why the cue goes offline when down

[snookerror]

hi guys
I have a problem and not sure what is causing it! anyone can help me ?
problem description:
i line up perfectly and no head movement or body movement and i walk in but as i get down i can see on baulk line that the butt of the cue is offline.
i am right handed player, so the butt of the cue is towards my right hand side.

i dont bring the cue to the chest but bring the chest to the cue

i think it has to do the way i hold the cue before i get down, bcaz i used to hold the cue straight towards line of aim with my right hand and get down and had this problem.
recently tried to hold it with both hands while standing and pointing the line of aim and the cue offline is less than what it was before. but the problem is still there

can anyone help me please? tnx in advance

[throwawayttyl102]

You can try boxer stance or widening your stance. It could also happen if your left knee is not bent enough. One might have to see you playing to diagnose. You can upload a video and experts here might be able to help you. Good luck.

[Ramon]

hi guys
I have a problem and not sure what is causing it! anyone can help me ?
problem description:
i line up perfectly and no head movement or body movement and i walk in but as i get down i can see on baulk line that the butt of the cue is offline.
i am right handed player, so the butt of the cue is towards my right hand side.

i dont bring the cue to the chest but bring the chest to the cue

i think it has to do the way i hold the cue before i get down, bcaz i used to hold the cue straight towards line of aim with my right hand and get down and had this problem.
recently tried to hold it with both hands while standing and pointing the line of aim and the cue offline is less than what it was before. but the problem is still there

can anyone help me please? tnx in advance

what if the cue IS online and your head is offline .
In that case your eyes could getting t wrong information and pass it on to your brain.
One of t things which happens smtimes to players who are right handed and left eye dominated.
this is one of the reasons why some players are cueing across the CB .

as above said,

you may be able to post a video of screenshot here. this way the people
here on tsf could make sure you driving in the right direction.

welcome to tsf , btw !!

[vmax]

Do not move your feet as you get down as this will move your body and as your arm is connected to your body the arm will move as well and as the hand is connected to your arm your hand will move as well and as your hand is holding the cue then the cue will move as well. A very common mistake made when taking a comfortable stance rather than a correct one.

[snookerror]

Do not move your feet as you get down as this will move your body and as your arm is connected to your body the arm will move as well and as the hand is connected to your arm your hand will move as well and as your hand is holding the cue then the cue will move as well. A very common mistake made when taking a comfortable stance rather than a correct one.

you mean i should avoid walking in?
lineup and avoid walking in and just get down?
please correct me if i am wrong
thank you heaps

[vmax]

Do not move your feet as you get down.

Pretty self explanatory really, I fail to see any confusion between walking in and getting down, what more can I say.

[snookerror]

Pretty self explanatory really, I fail to see any confusion between walking in and getting down, what more can I say.

once i walk in and feet are planted, i already do not move or readjust the feet. i thought you are suggesting something new

[vmax]

once i walk in and feet are planted, i already do not move or readjust the feet.

Are you certain of that ?
It's very easy to turn the right foot just a little as you're putting your left foot in place and this turn on the ball of your foot will move your body to the left and take the butt of your cue off line by as much as half an inch which means that you're always cueing across the line even when finding the middle of the cue ball with the tip.
I speak from experience as this was something I did as I got older and needing a more comfortable stance. My long game was pants, medium range was hit and miss and at close range I could miss anything even though I believed I was doing nothing any different.
I sorted out a new both legs bent stance that was comfortable without turning the right foot that keeps the butt of my cue on the line, making some good breaks once again and my long game has improved tenfold, like I've gone back twenty years but without the hair

[snookerror]

Are you certain of that ?
It's very easy to turn the right foot just a little as you're putting your left foot in place and this turn on the ball of your foot will move your body to the left and take the butt of your cue off line by as much as half an inch which means that you're always cueing across the line even when finding the middle of the cue ball with the tip.
I speak from experience as this was something I did as I got older and needing a more comfortable stance. My long game was pants, medium range was hit and miss and at close range I could miss anything even though I believed I was doing nothing any different.
I sorted out a new both legs bent stance that was comfortable without turning the right foot that keeps the butt of my cue on the line, making some good breaks once again and my long game has improved tenfold, like I've gone back twenty years but without the hair

tnx alot Max for your reply, i tried the best but i think this is not causing the problem

i will give you an example to make it alot simpler to understand

today i asked my friend to check me from front and behind while i am down on the shot, and guess what!
i lined up a long blue and got down and the blue looked perfect to me, but then i froze didnt even do featuring... my friend looked from front and said i am aiming to the left of pocket, and watched me from behind, and said i am aiming to the left of pocket....... i did this 10 times all the same. plus we did it without balls, i aimed my cue tip to that pocket and i thought i m aiming right in the middle but when he looked from front and behind, i was aiming to the left of pocket

now i know why my cue goes offline , its bcaz my mind tries to compensate
what am i doing wrong ?

tnx in advance

[gerryf]

Set up a cue ball around the level of the pink spot, and a red ball halfway down the table, and in line to the far corner pocket.
Take the front half of my centre-jointed cue, and lay it down on the table pointing to cue ball - red ball - corner pocket.
Stand behind the shaft, squat down, and sighting like a rifle, make double sure it's a straight line from the back of the shaft to the tip - to the cue ball - to the red ball - to the pocket.
Now stand up, get back then walk into the shot as normal, and bend over as if shooting, but don't touch the shaft.
With you bent over the shaft, and your head in the normal position, does that view also tell you that the shaft is pointed to cue ball - red ball - corner pocket.
If it looks crooked from your bent-over position, try
- straightening your head in case it's tilted to one side, or
- moving your head side to side until the shot looks straight.
Now you know where the line of the cue intersects your face. Right of the chin, left of the chin, etc.

Now stand up, and bend over again. Did you get it lined up?
If not, try changing the way you step into the shot.

In 10 or 15 minutes, you might find that you can reliably bend over with your head lined up and the shot looking straight.

Now with your cue in hand, bend over the shot as normal, and ask your friend if you're lined up.

The next step is similar. Do one practice stroke and bring the tip back to the cue ball. Stop. Does your cue still look straight?

This kind of procedure worked well for me.

[snookerror]

Set up a cue ball around the level of the pink spot, and a red ball halfway down the table, and in line to the far corner pocket.
Take the front half of my centre-jointed cue, and lay it down on the table pointing to cue ball - red ball - corner pocket.
Stand behind the shaft, squat down, and sighting like a rifle, make double sure it's a straight line from the back of the shaft to the tip - to the cue ball - to the red ball - to the pocket.
Now stand up, get back then walk into the shot as normal, and bend over as if shooting, but don't touch the shaft.
With you bent over the shaft, and your head in the normal position, does that view also tell you that the shaft is pointed to cue ball - red ball - corner pocket.
If it looks crooked from your bent-over position, try
- straightening your head in case it's tilted to one side, or
- moving your head side to side until the shot looks straight.
Now you know where the line of the cue intersects your face. Right of the chin, left of the chin, etc.

Now stand up, and bend over again. Did you get it lined up?
If not, try changing the way you step into the shot.

In 10 or 15 minutes, you might find that you can reliably bend over with your head lined up and the shot looking straight.

Now with your cue in hand, bend over the shot as normal, and ask your friend if you're lined up.

The next step is similar. Do one practice stroke and bring the tip back to the cue ball. Stop. Does your cue still look straight?

This kind of procedure worked well for me.

tnx heaps for the reply means alot
i tried setting it up but i think the cue part i am not getting it, can you please post a pic of it if possible?
tnx

[gerryf]

tnx heaps for the reply means alot
i tried setting it up but i think the cue part i am not getting it, can you please post a pic of it if possible?
tnx

I have a centre jointed cue which makes this easy. I haven't tried it with a 3/4 length.
1. Remove the shaft from the cue, and stand at one corner of the table.
2. Put the shaft on the table, with the tip pointing towards the far diagonal corner pocket, and the back end at the corner pocket in front of you.
3. Put a cue ball in front of the tip, and an object ball halfway to the far pocket, ensuring everything's in a straight line.
4. Get behind your shaft and bend down, and fine tune the aiming so it's pointing in a straight line from one corner pocket, through the cue ball, through the object ball, into the far corner pocket.

Now you know the cue shaft is pointing in a straight line for a straight shot into the corner.

What you want to find is how your body and head have to be oriented so your eyes see the same thing when you're bent over the shaft.

Now without touching the shaft, bend over the table as if you were shooting a shot.
Move your head from side to side seeing how the perspective changes. You'll find one perspective that you can agree 'that shaft is pointing straight through the balls into the far pocket'.
When you find that perspective, note if the shaft is below the center of your chin or to one side. Some people have the shaft below one eye, some have it partway between the chin and the eye.
Think about if your head is straight or tilted to one side. If it's leaning a bit, try straightening it and see how that changes your perspective.

Now stand back up. Take a couple of steps back, then step into the shot and bend over the shaft again. Are you able to get that 'perfect line'? Try it a few times until you can bend over the shaft and have your eyes and brain agree that the shaft is pointing along the shot line.

[Ramon]

I have a centre jointed cue which makes this easy. I haven't tried it with a 3/4 length.
1. Remove the shaft from the cue, and stand at one corner of the table.
2. Put the shaft on the table, with the tip pointing towards the far diagonal corner pocket, and the back end at the corner pocket in front of you.
3. Put a cue ball in front of the tip, and an object ball halfway to the far pocket, ensuring everything's in a straight line.
4. Get behind your shaft and bend down, and fine tune the aiming so it's pointing in a straight line from one corner pocket, through the cue ball, through the object ball, into the far corner pocket.

Now you know the cue shaft is pointing in a straight line for a straight shot into the corner.

What you want to find is how your body and head have to be oriented so your eyes see the same thing when you're bent over the shaft.

Now without touching the shaft, bend over the table as if you were shooting a shot.
Move your head from side to side seeing how the perspective changes. You'll find one perspective that you can agree 'that shaft is pointing straight through the balls into the far pocket'.
When you find that perspective, note if the shaft is below the center of your chin or to one side. Some people have the shaft below one eye, some have it partway between the chin and the eye.
Think about if your head is straight or tilted to one side. If it's leaning a bit, try straightening it and see how that changes your perspective.

Now stand back up. Take a couple of steps back, then step into the shot and bend over the shaft again. Are you able to get that 'perfect line'? Try it a few times until you can bend over the shaft and have your eyes and brain agree that the shaft is pointing along the shot line.

excellent post .!!

[vmax]

tnx alot Max for your reply, i tried the best but i think this is not causing the problem

i will give you an example to make it alot simpler to understand

today i asked my friend to check me from front and behind while i am down on the shot, and guess what!
i lined up a long blue and got down and the blue looked perfect to me, but then i froze didnt even do featuring... my friend looked from front and said i am aiming to the left of pocket, and watched me from behind, and said i am aiming to the left of pocket....... i did this 10 times all the same. plus we did it without balls, i aimed my cue tip to that pocket and i thought i m aiming right in the middle but when he looked from front and behind, i was aiming to the left of pocket

now i know why my cue goes offline , its bcaz my mind tries to compensate
what am i doing wrong ?

tnx in advance

Your mind isn't compensating for anything, your eyes are no different to anyone elses in the regard that we all see a straight line (line of aim/cue) with only one eye as the picture our mind receives from both eyes means that each eye sees a cue; so the brain will subconsciously favour one eye to place the cue (straight line) on the line of aim (straight line).

If you're a right hander and you're aiming to the left of the pocket then you need to place your left foot further forward; this will turn the body, therefore the cue arm and cue also, to the right as it pivots around the right foot until you're aiming centre pocket.
If you were aiming to the right of the pocket then your left foot would need to come further back, it really is that simple but keeping still on the shot and delivering the cue straight is still something to work on but it's so much easier once the whole of the cue is on the line of aim.

[RiderJake]

hi guys
I have a problem and not sure what is causing it! anyone can help me ?
problem description:
i line up perfectly and no head movement or body movement and i walk in but as i get down i can see on baulk line that the butt of the cue is offline.
i am right handed player, so the butt of the cue is towards my right hand side.

i dont bring the cue to the chest but bring the chest to the cue

i think it has to do the way i hold the cue before i get down, bcaz i used to hold the cue straight towards line of aim with my right hand and get down and had this problem.
recently tried to hold it with both hands while standing and pointing the line of aim and the cue offline is less than what it was before. but the problem is still there

can anyone help me please? tnx in advance

Maybe some muscles are more developed? You need to make an even tone - exercise will help.