Problems with side pockets

hackerda

hackerda

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hey guys,

I was wondering if anyone has any advice on how to aim/make shots into the side pockets. I watch other people fire shots into the side pockets and they drop. If I try to shoot the same shot the ball shoots back out.:( This happens even if I shoot softly. If I have an angle, I usually hit the points on either side of the pocket. If anyone has any advice, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks,
dean
 
Usually when playing into the side the object ball and cue ball are fairly close together. I get right down on the shot and just see the two balls and the pocket. I find it much easier going in the side that "up top".
 
hackerda said:
Hey guys,

I was wondering if anyone has any advice on how to aim/make shots into the side pockets. I watch other people fire shots into the side pockets and they drop. If I try to shoot the same shot the ball shoots back out.:( This happens even if I shoot softly. If I have an angle, I usually hit the points on either side of the pocket. If anyone has any advice, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks,
dean
Click to expand...
I used to have the same problem and would stay away from them as much as I could. The only way I learned was to practice, practice and practice some more. Hundreds and hundreds of balls in the side pockets and now I have no problem with them.
 
When you play your game, 8 ball, 9 ball, or whatever it is, only use the side pockets. It will become much easier after a while.
 
It's hard to give advice without seeing where your object ball is hitting when you shoot the shot. Without seeing how you shoot, the best advice I can give is to focus on the lip of the pocket. You need to be low on the shot so you can see how much pocket you have to shoot at. Different angles offer different size pockets. The best way I can tell what size pocket I have is focusing on the lip.

Not sure this helps.

Jim
 
I've always hated side pocket shots, definitely a weakness for me. Even more so here in the US with the sharper jaws than the UK tables I was used to. Whenever I play my buddy & he leaves me a shot in the side I'll tell him "You know I hate these!"

The strange thing is recently (last month or so) I've had no problems on these shots. Even from fine angles, they just go in. I haven't practiced these shots or anything, they're just working! I still grumble to myself that I hate them but now I'm also thinking "So what? Just make the shot."

Perhaps it's just a confidence thing with me. Whatever it is, I'm not complaining!:D
 
?????????

Could be in your stroke. Try shooting into side pockets with a soft stroke.
When you are consistent with that try increasing power. If you are consistent with that try your power stroke if that is consistent your
home free. If your still not consistent you need someone to watch you an tell you what you are doing different on your power stroke. I'm not a
pool instructor but I did sleep on the couch last night.
Pinocchio
 
hackerda said:
Hey guys,

I was wondering if anyone has any advice on how to aim/make shots into the side pockets. I watch other people fire shots into the side pockets and they drop. If I try to shoot the same shot the ball shoots back out.:( This happens even if I shoot softly. If I have an angle, I usually hit the points on either side of the pocket. If anyone has any advice, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks,
dean
Click to expand...

I am assuming you are speaking of potting balls from narrow angles in respect to the side pocket.

You have to aim for the inside of the pocket (or as far inside as you can) in order to pop them in. Otherwise you will be hitting the points, which are rubber and cloth. When the angle is so narrow that you can only in the inside of the point, you have to play the shot very softly or else it will just bounce out.
 
hackerda said:
Hey guys,

I was wondering if anyone has any advice on how to aim/make shots into the side pockets. I watch other people fire shots into the side pockets and they drop. If I try to shoot the same shot the ball shoots back out.:( This happens even if I shoot softly. If I have an angle, I usually hit the points on either side of the pocket. If anyone has any advice, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks,
dean
Click to expand...
Aim for the screw in the pocket
 
Cameron Smith said:
I am assuming you are speaking of potting balls from narrow angles in respect to the side pocket.
Click to expand...

Yes I was. It's definitely a strong shot of mine.
 
hobokenapa said:
Yes I was. It's definitely a strong shot of mine.
Click to expand...

Me too. I like the side pockets especially as the angle gets narrower. The best part is playing a beginner and potting a ball at a seemingly impossible angle. It's great to watch their reaction.
 
Another thing to realize is that the points on the rails are higher than the center of the cueball. So there is a little more room there than it looks like.. The edge of the cueball can go right under the closest point in the side.
 
That's a psychological problem... I used to have the same problem..

The line is the same... if you want to bang it in the "center of the pocket", side or corner pockets... it's the same.
Believe in you, believe in your eyes, stroke, knowledge. And just let it go smoothly.

PS: You may also practice drills in the sides!
 
Good Advice

Thanks for all the advice. I will try all of your methods and see what I come up with.

Thanks again,

dean
 
mnShooter said:
Another thing to realize is that the points on the rails are higher than the center of the cueball. So there is a little more room there than it looks like.. The edge of the cueball can go right under the closest point in the side.
Click to expand...

Hey, I never realized that. I'll have to check it out next time. Thanks for the tip.
 
Have you seen yourself shooting on video ? When I first watched myself shooting I noticed that many times I actually shot a lot harder than I thought I did. I think it's because the cueball is always moving away from you and realizing the speed of the shot isn't so obvious from the shooter's viewpoint. So, the reason you have difficulties with side pockets might be simply that you're shooting too hard.
 
one thing always bugged me about the side pockets in relation to english pool and snooker pockets, is the way people say they are tougher. surely they're exactly the same difficulty??

in snooker and english pool if you are slightly out to the far jaw it bounces straight back at you, whereas in american pool you can fire a ball hard against the far jaw and it will drop. much nicer i think. but most people seem to think pool tables middle pockets are worse.

regardless of that point though, your main problem is simply a mental one! as a previous poster said, the lines and angles are all the same! just always aim to cut the ball a tad more on tighter shots so you miss the point.

and don't think negatively in your head that the near point is lethal, think the other wau, the far jaw is wonderful. hit that baby and you can be sure your balls will drop! and i could have phrased that last bit slightly better...
 
Side pockets are BIGGER...

I had trouble with side pocket shots for a long time, until some of the "old timers"(no whining, please) finally got it through to me that the side pockets are really bigger than the corners. You just need to focus on the center of the pocket and control your speed. When you want to hit a side shot a little more firm from a shallow angle, make sure you use the correct spn to drive the ball in to the pocket. If the object ball is to the left of the pocket, play with right english. That will make the object ball spin to the left(clockwse) making it spin "in" to the center of the pocket. Do the opposite if the object ball is on the other side of the pocket. Some of the people I have played can not believe the ball went in from the narrow window I had to shoot at. They just shake their heads in disbelief, especially when they didn't think they left a makeable shot on the table. Practice, practice, practice until you can't miss those side pockets!
 
hackerda said:
Hey guys,

I was wondering if anyone has any advice on how to aim/make shots into the side pockets. I watch other people fire shots into the side pockets and they drop. If I try to shoot the same shot the ball shoots back out.:( This happens even if I shoot softly. If I have an angle, I usually hit the points on either side of the pocket. If anyone has any advice, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks,
dean
Click to expand...

To shoot side pocket shots with speed, practice these shots with ball in hand first straight in and hit them firm.

I used to aim just inside the furthest point. That's fine for slow rolled shots, but the fast ones will bounce off both points and come out. When you shoot firm you have to aim what I call "flat', where the object ball just clears the closest point. To the eye it looks just like the arrows I put in. The ball will drop even when fired at the pocket.

Once you have those going in with some speed, you'll get the aim point and recognize that it's different from what you've been doing. Then you can start making angled shots the same way.

Chris
 

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The "quadruple shimmed" side pockets on my table measure 3 7/8 inches.

I've had my table this way for several years and I have needed to learn to shoot *extremely* accurately to make balls into these pockets. I can't just shoot a ball that direction. I need to aim very accurately.

When I play on a regular table now, the side pockets seem like the grand canyon they are so large! (I can't miss they are so large! It is easy.)

Also I have practiced, practiced, practiced shooting balls into the side pockets. If I can't do something well, then I practice and practice that thing until I can do it. Over and over.

Other than that, if I have the option to shoot into a corner pocket or a side pocket, I will shoot into the corner pocket. And I try to leave myself position so I am shooting into a corner pocket instead of a side pocket.

If you have a shot which will go into a corner or a side pocket, hold your hands over the pocket openings pointing at the ball. Many times the corner pocket opening is much larger than the side pocket opening. So more room for error going to a corner pocket.
 
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