Problem with my shot making: advice needed

[sbrownn]

Thank you! This sure seems like the answer. It would explain why I'm always missing on the same side and by the same approximate amount. Plus, I'm right-handed and just like he predicted, I'm hitting to the left and throwing my object ball to the right. Gotta be this.

"About 75% of the players that show up at my 3-Day Intensives have a problem I call Vertical Axis Perception Error. These serious players believe they are hitting the vertical center line of the cue ball, but the truth is they are always off to the side. Always the same side, always the same amount. The trouble is, it looks like center to the player, and as a player, you have to trust your vision."

"That tip offset causes unintended squirt and spin (or swerve), both of which can make a dramatic difference on straight-in shots. The farther apart the cue ball & object ball are, the bigger the problem is. Right handers with this issue typically are hitting left of the vertical axis and seeing it as center."

I'm going to experiment with head position and see if it corrects it. You may have a steak dinner in the bank my friend (Ponderosa). You youngins probably don't even remember Poderosa's do you? I just googled if there any remaining. Looks like 18 nationwide (down from 700 in the 90s).

also try the bridge hand wrist rotation (left or right on the horizontal plane of the table).

 

[heater451]

Your not hitting where you are intending to hit, You're inconsistent

Nope, he is hitting *consistently wrong*. Look up the difference between accuracy and precision--shooters know. I think this case would be precise, but not accurate...and someone can correct me if I have that backwards.

 

[heater451]

I was initially thinking inadvertent spin / throw, but one of these might be it.

I'm curious to whether it matters when you shoot along the other corner-to-corner line. Even though you are not cutting, I'm wondering if that may show that your process (sighting and/or alignment) is biased to one side.

 

[Oikawa]

A video would be helpful.

 

[George the Greek]

Stance/alignment affect the stroke big time. I put painters tape on the top of my pockets to practice one handed so the shaft doesn't get scratched/marks on it. I make both balls one handed, 2-handed I stun,follow and draw the ball and 2- handed i stun the CB with my eyes closed to double check my progress

 

[ChrisinNC]

I suspect that. But why would I always be putting the same spin (in this case, left)?

Sounds like it could be a vision center issue. You think you’re hitting center ball, but you might be hitting just a touch off center, consistently.

 

[fjk]

Thank you! This sure seems like the answer. It would explain why I'm always missing on the same side and by the same approximate amount. Plus, I'm right-handed and just like he predicted, I'm hitting to the left and throwing my object ball to the right. Gotta be this.

"About 75% of the players that show up at my 3-Day Intensives have a problem I call Vertical Axis Perception Error. These serious players believe they are hitting the vertical center line of the cue ball, but the truth is they are always off to the side. Always the same side, always the same amount. The trouble is, it looks like center to the player, and as a player, you have to trust your vision."

"That tip offset causes unintended squirt and spin (or swerve), both of which can make a dramatic difference on straight-in shots. The farther apart the cue ball & object ball are, the bigger the problem is. Right handers with this issue typically are hitting left of the vertical axis and seeing it as center."

I'm going to experiment with head position and see if it corrects it. You may have a steak dinner in the bank my friend (Ponderosa). You youngins probably don't even remember Poderosa's do you? I just googled if there any remaining. Looks like 18 nationwide (down from 700 in the 90s).

Update: it was this. A few of you called it, thanks.

Now, when the hell did this horseshit start and how the hell do I stop it?

How I confirmed the problem: I changed my stance drastically and got really low on the cue ball. On my really tight diamond, I was making 50-60%. More importantly, my misses were randomly distributed on both sides of the pocket. Another observation: someone suggested it could be my cue. That was easy enough to test so I switched cues. It did change where I was hitting (I was still consistently missing to the right of the pocket, only by less than I was before). I attribute that to my other cue having less deflection. Makes sense to me anyway.

But, that low stance, which was my regular stance when I was a young man, was very uncomfortable on my stiff neck and back. I wouldn't be able to play like that. I tried moving my head position to the right a little, but that felt awkward and weird. I never thought about where my head was positioned, I just got over the cue in a way that felt natural and right. Well, using that method fooled me.

So how do I fix this and how do I know when my head is where it's supposed to be? Someone mentioned changing my bridge hand, but I'm afraid I didn't understand how to change it or why it would help.

Keep that advice coming please.

 

[maha]

if your stroke isnt straight then you tip hits in that direction. so first you have to prove it is straight when you stroke at a cueball.

second if you are hitting not where you aim because of sight picture. line up the cue tip with the bottom of the cue ball. that is always center line of the cueball. and move your tip up from there . then see if that works.

if it doesnt you are jerking your stick in some way while stroking and object ball..

 

[Island Drive]

Are you walking up to every shot in the same manner?