Straight-shot failures//Body & stance alignment // Normal stance altered by table

Paul_#_

Paul_#_

Active member
I could not pocket short straight shots consistently until I concentrated on aiming when standing up and by keeping my vision center and body along that aiming line as I went down on the shot.

My normal stance then was altered when I moved down the table. I moved from hitting straight shots with the cue ball just short of the side pocket to the cue ball more distant on the other side of the side pocket. This increase in distance has me missing the straight shots again. I spent an hour trying to fix this but failed. I think I am doing things like before but object ball veers mostly left when I am convinced I am hitting straight (of course, my confidence slips and confusion w. discouragement & disgust arises).

Comments?

I was intrigued by a comment elsewhere that may point in the right direction:

BlueRaider said:
I’ve found that proper alignment makes center ball visually obvious. When I'm not properly aligned, it's more difficult to tell if my tip is at exact center or not. Discovering that was a huge revelation for me. I always thought that center ball was some nebulous concept and that most people shoot in the general vicinity of it when they want vertical axis shots, but it is clear as day when everything is lined up correctly.
Click to expand...
 
Paul_#_ said:
I could not pocket short straight shots consistently until I concentrated on aiming when standing up and by keeping my vision center and body along that aiming line as I went down on the shot.

My normal stance then was altered when I moved down the table. I moved from hitting straight shots with the cue ball just short of the side pocket to the cue ball more distant on the other side of the side pocket. This increase in distance has me missing the straight shots again. I spent an hour trying to fix this but failed. I think I am doing things like before but object ball veers mostly left when I am convinced I am hitting straight (of course, my confidence slips and confusion w. discouragement & disgust arises).

Comments?

I was intrigued by a comment elsewhere that may point in the right direction:
Click to expand...
You might try closing your left eye and checking your aim alignment w the right. If anything is out of whack, you'll notice it fast.
 
Paul_#_ said:
I could not pocket short straight shots consistently until I concentrated on aiming when standing up and by keeping my vision center and body along that aiming line as I went down on the shot.

My normal stance then was altered when I moved down the table. I moved from hitting straight shots with the cue ball just short of the side pocket to the cue ball more distant on the other side of the side pocket. This increase in distance has me missing the straight shots again. I spent an hour trying to fix this but failed. I think I am doing things like before but object ball veers mostly left when I am convinced I am hitting straight (of course, my confidence slips and confusion w. discouragement & disgust arises).

Comments?

I was intrigued by a comment elsewhere that may point in the right direction:
Click to expand...
A video of your stroke would help a lot. There could be 100 different reasons.
 
Paul_#_ said:
I could not pocket short straight shots consistently until I concentrated on aiming when standing up and by keeping my vision center and body along that aiming line as I went down on the shot.

My normal stance then was altered when I moved down the table. I moved from hitting straight shots with the cue ball just short of the side pocket to the cue ball more distant on the other side of the side pocket. This increase in distance has me missing the straight shots again. I spent an hour trying to fix this but failed. I think I am doing things like before but object ball veers mostly left when I am convinced I am hitting straight (of course, my confidence slips and confusion w. discouragement & disgust arises).

Comments?

I was intrigued by a comment elsewhere that may point in the right direction:
Click to expand...
Proper alignment will enhance your ability to accurately see the paths of both the cue ball and the object ball towards the pocket.

Please post a video ensuring the camera is positioned directly behind your cue stick and after, perpendicular to your shooting arm. Capture footage of both successful shots and those you're struggling with.
 
Link to view easier shots from the back of cue stick and from the front:
The video of shots from the front of cue stick starts at 1 minute 10 seconds in the video

Link to view harder shots from the back of the cue stick:

Link to view harder shots from the front of the cue stick (includes hard and harder straight shots):

Perhaps better videos can be made.
 
I viewed the videos and changed my aiming.

I now presume that my cue stick is pretty much aligned correctly when I go down on a shot. Once down at the table, I move the cue stick only to hit the center of the cue ball. I noticed in the videos that sometimes I would move the cue stick to the right when I was down on the shot (and miss pocketing the ball with ball going to the shooter’s left). I took this as proof to change and I would have to rely on the cue stick being aligned correctlt once I was down on the shot at the table. All I needed to do was move at the hand bridge the cue stick to allow me to hit the center (or below center). That movement was not to move the whole cue stick — it was aminor change to hit the center of the cue ball.

I practiced this a limited amount and it seemed to work. It makes for a lot less work since I presume I have most of the aiming done once I get down to the table. Consciously, I would tell myself the cue was aligned correctly when down on the shot. I would tell myself not to alter that aiming. I would also tell myself that any of my cue-direction changes was minimal and only regarding where to hit along the vertical middle point on the cue ball.

As far as closing my left eye and aim with my right eye, it didn’t hurt. It felt odd, however.
 
Your PSR doesn't look consistent. Try stepping into the shot more identically every time. Pay extra attention to where you step, and where your cue hand naturally falls. Try to find a way of stepping into the shot such that the cue will always have the same position.

This will also make it easier to diagnose stroke flaws afterwards.
 
Thanks for the replies. I changed my approach on the shots not head-on to the table. I have to settle on a pre-shot routine for just that or, maybe, one that will work there and shots head-on to table. I have practiced a lot shooting head-on to the table. That approach won't work exactly the same if shooting at angle to table.

I can instruct videographer better next time to line up directly in front and back of me. I had a hard time telling what shot is aligned straight in the video. I got the video on the spur of the moment. Next time, I will have paper-hole protectors on the table to allow faster repeats of shots.

My follow-up was terrible needing improvement.

I should make an effort and send videos for a fee to PoolDawg and Samm Diep.
 
Paul_#_ said:
I viewed the videos and changed my aiming.

I now presume that my cue stick is pretty much aligned correctly when I go down on a shot. Once down at the table, I move the cue stick only to hit the center of the cue ball. I noticed in the videos that sometimes I would move the cue stick to the right when I was down on the shot (and miss pocketing the ball with ball going to the shooter’s left). I took this as proof to change and I would have to rely on the cue stick being aligned correctlt once I was down on the shot at the table. All I needed to do was move at the hand bridge the cue stick to allow me to hit the center (or below center). That movement was not to move the whole cue stick — it was aminor change to hit the center of the cue ball.

I practiced this a limited amount and it seemed to work. It makes for a lot less work since I presume I have most of the aiming done once I get down to the table. Consciously, I would tell myself the cue was aligned correctly when down on the shot. I would tell myself not to alter that aiming. I would also tell myself that any of my cue-direction changes was minimal and only regarding where to hit along the vertical middle point on the cue ball.

As far as closing my left eye and aim with my right eye, it didn’t hurt. It felt odd, however.
Click to expand...
You don't keep it that way. You only close the left eye to check your line, then open it back up and shoot as you normally would. And yes, it does feel strange. Lol.
Just another in a series of little checks you can do if struggling over aim point or stroke.
 
Paul_#_ said:
Link to view easier shots from the back of cue stick and from the front:
The video of shots from the front of cue stick starts at 1 minute 10 seconds in the video

Link to view harder shots from the back of the cue stick:

Link to view harder shots from the front of the cue stick (includes hard and harder straight shots):

Perhaps better videos can be made.
Click to expand...
i am not an instructor
but besides your stroke not being straight which i know you are trying to improve but what stood out to me
was you curl your wrist and lift the cue at the end of your stroke (cant say i have seen any other elite player do that
for sure its not a common look)
so your finish is fluid and not set on the shot line
 
This is my alignment for straight in shots. I get down on the shot and aim for the center of the pocket. Then I move my aim to a little right of the pocket...then to a little left of the pocket. You may have to do it couple of times. Soon I find myself being confident when I am aiming to the center of the pocket. Try it.
 
Paul_#_ said:
I viewed the videos and changed my aiming.

I now presume that my cue stick is pretty much aligned correctly when I go down on a shot. Once down at the table, I move the cue stick only to hit the center of the cue ball. I noticed in the videos that sometimes I would move the cue stick to the right when I was down on the shot (and miss pocketing the ball with ball going to the shooter’s left). I took this as proof to change and I would have to rely on the cue stick being aligned correctlt once I was down on the shot at the table. All I needed to do was move at the hand bridge the cue stick to allow me to hit the center (or below center). That movement was not to move the whole cue stick — it was aminor change to hit the center of the cue ball.

I practiced this a limited amount and it seemed to work. It makes for a lot less work since I presume I have most of the aiming done once I get down to the table. Consciously, I would tell myself the cue was aligned correctly when down on the shot. I would tell myself not to alter that aiming. I would also tell myself that any of my cue-direction changes was minimal and only regarding where to hit along the vertical middle point on the cue ball.

As far as closing my left eye and aim with my right eye, it didn’t hurt. It felt odd, however.
Click to expand...
It's only for a quick check on alignment. Don't keep it that way. Just a quick close/check/good is all you need. Lol. I wouldn't do it every shot. Only those you're uncertain of. You won't need to do this anymore once everything is straight.
 
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