Your Cut Shot Target?

xtrmbrdr

xtrmbrdr

Registered
I am new here, and am having trouble with certain cut shots, mostly long thin cuts. So I have been experimenting with certain aiming targets and find that I seem to be most sucessful with looking at the exact spot on the CB for these type of shots, instead of looking at the target spot on the OB, or beyond on the rail. Is this how most of you do it? or is there a better way? I'd rather not develop any bad habits if possible :grin-square:
 
always hard for me to answer these questions. i dont really think about it, i just do it. but fwiw i believe i look at the spot where i want the center of the cue to go on long cuts.
 
Depends on how steep the angle is. On very thin cuts I line up the edge of the cue ball to contact point on the object ball. At which point on my final stroke, I'm just looking straight ahead (down the shaft).
 
On long thin cuts, I make extra sure my head doesn't move and my eyes stay fixed on the edge of the OB until after contact.
:p
 
xtrmbrdr said:
I am new here, and am having trouble with certain cut shots, mostly long thin cuts. So I have been experimenting with certain aiming targets and find that I seem to be most sucessful with looking at the exact spot on the CB for these type of shots, instead of looking at the target spot on the OB, or beyond on the rail. Is this how most of you do it? or is there a better way? I'd rather not develop any bad habits if possible :grin-square:
Click to expand...

IMHO - you should look at the same target, the same way, on ALL shots.
With the possible exception of the situation of the CB being within
an inch of the OB, and you must make a severe cut of the OB,
sometimes I will look at the CB under those circumstances.

FWIW - you may only be percieving a problem because the shots you are
missing are in fact much more difficult.
In general, the thinner the cut, and the further from the pocket - the
less the margin of error - ie, the more difficult the shot.

At times, even very experienced players underestimate
how much more demanding one shot may be compared to another
that looks to be similar.

ps A diagram of ones you make vs ones you miss would help.

Dale
 
I aim the inside 1/4 verticle axis of the CB at the edge of the OB..I then pivot to center CB...from there I just stroke straight through.

The pivot subtracts the 1/4 of the CB and gives you an edge to edge contact..

If you trust the method (the hard part) you can hit the OB really really thin.
 
jdxprs said:
just tried it. i actually look at the spot i intend to make contact.
Click to expand...

I vote for that method:)

A humble suggestion - a method proposed by, among others,
Bob Byrne and Bob Jewett -

Set up a shot like the ones that are giving you trouble.
Then, keeping the distance and angle from CB to OB the same,
Move them to a spot 1/2 as far from the pocket. Shoot from there
untill you can nail the shot, then move the setup back a diamond
at a time. This should eventually get you to where you can make
the shot on a regular basis.

Dale
 
Some ideas that might help you understand what's happening on those shots...

Visually, you're looking at a large white cue ball near your tip, but by the time it arrives at the object ball (which is far away), it's 'shrunk' a lot. So you look at your line of aim and imagine a cue ball that is exactly as 'small' as the object ball, with the middle of the imaginary ball appearing where your tip is pointing. If the imaginary ball is barely touching the object ball, then you're in line to make a razor thin cut.
That's sort of what I think of when I'm doing on these cuts.

For closer thin cuts, you can look at the edge of the cue ball and imagine its contact with the opposite edge of the object ball. You almost mentally block out the unimportant half of the cue ball. You're just flickering your eyes back and forth between those two edges.

The problem with thin cuts isn't necessarily finding out where to aim. Where to aim is often pretty obvious. "as thin as you can without missing the ball completely". The problem is with execution. Really focus on these three things and I bet your make % goes up.

· If you're not already using the "pause" in your backswing, this is the time to do it. The pause basically forces you to consider your final forward swing and you have time to realize when you're about to 'steer' the tip of the stick. It reveals flaws in your stroke and forces you to shoot the cue ball where you're aiming, rather than aiming at point A and then steering the shot to point B midstroke. Pick an aiming point that truly seems correct visually, go back, pause at least 1 full second, then go directly forward on that line of aim.

· Do not fall into the trap of thinking you need outside spin to help throw the ball in. A lot of players think outside spin helps cut the ball thinner. In reality, their outside spin is causing the cue ball to swerve a few millimeters; by the time it arrives at the object ball it's rolling on a different path. So basically they start out aiming wrong and then let the ball curve itself onto the correct line.

The thinner a cut is, the less effect throw has, so this is the one shot where throw almost can't help. Just use whatever english is necessary to get position. Hopefully you can find a way that doesn't involve sidespin, it just makes the shot harder.

· Do not be so scared of hitting thin that you undercut the ball. A lot of people think "if I aim any thinner I might miss the ball completely, and that would be really embarrassing. I might even give up ball in hand since I didn't make contact". Don't let that fear trick you into aiming for a fatter hit. I think it's this fear that makes people spin balls in (see above). They aim for the thicker 'comfortable' contact point and then they swerve the cue ball with sidespin to get a thin enough hit.
 
CreeDo said:
Just use whatever english is necessary to get position. Hopefully you can find a way that doesn't involve sidespin, it just makes the shot harder.
Click to expand...

This is incorrect.

Actually, aiming at the "thick part of the pocket" on cut shots(the half of the pocket you would hit if you undercut the OB), and then applying a hair of inside english makes the shot MUCH easier.

Don't argue.

Try it.

Once enough people argue with me about why it makes the shot harder, I will get back on and explain the physical interactions, and explain why it opens the pocket up about 10-15%.

Other than what is bolded, a lot of good info in your post.

Russ
 
Russ Chewning said:
This is incorrect.

Actually, aiming at the "thick part of the pocket" on cut shots(the half of the pocket you would hit if you undercut the OB), and then applying a hair of inside english makes the shot MUCH easier.

Don't argue.

Try it.

Once enough people argue with me about why it makes the shot harder, I will get back on and explain the physical interactions, and explain why it opens the pocket up about 10-15%.

Other than what is bolded, a lot of good info in your post.

Russ
Click to expand...
This is one of the good tips most dvd's and pros don't tell you. Johnnyt
 
Thanks for all the great info, it appears the majority aim for the OB target, so I will try that. I've had a bit of a plumbing emergency and haven't had time to try any of the other tidbits presented, but I will try it and see what happens.

Russ, inside english? Is that as you hit the ball or as the CB hits the OB?
 
I look at my target on the ob when I am lining up.then as im down stroking I look at the cb to see if my tip is hitting center,once I see Im straight I look at my target again,set and come through it smooth.It does pay to learn your center to edge shots and your edge to edge shots,but thats another subject
 
BRKNRUN said:
I aim the inside 1/4 verticle axis of the CB at the edge of the OB..I then pivot to center CB...from there I just stroke straight through.

The pivot subtracts the 1/4 of the CB and gives you an edge to edge contact..

If you trust the method (the hard part) you can hit the OB really really thin.
Click to expand...

This does work, but not for all distances away from the object ball. Do you have an adjustment for different distances: i.e 1' vs. 3' vs. 5', etc. I am serious, not knocking what you said, I would really like to know.

Thanks in advance.

Dave
 
12squared said:
This does work, but not for all distances away from the object ball. Do you have an adjustment for different distances: i.e 1' vs. 3' vs. 5', etc. I am serious, not knocking what you said, I would really like to know.

Thanks in advance.

Dave
Click to expand...

I really don't know how to answer your question since I don't understand why it would not work from any distance....(I am not really sure If I want to know or not why it does not work)

It is really just a method (or measuring tool) to get to a edge to edge contact between the object ball and the CB...

It seems to work (for me) very well (from any distance) ...Perhaps there is some subconcious adjustment to the shot...It may just get me close and then feel takes over..I don't know.

If I am using inside english, I actually don't even pivot to center..I just line up the inside 1/4 to the edge of the OB and shoot..This shot is a bit of a crap shoot though since you have to get the correct speed from different distances to get the deflection and swerve balanced...
 
As an update ... I appreciate all the advice, but I am still having problems. I am starting to think it is more related to stance and stroke, and follow-thru plus leaving my head down, so basically, technique. I think once I correct this part of my game I will progress fairly quickly, it's my crux!
 
BRKNRUN said:
I really don't know how to answer your question since I don't understand why it would not work from any distance....(I am not really sure If I want to know or not why it does not work)

It is really just a method (or measuring tool) to get to a edge to edge contact between the object ball and the CB...

It seems to work (for me) very well (from any distance) ...Perhaps there is some subconcious adjustment to the shot...It may just get me close and then feel takes over..I don't know.

If I am using inside english, I actually don't even pivot to center..I just line up the inside 1/4 to the edge of the OB and shoot..This shot is a bit of a crap shoot though since you have to get the correct speed from different distances to get the deflection and swerve balanced...
Click to expand...

BnR, thanks for your reply. I'm sorry I'm so late in reading it, I've been sick and forgot I asked - senior moment :o. (I just noticed you posted this today, so the timing was perfect for me to remember to look :))

Just keep doing what your doing and don't read anything in to what I asked. If it works for you and you have confidence in it, that's all that matters.

Dave
 
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