That's perfectly understandable, and probably true for everybody. I think both are "references" that shooters use to orient themselves so they can estimate the actual aim line - and there are tradeoffs for using one over the other.
Although seeing the ghost ball center is probably at least a little more difficult for everybody, once you've found it to the best of your ability you've found the "shot line" - no more aiming steps/estimations required.
On the other hand, while seeing edges and centers is probably at least a little easier for everybody, finding the "shot line" doesn't end with seeing them - there are additional system steps/estimations to perform accurately (CTE's "visuals" and "pivot").
I can easily see how some players are better at one and some at the other - neither seems inherently "best" for anybody.
pj
chgo
I think that's a great summary PJ. The only thing I would disagree with is the "additional system steps/estimations" part.
The "visuals" part is one and the same with observing the edges/centers and aim points, and as you said for me and others this seems to be easier to visualize than the ghost ball concept. It's no different really in terms of estimating the correct aim line, you either have to "see" the ghost ball/contact point or "see" the correct visuals.
Once locked in, you still have to move into the shot since you are aiming while standing. There's no more "estimating" going on with CTE/Pro1 than there is with ghost ball, just a different movement. You still have to let your eyes lead your body into the shot, the only difference is with ghost ball you are trying to go straight down a visual line and with CTE you are going straight down your visual line offset to center, then once down on the shot performing a pivot. Or with Pro1, simply rotating or leaning into the shot as opposed to getting straight down on it.
I do not try and vary my approach in order to accomplish shots within certain ranges, if anything making a poor body movement into the shot is a recipe for missing. If there is some sort of trick going on that allows this to all work, or I'm estimating without knowing it, then our eye/brain connection is truly a wonderful and complex thing. I know for me once I pick up the visual all of my focus is on getting to center cue ball, I look there the entire time and only after arriving down on the shot and taking a few warmup strokes do I look up at the OB. Then I see that I ended up on the correct line and I'm ready to shoot.
You and I have not found a reason to "go at one another", and I appreciate your interest and questions/conversations. I do understand your viewpoint because I'm normally the same way. Had I not taken this to the table and really tried it I certainly wouldn't have gotten it. I still wonder sometimes what's going on and try hard not to overthink it. I'm willing to remain agnostic with regards to exactly how it works or if there might be some hidden estimation going on that I'm unaware of, but I can certainly attest that it does work and has improved my shot making over my old ghost ball type method. And it's not from just a more standardized PSR-type approach - frankly, my old method was more comfortable for me and I can't use that with CTE/Pro1. There's just something that has me feeling locked in on the shot line with this approach, and I'm able to approach tough shots, banks, etc. with the same confidence and expectation that I do typical shots, which is something I could not do with my old method.
Scott