Is the Aiming Forum a Relic?

[dquarasr]

I normally(when missing) undercut when cut left side of ball and overcut when cutting to right.
One should practice more that side of cut which feel unnatural or more difficult.

DISCLAIMER: I am not an instructor, just a lowly APA SL6.

Sounds as though you are missing the same way; when cut left side and overcut, you are missing slightly cue ball right. When cut right side of ball, and undercut, you are also missing slightly cue ball right. At least that's how I understand how you've described it.

I have found that one cause could be a basic alignment problem. You can experiment with foot position. In my experience, missing consistently one side or the other means my feet were not in optimal position. You can try setting up shots and vary your feet position a few inches left or right of your "normal" positions and see if it helps. It did for me.

 

[The_JV]

I agree 100%.

I actually completely disagree...lol

Fundamentals have zero to do with aiming. Doesn't matter how good your natural mechanics are if you don't understand the physics of the collision between CB and OB. Considering all the potential variations of shots found on a pool table over the course of a lifetime of playing. If you remove the learning aspect of developing solid fundamentals then you could get it down to HAFHTB, (Hit A Few Hundred Thousand Balls). ...but the premise behind HAMB still remains.

On the more interesting topic. Those spec'ing anodes for their water heaters, should have their water tested prior. Not all anodes are created equal, and can be bought to perform more effectively for the water in your region.

 

[bbb]

I actually completely disagree...lol

Fundamentals have zero to do with aiming. Doesn't matter how good your natural mechanics are if you don't understand the physics of the collision between CB and OB. Considering all the potential variations of shots found on a pool table over the course of a lifetime of playing. If you remove the learning aspect of developing solid fundamentals then you could get it down to HAFHTB, (Hit A Few Hundred Thousand Balls). ...but the premise behind HAMB still remains.

On the more interesting topic. Those spec'ing anodes for their water heaters, should have their water tested prior. Not all anodes are created equal, and can be bought to perform more effectively for the water in your region.

technically i guess you are correct in that aiming is the process you do BEFORE your fundamentals play 100% of your success.
maybe not 100% but DEFINITELY more than zero.
because if you cant hit what you are aiming at you wont have too good a success rate
jmho
icbw

 

[Dan White]

On the more interesting topic. Those spec'ing anodes for their water heaters, should have their water tested prior. Not all anodes are created equal, and can be bought to perform more effectively for the water in your region.

The anode for the AZ forums is the Aiming (CTE) forum. I think it is comprised 100% of fool's gold.

 

[Pidge]

 

[Zerksies]

I actually completely disagree...lol

Fundamentals have zero to do with aiming. Doesn't matter how good your natural mechanics are if you don't understand the physics of the collision between CB and OB. Considering all the potential variations of shots found on a pool table over the course of a lifetime of playing. If you remove the learning aspect of developing solid fundamentals then you could get it down to HAFHTB, (Hit A Few Hundred Thousand Balls). ...but the premise behind HAMB still remains.

On the more interesting topic. Those spec'ing anodes for their water heaters, should have their water tested prior. Not all anodes are created equal, and can be bought to perform more effectively for the water in your region.

If you can't deliver a consistent shot you're not pocketing a ball not matter how well you aim.

 

[The_JV]

If you can't deliver a consistent shot you're not pocketing a ball not matter how well you aim.

Sure you can... Just not consistently.

Someone else could have the most flawless and repeatable stroke on the planet and never make a ball.

 

[duckie]

It's been more than two weeks since the last post here... not even a CTE testimonial. I'm a little verklempt. I need a minute.

Maybe its the subject matter that is the issue……so lets discuss why players use 2 dimensions to discuss pool shots yet play in a 3D world?

For instance……thinking in 1/2 ball hits when it can’t be done.
Why think about hitting the ob with the cb on a certain spot ,instead of where the CB needs to be to make the ball.?

How you can’t tell the difference between a 30 degree shot and a 31 degree shot therefore makiing that angle useless in determining where the OB is going.

When you keep the thinking in relic ways…..there will is nothing new to discuss.

Dont worry……Im just passing through……

 

[The_JV]

How you can’t tell the difference between a 30 degree shot and a 31 degree shot therefore makiing that angle useless in determining where the OB is going.

Do people actually consider the "amount of degrees" a cut shot is when determining their aim...?

I only know of one definite spot to cut a ball a ball that directly correlate to angles. Dead nuts full is 0 degrees. The rest is a guess.

 

[Poolmanis]

Do people actually consider the "amount of degrees" a cut shot is when determining their aim...?

I only know of one definite spot to cut a ball a ball that directly correlate to angles. Dead nuts full is 0 degrees. The rest is a guess.

I do. When i am learning a shot, or when I am uncertain of cut. I also teach how to do it and got great results.
I also agree everything else is a guess but it can be "educated" guess

 

[BC21]

Do people actually consider the "amount of degrees" a cut shot is when determining their aim...?

I only know of one definite spot to cut a ball a ball that directly correlate to angles. Dead nuts full is 0 degrees. The rest is a guess.

With ghostball or contact points it doesn't matter. With fractional aiming, however, developing the ability to recognize shot angles (in degrees) can enhance/sharpen aiming skills.

It's probably better to focus on recognizing the basic eigth of a ball reference line numbers, rather than the exact angle numbers.

0= full ball (~0°)
1= 7/8 overlap (~7°)
2= 3/4 overlap (~14°)
3= 5/8 overlap (~22°)
4= 1/2 overlap (~30°)
5= 3/8 overlap (~38°)
6=1/4 overlap (~48°)
7=1/8 overlap (~60)

Then each shot can be categorized as being a 0 thru 7 shot. Fine tuning from there is just a matter of table time.

 

[The_JV]

0= full ball (~0°)
1= 7/8 overlap (~7°)
2= 3/4 overlap (~14°)
3= 5/8 overlap (~22°)
4= 1/2 overlap (~30°)
5= 3/8 overlap (~38°)
6=1/4 overlap (~48°)
7=1/8 overlap (~60)

I've never assessed an angle, placed a value to it, and then aimed for a specific overlap.

I do the above without the bolded portion every time I shoot though.

Not saying that anybody's methodology is wrong or anything. Just not how I learnt. I'm a product true 'trial and error'

 

[Poolmanis]

I've never assessed an angle, placed a value to it, and then aimed for a specific overlap.

I do the above without the bolded portion every time I shoot though.

Not saying that anybody's methodology is wrong or anything. Just not how I learnt. I'm a product true 'trial and error'

I learnt like that too. I come from small city and there was 0 good pool players there. I learned all by myself... After i had serious health problems i had to quit playing for 8 years.. Then i came back and decided to learn game another way that is more objective and could be taught.
I really think if i had been teached this way i am now doing I would be a lot stronger player!

 

[The_JV]

I learnt like that too. I come from small city and there was 0 good pool players there. I learned all by myself... After i had serious health problems i had to quit playing for 8 years.. Then i came back and decided to learn game another way that is more objective and could be taught.
I really think if i had been teached this way i am now doing I would be a lot stronger player!

Totally agree.... Having an analytical approach to aiming early on sure would have sped up the learning curve.

 

[BC21]

I've never assessed an angle, placed a value to it, and then aimed for a specific overlap.

...... I'm a product true 'trial and error'

Same here. But after knowing/understanding what I know now, I wish I had started off with fractional aiming, using simple numbers from 0 to 7 for the eighth references.

I believe combining that with the Poolology lines would allow a beginning player to develop pocketing skills a hell of a lot quicker and more efficiently than the good ol' trial and error hamb method.

 

[BasementDweller]

One big thing I picked up from Poolmanis' strict focus on cut angles is -- how much it helps with position play. There are angles some of us are more comfortable pocketing balls, like the fuller hits maybe, that aren't as useful when it comes to playing multi-rail position. That may sound obvious but it's probably not as obvious as you think unless you've really paid attention to it like PM has.

Watching him dissect racks, he would point out that the shooter was in jeopardy of coming up short of position because he played too full on the ball. I know I would slam balls around at times in order to play fuller instead of taking the thinner cut and playing a more natural and more predictive positional route.

I think you really start understanding that stuff once you really know and not just feel the cut angle.

 

[BC21]

One big thing I picked up from Poolmanis' strict focus on cut angles is -- how much it helps with position play. There are angles some of us are more comfortable pocketing balls, like the fuller hits maybe, that aren't as useful when it comes to playing multi-rail position. That may sound obvious but it's probably not as obvious as you think unless you've really paid attention to it like PM has.

Watching him dissect racks, he would point out that the shooter was in jeopardy of coming up short of position because he played too full on the ball. I know I would slam balls around at times in order to play fuller instead of taking the thinner cut and playing a more natural and more predictive positional route.

I think you really start understanding that stuff once you really know and not just feel the cut angle.

Excellent point. My favorite shot angles are around the halfball, a little thicker to a little thinner (20 to 35 degrees). That's a great angle range for controlling the cb.

 

[Poolmanis]

One big thing I picked up from Poolmanis' strict focus on cut angles is -- how much it helps with position play. There are angles some of us are more comfortable pocketing balls, like the fuller hits maybe, that aren't as useful when it comes to playing multi-rail position. That may sound obvious but it's probably not as obvious as you think unless you've really paid attention to it like PM has.

Watching him dissect racks, he would point out that the shooter was in jeopardy of coming up short of position because he played too full on the ball. I know I would slam balls around at times in order to play fuller instead of taking the thinner cut and playing a more natural and more predictive positional route.

I think you really start understanding that stuff once you really know and not just feel the cut angle.

Yeah. I actually made up one rule of thumb about this when I teach position play.
"If you have cut lot of thicker than half ball cut, you probably need nore speed that you think... And if you have cut a lot thinner than half ball cut you probably need less speed than you think."

 

[BC21]

Yeah. I actually made up one rule of thumb about this when I teach position play.
"If you have cut lot of thicker than half ball cut, you probably need nore speed that you think... And if you have cut a lot thinner than half ball cut you probably need less speed than you think."

Exactly, the cb speed lost on impact with the ob is proportional to the fractional hit/overlap. So on a halfball hit the cb loses 50% of its speed. On a 3/4 hit it loses 75%. And on a 1/4 hit it loses 25%.