Learn To Aim Like The Pros!

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GhostBall ROCKS!

Everyone use it and play like Randy. Anyone who makes 98% of the makeable shots they face is fierce. I don't know how Randy has managed to stay undercover for so long but he is definitely one of the greatest players on earth with a 98% make record. I'd have to say that puts him well above the known professional players. So take this man's word for it and use Ghost Ball.

There are 500 devices out there to help you out as well from free templates you can cut from business cards and arrows you can print out to Laser devices that project a disk onto the table. Ghost Ball is the most taught form of aiming on the planet.

All you have to do is imagine a full formed sphere and align yourself so that you shoot the cue ball full into that sphere. And the best part is that you can practice it everywhere. In the office, on the toilet, having sex, in the movies, at dinner, you can practice imagining a 2.25" sphere.

It's the best way to aim bar none. Anyone who does not get it is a complete idiot. They are totally brain damaged and should quit pool forever. There is no other way to approach a shot that is worth anything. Ghost Ball is now and forever the only possible way to get on the shot line.

Than you Randy for telling us about this. I am imagining two ghost balls right now in honor of Randy "Mr. 98%" Pollak. I hope someday to have the honor to watch you play as such perfection can only inspire me to practice my ghost ball aiming even more.

May I ask for your advice on how to overcome this little problem I have with GB? It's something that has plagued me for years..... Why Ghost Ball Aiming Fails You
 
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cfrandy said:
That is true. However, stick and shaft aimers are people who put their chin on the shaft (they get very low when they go down on the shot). Many of us do not go down that far. Just as Mike Massey says in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPn3Wzp4NT8
He stands more upright when shooting. Therefore it would be impossible for him to aim that way. I too stand more upright. I have severe arthritis in my neck and back because of my injuries in Vietnam. It is physically impossible for me to get that low, but it has worked well for others!
Next time you see a shaft aimer, ask him where he is aiming the shaft. Most I have talked with say they aim the shaft down the intended cue ball path line after determining what fraction of the object ball they must hit.
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SVB is a shaft aimer and that's not what he says. He stays right around the edge of the OB.
 
cfrandy said:
Yes! It does sound familiar because it is exactly what I do, except when I have a very thin cut. BTW, Mike Massey teaches a version of ghostball!
Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPn3Wzp4NT8

Thanks Cookie Man!
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In you article that this thread is about Mike Massey says nothing about Ghostball. He clearly starts with a half ball hit which if you haven't realized is a center cb to edge of ob line. Clearly you should open your mind and get with the program.
 
cfrandy said:
First I would like to say, this thread is entirely about the Ghostball method of aiming. It is presented here in hopes of helping those who wish to become more proficient in the method of the pros. If you have something to add specifically to this method or it's variations, by all means do so! If you are looking for a debate on alternative aiming methods or wish to add negative comments...start your own thread!

Ghostball aiming and it's variations is how most pros aim. The Secret of Pool? or Basic Instinct...
v=upKJXu_vUhc"]Cut Induced Throw (CIT)[/URL]
5.) They stroke the cue stick down the line of aim in a consistent manner.[/INDENT]
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Mr. Pollak,

In this article 26 professional players are named. Of them 10 of them do not use the GB method and one of them says that he uses GB but dissects the ball into 90 degrees (don't know what this means).

5 of the pros mentioned use feel and experience.

11 use GB or a variation of it.

This article is from 17 years ago and shows that aiming was not universally agreed on by the professionals back then. Nor did most of the pros interviewed use GB.

Also as this was 17 years ago a lot of the folks interviewed are not even active professionals now. So sir while I respect that you are well above professional caliber as a player I would like you to please provide better proof of your statement that most professionals use GB.

Thank you again for all the GB resources. I appreciate it.
 
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cookie man said:
In you article that this thread is about Mike Massey says nothing about Ghostball. He clearly starts with a half ball hit which if you haven't realized is a center cb to edge of ob line. Clearly you should open your mind and get with the program.
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Hmmm, did he say anything about half-ball or any other method of aiming? In the video he clearly indicates the cue ball path with his stick. Over and over again both he and Thorsten say they look at the contact point on the object ball! Half-ball aiming is fractional aiming! Last time I checked 1/2 WAS a fraction! Not sure why you must make this into a personal attack "Clearly you should open your mind and get with the program" but I guess this is what you do best. If you have nothing constructive to say here, then stay out of the thread! I'm not attacking any other aiming method in this thread. If your system of aiming works for you...why should YOU change? In fact, I would suggest you DON'T! I am simply presenting the system used by most pros as the easiest system to learn!
 
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cfrandy said:
Hmmm, did he say anything about half-ball or any other method of aiming? In the video he clearly indicates the cue ball path with his stick. Over and over again both he and Thorsten say they look at the contact point on the object ball! Half-ball aiming is fractional aiming! Last time I checked 1/2 WAS a fraction! Not sure why you must make this into a personal attack "Clearly you should open your mind and get with the program" but I guess this is what you do best. If you have nothing constructive to say here, then stay out of the thread! I'm not attacking any other aiming method in this thread. If your system of aiming works for you...why should YOU change? In fact, I would suggest you DON'T! I am simply presenting the system used by most pros as the easiest system to learn!
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I guess the first thing you need to do is learn what ghost ball aiming is. You can contact Duckie for that. Stick aiming, ferrule aiming, contact point, fractional aiming, all are valid methods. But none of them are ghost ball aiming.
 
I don't really know anybody that actually aims at a ghostball. Although I haven't really asked a lot of guys how they aim.

I do think that this is one of the common misconceptions about ghost ball aiming. I don't use ghost ball very often but here's how I think most people use it (myself included):

They use the imaginary ghost ball to help them find the line for the shot. Then once they are down they use a different method for their actual fine tune aiming. So in other words, ghost ball is more of an alignment method than an aiming method (maybe that's just semantics I dunno).

The common objection against the ghost ball method is that the player is unable to see the ghost ball. I agree with this and that is why I don't actually believe too many people are actually aiming at it when they are down on their shot. I prefer the overlap method myself, but I find more and more that I really don't aim at all -- at least once I'm down on the shot.

Of course that's just me.
 
cfrandy said:
Hmmm, did he say anything about half-ball or any other method of aiming? In the video he clearly indicates the cue ball path with his stick. Over and over again both he and Thorsten say they look at the contact point on the object ball! Half-ball aiming is fractional aiming! Last time I checked 1/2 WAS a fraction! Not sure why you must make this into a personal attack "Clearly you should open your mind and get with the program" but I guess this is what you do best. If you have nothing constructive to say here, then stay out of the thread! I'm not attacking any other aiming method in this thread. If your system of aiming works for you...why should YOU change? In fact, I would suggest you DON'T! I am simply presenting the system used by most pros as the easiest system to learn!
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I'm very constructive here, it's you that can't make up his mind. You want this thread to be about ghostball but you keep talking about everything but. Half-ball is a fraction, BRILLIANT, but its also looking at the edge of the OB.
You present nothing, all those pro's are looking at something they can clearly see.

P.S. Haven't seen a ghostball of a fraction of a ball in a long time.
 
Does anyone have a printable picture of the "Arrow"?

I f one were to draw a GB around the arrow, could one see where to line up the edges of the CB and GB overlap on the OB?
 
cookie man said:
And, John Morra who is righthanded puts the shaft on his left cheek. So your point would be.
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My point is, not everyone can go that low on a shot. Like I said, I physically cannot go that low, so I must use an upright position when shooting. I'm not alone, as you saw in the video Mike Massey does the same!
 
cookie man said:
I'm very constructive here, it's you that can't make up his mind. You want this thread to be about ghostball but you keep talking about everything but. Half-ball is a fraction, BRILLIANT, but its also looking at the edge of the OB.
You present nothing, all those pro's are looking at something they can clearly see.

P.S. Haven't seen a ghostball of a fraction of a ball in a long time.
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Really? Then watch the videos I presented here as resources!
Snooker Tips - Ghostball
Snooker Tips - Line Of Aim

The pros and just about anyone else can see the contact point on the object ball as well as cue ball path line! You heard Mike Massey AND Thorsten refer to it in their video on aiming. Face it...you just want to argue! Please go elsewhere to argue! You are NOT adding anything constructive to this thread. Must I remind you of Mr. Wilson's warning? Maybe you need a break from these forums!
 

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LAMas said:
Does anyone have a printable picture of the "Arrow"?

I f one were to draw a GB around the arrow, could one see where to line up the edges of the CB and GB overlap on the OB?
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If you snap the chalk lines, as I suggested, you could certainly look down the cue ball path line and see the overlap. The BAT trainer also does this, but my method is FREE. If you wish only to view it on paper, this resource is free too: CueTable Billiard Software - Aiming Calculator. It will show you the amount of overlap for ANY shot you can devise!
 
cfrandy said:
First I would like to say, this thread is entirely about the Ghostball method of aiming. It is presented here in hopes of helping those who wish to become more proficient in the method of the pros. If you have something to add specifically to this method or it's variations, by all means do so! If you are looking for a debate on alternative aiming methods or wish to add negative comments...start your own thread!

Ghostball aiming and it's variations is how most pros aim. The Secret of Pool? or Basic Instinct...
It is also the easiest method to learn. However, it is not a shortcut to great pool. You must still learn the fundamentals and be willing to spend many hours of practicing. Playing pool is not enough, you must practice practice and practice ALL the fundamentals to become proficient. Aiming is important, but only 1 small part of the basic fundamentals of consistent shot execution!

All pros have mastered these basic fundamentals!
1.) They begin shot execution with a pre-shot routine, which includes visualizing the object ball path and the required required line of aim (cue ball path) while standing.
2.) They align their chin with the cue ball path...never leaving it even when going down on the shot.
3.) They align the bridge hand in the exact required position so the bridge guides the cue along the necessary line of aim for the shot.
4.) They adjust the cue tip to whatever the shot requires for either pocketing the ball (CIT or squirt) and for positioning the cue ball!
See this video: Cut Induced Throw (CIT)
5.) They stroke the cue stick down the line of aim in a consistent manner.​

The ghostball method I have found to be most effective is object ball fractioning. Here's how to practice this method. In the following illustration, draw or snap a chalk line along the "Object Ball Path" line from points A to B.
cuetable1.jpg
You do not have to follow the exact placement of object ball in illustration. In fact, you could do this anywhere on the table making sure A is in the center of the pocket! Anywhere along this line, make 2 marks on the line exactly 2 1/4 inches apart. Now take a 2 white "Avery® Reinforcements for Hole-Punched Pages" or "hole donuts" (get them at OfficeMax) and center it over each mark on the "Object Ball Path" line. The line should bisect the center of the hole donuts. The hole donut closest to the pocket is where you will place the object ball (as is the 9-ball in the illustration). The other hole donut represents where the ghostball will be.
Now place the cueball anywhere on the table, as if to prepare for pocketing the object ball. Make a chalk mark where the cueball is on the table. Draw or snap a chalk line from the cueball mark through the center of the ghostball hole donut. Do this from one end of the table to the other as in C and D in the illustration. This is the "Cue Ball Path" line. The reason we draw this line from one end of the table to the other is that when we practice we want to be sure that the cue never leaves this path, That includes during your backstroke!
Place any ball on the ghostball hole donut. Looking down the cue ball path line to where it meets the object ball you can see how much of the ghostball will be covering the object ball during this shot. In the illustration, this will be about 50% of the ball.
cuetable2.jpg
When you begin to practice, this is what you will be looking for! These videos show you what I mean:
Snooker Tips - Ghostball
Snooker Tips - Line Of Aim
Here's a great article on Ghostball Aiming and It's Fractional Variation:
Aim, Align, Sight - Part I: Introduction and Ghost Ball Systems

NO method of aiming is perfect! However, an effective method which is easiest to learn and easiest to tweak should be the one you try first! It has worked for most pros and it will work for you too! Here are more videos/resources you should watch (most by the pros themselves):
Aiming Part 1
Aiming Part 2
Ghostball Aiming Dr Cue
Ewa's Pool School: Aiming-The Ghost Ball
Proper Aiming Techniques - Ghostball Aiming
Aiming- How To Play Like The Pros With Johnny Archer and Loree Jon Jones
Using the cue stick to help visualize aim
Willie Mosconi - Sighting The Ball
Cowboy Jimmy Moore instruction

Don't waste your money on DVD's that could lead you astray on some new aiming system! Instead, invest your time practicing the method of the pros! The resources presented here are FREE! Here's another free resource: CueTable Ghostball Aiming Software
If you do wish to spend a few dollars on a gimmick that can assist you with aiming, I suggest you buy Allison Fisher's Billiards Aim Trainer (BAT): Allison Fisher's Bat Trainer Video

Any questions about this system of aiming? Feel free to PM me! I hope this helps! With 56 years of playing, this system has not failed me yet! I'm 62 and still pocket 98% of makeable shots...even though I was declared disabled because of my eyesight!
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Good comments.

I have a question. On point #2, where does Earl Strickland come in at?
randyg
 
randyg said:
Good comments.

I have a question. On point #2, where does Earl Strickland come in at?
randyg
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lol, there is always the exception! Who would have thought Willie Hoppe could pocket a ball with his stoke?
 
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