Using the "Dummy Ball" technique.

[pjl83]

Have any others used this technique to good effect? Having looked around the internet for tips on lining up a pot, This looks like the easiest to set up and practice with. My potting isn't bad, but I do miss too many half/quarter ball pots along the cushion in and around the black. Any thoughts?

Paul
:snooker:

[snookerpoolman]

Hi,

I'd recommend the folowing method. On all but straight or almost straight shots it's a good idea to stand directlry behind the object ball and look to the centre of the pocket - to see the required contact point. With the contact point in your mind's eye, walk backwards to the cue ball still looking at the object ball and get into the cueing position.

My original coach showed me this technique years ago when I first started playing snooker. I do still use this now, but not as much nowadays as I see the pots better. I still use it at English Pool when I get a tricky pot. Try it and see...Helped me loads when I started...:snooker:

[pjl83]

Thanks, I'll give it a go. Does this not effect your stance? Everything I've read about getting down on a shot talks about how important "stepping in" correctly is to line up the pot. Does this go against that theory? I'll still try it though, thanks

[snookerpoolman]

Hi, No shouldn't effect your stance. When you get back to the cue ball just adopt your normal stance, keep your chin on or just above the cue, follow through and pot that ball. If you anywhere near Chesterfield, we can have a few frames at my club... Alternatively ask one of the experienced players (or a coach) at your club to have a look at your stance and cue action. Main thing is cue straight, keep your head and body still and follow through...

[thursoman]

Very interested in this topic!
I manage to successfully use this technique suggested when the shot is fairly straight as I know I cam simply visualise the point of contact on the object ball then aim the centre of my cue ball at that point.
However I know this does not work the greater the angle is.
On this situation I employ the ghost ball/dummy ball theory and this really helps on shortish pots.
But find it very difficult to visualise the ghost ball on a longer pot.

I know I need a lot more practice but can anyone offer some more tips for a beginner please?

Thank you.

[cantpotforshíte]

Very interested in this topic!
I manage to successfully use this technique suggested when the shot is fairly straight as I know I cam simply visualise the point of contact on the object ball then aim the centre of my cue ball at that point.
However I know this does not work the greater the angle is.
On this situation I employ the ghost ball/dummy ball theory and this really helps on shortish pots.
But find it very difficult to visualise the ghost ball on a longer pot.

I know I need a lot more practice but can anyone offer some more tips for a beginner please?

Thank you.

By 'longer pots', I imagine that you mean pots where there is a greater distance between the cueball and object ball. It could be that you are visualising the ghost ball well enough, but are not cueing straight, as imperfect cueing will make anybody look bad on this type of shot.
You can test this easily enough of course by seeing how your dead straight long pots compare with quarter ball and half ball long pots.
If your dead straight long pots aren't much better than the angled ones, then it's probably your cueing that's at fault.
There's loads of excellent advice on here for straight cueing... look up Terry Davidsons' posts, he has started something of a revolution on here as far as the importance of straight cueing goes.
If, however, you find you can pot the long straight ones but not the angled ones, then obviously you are having trouble with visualising the ghost ball.
I don't know how old you are, or how good your eyesight is, but I've found that after a certain age, it takes time to shift focus from your cue (after the final backswing) to the object ball.
Don't be afraid to introduce a longer pause (1 second or longer) at the end of the final backswing, to let your eyes really focus on the object ball (or the ghost ball thereon).
You are right of course about the 'back-of-the-ball-technique' not being a perfect model for anything but nearly straight shots... when most people talk about using this technique, they assume that you've been playing for long enough to automatically compensate for this - that is your cue won't actually be pointing at back-of-ball on the angled shots, but at the centre of the ghost ball.
Adjusting for this is something that we do subconsciously.
The best tip I can give you apart from these, for long angled pots, is to visualise the whole shot. Visualising the angle that the cue ball comes off the object ball will help you subconsciously get lined up right.

Sorry for the long post, I hope it helps.