SNooker Sighting

[morning3jack]

I have been playing snooker for about 4 years now but have never got to a stage of ever playing for more then twice a week. I have been coached by a professional coach, but have never quite known the right way to do a few technical sides of the game.

Firstly, when you are potting a shot should you put any time into sighting where you are going to hit the white ball or should you just naturally know where. i.e. when you go down on a shot should you solely focus on the object ball and nothing else (I have always glanced back and forth which i think loses accuracy on the potting angle)

I personally think sighting is one of the most underestimated lapses in snooker players most people mention action stance and timing but i think this can go under the radar a little.

[Malachi-b]

i dont understand your question totally but i hope this helps.

before you get down on the shot you already judge the angle, so by the time you get down for the shot the pocket should be out of your mind.

when you are down on the shot and feathering backwards and forwards you look at the cueball when you are feathering forwards and then when you are feathering backwards you look at the object ball.

then before you complete the final packswing you keep your eyes focused on the object ball this is so you know where you are hitting and dont have any unintentional body movement.

i hope this helps at all.

thanks

Malachi.

[morning3jack]

Thanks a lot Malachi. Yeah that's what I used to do although i constantly doubt i am doing it perfect.

Its only when I have really started to study my game so I can take it to the next level that I have doubted certain bits.

Most of that kind of stuff had become second nature but I have started over again looking to discover the best technique .

[Malachi-b]

don't just look at the cueball and dont just look at the object ball as when you are playing a shot you have to relate them to eachother just looking at one of the balls is a very big mistake so just do it like i said and it will be fine.

[Hyperonic]

don't just look at the cueball and dont just look at the object ball as when you are playing a shot you have to relate them to eachother just looking at one of the balls is a very big mistake so just do it like i said and it will be fine.

After you have judged the line of aim in the standing position and moved your body with right leg in line with it, then what do you look at when you move your right leg and left leg into position and are getting down on the shot ? Do you look at the obejct ball with cue ball's position in mind or look at cue ball with obejct ball in mind or look at both alternately when getting down on the shot ?
I look at object ball with cue ball's position in mind and due to this sometimes my bridge hand doesn't land on the line of cue ball's center point. And also on some shots when getting down I am also concentrating on the line of aim with the next shot's placement in mind which drops me out of the correct line of aim.

[Malachi-b]

you look at both balls relating them to eachother you then get down on the shot making sure your putting your bridge around 9-12" away from the cueball then just do as i said before looking at both of the balls while cueing.

it should all be natural though and not forced. everything else should be fine you shouldnt go out of aim.

[mooneyy]

Look at the point you want to hit with the white in order to pot the ball before
getting down. This point can actually be off the object ball.
When down on the shot, flicker between your point of aim and the cue-ball
but never look at the pocket!

[1lawyer]

Look at the point you want to hit with the white in order to pot the ball before
getting down. This point can actually be off the object ball.
When down on the shot, flicker between your point of aim and the cue-ball
but never look at the pocket!

Must be where Stephen Hendry has been going wrong all these years then

[mooneyy]

possible... My point is that you should totally focus on the point of aim because
looking anywhere but straight can cause you to move slightly.
And from when you are down on the table, the pocket isn't important anymore.

[Hyperonic]

Is flickering important ? Isn't landing the bridge hand on the correct line of aim and cueing straight, enough for the pot to be successful ?

[morning3jack]

moneyy makes a very good point the flickering of the eyes can put your aim off.

I believe people haven't studied snooker sighting enough you see players miss stupid balls with perfect cuing this could only be down to lack of sighting.

Because no people have an absolute rule in sighting it goes under the radar and is responsible for people chucking in the odd mistake.

I think in pressure situations you focus very hard and i think this changes the natural habit of your normal sighting of the ball.

[ToBad4U]

moneyy makes a very good point the flickering of the eyes can put your aim off.

I believe people haven't studied snooker sighting enough you see players miss stupid balls with perfect cuing this could only be down to lack of sighting.

Because no people have an absolute rule in sighting it goes under the radar and is responsible for people chucking in the odd mistake.

I think in pressure situations you focus very hard and i think this changes the natural habit of your normal sighting of the ball.

+1

Good point - pressure can take you out of your normal routine which can lead to bad results. I think that this is the number one cause of missing easy pots under pressure situations.