The Method Telling The Shot Line?

F

French Roots

Member
Poolology is a method that tells the shooter the actual fractional aim point for the shot.

Joe Tucker's method of matching the numbered contact points yielded a shot line but it was more complicated than Poolology & did not tell where to align the stick. It was more of a parallel alignment method.

Are there methods other than Poolology that actually tells the shooter the shot line?
 
French Roots said:
Poolology is a method that tells the shooter the actual fractional aim point for the shot.

Joe Tucker's method of matching the numbered contact points yielded a shot line but it was more complicated than Poolology & did not tell where to align the stick. It was more of a parallel alignment method.

Are there methods other than Poolology that actually tells the shooter the shot line?
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I don't know.

What I'm learning is that knowing the shot line isn't always the solution to delivering the cue. For most players it is. But I've used halfball shots to show others how easy the system is, and it's surprising how some players can't aim for a halfball hit and pocket the ball. A couple of these guys are very good players, mid to high 600 fargo players. Their minds have been programmed to see shots their way. Like with anything else, when it comes to doing or looking at something differently than you normally do, it's not automatic. That doesn't mean a different method won't work. It just means you have to learn how to use it, how to look at it in manner that allows it to work for you.
 
BC21 said:
I don't know.

What I'm learning is that knowing the shot line isn't always the solution to delivering the cue. For most players it is. But I've used halfball shots to show others how easy the system is, and it's surprising how some players can't aim for a halfball hit and pocket the ball. A couple of these guys are very good players, mid to high 600 fargo players. Their minds have been programmed to see shots their way. Like with anything else, when it comes to doing or looking at something differently than you normally do, it's not automatic. That doesn't mean a different method won't work. It just means you have to learn how to use it, how to look at it in manner that allows it to work for you.
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I was not asking about a players ability to hit center CB with the proper stick alignment. I was asking if there is any other method(or system) that dictates the actual shot line, Why would anyone want to change the way that Earl Strickland or Efren or SBV plays?

Fran Crimi posted that she saw a Pro Player endorsing an Aiming Method & she immediately wondered or suspected if he was struggling & trying to find his game. She said that she found out that that was exactly what it was & within well less than a year he was in no way utilizing the method that he had endorsed, but those endorsements were still out there.

So anyway. Do you know of any method other than Poolology that dictates to the shooter the actual shot line?
 
French Roots said:
I was not asking about a players ability to hit center CB with the proper stick alignment. I was asking if there is any other method(or system) that dictates the actual shot line, Why would anyone want to change the way that Earl Strickland or Efren or SBV plays?

Fran Crimi posted that she saw a Pro Player endorsing an Aiming Method & she immediately wondered or suspected if he was struggling & trying to find his game. She said that she found out that that was exactly what it was & within well less than a year he was in no way utilizing the method that he had endorsed, but those endorsements were still out there.

So anyway. Do you know of any method other than Poolology that dictates to the shooter the actual shot line?
Click to expand...

HAMB
 
If a shooter can consistently shoot the shot, they know the shot line. They can use any system, or no system other than HAMB.

Finding the shot line is pretty easy but requires practice, just look at the pocket and follow the line from the part of the pocket you want (or carom target etc) to the OB. That's your aim line. Shoot the shot. It's like any system, it takes table time to do it, but it's the most simple method you could ever use for finding the correct shot line and where to hit the OB.

The OB isn't physically divided into segments or fractions, it's a physical sphere that you're hitting with a physical sphere. Hit it so it goes down the aim line. There isn't a lot of need to divide the OB or CB into segments/fractions/edges, treat it as one sphere and hit it where it needs to be hit with the other sphere. I'd rather hit the ball exactly where it needs to be hit than mess with trying to visualize fractions. There is one aim point on the ball from an infinite number of "points" on the ball. If you hit it there in the correct manner, it goes in. You learn the correct manner and adjustments from practice. Always stay down on the shot and learn what the CB and OB is telling you.

The whole key is focusing and not losing your visual focus on your aim line. Study the sphere. Take the place you need to hit it and burn it into your mind. While taking the aim line while standing and looking at OB, you should account for throw and what the effect of your english will do. You pick the part of the pocket that is the most forgiving for each particular shot. Pockets are larger than the ball so target it in a way that gives you the most "fudge" room.
 
The shot line is the same distance from the center of the OB to the contact point in the same direction.
Center ball hits of course .
 
boogieman said:
If a shooter can consistently shoot the shot, they know the shot line. They can use any system, or no system other than HAMB.

Finding the shot line is pretty easy but requires practice, just look at the pocket and follow the line from the part of the pocket you want (or carom target etc) to the OB. That's your aim line. Shoot the shot. It's like any system, it takes table time to do it, but it's the most simple method you could ever use for finding the correct shot line and where to hit the OB.

The OB isn't physically divided into segments or fractions, it's a physical sphere that you're hitting with a physical sphere. Hit it so it goes down the aim line. There isn't a lot of need to divide the OB or CB into segments/fractions/edges, treat it as one sphere and hit it where it needs to be hit with the other sphere. I'd rather hit the ball exactly where it needs to be hit than mess with trying to visualize fractions. There is one aim point on the ball from an infinite number of "points" on the ball. If you hit it there in the correct manner, it goes in. You learn the correct manner and adjustments from practice. Always stay down on the shot and learn what the CB and OB is telling you.

The whole key is focusing and not losing your visual focus on your aim line. Study the sphere. Take the place you need to hit it and burn it into your mind. While taking the aim line while standing and looking at OB, you should account for throw and what the effect of your english will do. You pick the part of the pocket that is the most forgiving for each particular shot. Pockets are larger than the ball so target it in a way that gives you the most "fudge" room.
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If a newbie did what say in your 2nd. paragraph then they would be undercutting the shots. The contact point on the OB is NOT the aim line, at least not for CCB.

HAMB was not the topic of this thread, but that's okay.
 
JoeyInCali said:
The shot line is the same distance from the center of the OB to the contact point in the same direction.
Center ball hits of course .
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So... 1.125" out from the OB edge contact point on the line through COB to the pocket... as in the Center of the Ghost Ball.

Did a paraphrase that correctly?
 
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French Roots said:
So... 1.25" out from the OB edge contact point on the line through CCB to the pocket... as in the Center of the Ghost Ball.

Did a paraphrase that correctly?
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If the contact point is 1/4" of an inch from the vertical axis center of the OB, the shot line is 1/4" from the contact point ( same side ) . Double the distance method.
 
French Roots said:
If a newbie did what say in your 2nd. paragraph then they will be undercutting the shot. he
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Yep. Pool isn't a game for newbies. Practice or suck, that's the two options. You have to be bad at something before you're good at it! ;)

With practice and research, you will discover CIT and how spheres react to each other, along with gearing, how stick deflection works in relation to throw, etc. The good part is, it's much easier for a newbie nowadays because we have the internet to research. My method isn't for newbies, it's for me, who knows how to hit the ball through practice and observation. Any newbie can get to this point, but they have to put the practice in and be able to observe the results of a shot.

I guess what I'm saying is no matter what aiming system you use, you must know how spheres react and all the minutia of pool to play your best. Your aim might be 100%, but if you haven't put the practice in to either get a real stroke, or adapt to a "bad" stroke, you won't make balls and win matches. If you don't understand CIT, etc you will struggle.
 
French Roots said:
Are there methods other than Poolology that actually tells the shooter the shot line?
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Dr. Dave’s gearing english works, if all you are interested in is pocketing the ball.
However, deflection can be a factor unless precise pace allows for the squirve effect to be cancelled, bringing the ball into the ghost ball impact zone with just the right amount of turn to walk along the surface.

Convergent inside english attaches to any ghost ball method like parallel aiming.
Its premise, like gearing english, is to make a single adjustment to the aim line to eliminate the complicating effect of throw.
Because there is negligible defection; pace, swerve and distance are not factors.

A straight stroke is needed regardless of method for consistent calibration.
 
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JoeyInCali said:
If the contact point is 1/4" of an inch from the vertical axis center of the OB, the shot line is 1/4" from the contact point ( same side ) . Double the distance method.
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Ahhh. You saying "in the same direction" led me astray. You were speaking in 2D;). Thanks You for clarifying.
 
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boogieman said:
If a shooter can consistently shoot the shot, they know the shot line. They can use any system, or no system other than HAMB.

Finding the shot line is pretty easy but requires practice, just look at the pocket and follow the line from the part of the pocket you want (or carom target etc) to the OB. That's your aim line. Shoot the shot. It's like any system, it takes table time to do it, but it's the most simple method you could ever use for finding the correct shot line and where to hit the OB.

The OB isn't physically divided into segments or fractions, it's a physical sphere that you're hitting with a physical sphere. Hit it so it goes down the aim line. There isn't a lot of need to divide the OB or CB into segments/fractions/edges, treat it as one sphere and hit it where it needs to be hit with the other sphere. I'd rather hit the ball exactly where it needs to be hit than mess with trying to visualize fractions. There is one aim point on the ball from an infinite number of "points" on the ball. If you hit it there in the correct manner, it goes in. You learn the correct manner and adjustments from practice. Always stay down on the shot and learn what the CB and OB is telling you.

The whole key is focusing and not losing your visual focus on your aim line. Study the sphere. Take the place you need to hit it and burn it into your mind. While taking the aim line while standing and looking at OB, you should account for throw and what the effect of your english will do. You pick the part of the pocket that is the most forgiving for each particular shot. Pockets are larger than the ball so target it in a way that gives you the most "fudge" room.
Click to expand...

I agree completely, well...almost.

But the Poolology fractional system is just a tool to help players develop a good eye for seeing shot lines without having to go through all that trial and error.

It's like a map. You can learn the route to any place you wanna go simply by driving in the general direction of your destination. You'll inevitable take some wrong turns along the way. You might even stop to ask for directions from someone who knows the area. (This is a last resort of course! LOL) But eventually you'll arrive at your destination. Do it enough times and you'll finally begin to know the route well enough to not make any wrong turns.

Or you could use a map and eliminate a lot of those wrong turns right from start, which can save yourself a lot of time.

Either way, map or no map, the end result of knowing the route well enough
to not have to work so hard at paying attention to every intersection, is a matter of successfully repeating the route over and over again.
 
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BC21 said:
I agree completely.

But the Poolology fractional system is just a tool to help players develop a good eye for seeing shot lines without having to go through all that trial and error.

It's like map. You can learn the routes to any place you wanna go simply by driving in the general direction of your destination. You'll inevitable take some wrong turns along the way. You might even stop to ask for directions from someone who knows the area. (This is a last resort of course! LOL) But eventually you'll arrive at your destination. Do it enough times and you'll finally begin to know the route well enough to not make any wrong turns.

Or you could use a map and eliminate a lot of those wrong turns right from start, which can save yourself a lot of time.

Either way, map or no map, the end result of knowing the route well enough
to not have to work so hard at paying attention to every intersection, is a matter of successfully repeating the route over and over again.
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If I were starting today instead of 30 years ago, I would definitely use an aiming system, as you said, it's a roadmap. You still have to learn the other stuff, but a good aiming system is a good force multiplier for all you do. Once you can aim reliably without one, it makes little sense to learn one other than for academic purposes. I still plan on buying the poolology book, it sounds interesting and I do like to learn other methods.
 
boogieman said:
If I were starting today instead of 30 years ago, I would definitely use an aiming system, as you said, it's a roadmap. You still have to learn the other stuff, but a good aiming system is a good force multiplier for all you do. Once you can aim reliably without one, it makes little sense to learn one other than for academic purposes. I still plan on buying the poolology book, it sounds interesting and I do like to learn other methods.
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I'm not trying to sell the book. If you're a proficient shot maker then it would likely not contribute much to your game. If there's a certain shot or shots that you've consistently struggled with, like backcuts from middle table area, then you might find it useful for those particular shots.

Like you said, there's a lot more to this game than pocketing balls. And it takes a lot of work. Most people want to be good at something, like playing pool or guitar or piano or whatever.... but at the same time, most people don't put in the required effort needed to learn these things.
 
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