Nic Barrows

[seppo147]

Sir

checkside & stricki:

You have both fallen into the 'fine tuning' trap, like so many other players.

The correct method if you believe in the 'preferred or dominant' eye theory is to turn the head very slightly to bring the cue just a little bit more under whichever eye you sight with.

Then you have to play that way for awhile, staying down on the shot after delivery so your brain will get the feedback it needs. But, YOU HAVE TO STICK WITH IT FOR AWHILE.

The brain is a wonderful instrument and it will sort out the aiming and you WILL get used to it as checkside is discovering now.

Keep everything as simple as you can (KISS principle) so you are not relying on having perfect coordination every time you strike the cueball as no one has ever done that and no one ever will. The best players keep it as simple as possible so there's less that can go wrong

Terry

What to do Terry,my left eye looks cueball and cua because they are close. Object ball comes to my right eye. So wich one is dominant. Lasik thing i wont do. Game goes still very well. Can make 50,100,100,50 in four frames butt long potting is nightmare and long safety shots.

[Terry Davidson]

seppo:

Generally the preferred eye is the one you will see the sharpest out of, however you may be sighting long pots with your right eye although it sounds the weakest. The problem might be your brain prefers what it sees out of the right eye.

Do this...line up a long blue off the spot from the baulk line and then get down into the address position. Stay in the address position without taking the shot. Now close the right eye and see if the cue looks to be aimed correctly and then close the left eye after that and see how the alignment of the cue looks.

From one of your eyes the cue should look to be pointed right down the line and from the other eye it will seem to be to the side a bit, although in reality it's not.

Once you determine which eye sees the line of aim or the cue accurately try turning your head just a touch to bring the cue more under that eye. So if it's the right eye you have to turn the head very slightly to the left and if it happens to be the left eye then turn the head very slightly to the right.

And when I say slightly, I mean maybe 10degrees maximum.

Practice with this awhile and let me know if it gets you past the problem. Also, remember to stay down and still after you've delivered the cue to give your brain a chance to get the right feedback.

Terry

[Strickimicki]

Hi all,

First of all I'd like to thank Terry for his kind input into this problem, I regard Terry very high as a trainer/coach and as a person who obviously really only wants to help! Thanks Terry!

Yesterday I was at the club, trying to get to grips with this new aiming tecnique I have. I say new, it maybe not be new but lets agree on new found! Well I have to say it seems to be getting better, the object ball is nearly always looking as if it's going into the vercinerty of the pocket, and not anymore 20cm to the left, when down on the shot! I really still have a lot of work to do in believing what I see and cueing straight. Which I know I do if that believe is there.

I practiced line up yesterday as this is a simple exercise to get aiming fine tuned and hopfully bring me that little bit nearer to where I would like to be. Well I got as close to a clearance as I've been in quite sometime, missing the third last red. I think this happened because I was getting excited about the fact that I was actually seeing the objectball as being on target. I also was a little disgusted with myself, because I was forced to play for the blue because I'd left myself with the wrong angle to play on the pink which I had intended to do. Damn!

But all in all I think I can say, I'm back on the right track! Only time will tell and practice, practice , practice!

I'll keep you all informed on my further progress!

Thanks,

Bri.

[Acrowot]

Well done Bri. It seems that things are going in the right direction. Hopefully, you will soon be playing as well as you think you should be doing.

Hope all goes well in the future for your snooker.
:snooker:

[Strickimicki]

Thanks Acrowot,

I did forget to mention that the line up was done on a TV table. The drop on this table is about 3/4 of an inch further back than on a normal table and the "pocket cut" is build to make balls come out rather than in if cushion contact happens. I was quite proud of myself! LOL

I also had a few breaks of over 40, one of 53 and a 43 clearance to win the frame by 4 points! So all in all it's starting to look better! But this way of aiming is still lets say different, and my eyes and brain are still becoming accustomed to it! Only time will tell if "it" is what I've been looking for!

[checkSide]

Congratulations Brian!

Hope you get it all sorted mate.

[Strickimicki]

First of all, I'd like to thank Checked for his comments. :-)

I was back on the baize again last night, and this potting lark is getting much easier and better and consistent with every visit to the club. But I can't keep position to save my life. I think this has partly to do with me hitting the ball more soundly (not cueing across the ball as much). I was always running to far, when I tried desperately to play more gently, I wasn't getting into the ball as wished for. I was also coming off the cushions at angles I wasn't expecting (probably due to 3-4 years of checking or running out of the cushions due to unwanted side). I realise that this re-learning of aiming, cueing, will cause a long learning curve. I'm gonna stick with it as it will obviously bring the wished for fruits.

Keeping you all informed,

Brian.

[Sir Ivanhoe]

Nic Barrow

I wonder if Nic Barrow remembers me. We had the odd practise session in a snooker centre at Cowley Oxford about 15 years ago. I now play just social snooker. Here are the clues: I used to play bridgehand two finger digit and thumb. Cueing hand three finger digits and thumb. Last 8 years play with perfect fit bridge hand prosthetic (artificial hand). Highest break 142 (practise). Regards: John Quartermain.

[Strickimicki]

It's getting better and better!

I've had quiet a few remarks on my potting qualities over the last few weeks. I have always heard such comments, but now they are coming in thick and fast. I am having problems with the distance in postional play, but that is probably due to me hittting the cue much more soundly and correctly. I am getting much more spin on the ball, no matter where (top, screw, side.).

I think if this improvement carries on like it is, I should really be able to hold my own against most players. Maybe not be able to beat them, but at least make then respect my qualities, which is half the battle in my eyes!

Bry.

[hasankhan786]

hi, i come across this problem all the time. In practice I dont miss a thing, but when im in a match I dont do anything until im in danger of losing the frame, then I started potting balls, and making breaks most of the time its too little too late, its called choking. How good are you? let me know if you would like a reasonable good player to practice with, im looking for a holiday where I can practice with someone.

Sorry to answer your question I dont have Nic's email. But good luck

thanks

[Terry Davidson]

hasan:

Your problem sounds like purely a concentration one. All I can tell you to do is FOCUS.

A simple method for doing this is to come up with just ONE swing thought during your backswing and delivery. The one I use is 'keep your chin on the cue throughout', another could be 'drive the grip hand through to the chest' or also a neat one is to develop what's called a 'front pause' where you pause in the address position just before you start your final backswing and check the aiming line one last time.

Nic Barrow's email is - nic147 (at) thesnookergym (dot) com or he can be contacted via his websit - thesnookergym (dot) com

Terry