BIG problem!

[CoachGavin]

Hello all,

Now I have worked a lot recently on getting down correctly to the shot. I used to come in from the side. This was mainly caused by standing back to pick the shot with my right foot on the line which obviously meant that my head and eyes were not on the line.

I have corrected this to a degree and now I am nearly online. However, I have used friends to check my line when I am in the address position and I am out. However when I am corrected I feel like I will miss the pot by miles so this is unhelpful as I wont have someone helping me during a match and I need to pick the right line myself.

I am right eyed but this does not seem to make a difference as it looks the same under the right eye. I also aim slightly on the right of the white. Over time I have learnt to correct this by swinging my butt out to play the centre of the white!

My main point is how can I learn to pick the right line of aim so that it looks right to me. Obviously it needs to look right for me to pick it each time

Thanks to everyone in advance

[JanieWatkins]

Hello all,

Now I have worked a lot recently on getting down correctly to the shot. I used to come in from the side. This was mainly caused by standing back to pick the shot with my right foot on the line which obviously meant that my head and eyes were not on the line.

I have corrected this to a degree and now I am nearly online. However, I have used friends to check my line when I am in the address position and I am out. However when I am corrected I feel like I will miss the pot by miles so this is unhelpful as I wont have someone helping me during a match and I need to pick the right line myself.

I am right eyed but this does not seem to make a difference as it looks the same under the right eye. I also aim slightly on the right of the white. Over time I have learnt to correct this by swinging my butt out to play the centre of the white!

My main point is how can I learn to pick the right line of aim so that it looks right to me. Obviously it needs to look right for me to pick it each time

Thanks to everyone in advance

that sounds like a classic case for using SightRight to me.

[CoachGavin]

yeah you could be right. Maybe I am just blind

[Acrowot]

And what does SightRight mean?
:snooker:

[cazmac1]

I have the same fault. and when I went to see Del Hill he told me to aim with the cue. You do this by putting the tip to the white ball before your full down on the shot. This allows you to see the line of the cue (aiming) then when you go down on the shot make the chest contact the cue and not the other way round, as this pulls the cue of line. Hope this helps.

[ace man]

3rd eye stroke trainer? Maybe this could help? I think the guy in this video explains sighting problems in general very well...check it out...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYsNj7EXaAA

Yes, the device was designed for American cue game, but I'm sure it can be modified to suit snooker cues and balls.

[JanieWatkins]

I have the same fault. and when I went to see Del Hill he told me to aim with the cue. You do this by putting the tip to the white ball before your full down on the shot. This allows you to see the line of the cue (aiming) then when you go down on the shot make the chest contact the cue and not the other way round, as this pulls the cue of line. Hope this helps.

that's what I used to have to do. I couldn't get on the lline to save my life - being half blind didn't help! so I got the cue on the line and then got mybody behind the cue. Players like Michael Judge and Barry Pinches do something very similar

[Terry Davidson]

Coach gavin:

I think you need to go to a coach yourself (no joke intended).

Getting down to the shot is simple if you remember to put your nose on the line of aim when you are standing back behind the shot (put your right foot on the line of aim too but lean over to the right so your nose is there).

Then drop straight down, keeping your eyes and nose on the line of aim at all times until your bridge hand is on the table. Do not look at the cueball at all until you are ready to start feathering.

If your set-up is right you should have (with perhaps small differences) your bridge 'V', chin (perhaps right of chin in your case) right shoulder, right elbow, right forearm straight bone and grip directly on the line of aim.

As I mentioned in our PM, I think you need to cock your wrist somewhat to ensure the cue butt is directly under the straight bone of your forearm.

Terry

[The Doctor]

You obviously have sight and alignment issues. These are very hard to correct without some expert help.
However, try to use the cue as a pointer from a step back from the shot.
You can also stand 1 pace back from shot and with both hands behind you back, bend at the hips and see if you are looking along the line of the shot. if you are then your problem is to do with sighting the centre of the cue ball.
If you are not looking along the line then obviously this is where the fault lies and the cue ball error is a by-product of this initial fault.
As i say very difficult to correct without actually seeing you play but it will definitely be one of the issues listed above.

[nrage]

I am right eyed

Are you certain you are right eyed? I ask because when I do the various different sighting tests, like..

1. with both eyes open, hold up a thumb/finger and while focussing on a distant object, cover that object with your thumb/finger. When I do this I see duplicate thumbs/fingers (as we all should), the thumb seen by my right eye is most solid, and I end up covering the object with that.

2. hold up both hands in front of you, thumbs out at 90 degrees to the fingers, overlap them making a small triangular opening. Look at a distant object through the opening, then close each eye in turn, one will see the object. For me, this is my left eye.

So, am I right or left eyed?

I think these tests indicate my right eye is near sighted, and my left long sighted, but otherwise they are fairly balanced in terms of dominance.

I think most people are fairly balanced, and so most people should cue directly under the chin.. with at most a slight turn of the head to the left or right to bring the slightly more dominant eye closer to the middle.

This idea comes from a video by Nic barrow, and the 3rd eye trainer videos where he talks about placing the cue nearer to one eye, but not directly under one eye.

[Sport Focus]

3rd eye stroke trainer? Maybe this could help? I think the guy in this video explains sighting problems in general very well...check it out...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYsNj7EXaAA

Yes, the device was designed for American cue game, but I'm sure it can be modified to suit snooker cues and balls.

lol the pistol range bit is just a little hint that its from America lol :snooker:

[CoachGavin]

Thanks for the advice guys. Being a coach myself I have tried putting the cue down first and then let everything follow. Doctor, your advice about working out if the problem is lining up the shot or sighting the centre of the white is interesting and I think that may help.

I tried again today using a camera and it seems that my head and nose are behind the shot but then somewhere I pull the butt into body and the cue comes offline. In theory you would think that moving my body across would solve it but it seems to cause more problems. I think I need to do what has been suggested and after standing online then walk in with cue leading to keep my butt on the line as this part seems to be the problem.

[cazmac1]

Hi gavin, do you play with a very stright bridge arm? and is it possible for you to put some video up?

[atm147iwish]

i sort of dont want to post this, and certainly never want to cause offence, but im the type of player who could do with a lot of coaching!
i understand everyone is always learning but if you are coaching then shouldnt you have most of the answers? like i say, not tryin to be a pillock, would love a coach to look at my dreadful game!

[cazmac1]

It's very easy to coach a good player as they have most of their game there and the difference between potting a ball and missing it are very small.
Getting a coach is a very good idea and the younger you are when you go the better.
The point I'm making here is that no one has all the answers, when I had my coaching lesson with Del Hill he told me that there are two types of player a pecker and a driver. Del believes that the drive cue action is best where you drop the elbow, terry Griffiths and Nic barrow; recommend keeping the elbow up and the cue stops at the chest. Who is right? And what is the best method for you??