What "Line of Sight" Do You Use for Aiming?

Which "line of sight" do you use for aiming?

  • Along the cue stick

    Votes: 11 23.9%

  • Through the center of the cue ball

    Votes: 11 23.9%

  • CB contact point to OB contact point

    Votes: 17 37.0%

  • Other (please describe in a post)

    Votes: 5 10.9%

  • Don't know

    Votes: 2 4.3%
  • Total voters
    46
Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson

Fargo 1000 on VP4
Silver Member
Each of us must look down a particular "line of sight" when aiming, but there's more than one to choose from. Which one do you use?

I aim by pointing my stick at the point on the ghost ball that corresponds to the tip/cueball contact point (adjusted for squirve), so I sight down my stick. Also, it's the one thing I directly control and sighting along it is a way to check my stroke and tip placement in real time.

At the same time I estimate the alignment of the CB contact point with the OB contact point (again, adjusted for squirve). This line and the line of my stick usually aren't parallel when using sidespin (because of squirve), and they converge over the distance to the OB, so it's been a difficult estimation skill to learn, but I think they both have to be aligned no matter which one is the sight line, so one isn't better than the other in that respect.

Using the stick as my sight line makes inside english shots easier to aim than outside english shots because the contact points line is closer to the stick line. I think I might sometimes "cheat" my sight line a little closer to the contact points line for outside english shots, but I try to avoid this for consistency.

I made a conscious, reasoned choice to sight this way and I do it very consciously.

pj
chgo
 
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Here's what I do for most shots.

First I find the absolute center line from the center of the pocket back through the object ball, and fix that point on the object ball in my mind. I hold that point in my mind while I walk over to the cue ball and mentally line up the contact point on the cue ball that would hit the point on the object ball if I were to use a center ball hit. Then I make any adjustments necessary, taking into account where on the cue ball I intend to strike, the speed of stroke I desire, and the squirt thus induced on the cue ball, with the consequent throw produced on the object ball to pot it.

For this to work consistently, my stroke needs to be good, my perception of the center of the cue ball and object ball needs to be on as well, and my speed control must be down pat.

A lot to take into consideration, I know, but that's how I do it, or at least attempt to do it.

Flex
 
Patrick Johnson said:
I aim by pointing my stick at the point on the ghost ball that corresponds to the tip/cueball contact point (adjusted for squirve), so I sight down my stick. Also, it's the one thing I directly control and sighting along it is a way to check my stroke and tip placement in real time.
Click to expand...

I believe this is the sight line players typically use. It is easiest to align the cue accurately to the target if the eyes are over the cue. If one uses the line between the contact points as the sight line, they would have difficulty accurately aligning their cue parallel to this sight line, or adjusting it slightly when adjusting for squirt and swerve.

Another danger of using the contact point sight line is that it can change your alignment. The contact point sight line varies on each shot, and the body has to adjust to a different position in relation to the stick line. This complicates positioning of the body for a straight stroke from shot to shot.
 
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Another danger of using the contact point sight line is that it can change your alignment. The contact point sight line varies on each shot, and the body has to adjust to a different position in relation to the stick line. This complicates positioning of the body for a straight stroke from shot to shot.
Click to expand...

This is a good point. I hadn't thought of it.

Thanks,

pj
chgo
 
I sight looking down the cue stick and then estimating the parallel line from the CB to the OB contact point. This amounts to a set of tracks. Next I imagine the tracks going through the OB to the rail behind the OB and insure that my center line of the cue stick is on this center line. I tend to shoot through the OB at the rail behind it and thus find the angle to the pocket.

For shots that are fairly straight in and more than two feet away, I aim the center of the cue tip at the center of the OB.

However, in the last few days with the discussion of pistol shooting as related to pool playing I have spent 20 minutes or so estimating where the front of the cb (that side nearest to the ob) will contact the OB. This seems to produce something like a barrel through which the cue tip travels. It takes some getting used to it but it does seem to yield another way to insure that I am on the center line of my projectile. :D

I am not yet sure if this is a useful addition and need several more hours of practice. Currently it seems to be useful.


Takes longer to put things in words than it does to do it.
 
aiming

Boy, I do not know where to start. I use many different aiming points when I am shooting.
...I use center of the cue ball to a fixed point on the object ball alignment on two different shots. 1/4 and 1/2
...and any spot I find on the first object ball at all times when shooting combinations. (partially a ghost ball sighting) a half ball aiming system
...I use contact point alignment for those shots over half ball aim shots. I walk over and get the aim line throught the object ball, then back over to the cue ball and connect the two points
...If I am cutting a ball in with inside english, I am using the a system whereas you aim the cue at the contact point on the object ball.
...Some shots I am overlapping the edges. (thin cut shots)
...tricky situations I might even think about parallel lines if for some reason I just cannot see the line.

When it is my time to shoot, I stand in position and look over the shot and at that time my mind decides which method I should use. I know before I get down on the shot, which aim will work in this situation.

But, my stick is aiming tool in most shots. That is how I voted.
 
Patrick Johnson said:
Each of us must look down a particular "line of sight" when aiming, but there's more than one to choose from. Which one do you use?

I aim by pointing my stick at the point on the ghost ball that corresponds to the tip/cueball contact point (adjusted for squirve), so I sight down my stick. Also, it's the one thing I directly control and sighting along it is a way to check my stroke and tip placement in real time.

At the same time I estimate the alignment of the CB contact point with the OB contact point (again, adjusted for squirve). This line and the line of my stick usually aren't parallel when using sidespin (because of squirve), and they converge over the distance to the OB, so it's been a difficult estimation skill to learn, but I think they both have to be aligned no matter which one is the sight line, so one isn't better than the other in that respect.

Using the stick as my sight line makes inside english shots easier to aim than outside english shots because the contact points line is closer to the stick line. I think I might sometimes "cheat" my sight line a little closer to the contact points line for outside english shots, but I try to avoid this for consistency.

I made a conscious, reasoned choice to sight this way and I do it very consciously.

pj
chgo
Click to expand...

Perhaps a bit OffTopic.
Now I understand why yopu think ALL shots require estimations.

Dale
 
I has to check "don't know".

Am I the only one that just looks at the spot on the ob and expects the contack point of the cb to get there somehow?

It's old school I think. Just keep shooting balls until everything starts going where you want, then keep on doing that.

Simple.
 
Mark Avlon said:
I believe this is the sight line players typically use. It is easiest to align the cue accurately to the target if the eyes are over the cue. If one uses the line between the contact points as the sight line, they would have difficulty accurately aligning their cue parallel to this sight line, or adjusting it slightly when adjusting for squirt and swerve.

Another danger of using the contact point sight line is that it can change your alignment. The contact point sight line varies on each shot, and the body has to adjust to a different position in relation to the stick line. This complicates positioning of the body for a straight stroke from shot to shot.
Click to expand...

Mark,

This seems to be a common misconception.
I 'aim' CP to CP but sight down the line of the cue shaft.

While I was learning, I tried to line up over the CP-to-CP line,
but soon found this was problematic.

After all, when you shoot a free throw, your eye is not behind the ball.

Dale
 
I cover the ghost ball w/the cb looking through the center of the cb and adjust for deviation of the cb from it's normal path.
 
Ghost ball, tube. I look at where the ghost ball should be and visualize the CB as if it were a tube to that spot.
 
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