For years I thought the center of the cue ball was somewhere it's not.
Where is the center of the cue ball to you?
Where is the center of the cue ball to you?
Where is the Center of the Q Ball?
- Thread starter nineballman
- Start date
Your question can be interpreted in different ways. If you are holding the ball in your hand and want to point a pencil dot in the middle of the side facing you, you can measure it mathematically. Think of a coordinate plane you learned in basic algebra. This x, y axis is two dimensional and the ball is a 3 dimensional figure which makes it a little harder. If you are talking about hitting the center it is different. Many people who think they are hitting center ball are visually fooled. You cannot actually hold a cue perfectly horizontally to the table and hit the center of the ball. The rail prevent this. When you want to hit exactly in the center you must point the tip at what looks like below center. You will hit the center of the ball with the top of the tip.
For 3 dimensional objects, just the "z" axis.
Russ.....
Russ.....
When I first started playing seriously ( one year ago this past June) I kept hitting the c/b slightly off center to the right. I learned this through the center hit excerise that requires you to hit the c/b to the rail and have it come back to hit your tip. NO SPIN ALLOWED. I moved my center hit point over to the left a little and the c/b started to come back straight to my cue tip. Now when I hit the c/b it always looks like it is a little to the left. I think the reson for me hitting a little off center in the beginning was due to shadows around the c/b. the lighting is good but you will always see a bit of shadow to one side of the ball of the other which gives you an optical illusion as to where the center actually is.
center ball is relative
that would be the center from the perspective of the table. i am usually more concerned with the center relative to the force (stroke) i'm applying. this center is always above the (table-relative) center, as your stroke is never completely level.
-s
/$.02
kaznj said:
that would be the center from the perspective of the table. i am usually more concerned with the center relative to the force (stroke) i'm applying. this center is always above the (table-relative) center, as your stroke is never completely level.
-s
/$.02
hippiepool
Banned
Thinking is a bad thing when it comes to playing pool ........
The center of the cue ball is in the middle or core of the ball. When we talk about center ball in pool, we consider it to be the point where the cue would make contact on the surface while pointing toward the core. It is reletive, depending on the direction the cue is approaching the ball from. Place the cue perfectly level to the table and touch the cue ball equal distance from all edges as you see it from the cue's angle. That is center ball. Now leaving the tip at the same spot, elevate the butt of the cue. You are now aiming below center.
Steve
Steve
I'd say an inch and an eighth up from the bed surface is the midway point on the cue ball. (I'm assuming you are thinking of it like this) but .... depending on your bridge, since lots of people don't cue the cue ball parallel to the table with their stick when they stroke, the expected results of your hitting center ball may vary from what you expect.
If you hit medium speed from varied distances to an object ball and you are able to make the cue ball slides like a knuckle ball before it takes on normal roll, I'd say thats about a center hit for you.
If you hit medium speed from varied distances to an object ball and you are able to make the cue ball slides like a knuckle ball before it takes on normal roll, I'd say thats about a center hit for you.
The cue ball's only meaningful center is its center of mass or 3-dimensional center. To put 1/2 tip of follow or draw spin on the cue ball you aim 1/2 tip above or below the 3-dimensional center, which will be different points on the cue ball's surface for different cue elevations.nineballman said:
pj
chgo
Also, the miscue boundary is determined by 3-dimensional center - it's about 1 full tip (1/2") above or below 3-dimensional center, which is different points on the cue ball for different cue elevations.Patrick Johnson said:
pj
chgo
It just isn't a matter of where; there is no absolute point other than the geometrical center point. This geometrical center point falls short of having much significence.
A "center ball hit" should be relating to a kill shot at the appropriate speed, which will have a relative tip-to-cue ball place to hit. Elevation will move this place, but most importantly speed will have a huge influence on where this place is located. Longer shots must be hit firmer, dropping the place to hit, and short shots that are hit firm will be very close to, the textbook center location.
This concept alone is a HUGE milestone in performance. Not a single game will go by without some application of this experience; and unfortunately, that is what it takes--experience.
A "center ball hit" should be relating to a kill shot at the appropriate speed, which will have a relative tip-to-cue ball place to hit. Elevation will move this place, but most importantly speed will have a huge influence on where this place is located. Longer shots must be hit firmer, dropping the place to hit, and short shots that are hit firm will be very close to, the textbook center location.
This concept alone is a HUGE milestone in performance. Not a single game will go by without some application of this experience; and unfortunately, that is what it takes--experience.
If you want to describe a hit that makes the cue ball stop when it hits the object ball, say "stop shot hit" or "stun hit" (or "kill shot hit" if you must, although that can be confused with a sidespin hit). That way you don't confuse where you're hitting the cue ball with what you expect to happen as a result.
pj
chgo