Shooting Right Handed With a Dominant LEFT EYE

CJ Wiley

CJ Wiley

ESPN WORLD OPEN CHAMPION
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Are there any advanced players reading this that shoot right handed and have a dominant left eye? If so, what do you do differently that's helped your set up and fundamentals?

Do you think it's an advantage or disadvantage from your own personal experience?

Thanks in advance for your input....'The Game is Our Teacher'
 
I'm not sure what you consider an advanced player. I have a high run in straight pool of 101 and 5 racks of 9 ball. I shoot right handed and am left eye dominate. See the picture.
And I did go 3 rails and land on the 5 nicely .
Back in Jersey I used to play a few guys I'm sure you know-Jimmy Fusco-Allen Hopkins and Neptune Joe Frady and a few others.
Also I had no idea my set up was different from most of the players that pretty much had the cue under their chin. I started playing about 53 years ago and this is still my same stance. I didn't even realize I was left eye dominant until a sharp player asked me to take the finger test in the 80s. Then it became apparent why I shot side arm.It's just natural for me. I tried shooting with the cue under my right eye and couldn't make a ball.
Don't fix what aint broken. The game taught me that in my situation.
 

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Thanks for your help and any other input will be greatly appreciated.

BeiberLvr said:
I'm right handed, and extremely left eye dominant. I've adjusted my stance (as seen in the video below) to accommodate this. Basically I just rotate my hips a bit more than usual.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoT6ZxDih68
Click to expand...

What part of your body do you align with the center of your vision? Is there a place on your foot, or upper body?

I have a student that's on the verge of breaking through a couple of levels, however, there's something not quite right and I'm trying to identify it. I have several ways to reference right hand/right eye or left hand/left eye dominance, but this one is a bit tricky. Everyone's a little bit different anyway so it's a matter of trial and error.

Thanks for your help and any other input will be greatly appreciated.
 
Hey CJ
You may consider using the tools that I have sent to you for your student...
I refer in detail to the needs of a crossed eyed player in the manual...
Not getting any feedback of yours at all astounded me to be honest-
Perhaps I get an answer now...
 
Hey CJ, in my experience working with players with a cross-dominant eye, I have found that while the back foot can be placed on the line of the shot, the front foot placement is the foot that can be experimented a bit with. The higher above the back foot you place it, the more it turns the player's hips towards the cue, opening up some room for them to place the cue under their inside eye.

You're right....it's a trial and error thing, depending on the player but I find that's a good starting point.
 
I fall into this category, and have struggled somewhat over the years with feeling aligned properly. I personally tend to have the cue a little more centered, even though I'm left eye dominant my right eye is stronger thanks to Lasik randomness back in the day... :)

Opening up some room is key, and Ekkes and Fran already hit on that. For me, I found that straightening my back leg allowed my hips to rotate and settle back and in a bit giving me good clearance while still maintaining a straight arm/elbow right over the cue. Then playing with my front foot until I was comfortable was the key.

Personally, I've always felt it was a negative and being right eye dominant would have been easier. But I managed, as other good players do, to get around it, and feel like I can sight the ball properly and still get into a solid stance that supports my vision and allows me to see a proper straight line.

Scott
 
Not such an advanced player but worked this out by working the Up the Table & Back to the Tip Drill and adjusting head position then adjusted my stance to accommodate the head. My reasoning is if I can see dead center CB my eyes are aligned. Ended up similar to measureman.
 
left eye dominance/right handed

i have had this problem for decades. i have tried every solution that i could come up with.turn more sidewise, cue under left eye,aim with left eye only, etc. my natural head position puts about 1/16 to 1/8th of right spin on cueball. if i simply aim a hair to the left of center on the cueball, i hit center perfectly. so if i want a little right spin i aim at the center. if i want left english, i aim more left than i want. works for me. my high run is 111. by the way i am 82 years young.
 
someone that would benefit from that training device.

theUBC said:
Hey CJ
You may consider using the tools that I have sent to you for your student...
I refer in detail to the needs of a crossed eyed player in the manual...
Not getting any feedback of yours at all astounded me to be honest-
Perhaps I get an answer now...
Click to expand...

That reminded me I never figured out how it worked exactly so it's still in the package.....I'll get it back out asap.

Thanks, maybe he would be someone that would benefit from that training device.

How's it selling?
 
FranCrimi said:
Hey CJ, in my experience working with players with a cross-dominant eye, I have found that while the back foot can be placed on the line of the shot, the front foot placement is the foot that can be experimented a bit with. The higher above the back foot you place it, the more it turns the player's hips towards the cue, opening up some room for them to place the cue under their inside eye.

You're right....it's a trial and error thing, depending on the player but I find that's a good starting point.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Fran, we're on the same page.....
 
I also shoot right handed with a left dominant eye. I adjust for this by using a wider stance with my hips slightly rotated, which allows for my left eye aim. I have been playing for around three years and I never thought about this until I read this thread earlier today. When I got to my practice session this evening, I realized that I am indeed left eye dominant, which would somewhat explain my aiming issues in the past, haha.
 
CJ - do the material of your own and shoot left handed. You will feel it. I know you already know what to look for. It´s fun:smile: and I really think you will enjoy it.

Take care and thanks for sharing the learned skill of playing great pool:smile::p.

CJ is letting it all out there, however - it´s no shortcut. Be like a child learning to walk, have that mindset, collect the reference points, trust, right and wrong=result, fun, openminded - just do it.

I know that everyone has it, everyone knows it - please I promise:embarrassed2::smile:.

As with any learned skill you need to learn the basics though, but do it like a child. Not with all the negative things we have been taught growing up. Enjoy the ride, enjoy the curve of learning. The sky is the limit, or there is no limits - just in our head.

Relax, open up, see potential.

Have you ever said, heard the saying "I felt that I would miss that" (or similar negative/falling) - do the opposite. No right or wrong, just results - FEEL IT.

Be nice to you, just jump on the saddle again - no excuses, and if you notice them - reverse them.

have a great day you all, I will:smile:.

Chrippa
 
Two thing I do very well is shoot a Rifle & Shotgun RIGHT HANDED. I have a Dominant LEFT EYE. Must have adapted. Lady I know is COMPLETLY BLIND in One Eye, play pool well.
 
Right leg anchors on the line... Hook the thumb in the pants pocket and put the big toe to mid foot of the left leg on the line... Will give enough clearance for the stroke and allow them to keep the left eye on the cueing line... Makes setup very repeatable... Have used this with a bunch of cross dominants and have not ran into a body type yet it won't work for... Large breasts or a large mid section might make this stance a problem...

Does require a dedicated effort to get/stay online when getting down as you can easily cross the cueing line but if you fall down the cue instead of bending straight at the waist it is easily replicated.....

Chris
 
.thanks, Chrippa my friend.

Chrippa said:
CJ - do the material of your own and shoot left handed. You will feel it. I know you already know what to look for. It´s fun:smile: and I really think you will enjoy it.

Take care and thanks for sharing the learned skill of playing great pool:smile::p.

CJ is letting it all out there, however - it´s no shortcut. Be like a child learning to walk, have that mindset, collect the reference points, trust, right and wrong=result, fun, openminded - just do it.

I know that everyone has it, everyone knows it - please I promise:embarrassed2::smile:.

As with any learned skill you need to learn the basics though, but do it like a child. Not with all the negative things we have been taught growing up. Enjoy the ride, enjoy the curve of learning. The sky is the limit, or there is no limits - just in our head.

Relax, open up, see potential.

Have you ever said, heard the saying "I felt that I would miss that" (or similar negative/falling) - do the opposite. No right or wrong, just results - FEEL IT.

Be nice to you, just jump on the saddle again - no excuses, and if you notice them - reverse them.

have a great day you all, I will:smile:.

Chrippa
Click to expand...

It's funny you bring that up, that's what I did was start practicing left handed. I used to do this to process a different part of my mind occasionally - it worked to find a common denominator for this lesson in teaching as well......thanks, Chrippa my friend. :D

I have a lesson scheduled for later tonight with the student that has the left eye/right hand situation and I'm pretty sure we can make even bigger progress now. It hasn't come down to this part of the pre shot routing yet, I've been working on making sure he can hit the cue ball precisely and consistently first......now he's ready for "the Big jump," and I know he's looking forward to it as much as I AM.

'The Inner Game is Our Teacher'
 
CJ Wiley said:
It's funny you bring that up, that's what I did was start practicing left handed. I used to do this to process a different part of my mind occasionally - it worked to find a common denominator for this lesson in teaching as well......thanks, Chrippa my friend. :D

I have a lesson scheduled for later tonight with the student that has the left eye/right hand situation and I'm pretty sure we can make even bigger progress now. It hasn't come down to this part of the pre shot routing yet, I've been working on making sure he can hit the cue ball precisely and consistently first......now he's ready for "the Big jump," and I know he's looking forward to it as much as I AM.

'The Inner Game is Our Teacher'
Click to expand...


You are welcome:). Shooting left for me is sure a workout though, I usually don´t take so many practice strokes - get off the line to ease. Point and shoot:). However it´s a great thing to do and like everything else, the more you practice it the better it gets. Some postures at the table is "easy" but some, rail shots etc is quite tricky to get the right feel for.
A fun workout to exercise the left hand (side….) is to brush your teeth - give it a try and tell me how it went:wink:.

How did it go with your student?

Thanks for all the tips you are sharing, mowing along real fine:thumb up:.

Chrippa
 
CJ Wiley said:
What part of your body do you align with the center of your vision? Is there a place on your foot, or upper body?
Click to expand...

I'm right handed, left eye. My center of vision is under the left cleft of my chin. I first identify the contact point on the OB, walk towards it with my left foot and apply a little pressure on the ball of my left foot to consciously lock into that point. This helps the high-to-low transition and stabilizes my front leg. I bring my left cleft to the cue, and now as long as I maintain that visual and mental connection to the contact point, I can see how the cue ball hits it.

It took me years to find a way to be comfortable in my stance. Very awkward and I can't answer how my body found a comfortable position.
 
many players neglect the left side

nrhoades said:
I'm right handed, left eye. My center of vision is under the left cleft of my chin. I first identify the contact point on the OB, walk towards it with my left foot and apply a little pressure on the ball of my left foot to consciously lock into that point. This helps the high-to-low transition and stabilizes my front leg. I bring my left cleft to the cue, and now as long as I maintain that visual and mental connection to the contact point, I can see how the cue ball hits it.

It took me years to find a way to be comfortable in my stance. Very awkward and I can't answer how my body found a comfortable position.
Click to expand...

That seems like it's fine for you, and I'd also try aligning the inside of your left shoulder so you feel the tension and know it's solid.....many players neglect the left side and it's really what needs to be firm so the right side can hit "against" it....not literally, but that's the feeling a lot of us get when the left side is solid.

Play Well
 
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