not finding center CB + not hitting where I aim on CB

prewarhero

prewarhero

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So I know the all the drills to determine if I am hitting center ball. I am not for two reasons. 1) I simply cannot find center ball. Its like I don't have a center ball GPS or something. Second, and this only adds to the problem. I am not cueing and striking exactly where I want to hit cue ball. It is worse when I move up and down center axis. Shots with a tip off-center left or right is fine. I just cannot strike along the center axis.

WHAT THE HECK DO I DO? Also, if there is an instructor that is the go to for this exact thing let me know but I would like to be sent on my journey of improvement sooner than later because it is this single issue holding me back. Duh!
Thanks
 
prewarhero said:
So I know the all the drills to determine if I am hitting center ball. I am not for two reasons. 1) I simply cannot find center ball. Its like I don't have a center ball GPS or something. Second, and this only adds to the problem. I am not cueing and striking exactly where I want to hit cue ball. It is worse when I move up and down center axis. Shots with a tip off-center left or right is fine. I just cannot strike along the center axis.

WHAT THE HECK DO I DO? Also, if there is an instructor that is the go to for this exact thing let me know but I would like to be sent on my journey of improvement sooner than later because it is this single issue holding me back. Duh!
Thanks
Click to expand...



Try the drills you are talking about above with a slightly different approach. Place your tip at the cue ball where it appears the center is, and then close your non-dominate eye. By looking at the ball first with both eye's and then closing your non-dominate eye you can find the exact center of the cue ball. Once you have done this do the drills you have tried in the past, if you are stroking straight through the cue ball the drills will work.

If what I have said is not clear send me a PM and I will go into more detail. I hope you know which eye is dominate, because it is not always based upon which hand is dominate.:smile:

Good Luck
 
Can you elaborate on what drills you are using to practice centerball hits?

In reading your post I think you are having more problems finding the vertical center, vs the horizontal center. Do I have that correct?

For vertical center a cube of masters chalk is the answer.


prewarhero said:
So I know the all the drills to determine if I am hitting center ball. I am not for two reasons. 1) I simply cannot find center ball. Its like I don't have a center ball GPS or something. Second, and this only adds to the problem. I am not cueing and striking exactly where I want to hit cue ball. It is worse when I move up and down center axis. Shots with a tip off-center left or right is fine. I just cannot strike along the center axis.

WHAT THE HECK DO I DO? Also, if there is an instructor that is the go to for this exact thing let me know but I would like to be sent on my journey of improvement sooner than later because it is this single issue holding me back. Duh!
Thanks
Click to expand...
 
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im not an instructor
do the instructors think starting at the base of the cue ball is a good reference to find the vertical center??
the op also says he doesnt hit the ball where he wants to
do you think that is a stroke mechanic problem??
 
prewarhero said:
So I know the all the drills to determine if I am hitting center ball. I am not for two reasons. 1) I simply cannot find center ball. Its like I don't have a center ball GPS or something. Second, and this only adds to the problem. I am not cueing and striking exactly where I want to hit cue ball. It is worse when I move up and down center axis. Shots with a tip off-center left or right is fine. I just cannot strike along the center axis.

WHAT THE HECK DO I DO? Also, if there is an instructor that is the go to for this exact thing let me know but I would like to be sent on my journey of improvement sooner than later because it is this single issue holding me back. Duh!
Thanks
Click to expand...
Find an instructor close to where you live, tell them the problem you are having, and see if he can help. Some instructors can't/won't deal with mechanics.

But you don't give us enough clues to get any help here. Do you consistently hit to one side or is it random? Some of the drills about center-ball cuing have a visual "find the center part" built into them. Are you doing those drills?
 
prewarhero said:
So I know the all the drills to determine if I am hitting center ball. I am not for two reasons. 1) I simply cannot find center ball. Its like I don't have a center ball GPS or something. Second, and this only adds to the problem. I am not cueing and striking exactly where I want to hit cue ball. It is worse when I move up and down center axis. Shots with a tip off-center left or right is fine. I just cannot strike along the center axis.

WHAT THE HECK DO I DO? Also, if there is an instructor that is the go to for this exact thing let me know but I would like to be sent on my journey of improvement sooner than later because it is this single issue holding me back. Duh!
Thanks
Click to expand...

Before you start following other advice like, winking at the cue ball, I agree with Bob Jewett that you should seek out help to check your mechanics, starting with your stance. In the meantime, you can check your grip knuckles. I read some of your old posts, and you wrote that you tend to grip tightly at times. Make sure the knuckles of your back hand don't roll under your cue during your stroke. Check them before and after to see if their position changed.

If you have a tendencey towards tension, you may have steering issues which would also be reflected in twisting your grip hand.
 
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prewarhero said:
So I know the all the drills to determine if I am hitting center ball. I am not for two reasons. 1) I simply cannot find center ball. Its like I don't have a center ball GPS or something. Second, and this only adds to the problem. I am not cueing and striking exactly where I want to hit cue ball. It is worse when I move up and down center axis. Shots with a tip off-center left or right is fine. I just cannot strike along the center axis.

WHAT THE HECK DO I DO? Also, if there is an instructor that is the go to for this exact thing let me know but I would like to be sent on my journey of improvement sooner than later because it is this single issue holding me back. Duh!
Thanks
Click to expand...

If I understand you correctly and you need to find the vertical axis. Try lining your tip up along the aiming line with the point where the cueball touches the cloth. That's going to be the center of the cue then raise it up to the equator of the cue ball for center ball.
 
Not on, place the cube in front of the ball.

If you cue just above the top of the caulk you are at the vertical center of the cueball.

Just a trick I learned from Scott Lee, to help someone visualize that place on a cueball.

fathomblue said:
Can you explain the above?

If you set the cueball on top of a piece of chalk would that reveal the center?
Click to expand...
 
bbb said:
im not an instructor
do the instructors think starting at the base of the cue ball is a good reference to find the vertical center??
the op also says he doesnt hit the ball where he wants to
do you think that is a stroke mechanic problem??
Click to expand...

"If I understand you correctly and you need to find the vertical axis. Try lining your tip up along the aiming line with the point where the cueball touches the cloth. That's going to be the center of the cue then raise it up to the equator of the cue ball for center ball." rufus

does that mean you agree with part 1 of my comment??
 
Tony_in_MD said:
Not on, place the cube in front of the ball.

If you cue just above the top of the caulk you are at the vertical center of the cueball.

Just a trick I learned from Scott Lee, to help someone visualize that place on a cueball.
Click to expand...

Do you mean the equator or vertical center? I'm confused how that would guarantee you hit the vertical center.
 
Thanks for all the comments so far. Yes, I am having trouble CUEING along the horizontal center. I can find the center along the vertical axis. When I cue a stop shot I may add a half rotation left or right by adding a tiny bit of left or right.

The problem gets worse though when I move up and down the vertical axis. If I do the shot where I place the cb on the spot and shot the cb down table and bak to hit my tip, if I am shooting center ball I can do this pretty well after a few tries I get about 8 out of 10. However when I shoot it center with draw I am off a diamond sometimes when it heads back down.

I know where I want aim on the cb, but my cueing and final contact are not as strong, straight, and accurate as I would like them to be.
 
BBB,
I believe I do agree with you. Grounding your cue is a good way to find the vertical axis of the cue ball.

As for the cube of chalk, it might work if it were new and not worn down. Kamui chalk won't be the same height as the cubes are smaller as are some other brands of chalk.
 
The Equator.

I think I use horizontal and vertical terms differently then others.

And yes, I specified Masters Chalk, Kamui is too low.

SpiderWebComm said:
Do you mean the equator or vertical center? I'm confused how that would guarantee you hit the vertical center.
Click to expand...
 
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Doing that drill as you describe with a draw stroke is very hard. Any small offset when you hit the ball firm causes the cueball to come back at an off angle. I know, because it is something I work on too.

I think it is something to continually work on, and may not be a result of a stroke flaw or a failure on your part to find the correct striking point.




prewarhero said:
Thanks for all the comments so far. Yes, I am having trouble CUEING along the horizontal center. I can find the center along the vertical axis. When I cue a stop shot I may add a half rotation left or right by adding a tiny bit of left or right.

The problem gets worse though when I move up and down the vertical axis. If I do the shot where I place the cb on the spot and shot the cb down table and bak to hit my tip, if I am shooting center ball I can do this pretty well after a few tries I get about 8 out of 10. However when I shoot it center with draw I am off a diamond sometimes when it heads back down.

I know where I want aim on the cb, but my cueing and final contact are not as strong, straight, and accurate as I would like them to be.
Click to expand...
 
prewarhero said:
Thanks for all the comments so far. Yes, I am having trouble CUEING along the horizontal center. I can find the center along the vertical axis. When I cue a stop shot I may add a half rotation left or right by adding a tiny bit of left or right.

The problem gets worse though when I move up and down the vertical axis. If I do the shot where I place the cb on the spot and shot the cb down table and bak to hit my tip, if I am shooting center ball I can do this pretty well after a few tries I get about 8 out of 10. However when I shoot it center with draw I am off a diamond sometimes when it heads back down.

I know where I want aim on the cb, but my cueing and final contact are not as strong, straight, and accurate as I would like them to be.
Click to expand...

Try that drill again using a V-Bridge if you've been using a closed bridge. Does it change anything?
 
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