How do you make SPF a habit?

[Scott Lee]

lawful777...There is a process of focusing for a couple seconds each, on the CB and OB (this is done after aiming, but before warmups). The eyes should not go back and forth during the warmups. Going back and forth during aiming is fine, but while you do your warmup swings your eyes should be focused only on the CB. Then, for most people, eyes to the target (OB), smooth backswing, pause, and accelerate the cuestick to your finish position. Then freeze for a brief moment to evaluate.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Thanks for the inquiries Randy, any suggestions can always improve my game. Not in anyway to sound ignorant, but I guess I don't intentionally think about that. I line up using my aiming methods and then go back and forth between OB and CB during my warmup strokes. I look back and forth during the CB pause to make sure I look dialed in on the shot, then shoot. Not sure if the last thing I see is the OB or CB or simultaneously both. To give you a definite answer, I would have to try some shots and intentionally concentrate and see which is the last one I look at. I know that it is supposed to be the OB but I think sometimes it ends up being the CB or a combination of both. Do you recommend a specific way of addressing this? Thanks Randy.

 

[lawful777]

lawful777...There is a process of focusing for a couple seconds each, on the CB and OB (this is done after aiming, but before warmups). The eyes should not go back and forth during the warmups. Going back and forth during aiming is fine, but while you do your warmup swings your eyes should be focused only on the CB. Then, for most people, eyes to the target (OB), smooth backswing, pause, and accelerate the cuestick to your finish position. Then freeze for a brief moment to evaluate.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Thanks Scott, I see where you're coming from. The more I think about it, the main point of looking at the OB for me is during aiming and then again at finish. I look at the CB during most of the actual warmup/shot. I don't deliberately shift back to the OB before backswing, although I must to some degree or would be missing everything right? I will have to check on this along with some aiming techniques I am working on. Thank you again for your assistance. John

 

[gunzby]

The best way I have found to make SPF a habit is through drills. I will do the following two drills (sometimes more drills and sometimes more than once) before I even start playing.

The first drill I do it with 9 balls and I do it sometimes 2 or 3 times before moving on to the next drill. Sometimes I will make 9 in a row and sometimes not, but I always concentrate on the SPF portion of the shot.

The next drill is with 15 balls and I do my best to make them consecutively without moving a ball. If I can't make the next ball I made my own rule that I can only skip one ball and the next ball has to be the one I skipped. I will do this until I make all 15 without missing. I might add that I do this on a triple shimmed Diamond.

CueTable Help

CueTable Help

On the second drill I made the extra rule that the first four balls and the last four balls have to made consecutively and in the same pocket just to make it harder. I'm sure that as I get better at this drill I will make new rules to make it new.