Here is my aiming method, I call it edge to edge aiming, might work for you!!

[manwon]

Hu I did try it. I do like it! New to me no doubt....I'm strictly a ghost baller or feel player.
This is why I love having a table at home...can just read it and try it. Instant results lol.

I put a an ob on the break spot and the cb on the same head string one diamonds distance away (towards the side rail) and started cutting balls into the corner using this approach. Not all of em...but quite a dam few...and this ain't the worlds most simple cut.

One thing is not clear though. In the shot diiscribed above if I line up left edge to left and right to right....I'm aiming directly into the opposing head string diamond. If I am down on the shot at that point I have to stand up and adjust for aiming left edge to contact point. Or should the "double edge aligning" happen before the shot is approached? Its not clear when reading post one.

I did try it both ways many tiimes...and both showed good potential.

One thing is not clear though. In the shot diiscribed above if I line up left edge to left and right to right....I'm aiming directly into the opposing head string diamond. If I am down on the shot at that point I have to stand up and adjust for aiming left edge to contact point. Or should the "double edge aligning" happen before the shot is approached? Its not clear when reading post one.

When I set up at the table I always line up left edge to left edge and right edge to right edge and this is when I first get down on the shot. At this point I use my peripheral vision and I have a clear picture of the both the cue ball, the object ball and where my tip is striking the cue ball. From here I make a mental line to where I want to contact the pocket that is drawn from the center of the object ball to that point still using my peripheral vision , then I use the inside edge of the cue ball which faces that pockets direction and aim it at the line going through the object ball. I also use the tip of my cue to line up the edge of the cue ball and my contact point on the object ball, I use this method for all cut shots thin or thick it doesn't matter.

Now when I say I line up using my tip, what I mean is that once my shot is aligned my tip is pointing through the cue ball to my perceived contact point on the object ball. If the object ball is straight in I line up in the same manner as described above, however, I also use center top of the object ball and the center top of the cue ball as an additional reference point.

I personally think all aiming systems can work if the person who uses it understands what they should see when looking at the table and their shot. But, I also think that for an aiming system to be effective it must be tailored made and easy to learn for any beginning pool player. For me the method I am using is very simple and in addition it appears that many who have posted to this thread use some variation of it effectively, which is good to hear, however, either way I hope it helps some who may be looking for analternative aiming method.

Thanks for posting to my thread.

 

[manwon]

I don't think very many people will be interested in trying it, Craig. It's too simple. :wink:

Roger

Thanks for your post Roger!!

 

[manwon]

When I read this over in the morning light this is pretty much the way I play. I see the cue ball as pushing the object ball into the pocket hitting the edge furthest away from the pocket. It is hilarious watching me set up half ball, third ball, quarter ball shots and trying to pocket balls by fractions. I can't pocket a ball from two diamonds away from the hole, it just isn't the way I see things. I see all of these shots as you say, as essentially the same hit. The angle going to it is different but I'm hitting the object ball in the same place, 180 degrees from the pocket.

Hu

You know it is funny Hu, I was just hitting some balls last night and I started thinking about how I aim. I suspect that it was because of all the recent posts about aiming. I hope the way I have laid things out is clear so that anyone can try this method, I am also glad that many others including yourself find this method functional.

Thanks for your post.

 

[manwon]

You're a genius. Simple. Elegant. Useable. All of the diagrams and actual configuration drawings along with a mathematically equation just isn't practical under most situations. Just make the balls with what you've learned over the years from better players. That is a good "system."

I glad you enjoyed reading it, I saw your thread about aiming methods and I do understand what you saying. It all comes down to one simple fact it must be simple and easy to understand, nothing is more important than finding a way that works for each of us to make balls Consistently.

Thanks for your post

 

[ScottR]

One thing is not clear though. In the shot diiscribed above if I line up left edge to left and right to right....I'm aiming directly into the opposing head string diamond. If I am down on the shot at that point I have to stand up and adjust for aiming left edge to contact point. Or should the "double edge aligning" happen before the shot is approached? Its not clear when reading post one.

When I set up at the table I always line up left edge to left edge and right edge to right edge and this is when I first get down on the shot. At this point I use my peripheral vision and I have a clear picture of the both the cue ball, the object ball and where my tip is striking the cue ball. From here I make a mental line to where I want to contact the pocket that is drawn from the center of the object ball to that point still using my peripheral vision , then I use the inside edge of the cue ball which faces that pockets direction and aim it at the line going through the object ball. I also use the tip of my cue to line up the edge of the cue ball and my contact point on the object ball, I use this method for all cut shots thin or thick it doesn't matter.

Now when I say I line up using my tip, what I mean is that once my shot is aligned my tip is pointing through the cue ball to my perceived contact point on the object ball. If the object ball is straight in I line up in the same manner as described above, however, I also use center top of the object ball and the center top of the cue ball as an additional reference point.

I personally think all aiming systems can work if the person who uses it understands what they should see when looking at the table and their shot. But, I also think that for an aiming system to be effective it must be tailored made and easy to learn for any beginning pool player. For me the method I am using is very simple and in addition it appears that many who have posted to this thread use some variation of it effectively, which is good to hear, however, either way I hope it helps some who may be looking for analternative aiming method.

Thanks for posting to my thread.

Craig, do I understand correctly that after you are down on the shot with your initial left-edge and right-edge lined up, you are physically moving some part(s) of your body to align one edge with your contact point on the object ball? In other words, are your actions:

1. line up both edges
2. get down on the shot
3. adjust your aim (by moving ???) by aligning the cue ball edge on the pocket side to the contact(?) point on the object ball
4. stroke with center ball, or no more than 1 tip of english

One other picky line of questioning: How do you align both the edges at the same time when the object ball will always appear smaller than the cue ball because it is further away? If you line up one edge, the opposite edge on the cue ball will appear to be "outside" its corresponding edge on the object ball.

Thanks and great thread!

Scott

 

[Thunderball]

3. adjust your aim (by moving ???)

This is kinda where I'm stuck too. When I apply this every time it starts as a center ball to center ball hit. After all....if the left is lined to the left edge of the ob and the same with the right...then of course the centers are lined up as well. So I stand up and readjust from there.

But for some damn reason this works great...even if I'm getting it the method wrong.

I have never aimed with edges. Perhaps some of where the confusion that lies with cte is found here, but I kinda "get it" now.

When trying to explain this to a buddy, who was just as confused as possible at the table, I explained it like this:

Just use the left edge to cut right and vicey versy....aim that edge at the contact point. That extreme edge is NOT going to hit the contact point....but if you aim it there...the right part of the cb will. This did not exactly get him there,but that got the wheels turning in the right direction.

Then it occured to me that this is quite a bit like shooting a rifle with fixed sights. This is method of aiming offers a "rear sight" ....and hence a "sight picture". Using that analogy, ghost ball only offers use of a front sight.

With that...and a picture or two drawn (that looked suspiciously like ones I've seen here but didn't understand at all lol) he got it. Presto bango he's applying it well.

Its not a fix all and of coarse any other flaws in your game will still remain, but if in stroke...this is the triple nuts of aiming as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Mikjary]

I glad you enjoyed reading it, I saw your thread about aiming methods and I do understand what you saying. It all comes down to one simple fact it must be simple and easy to understand, nothing is more important than finding a way that works for each of us to make balls Consistently.

Thanks for your post

Craig,

I'm not following you. I must have missed something. When do I pivot?

Best,
Mike