This game is easier when I aim...

S

spoons

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Before I start, let me enter a plea that this thread not devolve into a discussion of aiming methods, systems and personal attacks. There are too many of those already. My purpose in posting is simply to share something that helped me. If it helps someone else, great. If not, no big deal.

I've been having troubles with my ball pocketing lately, so I went out to work on it and figure out what was going on. Eventually I got around to checking my aiming. And it turns out that I haven't been aiming?:scratchhead:

No joke. The nearest I can figure is that I was getting down too low over my cue and wasn't seeing the shot picture very clearly. As a result, I was just aiming in the general direction of the object ball.

"Well, dumbass.... no wonder you can't make a ball."

So, I started zeroing in on delivering the cue ball to an exact place, and immediately my ball pocketing improved. In fact, I'd been struggling to run 5-6 balls all night, and on the first attempt after figuring this out, I ran a 23 in 14.1 (my high run is 30), and my run was stopped by my inability to get the cluster open, and not by a missed ball.

Anyway, I thought I'd share that in case someone out there is having the same or similar troubles.

Now...on to the straight pool forums to figure out better ways to break up clusters.... ;)
 
I agree. Sometimes you have give yourself a view of the landscape to see what precisely to do...

And I'd like to get this thread title on a shirt!
 
I had this EXACT same realization two weeks ago. If I'm taking my time and concentrating on putting the cue ball exactly where it needs to go I make many more balls. It makes sense but really before that I was just guessing what I needed to do - now I try to treat each shot as a problem that I need to solve and then figure out what I need to do to make it.

Seems to work - now if I could just get my stroke in order!
 
I managed to discover an issue with my aiming a while ago when I was consistently missing certain shots. I lined myself up and really bared down on getting lined up the best i could. I gently put the cue down exactly where i lined up and walked around to the other side. Sure enough i was off by abut a chalk width. I lined up the shot from the front and placed a piece of chalk under the newly positioned cue.When i went back behind the cue ball I noted where the chalk is looking down over it and slowly picked up the cue and lined my self up. Now noting where the cue is in relation to the chalk. I fired and hit center pocket. I did this a number of times and finally rediscovered my proper alignment from referencing the cue from the front of the shot instead of being behind it. I haven't lost my reference since then. Just a kink I needed to work out. Might find this a solution one day or pass it on if it helps someone else. That is the whole point of this reply.
Regards
 
march11934 said:
....Might find this a solution one day or pass it on if it helps someone else. That is the whole point of this reply.
Regards
Click to expand...

That was the whole point of my original post too. Thanks for the contribution!
 
:thumbup: NO nonchalantin!!!!!!!!:groucho: :yes: Pool is serious sh!t to be done by a serious mind... while shooting that is.
 
on another note...

You should look to see who can contribute patterns in straight pool. I had been taught by targeting a certain number of balls as my final out. The better you get the larger the number of balls you can target. If you can keep yourself in line when you approach the pattern you decide on, this should lead you into your final destination onto a good break shot through the next rack. I was taught to consider the break shot as a continuation rather than a new rack. Takes some of the pressure out of running multiple racks. Three years into the game of pool I was running consistent 30's and had a high run of 45. I ended up leaving that pool hall due to a friend being an idiot an thrown out but that is another story. The level of focus of straight pool in that hall was serious. 9 ball was not that respected in there.
 
Heh, nice thread title! What's funny about it is how true it is. Its so easy to forget to aim correctly and just free wheel every shot. I know when I start losing concentration on aiming when I catch myself eyeballing shots and end up missing an easy shot. I quickly reset my concentration and start visualizing the ghost ball again.
 
Hey there spoons. I've been doing something similar. I realized that being able to shoot directly where you're looking is a nice advantage. I don't know how many people actually look at the point where center ghost ball would be while they are stroking through the cue ball. My guess is less than half. For those who don't, that means that you need to feel a particular stroke that is offset from the point where you're gazing. Maybe for those of us who have a hard time visualizing a ghost ball or double distance point the offset is a necessary evil.

But for cuts under or just past half ball aims, we have a spot we can decide on and pretty clearly focus on.

Being able to send a point on the rear hand or wrist or arm straight to that spot is a major advantage in my opinion.
 
spoons...One of the great myths out there, is that you have to have your chin on the cue (ala Allison Fisher), or under your 'dominant eye'. That's complete baloney. If you LIKE that cue position, then fine. However, many people simply don't "see" the shot properly when they're down too low...just like many people don't see the shot in a way they believe is 'right', with the cue under their dominant eye. The truth is, it doesn't matter how high or low your head is, over the cue...as long as the cue is level. Also, it doesn't matter if the cue is lined up under your chin, or your dominant eye. What matters is where the cue is when you PERCEIVE a straight line to the aim point on the OB. As long as YOU know where that is...and you've got a repeatable stroke...all will be well! :D

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

spoons said:
No joke. The nearest I can figure is that I was getting down too low over my cue and wasn't seeing the shot picture very clearly. As a result, I was just aiming in the general direction of the object ball.
Click to expand...
 
Scott, thanks for mentioning eye patterns in an earlier thread. I think this is key. It took me a while to finally get to training an eye pattern, yesterday in fact, but I think it is going to improve my game immensely.
 
Jeff...You're welcome! Just be sure that, if you don't get some professional instruction, start your eye pattern with a full 2 seconds of focus on both the CB and OB (with your cuetip stopped at the CB), BEFORE you begin your final cue movement routine (what we call your warmup cycle...this is where you move your cue, stop your cue, pull back, and stroke). This is signficant, because the long focus is part of the aiming process. You can't aim while your cue is moving...it must be stopped...and you want it stopped aimed where you're going to strike the CB (VERY close, under 1/2").

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
 
Scott Lee said:
Jeff...You're welcome! Just be sure that, if you don't get some professional instruction, start your eye pattern with a full 2 seconds of focus on both the CB and OB (with your cuetip stopped at the CB), BEFORE you begin your final cue movement routine (what we call your warmup cycle...this is where you move your cue, stop your cue, pull back, and stroke). This is signficant, because the long focus is part of the aiming process. You can't aim while your cue is moving...it must be stopped...and you want it stopped aimed where you're going to strike the CB (VERY close, under 1/2").

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Click to expand...

Yes, I actually noticed this as being important yesterday. Upon slowing my routine down the aim and alignment began to sharpen. And stopping when I initially approach the cue ball helped a lot. Thanks.
 
bluepepper said:
Scott, thanks for mentioning eye patterns in an earlier thread. I think this is key. It took me a while to finally get to training an eye pattern, yesterday in fact, but I think it is going to improve my game immensely.
Click to expand...


Can you point me to this thread?

Thanks!
 
Scott Lee said:
What matters is where the cue is when you PERCEIVE a straight line to the aim point on the OB.
Click to expand...


Scott, I'm not sure I understand what you mean here. Could you elaborate a little for us? Is this related to what you talk about in your later post about eye patterns?

thanks!
 
I don't remember the thread. It was just a quick post. Maybe Scott, you can explain eye patterns here. Thanks.
 
Sure...the comment was in the Hal Houle thread, and referred to a post by Mike Page. Here it is:

the Quiet Eye studies detailed the difference between a quick glance (1/10-1/2 of a second) versus a focused look, or gaze, as you call it. The data from neurosurgeons and opthamologists tell us that the brain needs a minimum amount of visual information (minimum of 2 seconds; delivered to the brain via the optic nerve), before the brain can "lock in" on the image, process the information, and give some sort of feedback. Anything less, and the brain basically says, "Huh? I didn't get that...look AGAIN"...which becomes repetitive, or what we call 'ping-pong' or 'peekaboo' eyes. In pool, the feedback is frequently a 'go' or 'don't go' response...or even just a simple muscle command (move your arm). That's why poolplayers (and others) have a greater success rate, with a consistent eye pattern, which is built around a long look (2 seconds) at both targets...the CB & OB. Shorter glances, or an inconsistent eye pattern, will likely not deliver the optimum results. The eye patterns are part of the teaching process, that goes hand-in-hand with an accurate, repeatable stroke.

So...here's the process. Line up on the shot. Stand down on the shot. When you feel like your body and cue are "in line" start your 2 second focus on the CB (tip is stopped at CB). Without moving your cue, change your focus to the aim point on the OB for two seconds. Now move your eyes back to the CB, and begin your warmup cycle (this is where your cue moves, for the last time, before you shoot). Stop your cue again, at the CB. Take your final backswing, and stroke through the CB, with your eyes on the OB. When and where you change your focus from the CB to OB is part of how we teach someone to develop a consistent eye pattern.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

spoons said:
Scott, I'm not sure I understand what you mean here. Could you elaborate a little for us? Is this related to what you talk about in your later post about eye patterns?

thanks!
Click to expand...
 
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