What are your eyes and brain seeing at

D

dirtydog48

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The moment you strike the cue ball? This has been discussed many times before and it seems that most good players see the cue ball contact the ob. The question is are you seeing the spot on the ob, the cb, the shaft, the pocket or some combination of all? This is an area that seems to change for me and I have no picture that is consistently repeatable. Is your brain anticipating the exact hit on the cb, the hit on the ob, seeing the ob to the hole or some other combination. I realize a lot of good players cannot answer because they do not know. I asked Earl the question some time ago and his response was "ya either got it or you don't." I asked Allison the same question and she invited me to her pool school (always the business woman). I understand the focus should be on the ob but what else is in your field of vision and what are you thinking when you are playing well. Please do not answer "nothing" as that is a non-answer. Also, please do not tell me to take lessons because I have from Scott Lee and that too is a non-answer
 
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If you took a lesson from Scott, I'm sure he talked about PEP. Your eyes should normally be locked on your aim point, on or very near the object ball.

Steve
 
One time I had been drinking and I saw my third wife's lawyer. Right there on the back of the cue ball. Plain as day. He was smiling at me.
Another time I saw Grandma and Elvis, but that was because I was coming down with the flu.
Mostly I try to see the correct contact point on the back of the bille d'object, or object ball to you northerners, but sometimes that doesn't allways go as planned. :grin:
 
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exact spot

on the ob is what I expect to hear and did from Scott. Pep has to do with the routine established for your eyes and where they land (on ob). The question is what else is in your field of view (cb, shaft, pocket or something else) and is your brain more involved with delivering the cb to ob, shaft to or through cb or ob to the hole. I do not believe anyone is using tunnel vision. Scott, you may want to chime in.
 
i look at the ghost ball. i see where i wanna go approach my CB get down on my shot look at the Ghost ball SPF i don.t really think of anything when i.m down on my shot u wanna Focus on making that ball
 
I am looking at a spot in space where the center of the cue ball will be when it makes contact. Not exactly ghost ball, I don't visualize a ball there. I just visualize the center.

Just before that I am paying a lot of attention to the contact point, flickering my eyes back and forth as I review my aim... but on the final stroke I'm staring down my line of aim at that centerpoint. On thin cuts this means I'm not even looking at the OB really, it's just in my peripheral vision.

Sometimes I take it a step further and in situations where exact english is key or I'm worried my awkward bridge will hit off center, I am staring at the cue ball during contact. Just started this and it's helpful on some shots.
 
Eyes are looking at the part of the object ball that is directly down the path of the cueball.
 
robleyf7 said:
i look at the ghost ball. i see where i wanna go approach my CB get down on my shot look at the Ghost ball SPF i don.t really think of anything when i.m down on my shot u wanna Focus on making that ball
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Hi,

Just curious to know what you mean by this? I think this is where I lose the concept of ghostball because, based on your post, I am imagining you are looking at something that's not there. Are you sure you aren't looking at a contact point on the OB?

Just curious.
Thanks,
Koop
 
Koop said:
Are you sure you aren't looking at a contact point on the OB?

Just curious.
Thanks,
Koop
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Koop. Unless it is a straight-in shot, the contact point and the aiming point are two different things. Doesn't it make sense to focus your eyes on the actual aiming point, rather than the contact point?

Steve
 
pooltchr said:
Koop. Unless it is a straight-in shot, the contact point and the aiming point are two different things. Doesn't it make sense to focus your eyes on the actual aiming point, rather than the contact point?

Steve
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Not sure I follow. How are they different?

I am just trying to figure out what ghost ball aimers are looking at just before pulling the trigger.
Aren't you still lining up a certain spot on the CB to a certain spot of the OB?
Or am I way off?

Thanks,
Koop
 
Neil said:
The exact spot on the ob that I want to hit.
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IMH only amateurs do it this way, like I used to for two years when I first started playing pool (no offense intended personally to you - this is just my belief).

When I switched to the ghost ball method my potting skills increased 50%.

Just curious - have you tried any other method besides the one you just mentioned?
 
OK, suppose you have a 30 degree cut shot. The contact point on the object ball would be 1/4 ball, but when you line up the shot, your cue would be pointing on a line through the center of the cue ball to the outside edge of the object ball, not toward the contact point. The contact point is 1/4 ball, but the aim point is the edge. So where should your eyes be locking in?

Steve
 
To put it simply, your eyes should be looking at the 'aim point' for the object ball.

The 'aim point' is where ever you aim. Be it ghost ball, a spot on the OB, the edge of the OB, etc.

The 'eye pattern', which has been stated in a couple of the replies refers to the patter your eye take to focus on two things. The aim point, and the tip position on the cue ball.

Once you've gotten into your stance, and are doing your warm up strokes. When the tip of the cue is close to the cue ball, this is where your eyes should be, which gives your brain information on where you'll be striking the cue ball. When, on your back stroke, and the tip of the cue is away from the cue ball, your eyes should be on your aim point. This gives your brain information on where you want your cue ball to go.

When you're comfortable with everything, and you're ready to shoot, your eyes then focus on the aim point and only the aim point.

This process is repeatable and consistent.

Hope this helps..
 
Koop said:
Hi,

Just curious to know what you mean by this? I think this is where I lose the concept of ghostball because, based on your post, I am imagining you are looking at something that's not there. Are you sure you aren't looking at a contact point on the OB?

Just curious.
Thanks,
Koop
Click to expand...

It does sound weird but it's definitely possible. I do more or less the same thing. I'm aiming at an imaginary point in space.

Maybe I can expand it a little... my stick is always visible in my peripheral vision and it's pointing along a certain invisible line. The stick itself is part of that line so it makes it easy to visualize the rest of it.

I see the contact point, and keep tweaking the stick line until I know the CB will hit the contact point. I'm glancing at the contact point while seeing the correct stick line out of the corner of my eye. Once I know the correct stick aiming line, I don't look at ball anymore. I just make sure it stays on.
 
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