'Supplemental' Parallel or Perpendicular Aiming Spots/Lines

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heater451

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I often try to teach newer players to recognize the 1/2-ball hit, so that they are able to gauge how much more, or less, cut might be needed to make a shot (and with practice, this can be used to overlay, and maybe even transition from using Ghost Ball aiming, to using "sight pictures" for contact aiming). In the same "more or less" vein, for target/object balls reasonably close to the cushion, I also use the spot/lines parallel to the cushions, and sometimes the ones perpendicular.

For example, see the shot the Dr Cue's Protege posted about here. As some of the replies mentioned, it's close to the 1/2-ball (30-degree) shot, and can be adjusted from that, BUT it can also be aimed by visualizing the spot/line that would send the ball parallel to the cushion, and then adjusting slightly "sooner" (fuller). The adjustment is simply adding a few degrees *towards* the pocket.

For a cross-side bank, the spot/line perpendicular to the cushion is visualized, and then adjusted for the desired angle towards the pocket.

Does anyone else use these spots/lines to aim balls 'near' the cushion, for (close to) down-the-rail shots, or cross-banks? (I would say both of these would always be thinner-than-1/2-ball shots....)
 
I had to read this a couple times to get just what you're asking and for me personally i'd say no. I don't refer to spots/lines aiming these shots. I usually start with center-to-edge alignment, adjust and shoot. I see what you're saying but haven't done that. Might give it a try.
 
if i understand you i think i do use what you are describing
first example
i want to bank the 1 ball cross corner (playing onepocket)
i have to hit very close to the point
sometimes i make the ball for him !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
so
i will sometimes aim to pocket the ball (green arrow) and then over cut it alittle (yellow line)
cross corner bank aim.png
 
another example
this shot i tend to hit thick and get a rub on the long rail going in
on some tables it will hang if it doesnt go in clean
so i will aim for parallel to the rail and then hit it alittle fat
aim to corner.png
 
in the 2 examples above its not "alittle thin or thick" blindly
it helps me fine tune my aim/contact point/overlap
 
garczar said:
I had to read this a couple times to get just what you're asking and for me personally i'd say no. I don't refer to spots/lines aiming these shots. I usually start with center-to-edge alignment, adjust and shoot. I see what you're saying but haven't done that. Might give it a try.
Click to expand...
Apologies, as I started out with the simple idea but started complicating it. For example, I added the highlighted, "reasonably close to the cushion" bit, because I probably wouldn't use the parallel line if the target ball were >1 diamond from the cushion. The cushion is easier to use as a reference for the parallel line, so closer would be better.

Thinking about this again, this reminded me also that I often use the full/straight shot line, and deviate from it to aim low cut angle shots--like, I don't necessarily aim 3/4-ball shots using the fractional system, but would look at the straight-ball path, and adjust my aim to that....although that does bring us back to "feel". An example would be bbb's second shot graphic, but with the cue ball in line with the 1-ball. The shooter should see that the straight shot is a miss, so can just aim left of the straight. Yes, one has to learn 'how much', but if there is only a little angle needed, the pocket should be large enough to accept a variance in the aim.
 
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