My Aiming System

[DrCue'sProtege]

Not sure if this is one that has already been discussed ad nauseum but here goes.

What I have been doing lately is sticking the tip of the cue right next to the OB and getting the aiming line to the pocket. The tip is about 1/4" from the OB. Then I pull the cue back about an inch, hold it there, and rotate the butt/handle over to the CB. That gives me the point where I want to shoot the middle of the CB.

Is this CTE? SAM? Or is it nonsense? Seems to be working okay for me.

r/DCP

 

[boogieman]

Not sure if this is one that has already been discussed ad nauseum but here goes.

What I have been doing lately is sticking the tip of the cue right next to the OB and getting the aiming line to the pocket. The tip is about 1/4" from the OB. Then I pull the cue back about an inch, hold it there, and rotate the butt/handle over to the CB. That gives me the point where I want to shoot the middle of the CB.

Is this CTE? SAM? Or is it nonsense? Seems to be working okay for me.

r/DCP

If you hold it 1 1/8" from the edge of the cue ball, it's basically ghost ball center location. A lot of old ferrules were 1 1/8" for this reason.

Or if you have a 1" ferrule and an 1/8" tip it's essentially the same thing.

If you want to look a bit less silly you can do the same thing with your eyes. Get a good look at OB to pocket then keep OB in your vision without letting it wobble/move from center vision as you walk back to the CB. It's probably like anything and takes a bit of practice to get it all to click.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

Not sure if this is one that has already been discussed ad nauseum but here goes.

What I have been doing lately is sticking the tip of the cue right next to the OB and getting the aiming line to the pocket. The tip is about 1/4" from the OB. Then I pull the cue back about an inch, hold it there, and rotate the butt/handle over to the CB. That gives me the point where I want to shoot the middle of the CB.

Is this CTE? SAM? Or is it nonsense? Seems to be working okay for me.

r/DCP

As boogiedude says, it's "ghost ball" aiming - you pivot your cue tip on the spot where the "ghost" cue ball will be touching the cloth when it contacts the OB at the place where it will pocket the ball.

pj
chgo

 

[Oikawa]

You mean this?

As for the usefulness, it's a fine learning tool for beginners, but too inaccurate to be useful past that.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

A quick-and-dirty ghost ball practice shortcut:
- place the CB on the spot (or other marked place) and freeze an object ball to it so the combo is pointed to a pocket
- take CB in hand and shoot the shot from a random place, using the spot as your “ghost ball” aim point
- repeat

pj
chgo

 

[BilliardsAbout]

A quick-and-dirty ghost ball practice shortcut:
- place the CB on the spot (or other marked place) and freeze an object ball to it so the combo is pointed to a pocket
- take CB in hand and shoot the shot from a random place, using the spot as your “ghost ball” aim point
- repeat

pj
chgo

That is a useful shortcut. You might also want to leave the frozen OB and aim the CB, in your fulls stance, to replace the OB. Additionally, you can now move the CB to different spots to enhance the feel for that cut angle.

 

[BRKNRUN]

I use a variation of center GB to aim with a couple personal adaptations....You can play around with these and see if they help.....or throw the ideas in the trash as worthless.....LOL

I extend the aim line through center GB to a point on the OB where I now aim.. NOTE: The aim point is "NOT" the contact points between the CB/OB...you ignore contact points....Any more I have no idea what the actual contact points are between OB/Cb.......I only concern myself with center CB through center GB to a aim point on the OB....(or in some cases off the OB which then converts to a edge of shaft to edge of OB).....but for pretty much every shot except for some specialty ball fozen to the end rail back cut spin shot...I am starting my aim with center CB through center GB to OB aim point.

Something that helps develop where center GB is...when you place your tip near the OB...it leaves a reflection on the OB....as you pull your tip away from the OB the reflection will move up the OB.....when the reflection is in the transition from shaded vs lighted part of the OB (note the subtle difference in darkness vs lightness from the lower half of the ob and the upper half).........when the reflection is in the transition or "overhead light horizon line" the tip will be right at where center GB would be...(hopefully I explained that well enough)

Once you have practiced and developed a feel for center GB... you won't really even need to stand behind the OB to pocket anymore. I actually stand CB to pocket line....From there I can then see the line the CB needs to take to go through center GB (to a aim point on the OB).....A triangle is formed between Pocket-CB-OB......The wider the triangle...the sharper the cut......

"I THINK" how this works for me is when I align CB to pocket and see the complete triangle the CB-pocket- OB make......the Pocket to OB line becomes sort of a 2d line or wall of sorts....since I know the distance to center GB...I can now see the line the CB needs to take....Since I have also learned the HH 3-Line method.....I can usually see that a vast mojority off shots will end up on one of those aim lines.....However...(using the center CB through center GB to OB aim point) some will fall on what I deem as a little thick or a little thin of one of those shot lines.

In the end no matter what method you use....do not discount the feel part of any system/method as really that is all a aim method is....It is a tool to help get a "feel" for the shot......The above quirks I use are just what helps me get that feel for a shot....On the surface the methods description look convoluted and perhaps difficult....but in reality always using center CB throgh GB to an aim point is very simple and repetative...