That's my sticking point. There is exactly one spot the cue ball can contact the object ball with no english to have it split the pocket. If the final resting point of your bridge doesn't find this spot after the pivot you will miss the shot. So at some point you are aiming from something other than those two lines. The same way you aim a 15 degree cut you've shot a thousand times. Your instinct and experience tells you where to aim.
BTW I have spent considerable time yesterday and today and I find no way to arrive at this point without placing my bridge hand in exactly the correct spot and cannot find any specific information in the DVD as to how to determine that spot. The longer the shot, the more miserable the results.
I can't help but wonder how many proponents of this system actually shoot straighter than I do already. And if this system advanced them to that level or if they were already there, like Stevie and Landon.
My experience is not focusing on where to place the bridge hand. I instead focus on the execution exactly as described. I don't know how else to explain it except to take this to the table and go through the motions until the concept unlocks itself. I think "unlocks" is a good way to put it, because this is sort of the feeling once it starts to work.
I always like to use the concept of riding a bike. I can read a manual and be explained how to balance a bike, but the first time I try I'll just fall off. Over and over. The concept is foreign to the mind. But at some point, I will get a few feet, then a few more feet, then eventually I can just ride the darn thing. This is similar to how CTE starts working. It is not like anything else I've done in pool before, and it takes some puppeteering before the mind takes control and "gets it."
The important thing in the beginning is to focus on being EXACT. See both lines, lock them in, move straight into the cueball from that position with the half tip offset, and pivot to center cue ball. Don't worry about shot recognition at first, just follow through the demonstration shots. Shoot them over and over. When you miss, try to figure out why. If you make it, try to repeat that process. I WILL COME TO YOU. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but it will.
When I started on CTE, it was very similar. Confusing. Frustrating. But I just persevered and went through the motions. I pretty quickly (within days) got to where I could set up the shots and pocket them fairly consistently. Then I started trying to implement the system just by breaking and shooting random balls... so this starts the work on shot recognition. After some time (weeks) the "aha" moment began, and the strength of the entire system VERY quickly came up to speed. It's like a bell curve, it may take weeks to get to 15%, then "aha" and several days to reach 90%, then slowly creep your way to 99% and then the rest of your life refining it as close to 100% as you can
You have just started CTE, you are only days into it and taken it to the table a handful of times. You are very early to the system, there is no way around it but to put in the time to get there. I've played trumpet for 30+ years and I can make a very pure tone. But I can't take a person new to the concept of wind instruments and get that tone without them putting in weeks to months of practice. NO amount of explaining will make it happen! Put your lips here, take a breath, blow. Not a chance. You have to just keep playing until it happens. CTE isn't all that different IMHO (but on a MUCH smaller scale, trumpets are extremely difficult to become proficient
Just to add, Stan is always very helpful via email. He will answer your CTE/Pro1 specific questions.
