Here's a shot I practice. This shot will detect any errors in your stroke or aim immediately.
The diagram requires the use of the WEI table. If you haven't used it before, here are the directions. Highlight this stuff (all of it, including the START and END tags):
START(
%A[1O6%BL8P7%CJ7O4%DL8N2%EM7P1%FK7P1%GK7N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK8M6
%KJ7P7%LJ7N2%MK7Q3%NJ7Q9%OJ7M0%Pr0Z2%WD8D3%X[1O6%Y\5P5%Zq5Z0
)END
Right click and choose copy. Click on this link to bring up the WEI table:
WEI Table. Now, just click on the PASTE button on the lower right hand side of the diagram. Click OK twice, and you should see the shot I've diagrammed. If you don't see a table when you click the above link, you probably don't have Flash installed. Click this link to get it:
Shockwave Flash .
Anyway, the diagram shows a shot which will detect errors in aiming or stroke. The idea is to pocket the 1 ball and have the CB stop dead. If the CB moves back, you're hitting too low on the CB. If the CB moves forward, you're hitting too high or too soft on the CB. If the OB goes to the right of the pocket, obviously you need to adjust your aim to the right. The converse of this last statement is also true. When picking out the aiming point, try a couple of different techniques. Most people eyeball the OB and aim for the center of the OB. To me, that's kind of difficult. I aim for the very top of the OB, which is also the center of the OB. For me, that's easier to pick out. Then all you have to do is line up the top of the CB with the top of the OB and you're in line (as long as you're shooting a straight shot with no sidespin). You can also aim for the point where the OB touches the cloth, which can be hard to detect in poorly lit rooms. When you get to a point where you can duplicate this shot 10 times in a row, try drawing the CB back to where you started. Once you've done that 10 times in a row, try to follow the OB into the pocket (that's a lot harder than it sounds!). This will all ensure that you're hitting the CB on the vertical axis, which means no unintended sidespin is being applied (it is extremely rare to need sidespin on a long straight shot). If you can do that consistently, then you know you're eye is pretty good on the CB.
djb
