Ok, I admit it...I dont know how to aim!!!
- Thread starter JamisonNeu
- Start date
That Tom Rossman video is a great instruction tool. Thanks for posting it.
I really like he says the ball is 2 1/4" so the middle point is 1 1/8" that should help when I can see it...
I really like he says the ball is 2 1/4" so the middle point is 1 1/8" that should help when I can see it...
Yes, I first learned this from Harry Sims (RIP). The learning is forever part.. One of the best lessons there is. This helps you stay focused on the correct part of our sport... I think its that Cue Sports never end and no one can learn it all...Allison and Earl make you wonder.....but they don't know know it all either...
Thank you for your kind words. You might be the first person to use the word humble when describing me...
Ok, so I have been trying this method all week. For almost all of my shots this is perfect, and it helps me to stay focused on making the ball without losing my cue ball control.
To be honest I am now using about 7-10 different spots...If I take the time to make sure that they are all together then my make percentage goes up.
Why just use one aiming method when if you know several? So far I am finding that most have some merit. But not one will make 100% of shots in any game, for anyone, at any level...so everyone's aiming system has a fault..
Seems like the only way to really be successful with my tools, would be to try them all at the same time. If everything adds up then I might make the ball, granted I swing the cue like I thought.
This thread has been very helpful. Later this year I will be able to aim for the the first time in my life.
To be honest I am now using about 7-10 different spots...If I take the time to make sure that they are all together then my make percentage goes up.
Why just use one aiming method when if you know several? So far I am finding that most have some merit. But not one will make 100% of shots in any game, for anyone, at any level...so everyone's aiming system has a fault..
Seems like the only way to really be successful with my tools, would be to try them all at the same time. If everything adds up then I might make the ball, granted I swing the cue like I thought.
This thread has been very helpful. Later this year I will be able to aim for the the first time in my life.
Jamison, your problem may not be aim related. The inability to deliver the cue on a correct path to the back of the cue ball is, in my opinion, the reason for almost all poor play. In other words, stroke error.
It matters little if one is the master of an aiming system when they possess a faulty stroke.
It matters little if one is the master of an aiming system when they possess a faulty stroke.
Aiming
The first thing is being able to consistantly deliver the cueball on a straight path to your intended target.
The Aiming is next aspect which is knowing where to contact the ball to send it into the pocket.
But even without english you have to compensate for Contact Induced Throw on cut shots. If you setup the Arrow (perfect aim or even use ghost ball) and shoot the cut shot 100 times you will see that even if you aim dead center on the ball, the ball is slightly undercut. The collision between the cue ball and object ball imparts spin onto the object ball. Now there are some factors to how much the ball is thrown, Spin on CB, distance from OB to pocket, degree of the cut, and how hard you shoot it. setup the same cut shot (mark with binder reinforcements) and shoot it over and over until you pocket the ball cleanly in the center of the pocket consistantly. Then change the angle and/or speed of the cueball and do this again. Experiment until you know how to adjust for this effect. Too often I hear people say they can only make a cutshot if they use outside english... well they are just using the outside english to compensate for the Contact induced throw. If you change your aim you can pocket the ball cleanly without adjusting aim.
After you can shoot straight and pocket balls cleanly then the next aspect is being able to control the cueball... thats where the game gets really interesting.
The first thing is being able to consistantly deliver the cueball on a straight path to your intended target.
The Aiming is next aspect which is knowing where to contact the ball to send it into the pocket.
But even without english you have to compensate for Contact Induced Throw on cut shots. If you setup the Arrow (perfect aim or even use ghost ball) and shoot the cut shot 100 times you will see that even if you aim dead center on the ball, the ball is slightly undercut. The collision between the cue ball and object ball imparts spin onto the object ball. Now there are some factors to how much the ball is thrown, Spin on CB, distance from OB to pocket, degree of the cut, and how hard you shoot it. setup the same cut shot (mark with binder reinforcements) and shoot it over and over until you pocket the ball cleanly in the center of the pocket consistantly. Then change the angle and/or speed of the cueball and do this again. Experiment until you know how to adjust for this effect. Too often I hear people say they can only make a cutshot if they use outside english... well they are just using the outside english to compensate for the Contact induced throw. If you change your aim you can pocket the ball cleanly without adjusting aim.
After you can shoot straight and pocket balls cleanly then the next aspect is being able to control the cueball... thats where the game gets really interesting.
Just see Stan Shuffet, The visuals associated with CTE are the nuts.
Amazing that someone got to tell you which spot you have to hit to pocket the target ball. God forbid you start playing anything like Russian Pyramid, where you have to pocket the q ball...
Guys, I thought everyone knew that you got to hit the ball on the ass if you want to move it in the direction opposite to that ass. Simple physics. By the way, no matter how many instructions you get, you still have to hit that spot. I wish all balls had spots on them every where (dirty balls?) so it is easier to aim for that spot. That would be the ultimate aiming system Being that, we do not have that, it does seem like guesswork. As soon as you remove that training aid from the table, you got to start guessing again.
Funny thing is, given the act that I can pocket a 68mm ball in the 70 mm pocket pretty consistently, one would think that I would have no problem with pool. But, it is not so. For some reason, it is somewhat harder to find that spot on the pool ball, and even harder on the snooker ball for me.
Jamison, you are doing pretty damn good with your system -- do not try to fix what is not broken.
Guys, I thought everyone knew that you got to hit the ball on the ass if you want to move it in the direction opposite to that ass. Simple physics. By the way, no matter how many instructions you get, you still have to hit that spot. I wish all balls had spots on them every where (dirty balls?) so it is easier to aim for that spot. That would be the ultimate aiming system
Being that, we do not have that, it does seem like guesswork. As soon as you remove that training aid from the table, you got to start guessing again. Funny thing is, given the act that I can pocket a 68mm ball in the 70 mm pocket pretty consistently, one would think that I would have no problem with pool. But, it is not so. For some reason, it is somewhat harder to find that spot on the pool ball, and even harder on the snooker ball for me.
Jamison, you are doing pretty damn good with your system -- do not try to fix what is not broken.
I'm sure you aim as well as most good players, but many "aiming systems" are described and illustrated here:
Regards,
Dave
There is one system that works for everyshot.....ghost ball.
Just because you can not get the CB to the spot on the table to make the OB go where you want doesn't mean the sysyem is flawed but your lack of skill using that system is flawed.
Noitce I said spot on the table.....not hit the OB contact point.
Training with the arrow will help you get a mental picture of the OB and CB before the time of contact, at time of contact and where the CB goes after contact with the OB. Doing this over time builds a mental data base of what shots look like before, at time of contact and after. Training with the arrow gives one a constant spot on the same shot over and over until the mental picture is set.
As example, recently, I have started making pretty thin cut shots. It all started when I saw the first one made and that imagine of the successful pocketing just lead to more.
Also, over time and if you are truly paying attention, you will start to see the relationship between the OB contact point, the spot on the table where the CB needs to be to make the OB go where you want and the location of the CB contact point.
Even with the arrow removed, there is still this data base of mental imagines to use so your are not guessing, you start "seeing" where to put the CB on the table to make the OB go where you want or the CB go where you want after contact with the OB.
Ghost ball is the hardest to learn to use effectively, but training with and without the arrow helps ease the process.
Even with GB, the pocket really doesn't matter except for shot speed and cheating the pocket concerns. The thing that matters is the angle between the OB and the CB. This angle determines where the contact point is located on the CB. More the angle, the farther the CB contact point is located off center of the CB's center line.
Knowing this relationship helps the gauge if the top of the CB, which is on the same plane as the center and bottom, is aimed to the point on the table to put the CB to make the OB. As mentioned eariler, the arrow helps with learning this relationship.
Just because you can not get the CB to the spot on the table to make the OB go where you want doesn't mean the sysyem is flawed but your lack of skill using that system is flawed.
Noitce I said spot on the table.....not hit the OB contact point.
Training with the arrow will help you get a mental picture of the OB and CB before the time of contact, at time of contact and where the CB goes after contact with the OB. Doing this over time builds a mental data base of what shots look like before, at time of contact and after. Training with the arrow gives one a constant spot on the same shot over and over until the mental picture is set.
As example, recently, I have started making pretty thin cut shots. It all started when I saw the first one made and that imagine of the successful pocketing just lead to more.
Also, over time and if you are truly paying attention, you will start to see the relationship between the OB contact point, the spot on the table where the CB needs to be to make the OB go where you want and the location of the CB contact point.
Even with the arrow removed, there is still this data base of mental imagines to use so your are not guessing, you start "seeing" where to put the CB on the table to make the OB go where you want or the CB go where you want after contact with the OB.
Ghost ball is the hardest to learn to use effectively, but training with and without the arrow helps ease the process.
Even with GB, the pocket really doesn't matter except for shot speed and cheating the pocket concerns. The thing that matters is the angle between the OB and the CB. This angle determines where the contact point is located on the CB. More the angle, the farther the CB contact point is located off center of the CB's center line.
Knowing this relationship helps the gauge if the top of the CB, which is on the same plane as the center and bottom, is aimed to the point on the table to put the CB to make the OB. As mentioned eariler, the arrow helps with learning this relationship.