RILEY Training Ball

[Alex Edwards]

Hi Guys

Haven't posted for over a week so I thought I may aswell post about this. The RILEY Training Ball (Learn the professionals way to improve your cue ball control!) is a full fize cue ball suitable for use with snooker or pool which has 5dots and 4 lines on it to show where to hit the ball for spin.

Note: I positioned the ball wrong, look at it with an angle that has the 3 dots down the centre in a horizontal line with the 4 lines diagonally.



Top Centre Dot: Topspin
Centre Dot: Dead Centre/Straight Strike
Bottom Centre Dot: Backspin
Left Dot: Middle and Left Side
Right Dot: Middle and Right Side
Top Left Line: Top and Left Side
Top Right Line: Top and Ride Side
Bottom Left Line: Bottom and Left Side
Bottom Right Line: Bottom and Right Side
Slightly Above Centre Dot: Stun Run-Through
Slightly Below Centre Dot: Stun
Slightly Below Bottom Centre Dot: Drag

(Of course it shows where these are in the booklet using diagrams but I am not able to show you that on here so I had to write it out).

I haven't had chance to use it yet as I only bought it yesterday but I sure will on Monday and i'll get back to you on how good it is for learning.

[gavhay]

well I can only see it being good if you place the ball perfectley central every single shot. It would be no good for break building as the ball will roll and the centre dot will not be in the centre anymore. Pretty pointless really.

[Robert602]

I can understand dotted whites to show the motion of the ball as it's actually spinning. That can help a little I think, but like gavhay I'm struggling to understand how these markings are supposed to be of any use. Surely anyone can tell what 'below centre' etc on a sphere is (and if they can't how are they supposed to set it up ).

There are no defined points on a cueball, and there's no such distinction between a 'stun run through', a 'drag shot' and 'backspin' that you can draw, it's about judgement. Try hitting slightly below centre for a stun run through from 10 feet away on a club table and you'll see what I mean. It's misleading, really.

[The Statman]

Looks bigger than full-size to me!

I've just put one of my full-size snooker balls alongside my screen and it is definitely bigger!

[googlefooger]

Tell me, how big is full size?

[Alex Edwards]

Looks bigger than full-size to me!

I've just put one of my full-size snooker balls alongside my screen and it is definitely bigger!

That's because it's close up to the camera silly.

Measurement is: 52.4mm FULL SIZE

Pretty simple to set up, just place the ball so all the dots and lines seem bang on centre on the ball. I suppose it's good to learn the different spins as a beginner but would be no use in a game.

[The Statman]

That's because it's close up to the camera silly.

PS I did actually know that! (Also depends what size screen I have!)

Seriously, though, I am sceptical as Robert is. I have never seen how it can really help, unless the cue-ball in a real game had markings – in fact I think it makes it more difficult.

What I mean is, you have a guide dot in practice and then in the real game you have nothing. I would have thought a better way to get a real feel for what strikes do what, would be to practice hard with a plain ball to more be able to replicate it in a real game.

Let me know how you get on.

[googlefooger]

I actually have a traning ball. i don't use it because it's bigger than the balls I play with, which are 2 inch, but if it is bigger than full size, then I play with full size's everyday!

The ones at my snooker club are 2-inch aswell.

[philip in china]

I have a cue ball which has a load of red spots on it. It is useful to see how it spins- did you put the spin on it you meant to? As for learning how to do it- well that takes more than a spotty ball.

[nrage]

I have found my training ball reasonably useful, worth the price at least

I have the WPBSA Target ball shown here:
http://www.snookerstuff.com/accessories.html

One side has the solid red rectangle with center target and top/bottom spot targets. This side is useful for practicing top/bottom spin, and if you chalk up before each shot you usually leave a spot of chalk where you struck it, showing you how accurate you are, or not

The other side has a targeting system which TBH is a bit tricky to use and I've had mixed results. You use the ball as an object ball, setting it on the table (anywhere) but you have to get the two target spots (one on each side) in line with the path the ball is to take, and you have to have the face with the target and lines to either side facing you and the lines perfectly vertical. Once in this position you place the white anywhere on the table (where you can see the face with the target and vertical lines). Then you look from the white to the target/object ball and the vertical line which is closest to the outside edge of the ball will tell you what sort of shot you're looking at, one of 3/4, 1/2 or 1/4 ball. And for each shot there is a point on, or outside (for 1/4 ball) the target ball at which you aim the cue.

It's a neat idea, but I think you get more benefit from setting up a half ball pot (by placing the ghost white in the correct position to pot the object ball), practicing that pot for a bit, then attempting to re-create a half ball pot in various different ways, and places on the table. Then, doing the same for 3/4 and 1/4 ball. Then once you have a good grasp of what each of these pots look like, you adjust thinner or thicker as need be.

I started doing that, but have since fallen back to doing what comes more naturally to me, and that is finding the contact point and letting my brain determine the line of aim subconsciously. I have better accuracy and potting this way.

[cazmac1]

I have this ball it's a load of crap it is the wrong weight and size. I gave mine to the cat now he a better play than me lol.

[rody147]

well you just put it back on its center don,t you gggggggggggggggggs

[Cue_Seeker]

who makes spotted (6 red dots) cue balls? they seem to work well as training balls as well. to original poster could you measure the weight of the ball please?