Quarter ball aiming system?

[Pete]

Hi Guys,

I know that there are lots of opinions on aiming. That being said, I want to try and work with this system (kind of feel it out). I want to know if any one has any good ideas on how to practice with this system in a drill like fashion. Any one please?

And Oh by the way, I do understand that it is not an end all system, but a way to help the judgement call on where to strike the object ball...

Pete

 

[seymore15074]

Hi Guys,

I know that there are lots of opinions on aiming. That being said, I want to try and work with this system (kind of feel it out). I want to know if any one has any good ideas on how to practice with this system in a drill like fashion. Any one please?

And Oh by the way, I do understand that it is not an end all system, but a way to help the judgement call on where to strike the object ball...

Pete

Can you explain a bit more? I'm not sure what you are refering to. I have read about half-ball and quarter ball banks before, but not for aiming cuts...

So far, I'm thinking that you'll find this system to be a terrible waste of time.

 

[theoneandonly]

joe tucker's

aiming system workout wil help you with all these hits. I highly recomend getting the book. I never got the balls that come with it, and it is still very beneficial.

 

[RiverCity]

You are referring to Hal Houles aiming system. As far as systems go, its as good as any, and an excellent place to start. Basically the system is about a limited number of aiming points
Full Ball hit
3/4 Ball hit (approx 15 degrees)
1/2 Ball hit (approx 30 degrees)
1/4 Ball hit (approx 45 degrees)
And the Thin Hit
Do a search for Hal Houle for more info.
Systems will only take you so far, after a point.... you will start relying on memory and feel.
Chuck

 

[Cameron Smith]

You are referring to Hal Houles aiming system. As far as systems go, its as good as any, and an excellent place to start. Basically the system is about a limited number of aiming points
Full Ball hit
3/4 Ball hit (approx 15 degrees)
1/2 Ball hit (approx 30 degrees)
1/4 Ball hit (approx 45 degrees)
And the Thin Hit
Do a search for Hal Houle for more info.
Systems will only take you so far, after a point.... you will start relying on memory and feel.
Chuck

If I had to use a aiming system it would be this one. It teaches you to recognize the different shots on a pool table, rather than treat each one as though you have never seen it before.

 

[Flex]

Folks, aiming systems will take you only so far. I use several, and they're all deficient in some respects.

As soon as you start shooting stroke shots, aiming systems fail, unless they're an aiming system for stroke shots!

Ditto when using english.

Change the cloth, and everything changes.

What stays the same?

Adaptability to changing conditions.

Pool is a feel game, IMHO, at least when mixing up all those variables.

Flex

 

[TheConArtist]

feel, famaliarity or aiming system. I use all three but when times get tough i really do rely on my aiming systems, which are Hal Houles. But yes there is alot of info on Hals systems here and on the net, and like Cameron Smith said it teaches you different shots on the table.

 

[seymore15074]

You are referring to Hal Houles aiming system. As far as systems go, its as good as any, and an excellent place to start. Basically the system is about a limited number of aiming points
Full Ball hit
3/4 Ball hit (approx 15 degrees)
1/2 Ball hit (approx 30 degrees)
1/4 Ball hit (approx 45 degrees)
And the Thin Hit
Do a search for Hal Houle for more info.
Systems will only take you so far, after a point.... you will start relying on memory and feel.
Chuck

I wouldn't touch this system with a 10 foot pole. Garbage...

 

[Cameron Smith]

I wouldn't touch this system with a 10 foot pole. Garbage...

This is what they teach the Snooker players in England, and we all know how well they pot balls. The only difference is that they teach six angles rather than 5.

It's not rubbish, it actually works.

 

[RiverCity]

I wouldn't touch this system with a 10 foot pole. Garbage...

Care to explain why? Or do you prefer to make comments like this when you dont know what you are talking about?
Houles system, works for the most part, and works well. There are factors you have to adjust for (sometimes its a little more/less angle than the system is set up for).
Chuck

 

[seymore15074]

Care to explain why? Or do you prefer to make comments like this when you dont know what you are talking about?
Houles system, works for the most part, and works well. There are factors you have to adjust for (sometimes its a little more/less angle than the system is set up for).
Chuck

Sure. Let's take this into perspective...I'm assuming if you have a cut, you'll recognize that it is a 1/4 ball hit and shoot it. Sounds easy enough. Next you'll recognize one that is between a 1/4 and a 1/2...take the middle (3/8 or whatever) and shoot it....sure that will work, but are all of these extra steps nessisary when basically you are saying "use the ghost ball" only with more explaining rather than just saying it? Occams razor; cut out the extra...look it up; it's brilliant.

I don't know this from experience or anything, but also, wouldn't you develope quite a habbit of hitting the 1/4 hit? What if you want to cheat the pocket, it seems as if it might actually become difficult to NOT hit an exact 1/4 ball hit after so much repition. I am also wondering if you will always be hitting the heart of the pocket this way, or if you'll just be pocketing the ball by recognizing a small range that you can perform a 1/4 hit and make.

Basically, why would I explain this to a new player rather than saying get the contact point and hit it... This system seems to be making things harder than they are. Maybe it's just me...

 

[RiverCity]

Basically, why would I explain this to a new player rather than saying get the contact point and hit it... This system seems to be making things harder than they are. Maybe it's just me...

Could be.....
But seriously, different people see things in different ways. If a person can "imagine" a ghostball and aim for the center of it..... great, some can, some cant. The Houle system works for some, not for others...... What I said in my original reply still holds though.
You do eventually have to learn aiming by feel, and that comes from experience of pocketing thousands of balls.
Chuck

 

[seymore15074]

Could be.....
But seriously, different people see things in different ways. If a person can "imagine" a ghostball and aim for the center of it..... great, some can, some cant. The Houle system works for some, not for others...... What I said in my original reply still holds though.
You do eventually have to learn aiming by feel, and that comes from experience of pocketing thousands of balls.
Chuck

I agree completely. To the point that aiming systems really don't have much effect on the long term outcome of the player. I am basically saying that if I were going to teach a beginner, I would teach them what is the fastest to explain... There are so many systems, but a lot of them are similar...and in the end no substitute for experience.

I see how my first post must have sounded, my fault. We should be square now.

 

[Pete]

This is what they teach the Snooker players in England, and we all know how well they pot balls. The only difference is that they teach six angles rather than 5.

It's not rubbish, it actually works.

First thanks guys, I'm glad I didn't get attacked for asking about another aiming system.
My question is now what is six angles rather than 5? I didn't know that there was more.


Pete

 

[JimS]

I agree completely. To the point that aiming systems really don't have much effect on the long term outcome of the player. I am basically saying that if I were going to teach a beginner, I would teach them what is the fastest to explain... There are so many systems, but a lot of them are similar...and in the end no substitute for experience.

I see how my first post must have sounded, my fault. We should be square now.

Recognizing and admitting ones mistakes, especially in public, is a mature and manly thing to do. Well done!

 

[Rich93]

I like what Don "Preacher" Feeney said on one of his instructional tapes. He had a youngster about 10 years old at his side and was showing a medium difficulty cut shot. He said (I'm going from memory here):

Now take this shot. A youngster like this, on his first attempt he might hit it too full. On his next attempt he'll hit it too thin. And then he'll make it the next 10,000 times.

I think he was making two points, albeit by overstatement. You learn where to hit the ball by trial and error, and the younger you are when you start playing the faster you will learn.

I don't know, I guess maybe if you haven't played the game a lot when you were a kid, a system can help. But I really doubt whether any top level player uses a system when he or she aims. They almost always started out quite young, and they just "know".

 

[Vahmurka]

I came across such aiming system while reading "Banking with the Beard" by Freddy Bentivegna and have a question on the subject. Normally (when pocketing balls straight in the holes) I aim by visualizing the contact point and a ghost ball sometimes. Freddy uses that 'quarter-ball' system, so I would have to adopt it for banking. But 1/4 hit is confusing to me. Aiming 1/2 ball is very easy - I aim at the edge of OB. 3/4 - I aim halfway between the edge and center of OB. But 1/4... halfway between center of imaginary ghost ball and its edge? I'm not that strong in visualizing. Could anyone give me a clue on how to aim 1/4 properly?

 

[RiverCity]

I came across such aiming system while reading "Banking with the Beard" by Freddy Bentivegna and have a question on the subject. Normally (when pocketing balls straight in the holes) I aim by visualizing the contact point and a ghost ball sometimes. Freddy uses that 'quarter-ball' system, so I would have to adopt it for banking. But 1/4 hit is confusing to me. Aiming 1/2 ball is very easy - I aim at the edge of OB. 3/4 - I aim halfway between the edge and center of OB. But 1/4... halfway between center of imaginary ghost ball and its edge? I'm not that strong in visualizing. Could anyone give me a clue on how to aim 1/4 properly?

You're aiming using the center of the cueball as the reference point. Maybe this is where some confusion with this system comes from.
The Houle system is set up to aim using the edge's of the cueball. Meaning, on a half ball hit, the edge of the cueball is lined up with the center of the object ball. On a 1/4 ball bit the the edge of the cb is lined up with 1/4 of the object ball.
Hope this helps clear it up a little.....
Chuck

 

[Vahmurka]

on a half ball hit, the edge of the cueball is lined up with the center of the object ball. On a 1/4 ball bit the the edge of the cb is lined up with 1/4 of the object ball.
Hope this helps clear it up a little.....
Chuck

Yeah, thanks, will try it next time when banking. I just had to figure it out myself how exactly to aim as there are just figures in the book, and didn't come out with CB edge as a reference point for all the shots (only 1/2 was obvious). Thanks

It's just a bit unnatural for me to pick fractions of the CB as I usually hit it in the center, that's the reason for connecting the CB's center with smth ahead.

 

[seymore15074]

Yeah, think of it like a flat picture on tv or something...not 3d. The object ball is just a "width"...hitting a 1/4 of the object ball would result with the cue ball covering 1/4 of the object ball. Does that paint a better picture of this?

Anyway, that is exactly why I would say just hit the spot.