Using Lights for Aiming?

ConArtist,
Ron did not compete at valley Forge last year because he was sick. I saw him over the summer and I believe he is doing will now. I hope to see him at Valley Forge this year. Maybe I will give him a call and let him know he is the topic of discussion here. Maybe he should print up some books. He does not actively seek students. Tony Robles introduced him to me. I learned a lot from Ron.
 
TheConArtist said:
Me and Ron have been sharing emails, and he has been teaching me his Swivel Method. I haven't heard anything from him for awhile, last i heard from him he was taking it easy as he just had Surgeory. He is a great guy, and has told me some great stories. For the banking i think it was he said he made 15 banks in a row so his systems work. He believes all in the Tangent Lines, when working with the Swivel Method.
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OK Mr. Artist...I'll bite. Assuming that all the lighting is PERFECT. How does one adjust for the varying heights of individual player with respect to balls to eye height? Distance from balls which effects incoming angle to ball and thus how light is reflected from balls? Or does it uses the shadows?

Nick
 
I knew a guy who swore this system worked. He was a pretty good player too.

One day there was a power outage in the pool hall so we brought out a few flashlights and kept playing. I did fine, but he couldn't make a ball. I guess that's the biggest problem with the system, what if the lighting is different or non existent?
 
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bizzy said:
Hi everyone. Last night someone told me that there is an aiming system that uses lights but he didn't know exactly how it goes. He only knew that for one shot you aim center cue ball in between of the light and edge of object ball and on some shots you aim the edge of the cue ball to that middle point. But that's all he could tell.

Can anybody explain how it goes or is there an explanation on the net somewhere?

Thx
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Ron Vitello has written a very interesting book describing how to use the reflection of lights on the ball for aiming. I think it is about 200 pages. It has lots and lots of pictures of reflections on balls for particular positions on the table and particular cut angles. It is the only reference on the subject that I know of. I think google will find him for you.

The basic idea is that you point your stick or an edge of your stick towards the center of the reflection on the ball or maybe at the right or left end of the reflection on the ball. It has been some time since looked at it in detail. I wrote a brief review of the method in one of my BD articles which are all available on-line.

I think that there are several systems that claim to use reflections. Some of them have no chance to work at all, except for the fact that they force you to think about and get a feel for the cut angle. That's why a lot of bogus systems seem to work, I'm convinced.
 
I will attempt the simplest example I can think of to put this to rest.

Imagine the situation where there is a single light bulb hanging over the center of the table.

Set the cue ball directly under the light bulb.

Put an object ball anywhere on the table and when you get down and sight, the reflection of the light bulb on the object ball will be exactly in the center.

The only time this would give the correct aiming point is when the object ball is placed directly in line between the cue ball and one of the pockets.
 
Leprachauns use it all the time!

bizzy said:
Hi everyone. Last night someone told me that there is an aiming system that uses lights but he didn't know exactly how it goes. He only knew that for one shot you aim center cue ball in between of the light and edge of object ball and on some shots you aim the edge of the cue ball to that middle point. But that's all he could tell.

Can anybody explain how it goes or is there an explanation on the net somewhere?

Thx
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My know-it-all, squirrley brother-in-law believes in this light reflection system, therefore there is no way it can be accurate or helpful to anyone.:eek:

Wish there was some way to bet against this aiming system. :)
 
inthezone said:
I will attempt the simplest example I can think of to put this to rest.

Imagine the situation where there is a single light bulb hanging over the center of the table.

Set the cue ball directly under the light bulb.

Put an object ball anywhere on the table and when you get down and sight, the reflection of the light bulb on the object ball will be exactly in the center.

The only time this would give the correct aiming point is when the object ball is placed directly in line between the cue ball and one of the pockets.
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PERFECT! Checkmate. Any questions?


Nick
 
Nick B said:
PERFECT! Checkmate. Any questions?
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Agreed. So you would need like a hundred light bulbs over the table in stationary positions so that you could then find the right light spot to aim at to cut the ball in the disired direction......:p
 
bizzy said:
Hi everyone. Last night someone told me that there is an aiming system that uses lights but he didn't know exactly how it goes. He only knew that for one shot you aim center cue ball in between of the light and edge of object ball and on some shots you aim the edge of the cue ball to that middle point. But that's all he could tell.

Can anybody explain how it goes or is there an explanation on the net somewhere?

Thx
Click to expand...

I have had a few people tell me that they use a light aiming system, but when I ask them to explain it they never can????:confused:

I have yet to find anyone that can give me a good explanation.

I do however use the lights for aiming on one particular shot....The Break.....It seems that no matter where you break from, the light reflection is always center ball.....
 
bizzy said:
Hi everyone. Last night someone told me that there is an aiming system that uses lights but he didn't know exactly how it goes. He only knew that for one shot you aim center cue ball in between of the light and edge of object ball and on some shots you aim the edge of the cue ball to that middle point. But that's all he could tell.

Can anybody explain how it goes or is there an explanation on the net somewhere?

Thx
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There are a few different ways to use the points of lights reflected off of the cueball and the object ball. AZBer CrossSideLarry shows people a twice-across bank that he shoots only by using a point of light to aim at, for example.

If you have studied any of Hal Houle's 2-angle (two relation) systems, then you can use the end point of light as one of your reference points.

That's about the best I can answer. I'm not going to bother defending why people use the systems, since many use them and have much success. How the system works, it's really not that important if you (general) have no intention of using it. If you (general) want to find out how some people use them, I suggest to either call Hal, or buy the aforementioned book.

Fred
 
Nick B said:
OK Mr. Artist...I'll bite. Assuming that all the lighting is PERFECT. How does one adjust for the varying heights of individual player with respect to balls to eye height? Distance from balls which effects incoming angle to ball and thus how light is reflected from balls? Or does it uses the shadows?

Nick
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sorry but i meant to mean that his swivel method works, he never mention'd any light system to me. Sorry again. For his swivel method its almost the same as the Aim and Pivot system of Hals, only the trick is within the hips.
 
kaznj said:
ConArtist,
Ron did not compete at valley Forge last year because he was sick. I saw him over the summer and I believe he is doing will now. I hope to see him at Valley Forge this year. Maybe I will give him a call and let him know he is the topic of discussion here. Maybe he should print up some books. He does not actively seek students. Tony Robles introduced him to me. I learned a lot from Ron.
Click to expand...
Glad to hear that he is doing gooder:D The way i got in contact with him was through Koop.
 
I sometimes use the light reflection on shots that are similar to spot shots. Actually it works with any type of light on any table. The light on any particular table will shine on both the cue and object ball in a parralell pattern.
I aim my cue on the cue ball reflection and hit the same spot on the object ball, usually works for that type of shot.
I remember a few years back, Jack Calovito, may he rest in peace, showing how to shoot(aim) for the shadow of the ball. Meaning the object ball shadow to the table. Sometimes when shooting hard angle cut shots, say down the rail, I will use that system, and that works.
 
I have heard of this, and I found it called "The Holy Light Method" if Im not mistaken, I dont remember much about it, and have no clue if it is effective at all, but Im sure that has been covered, let me see if I can dig up the info that I have found on this before.
 
Here is a tidbit that I found on EPT

"The Holy Light System is using every light in the whole room reflecting off an object ball to determine the strike area. It's never wrong, there has to be a light reflection on the point of contact. There might be 3-5 reflections, but one of them will tell you the point of contact, that's a "Go". All you have to do is look for it. Aim your cue stick on the object ball as though you are going to shoot it into the desired pocket and there you will find the holy light that says "GO," then just aim for that spot. English, deflection, and the speed of the stroke has to be calculated like any other shot."



source:

http://www.easypooltutor.com/article222.html
 
Holy Light System

The holy light system is a technique used to help you aim your billiard shots that involves using the lighting in the room. Keep in mind that this may not be the most useful technique, considering the inadequate lighting in some pool rooms.

The idea of this system is that the light in the room reflects off of the object ball. This is supposed to help you in determining the precise area where you will need to make contact with the cue ball. You should be able to identify this point by aiming the tip of your cut at the object ball, as though you were going to shoot it directly in to the pocket. The precise spot that you would hit the object ball with the cue to sink it, is the precise spot where you should look at the light's reflection. Picture the reflection, and save the spot in to your memory.

Next, you should move in to shooting position, while keeping your eye on that one spot. The idea of this system says that you should be able to use the reflection of the light to maintain your lock on this spot. You may be thinking that the light's reflection will change as you move in to position, and you are correct. The point is that you should become familiar with how much it will change over time, and use this as a point of reference.

This is a far-from-perfect aiming system, but it may be one that you'll hear of from time to time. We should also note that this particular system can not tell you how much English to use, how fast or hard your shot should be, or the deflection it should have.

source:

http://www.billiardsforum.info/pool-playing-tips/holy-light-system.asp


Hope this helps, if it wasnt posted alread....
 
of course,

you can aim using the lights. Those of you laughing are showing your inexperience. Some guys use them for specific shots; others for most shots. Aiming is a series of little systems, most of which are your own that you later learn, aren't. This is not something easily described on paper. If and when someone shows you what to do, you will still have to perfect it, and incorporate it into your game. Lights a little off? No problem, make the adjustment just like banks. Diffuse florescent overhead? No problem. This was easier when there was just one light over a table.
 
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