How do I aim better???

3

3c4ever

Registered
I have a question to ask everyone:

My aiming is not very good, very often i hit the object ball too thin and other times too thick. And the funny thing is that most of the time i dont even know why. I aim it straigth but still miss the target.

is hitting the correct amount of thickness on the object ball very important?
What might be the problem?
Is there any technique to help to better aiming??

Thanks.
 
Hi there,

First: good fundamentals/basics are necessary for any kind of billiards-no matter if we re talking about carom, pool, snooker etc.

So it would be a good choice to find a qualified person (instructor or very advanced player) who could help you out of here. From that what you wrote it wouldn t be serious to recommend you something my friend. Perhaps it s your stroke- perhaps it s really about your aiming- or just aligning is *not so good*.

To spend some dollars for a good instructor is an investment you ll profit your whole life. I can just recommend to do it. He will/can help you to detect your problem (detecting is what they re paid for ^^).
For example Scott Lee, pollctrl or RandyG could be highly recommended for a person like you-they work with video-analysis which is very helpful.

Hope this helps,

lg from overseas,

ingo
 
From my experience(and this was something I used to do ALL the time), having your cue level to your waist improves accuracy and control. A lot of people, especially tall people like myself, have a tendancy to aim -down- on the cue ball a little. This creates a bit of downward pressure and can throw your shot off.

Another bad habit I used to have was holding the butt of my cue cradled in my fingers, instead of holding it firmly. This can cause the cue to slip and sometimes fall out of your hands, even if it's more comfortable.

Additionally, having a good platform to shoot off is fundamental in having a steady and accurate shot. Some people like to rest the cue shaft between their index finger and thumb, having their palm resting on the table and knuckles pointed up, like this:

AAGV001016.jpg


I sometimes shoot like this, if only for how comfortable it is. However, when making shots you need to either shoot hard or put some english on, this can cause you to miscue. A lot of times when I shot like this, my cue would angle up and throw my shot off. So when I'm really looking for accuracy I'll curl my index finger around the cue for stability like this:

billiard-cuing-techniques-800X800.jpg


Hope this helps. These are things I slowly picked up on from older, more experienced players than myself.
 
3c4ever said:
I have a question to ask everyone:

My aiming is not very good, very often i hit the object ball too thin and other times too thick. And the funny thing is that most of the time i dont even know why. I aim it straigth but still miss the target.

is hitting the correct amount of thickness on the object ball very important?
What might be the problem?
Is there any technique to help to better aiming??

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I have a question, does your aiming problems happen when you are applying left & right spin only, or when you hit the cueball in the center? If it's when you hit the cueball in the center, you are aligned incorrectly or your stroke is flawed (not straight through to the target. If your problem shows up when applying left and right english (spin), than it could be a cueball deflection issue. When you apply left spin, the cueball initially squirts to the right; when you apply right spin, the cueball initially squirts to the left. How much depends on many factors including speed.


If you can hit where you aim when cueing center ball, you should seek help w/an instructor to help you undersatnd what spin does to the cue ball, or you have a cue that is not right for the weight & size of the billiard balls.

I hope this is not too basic for your question, if so I apologize. Good luck.

Dave
 
A good, cheap, training aid to keep a straight stroke is to grab an empty water bottle or gatorade or whatever, lay it down on its side and just practice the stroke with the cue entering the mouth of the bottle without touching the sides.

Also, in addition to 12^2's response, the deflection variance comes down to the shaft on your cue. Everybody hits the ball a little differently so different cues work better than others for you. Try making razor thin hits with different cues and from different distances away (with some english applied). You will probably notice a difference in the hit. I recently changed to a new shaft design and noticed right away my paper thin cuts because dramatically easier.
 
I feel your pain. I have been working hard at pool for 6 years and I still don't have the ability to fine tune my cuts and it is even worse with 3C.

Trying to visualize your contact point on a big solid red color ball is virtually impossible for me. I hope you do better.

As to instructors, in all deference to the very learned and talented folks that populate this site, I have had several and have come to the conclusion that the no one can teach you to shoot. Either you got it or or you don't . I don't myself, but I am a masochist so I keep coming back for more.

That said, all of the suggestions in the thread so far are great and very important. If you are not doing them, you should be. If you are doing all of them, then you might be in the same boat as me :)

A lot of folks can instruct on the finer points and strategy, but when it comes to shooting and executing with consistency, that will have to come from you I suspect. At least that has been my experience. I'm sure I will be taken to task for that statement but my personal experience backs it up.

I hope you do better than I have and in a hell of a lot less time. :embarrassed2:

Best of luck to you.
 
Last edited:
3c4ever said:
I have a question to ask everyone:

My aiming is not very good, very often i hit the object ball too thin and other times too thick. And the funny thing is that most of the time i dont even know why. I aim it straigth but still miss the target.

is hitting the correct amount of thickness on the object ball very important?
What might be the problem?
Is there any technique to help to better aiming??

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Try practicing with your eyes shut........if you do so and actually make a few billiards [which you will do] then when you shoot with your eyes open you will at least be more confident in your abilities......something that you seem to be sadly lacking at the present time............
Dieckman <------- If at first you don't succeed try, try again......
Einstein <------ Doing the same thing over and over and getting the same result, yet expecting something different is the true sign of insanity
Dieckman <------ so why did you paint your front door red ??
 
Dieck-a-man said:
Try practicing with your eyes shut........if you do so and actually make a few billiards [which you will do] then when you shoot with your eyes open you will at least be more confident in your abilities......something that you seem to be sadly lacking at the present time............
Dieckman <------- If at first you don't succeed try, try again......
Einstein <------ Doing the same thing over and over and getting the same result, yet expecting something different is the true sign of insanity
Dieckman <------ so why did you paint your front door red ??
Click to expand...

Hey Dennis, Don't sugar coat it or anything :grin: I have tried what you suggest but maybe the OP has not. He is probably much more talented than I am.

Give your cat my best. :D
 
Work on Fundamentals improvement. Stance Bridge Stroke PSR
Practice feathering balls from all distances.
Find the CB Center: Do the drill CB on spot - hit center short rail diamond - CB rolls over spot.
Pay attention to where your tip lands after your stroke.
Pay attention to results and adjust.
Avoid just banging shots. Choose specific shots and practice over and over. Pay attention.
 
@3C4Ever, Again as a rank beginner myself one thing I have gleaned that goes to your original question "is hitting the correct amount of thickness on the object ball very important? "

There are three elements that you as a player can control.
  • The speed of your stroke
  • The kind and amount, if any, of English you apply to the cue ball.
  • THe amount of cut you take on the object ball

Each of the three are equally important and depending on the amount of each that you apply to the shot, the result will be different.

I suspect consistency in all three and understanding how to combine all three is what makes you a proficient billiards player.

At least, so I have heard. :embarrassed2:
 
Broken down

3c4ever said:
I have a question to ask everyone:

My aiming is not very good, very often i hit the object ball too thin and other times too thick.

I aim it straight but still miss the target.
Are you really. Sometimes we think all is well fundamentally but????

is hitting the correct amount of thickness on the object ball very important?
Depends on the layout. A good % of shots can be scored with a 1/2 ball hit. But 1/2 ball can cause kisses and undesired position.

What might be the problem?
Body alignment, Straightness of stroke.

A side bar: Shot selection is a major part of the game. Most of us need work here. A simple rule of thumb is try to avoid manufacturing angles. Try to work with the natural angles a layout presents. Not always possible, but try.

Is there any technique to help to better aiming??
Thoroughly survey the shot. Walk the 10 feet to the other end of the table. Top pros spend way more time than amateurs.

Get in touch with a quality instructor. There's plenty of them on this forum. Some travel the country. Ya they teach pool but most enjoy 3C. More importantly they can analyze problems and get you on the right path long before any of this will help.
Click to expand...
 
Much much appreciate all the advice that everyone said here. Some are new and some sound familiar but still great advices. I'll try to understand the points/concepts and move on with practice.

I did have a little bit of instruction about 3Cushion, but never had someone show me how to aim so it's something that i'm very curious about and try to improve. I guess having an instructor to watch me when i shoot and tell me what i do wrong will help a lot as i can hardly tell what i do wrong when shooting.

With no english the hit is not bad but with English it got worse, and still confuse on how to compensate for cue ball curve. I will check and pay more attention to all the basics and be more aware when i practice.

I play with Pro69 Longoni shaft, it's pretty good shaft.

Thanks again...
 
It what I do...........

3c4ever said:
I have a question to ask everyone:

My aiming is not very good, very often i hit the object ball too thin and other times too thick. And the funny thing is that most of the time i dont even know why. I aim it straigth but still miss the target.

is hitting the correct amount of thickness on the object ball very important?
What might be the problem?
Is there any technique to help to better aiming??

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Hi there,

This is what I do. Teach players how to aim.

I'm at Romines High Pockets in Milwaukee doing lessons until this Sunday.

Give me a call and I'll see if I can help you. I think I can.

715-563-8712 anytime after 2:00 PM.

Talk to you soon Geno............
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top