My day with Hal Houle and his aiming system

[ineedaspot]

Earth to Patrick Johnson: It's not by feel. How would you know what Hal knows if you've never spent time with him?

I'm bored posting on these aiming threads. This is the only group of people on planet earth you can tell them where to find earth shattering information and they still act like a retarded player-hater.

How about we have a shot making competition between the people that know Hal's system, and everyone else? To prove it's not by feel, everyone has to wear blinders so they can't see the pockets. I'm in. Are you in Patrick??

The fact that the pockets are covered does not prove it's not by feel ... you can figure out where the pocket is (quite easily) based on the rest of the table.

Here's the secret: aiming isn't very hard. Stroking straight is hard, that's why people miss long straight shots as often as cut shots. Beyond the beginner/D-level, misses are rarely due to bad aim, and almost always due to bad stroke, jumping up, etc. An aiming system can give you the confidence to let your subconscious do what it needs to do, and then let your stroke out. Whoever said it was a psychological system is spot on. Nothing wrong with that, though, pool is very mental, and if a system works, that's great.

 

[RascalDoc]

voodoo and snake oil

Call Hal. Someone on here will have his number. Don't go into this thinking it's voodoo and snake venom. Hal has some very detailed explanations as to why they work. Go into it with an open mind, and you will get a lot out of it. I never look at the centre of the object ball or cueball anymore since learning from Hal years ago. I still proudly carry my HH Decoder ring.

I had no intention of considering this in that vein. I'm serious, it works/helps/teaches me something ... I want it.

If anyone has that phone number I would like to have it. I have printed the "beginners link" posted earlier in the thread and will read that thoroughly tonight. at a quick read, it makes sense.

 

[Subsonic2u]

Hi all

I am being swamped by email and PMs about Hal Houle's aiming system. Most are good honest requests to learn. A few are not pleasant from those that do not know the system and think it's some kind of magic and want to ridicule anything they don't know. I can c why Hal stopped posting. Hal teaches free of charge to those he thinks are good people with good intentions.

Hal's health is not too good. He uses a walker to get around, but makes it from day to day.

I am not aware that Hal gave permission for anyone to teach his system. Perhaps he has.

Hal moved and also changed his phone number. I will respect his wishes and not give his # or address.

Right now Hal's computer is out of service, but I know he watches the forum on Billiards Digest and sometimes here on AZ. If anyone wants to contact him, I suggest making a post asking him to contact u. Hal contacted me out of the blue and said he wanted to teach me how to shoot pool. I didn't evern know who he was. I guess he saw some of my posts and thought I was a nice person. Anyway I'm thankful.

Charlie

 

[Shawn Armstrong]

Hi all

I am being swamped by email and PMs about Hal Houle's aiming system. Most are good honest requests to learn. A few are not pleasant from those that do not know the system and think it's some kind of magic and want to ridicule anything they don't know. I can c why Hal stopped posting. Hal teaches free of charge to those he thinks are good people with good intentions.

Hal's health is not too good. He uses a walker to get around, but makes it from day to day.

I am not aware that Hal gave permission for anyone to teach his system. Perhaps he has.

Hal moved and also changed his phone number. I will respect his wishes and not give his # or address.

Right now Hal's computer is out of service, but I know he watches the forum on Billiards Digest and sometimes here on AZ. If anyone wants to contact him, I suggest making a post asking him to contact u. Hal contacted me out of the blue and said he wanted to teach me how to shoot pool. I didn't evern know who he was. I guess he saw some of my posts and thought I was a nice person. Anhway I'm thankful.

Charlie

It's the same way he contacted me. He sent me an email with his number and asked me to call him. He's a gentleman, to say the least.

 

[RascalDoc]

It's the same way he contacted me. He sent me an email with his number and asked me to call him. He's a gentleman, to say the least.

I would love to hear from him. And hope, he is reading these posts.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

Just in case no one got Pat's subtle sense of humour, I'll break in down in mathematical terms.

[snip Shawn's warning about insults behind every bush]

LOL. That's some deep cypherin', Shawn, but isn't it just a little embarrassing to admit you "mathematically" dissect my posts looking for things to call me on? And don't you feel just a little paranoid?

If someone thinks that lining up with the speck of dirt on the bathroom door helps him shoot better, who are you to say it doesn't?

As far as I know, you're the only one to say that.

Don't call someone an idiot and say it can't be done when there are hundreds of thousands of players doing it.

You're the only one to say that, too. Are you saying I'm you? That might explain some things...

pj
chgo

 

[Patrick Johnson]

...after learning an "introduction" to SAM from Scott Lee...

Scott's a good shotmaker and (I think) generally no-nonsense about his teaching - maybe he'll show this to me next time I see him.

pj
chgo

 

[Patrick Johnson]

An aiming system can give you the confidence to let your subconscious do what it needs to do

Yes. And that's exactly what's most helpful to many players. Maybe the system doesn't even have to "make sense" - maybe it's better if it doesn't.

pj
chgo

 

[ScottW]

The fact that the pockets are covered does not prove it's not by feel ... you can figure out where the pocket is (quite easily) based on the rest of the table.

Well, the fun thing about the HH system I was taught, it's basically like that - I never even LOOK at the pockets. Doesn't matter if they're covered or not. With this system, I don't even *care* where the pockets are. And if I do it right, the ball just goes dead center of the pocket. It's freakin' VOODOO I tell ya...!

 

[PKM]

I understand the case for not overanalyzing everything and just playing. But this is an honest question: Do you think the system can be analyzed to determine why it works? I've heard people say it simply can't be analyzed, you just have to trust it. And to my knowledge no one has really attempted to explain it (or similar systems with a small number of aim points).

 

[Patrick Johnson]

Do you think the system can be analyzed to determine why it works?

Yes, but not geometrically. I think the most telling phrase from those who get something from it is "I'm a believer." You hear that over and over again - now I'm starting to hear it about this SAM system, whatever that is.

But needing to believe in something in order for it to work doesn't make it bad. It wouldn't be my first choice for how to teach aiming, but it seems to be just the right thing for some, especially if "technical" explanations sound like Chinese to them.

pj
chgo

 

[Gregg]

Scott's a good shotmaker and (I think) generally no-nonsense about his teaching - maybe he'll show this to me next time I see him.

pj
chgo

It's his primary aiming system, so I'm sure he would be glad to get you started with it. It's a the very least a good back up system to what you may be currently using.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

It's a the very least a good back up system to what you may be currently using.

What I'm currently using is:
- estimate the OB contact point
- estimate the CB contact point
- try to put them together

Works for me, but I enjoy visiting with Scott, so maybe I'll learn something new.

pj
chgo

 

[RascalDoc]

oh oh

I feel like I just walked in from another planet. Never heard of the SAM system, or Scott.

Maybe its because I am in So Fl.

 

[scottycoyote]

the sam system changed how i played pool much to the better.......im jealous you got to spend time with hal

 

[Subsonic2u]

Hal's system has nothing to do with "believeing u can do it", no vodoo. Nothing to do with thinking that u are a great shooter and can make the shot. It is very simple, aim according to his system and make the shot. It all has to do with aiming and excuting the shot.

Hal no longer teaches the 1, 2, 3, etc or 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 etc. Those are old systems that all had a flaw. His new system has one aim and one aim only. U aim exactly the same for every shot, no matter where the balls are on the table. Sounds strange, and anyone not understanding the system would say it can't work, but it does.

The one poster asked about exact angles when banking. The degree of angle does not matter. U aim only one way for all shots, big angles, small angles, and banks.

I have tried my best to portray Hal's aiming system. I have tried to b polite to all, even those that made smart remarks. Again, no vodoo, no believing, no thinking u are the greatest shotmaker, no just let it happen. None of that, just aim as he says and make the shot.

Charlie

 

[RascalDoc]

Charlie

I don't want to contribute to the deluge of PM's, but I would like to know more.

 

[RBLilly]

I'll take this a step further, after learning an "introduction" to SAM from Scott Lee; I hardly see cut angles an longer; Just SAM ones, twos, threes, fours, and fives, Sixes (sixes are a bit much and really just aim edge to edge, really).

Really works, and Scott says it's really the only aiming system he uses.

I agree it is the only aiming system you need for just about everything except kicks, jumps, and masse.

 

[RBLilly]

I had no intention of considering this in that vein. I'm serious, it works/helps/teaches me something ... I want it.

If anyone has that phone number I would like to have it. I have printed the "beginners link" posted earlier in the thread and will read that thoroughly tonight. at a quick read, it makes sense.

Contact Randy G, or Scott Lee here in this forum...........they can help you!

 

[JoeyA]

Earth to Patrick Johnson: It's not by feel. How would you know what Hal knows if you've never spent time with him?

I'm bored posting on these aiming threads. This is the only group of people on planet earth you can tell them where to find earth shattering information and they still act like a retarded player-hater.

How about we have a shot making competition between the people that know Hal's system, and everyone else? To prove it's not by feel, everyone has to wear blinders so they can't see the pockets. I'm in. Are you in Patrick??

You really don't want to go there......

It could lead to an AZ tournament for the big bucks. Maybe at DERBY CITY CLASSIC in January. But the number of Houligans that would be allowed to participate is limited. Perhaps a lottery of some sort would have to be used to pick the Houligan representatives. Personally, the most vocal ones on AZ deserve to be chosen first.

I don't think Pat goes to the DCC but I could be wrong but I have heard he isn't afraid of a challenge.
JoeyA