How Do You Aim?

[rubell]

I have few aiming methods in my pocket and some work better for some positions than others for me, probably due specifics of my abilities and perception. I like to do something simple, like taking C2C, C2E and E2OppositeE for extremely thin cuts as my reference points. Sometimes I need to see a contact point. In all cases I try to feel the position before finalizing decision how I perform a shot.

Then after each shot, successful or not, I am taking a mental note how it felt and try to adjust if needed the next time. As a result on some set of shots I am not thinking how I aim. I just know how to aim. The critical part in what I do is a pre-shot routine and ability to shoot straight to perfect the stroke and align visual center. Recently I started applying TOI to my shots and like it a lot.

To practice strokes I combine progressive drills where the next position depends on a success of the previous one and also regular drills with hitting a ball from different positions and distances.

 

[Ratta]

That's how a lot of world class snooker players aim. They just have a natural feel for the angle. I envy you. I can judge most angles, maybe 80% of the time but the other 20% of the time I completely misjudge the required potting angle. I think I play slightly too slow for this, and I definitely over think things.

To jump in shortly on your posting
What you call here *natural feeling* is learnt through a *high amount of repetitions*. So what here seems to be natural are just situations, the player has shot over and over again- somehow he made his own visual judgements and he furthermore learnt his own personal reference shots/lines.
If he s using back of the ball /contact to contact or however-well, thats just a matter of when and how he learnt it- or better said, how he was able to work it out for himself.

I talked to numerous players, instructors etc about aiming. We would (imo) agree, that the sentence *use what works for you* is a very true statement.
But knowledge is also real power. So an aiming system is something a player can *fall back to*, if he s under pressure, and if he s not able to pull out the correct picture of the shot in the pressure-situation. Once you re in this so called *Zone/Flow* (i use it here as one term ) you re just able to pick the right picture out of your brain without a doubt, without requesting, analyzing the shot.
If you start to overthink......you ve started somehow to struggle- THEN an aiming system is a chance to get back inline, to let your *believe* again.

Hope makes sense for you-and hope it was readable enough

lg from overseas,

ingo

 

[Ratta]

@Topic

i use contact-to-contact point, stick-aiming, ferrule-aiming, pro-1 and 90/90.
All based on how the situation is. The ghostball just comes into the ring, as soon as i have to plan combinations- or planning position where the tangent-line is needed.

But one i know the *spot* where i m going to shoot cueball at:
I stand behind the *line of aim* on the striking line. And i (hopefully, lol) step always the same way from behind into the shot, sliding into my Set-Position.

Just if i use pro-1 or 90/90 (on some shots!) i have a bit different offset position and of course then also a different way to slide into the shot.

 

[Pidge]

@Topic

i use contact-to-contact point, stick-aiming, ferrule-aiming, pro-1 and 90/90.
All based on how the situation is. The ghostball just comes into the ring, as soon as i have to plan combinations- or planning position where the tangent-line is needed.

But one i know the *spot* where i m going to shoot cueball at:
I stand behind the *line of aim* on the striking line. And i (hopefully, lol) step always the same way from behind into the shot, sliding into my Set-Position.

Just if i use pro-1 or 90/90 (on some shots!) i have a bit different offset position and of course then also a different way to slide into the shot.

I've had hundreds of hours of snooker lessons and the only aiming I was taught was fractional aiming. If something like Pro One was taught at snooker academies then more players would make it pro, or atleast become decent amateurs IMO. It was basically very cut throat the way I was taught; if you can't see the shot line then you need to find a new sport.

You quickly realise as a kid how to stand behind certain shots to give you the clearest picture. I could never see the shot line to start, and still have trouble now but I would spend hours at the table trying to create something repeatable to I could use for every single shot that came up. I eventually did after years of trying. How I aim isn't so much a system it just gets me into the same position in relation to every shot I take that allows me to see my line of aim. CTE does this, and so do a few other systems.

It wasn't until I started ghost reading this site that I found out about CTE, SEE, 90/90, parallel aiming, stick based aiming and all the other ways to aim. It really did open up my eyes and I couldn't stop reading and watching DVDs about them. Now, I know and can use about 80% of the aiming systems out there. That by itself is priceless. Sometimes ill fall back to one way of aiming if another way isn't quite working for me. Other days I feel like I can play with my eyes closed, and no thought is put into getting the ball in the hole, it just goes in. The more knowledge I have is undoubtedly better for my overall game.

Your replies were perfectly clear Ratta, and thanks for them

 

[Ralph Kramden]

So yeah, please feel free to post how you aim and past experiences you've had with aiming systems.

Cheers.

I aim with the front edge of the CB. Not many people can understand how I can even say that. I just
aim to hit certain spots on the OB with the front edge of the CB. Hit dead center, the OB goes straight.

Aim the CB center at the OB edge, the OB goes 30 degrees. Aim the CB center to hit the OB halfway
between the center and edge, the OB goes 15 degrees. Aim the CB to hit between the halfway point
and OB center, the OB goes 7 degrees. The CB front edge will contact the OB to travel these angles.

Angles to the pocket line are tweaked from these angles. The 30 degree angle is the one to recognize.

 

[CJ Wiley]

it's not like shooting a rifle, it's like shooting a pistol instinctively.

I'm assuming you know how your vision centre is aligned over your cue when down? If so then I wouldn't worry about it and just get into centre ball then align yourself into the normal position over your cue.

I personally just move in towards CCB. My vision centre is drawn to CCB naturally because once I'm ready to step in, all I'm looking at is CCB. Once I find CCB whilst standing I ignore the contact point - inside edge line. All I focus on is CCB, then step in and get down. Some days it helps if I look down, so I can't see the OB, just the CB. Other days it helps if I have the OB in my peripheral vision.

The same is true for shots where you can't see the pocket when down on a shot. I always point my head down slightly so I can't see the OB and just focus on the CB, and once I get into CCB I don't move an inch and just trust that I've aligned properly. If I have the OB in my vision on these shots it causes me all kinds of problems

Like many players that struggle with ball pocketing you are too visual.....the trick is "feeling with your eyes".....don't "look" for the answer or the secret, try to feel the connection between the cue ball and object ball.....create the angle, it's not like shooting a rifle, it's like shooting a pistol instinctively.

 

[Ratta]

Like many players that struggle with ball pocketing you are too visual.....the trick is "feeling with your eyes".....don't "look" for the answer or the secret, try to feel the connection between the cue ball and object ball.....create the angle, it's not like shooting a rifle, it's like shooting a pistol instinctively.

The often used sentence "Lead the eyes lead, and your body will follow" is something every player should think about and finally..........TRUST.
To trust yourself and self-belief is the key to success. It can be a terrible long journey to get there.
I had a big smile on my face when i read this sentence here in a thread from Stan Shuffett- it immediatley made me remembering the first time one of the best carom players ever told me these true words. First i didn t pay attention to it- just later he was so nice and poked me a bit and explained a bit more. And the door was open

lg
Ingo

 

[Mitchxout]

That's how a lot of world class snooker players aim. They just have a natural feel for the angle. I envy you. I can judge most angles, maybe 80% of the time but the other 20% of the time I completely misjudge the required potting angle. I think I play slightly too slow for this, and I definitely over think things.

Study long, study wrong.

 

[randyg]

Study long, study wrong.

AMEN!

randyg

 

[Pidge]

Like many players that struggle with ball pocketing you are too visual.....the trick is "feeling with your eyes".....don't "look" for the answer or the secret, try to feel the connection between the cue ball and object ball.....create the angle, it's not like shooting a rifle, it's like shooting a pistol instinctively.

That went way over my head. I've never shot a rifle, or a pistol for that matter. How do you suggest I feel with my eyes? I imagine it may hurt

I think I do find the connection between the cue ball and object ball...
Inside edge to contact point - step into centre cue ball - whack it straight - watch the object ball drop (mostly )

Ïts not so much a way to aim, more of a PSR. There is no way lining up the cue balls inside edge to a contact point on a object ball that is extremely small is mathematically correct like some aiming systems out there. I can pocket balls for fun by "not thinking" but I get sloppy, this is why I go through the process I do. Makes me approach the CB the same each time; line up on the inside edge to X and drop into centre cue ball.

 

[jamesjr1963]

How about a slingshot?