Alignment/Dominant Eye Question...

[Luke Hooper]

I feel y potting is decent I have a snooker scorer app on y iPhone and overbest of 35 frames in a game with a club player my pot success was 89% with long pot at 78% and safety at 83%

obviously a lot f room for improvement but I feel decent enough to give the majority of people a hard time at least

[Strickimicki]

Well you seem to be in my league so to speak!

That means you probably like me have good days and very bad days! Go to a coach, a good one! and see what he says it could be that you are just don't have a dominant eye (Stephen Hendry doesn't apparently) or that you've trained your eyes to see what you want them to.

If every thing is right and you have no flaws in your technique, then there should be no problem for you to get the ton in no time!

[m1sscue]

The is no right or wrong place for you cue to run under you chin. When you are looking at the cue ball you will be naturally sighting with your dominant eye anyway. If it helps you to visualise the line then you may prefer to move it towards your dominant eye.

But no one can see the balls, tables, lines and angles like you can and therefore it is difficult for anyone to give you sound individual advice.

Therefore it is key with any method you choose that you keep it consistent on every single shot you play and analyse every shot that you play and the outcome. Keep this discipline and you will improve.

[Terry Davidson]

stricki:

To answer your question regarding the SiteRite device (not sure of spelling and I don't have one here at my training facility).

I first saw the device when I was with Wayne Griffiths at the Matchroom in Llanelli. We tried it out and what Wayne did was put the device so it was lined up along the baulk line and then he covered the lower line with a piece of paper.

He then asked me to get down with my cue and line up along the visible (upper) line and then told me to make sure I paid attention to the first millisecond after he whipped the paper away that was covering the lower (further away) line.

What I saw in that initial millisecond was 3 lines...one stright down the middle, another slightly to the right and another slightly to the left of the middle line but a bit further away than the one on the right.

What Wayne said was this showed I was seeing the shots with a slight favour to the right side and as my left eye is now my preferred eye it might be advantageous to get my left eye a little more over the cue.

So I tried turning my head slightly to the right to get the left eye over and I also adjusted my stance to have the left foot slightly more forward, however I DID NOT notice any particular improvment in my long potting.

I think my brain had made the adjustment after I had my 2 eye surgeries and what I've been doing naturally is cueing under the centre of my chin but with my head turned very slightly to the right, which gets my left eye a little bit more over the cue.

However, in looking at the video and a mirror of myself, I would say my cue is lined up between my eyes but with a slight favour to the left side of my nose (which is a bit crooked anyway).

I would say the SiteRite is a good way to just check and see if your eye alignment is OK. If, in that first millisecond you see one line that is away outside the centre line then perhaps you should consider a little alignment correction.

HOWEVER, if you are like me, where the lines are less than 2mm apart with the right line being about 1mm from the centreline and the left line being about 1.5mm from the centreline, I don't think you have any sighting issues.

FURTHERMORE...I believe 99.9% of shots (barring kicks) are missed due to not delivering the cue straight along the intended line of aim. I also believe most players (99.5%) given a little experience and a little practice can choose the correct line of aim 100% of the time but too many players can't deliver the cue along that line of aim accurately.

My recommendation...don't fret about aiming at snooker, your brain will take care of that. Practice my 4 (or 5) absolute MUSTS on snooker technique and do them all faithfully on EVERY shot and you WILL improve

Terry

[Strickimicki]

Thanks Terry,

Could you please PM me these,

Practice my 4 (or 5) absolute MUSTS on snooker technique and do them all faithfully on EVERY shot and you WILL improve

as I have absolutely no idea where to find them!

Thanks,

Bry.

P.S here is the link to the other thread I mentioned! The comment from ADR147 is hilarious! LOL

http://www.thesnookerforum.com/board...ght=sightright

[Luke Hooper]

Terry, if you could pm me the same thing or post a link to where you have posted these it would be much appreciated, thanks!

[C-J]

Remember the 4 -1/2 steps to a good cue action and consistent improvement:

1. ABSOLUTELY no upper-body movement.
2. LOOSE GRIP
3. Slow feathers and backswing.
4. Grip hand to chest on delivery and stay still at the end of the delivery.
(3a). If you have one, remember the rear pause

If you do these 4 things all the time, on every shot, you will improve. I also recommend you video yourself during a practice session and take a very details and slow-motion look at it because the camera will reveal all your faults

Terry

I would like to add one last important one(wich Terry also has mentioned many times before);

5. keep your eyes on the spot where the objectball was and check your cueline

[SightRight]

Hi TC - thanks for the kind words and recommendation in your Post and I hope all is going well.

Hi Terry - re your advice to players to seek out a snooker Coach who has SightRight, I am sure this was with good intention but I need to clarify that SightRight Snooker Coaching is exclusive to me and and any other Coaches using SightRight without License would be in breach of my Patents and Terms & Conditions of Sale.

For any Snooker / Pool players struggling to improve, please feel free to contact me on my SightRight Snooker Academy No 07933 170572 to arrange a SightRight Snooker / Pool Coaching Session.

Accuracy is crucial in Snooker (and Pool) and Perfect Sighting and Technical Alignment is a fundamental essential need for any player wishing to improve quickly or compete at the highest level. My patented SightRight Sighting Tests and Coaching Methods will help you eliminate poor sighting & technical alignment habits in your game for speedy improvement.

For those interested you may wish to see testimonials at www.SightRightUK.com. I have worked with Snooker Legends Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry & Terry Griffiths and currently have 3 players at The Crucible later this month - Mark Davis, Tom Ford and a Top 16 player. Matthew Couch (Main Tour), Andy Lee (former Main Tour) and Anthony Parsons (Amateur) have all come on board in the last year - with testimonials to follow. I have also been working with World 8 & 9 Ball Pool Champions.

Regards to all - Stephen Feeney, SightRightUK.com 07833 170572

[Strickimicki]

Great Link, it doesn't work! I hope sightright is better!

[Strickimicki]

Hi everybody,

Terry was kind enough to send me this as PM. I hope he doesn't mind me posting it here, as it's all down to this thread that I asked for it!

I would like to thank Terry on everybody's behalf and from me especially!

Gentlemen:

Not sure how to post a link so I will do it this way. The 4-1/2 BASIC techniques which every player should do and if he does he WILL improve, there is no doubt:

1. ABSOLUTELY no upper body movement from the time the grip hand hits the table throught the feathering, through the backswing and especially through the delivery and until you have completed the shot and your grip hand is against the chest. The way to accomplish this is to concentrate on keeping your chin on the cue ALWAYS and do not let that chin leave the cue for any reason.

2. LOOSE GRIP...most players think they have a loose grip but it usually is never loose enough. Joe Davis had it right, the cue lies in the bed of the 4 fingers and the thumb is just there to hold it in the bed but there's no pressure on the thumb. Steve Davis has a good guide...grip the cue as you normally would across your hips and then try and move the cue using your bridge hand. The cue should move easily through the grip hand.

3. SLOW BACKSWING...again most players think their backswing is slow enough and in most cases it's still twice as fast as it should be. Slow the backswing down to way past the point where you feel it's too slow and practice like that for awhile and eventually you will naturally adjust to the speed that is best for you. The secret is the backswing must be slow enough so that the player can positively control it and keep it straight, no matter what his length of backswing is.

3(a) - this is the REAR PAUSE at the end of the backswing. If you have one, so much the better but a lot of players (including myself) do not have a discernible rear pause. If you slow the backswing down and also shift your eyes to the object ball at the end of that slow backswing you will develop a natural rear pause provided you are staying absolutely still and not rushing the shot.

4. STAY DOWN AND STILL AT THE END OF THE DELIVERY. This is also very important as staying still and observice the object ball with your eyes only (or keeping the eyes where the object ball was as per Steve Davis' advice) gives your brain the feedback it needs but it also prevents anticipatory movement on the shot, which also happens to 'creep' up in the cue action and eventually happens as you hit the cueball or else before you hit it. This is a DISASTER and has to be controlled at all costs.

Terry
***************

[vmax4steve]

Don't know or care if this is correct technique, but this is what I do to sight the potting angle. Stand with right foot behind the cue ball on the line of the shot and look at the part of the object ball that the cue ball needs to hit in order to pot it. Keep eyes on this when placing left foot for the stance. Once feet are in place, switch eyes to the cue ball and address the centre of the cue ball with the tip of the cue while getting down on the shot.
Reverse this for left handers.

[Terry Davidson]

There are (of course) some other finer points that go along with my 4-1/2 basics, so for those that want them here are the little 'extras' (most of them are common sense).

First of all 'vmax' gives a good pointer in the post above but I would add that you should drop your head STRAIGHT down with no sideways movement. This ensures you stay on the line of aim you selected while your were standing up behind the shot.

Extra points are (for right-handers):
1. A firm bridge with a very solid 'V' and good pressure on the first 2 fingers. Keep the 'thumb pillow' (which is the extra skin at the back of the forefinger and thumb of the 'V') out of the way of the cue since it will push the cue to the right slightly as the cue goes through and gets thicker.
2. A stable stance, with the right foot on the line of aim, ideally somewhere between the rise of the arch and the back of the toes.
3. When in the address position (cue tip 1/4" or less from cueball) the right forearm should hang exactly vertical and the grip hand should be directly above the arch of the right foot.
4. Part of the drill of staying still is to not breathe during the backswing and delivery but ideally also during the feathering. At the very least no breathing in or out from the front pause, through the backswing and until the end of the delivery. Otherwise this will also take the cue slightly off line.
5. Eye rhythm is important as it keys in to the rhythm and timing of the backswing and delivery. Everyone has their own natural eye rhythm and some switch to the object ball during the backswing, some do so at the rear pause which helps to give them a rear pause and some switch at the start of the delivery. Without thinking about it during the backswing and delivery try and see what you are doing (it's hard not to concentrate on it).
6. Try to focus your mind (during solitary practice only) on your grip hand and what it's doing. I've found this also helps in getting a straighter backswing and delivery and also helps with my natural timing.

Above all else, never rush the shot. Try and stay still and very smooth, like a well-oiled piston. Too many players are jerky, with too fast backswings, too fast change of direction of the cue and try to accelerate the cue too quickly and too soon in the delivery. Slow everything down as much as you can in solitary practice and you will find it will really benefit your technique

Terry

[Nugget]

Thanks, Terry.

I've never been a very technical player. Never any good either. I'll keep your advice in mind and see what I have to work on. I think I've got a better idea about where I should have the cue now; after trying out different positions I started to feel a bit like I used to when I was playing better. Cue slightly to the right, head tilted slightly to the left. Felt familiar. Probably still doing it wrong.

[Terry Davidson]

nugget:

Doesn't sound like you're doing anything wrong. It sounds like you're lining the cue up under your right eye which must be your preferred eye.

As long as you have the grip forearm vertical and over the right leg (if you're right handed) in the address position then everything should be fine.

Try cueing in a long straight blue from the baulk line and then once you deliver the cue leave it sitting on the yellow pocket leather and stand up and see if the cue is still on line to the top pocket. If it is then you are delivering straight. If you're a perfectionist then line up the blue shot for the inside edge of the leather on the top pocket and then at the end check and see if you're still lined up for the edge of the leather on the top pocket.

If you are then there should be no problems

Terry

[cantpotforshíte]

I've been having problems with this since starting to play snooker again after a 13 year break. I've been at it again now for around six years, but the problem remains. I think that the main problem is, is that I let my left eye deliver to much info to my brain which I then take heed of!

I know that that sounds a bit daft as I have to laugh at myself for saying it! But if you are playing really try to concentrate on the info that your right eye delivers if you are right eyed that is. It's hard to do but on the days that you manage it, you'll be potting like the pro's!

The next problem is the consistency problem! This potting like the pro's comes and goes at the drop of a switch. then it's very depressing to find yourself missing the easiest of pots! Near to tears sometimes!

If anybody can help me on this, I'd be very thankful! I'd even buy you a pint or maybe even a bucket full!

Bry.

I'm pleased that somebody else has exactly the same problem as me ... I was beginning to think that I was a special case
This is the first time I've ever seen it written down that somebody's weaker eye is occasionally delivering disinformation thus causing them to miss shots.

I started cueing under my very dominant left eye about two years ago, but it really is like opening a can of worms: If you do cue directly under your dominant eye, but don't do everything else (like getting lined up, getting down on the shot, the final focus on the object ball etc. with your dominant eye, then you can be made to look very silly, as Bry knows all too well.

My best solution to keep focus with the dominant eye is this:

At the start of the final backswing, focus on your cue shaft/tip drawing back. Halfway through the final backswing, switch focus to the back-of-ball point on the object ball. If you are getting on a bit, you will have to pause at the end of the backswing to let your eye adjust focus from cue tip to object ball.
It's this sudden switch of focus from cue to object ball that seems to keep your dominant eye engaged, and it stops your 'rogue' eye from giving you wrong signals at the wrong time.

If this sounds like I'm talking in Welsh, then it's because you don't have the same problem that me and Strickimicki have.

Give it a try, Bry, and I hope it helps. The hard part is of course, doing it every time. If I was bright enough to do this, then I'd be on the telly next year

Regarding the advice to keep your head and body still etc., I couldn't agree more .... moving and not cueing straight does make you miss shots, but in my opinion, we move on shots because something isn't right in the first place.