure and late in the rack, even when CB position is not needed, it’s more comfortable for me to apply some inside or outside, as I’ve done my entire life as a pool player.

I’ve found that I’ve missed some really crucial easy 9 ball shots trying to convince myself to try to hit center ball, but then I guess subconsciously in the middle of the stroke I either accidentally apply spin and don’t adjust my aim point or visa versa, causing a miss. Does anyone else experience this?
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Yes....
By doing it this way, you miss more.
When doing a punch type hit you'll miss less.
Because... if your not in the center cb area then.
Outside cueing introduced spin, squirt.
Don't forget to include in you shot process before pulling the trigger, are the balls dirty is it humid, or ????? clean Or??
 
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gregcantrall said:
That reminds me of watching Ray Martin playing 9 ball. His cueball movements were always minimal and very precise. My assessment was his game shouted, "straight pool champion".
My earliest study of Mosconi's book led me to a drill that refined short draw to precision. Starting with A line of balls between the two side pockets and ball in hand on the first shoot them in order to the foot corner pockets. Cueball can't touch a rail. A drill that teaches how to apply the side in small precision manner to help when just a little out of line. The throw of the object ball and slight change of cueball path are worth studying.
Click to expand...

Three time world champion according to Wikipedia. Last I knew he still posts on here once in awhile. Funny to see people arguing with or correcting him!

While somebody else had the handle, Ray was always a smart player. Guaranteed to give you all you wanted and then some!

A gentleman and a scholar, of cue ball physics.

Hu
 
to get it straight it isnt about hitting most of your shots into the center of the cueball. it is about if you cant hit the cneter of the cueball you certainly cannot be accurate in any of your spots you want to hit.

and you strive to hit the centerline of the cue ball unless you have a good reason not to. as that gives you the most accurate hit and avoids the other pitfalls as said above.

the better you get the more you can deviate and still hit your spot and adjust for the variations that the cueball and object ball will both do.
 
The precision of the strike to the white is key.
I learned to snap a football 15 yards between my legs while looking straight ahead. So providing a precision strike to the white while looking distant was reasonably learned. Mosconi said 🤷‍♂️ I took that method to the top in my ratings log. Now I employ a method or eye patern similar to.
John Higgins
Mark Williams
Stephen Hendry
Mark Allen
Well that's a pretty good lead off line up.
Of course the GOAT is in reserve on the bench , in case of emergency. Ronnie did say either or to which ball last question. 🤷‍♂️ 😉
 
Uh oh snooker is up and lessons available at 12, oops I am late.
Wst.tv is where a 14 dollar lessons are coming on now.
 
"A rare break by a rare talent." Zhao fires off a 146. Rare by 140th ever recorded.
He sure is purty to watch.
 
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