Correcting off centre cueing due to dominant eye.

[NorthWestJunior]

This is probably a common problem as I'm sure many people have dominant eye.

My problem is that when I get down on the shot, when feathering, I'm cueing off centre. I had never noticed this in all the time I had been playing until a coach pointed it out. My left eye is particularly dominant over my right eye and I find myself cueing to the left of the cue ball. Although the coach pointed it out he hadn't effectively shown me how to correct it.

I find that it doesn't affect my game too much when playing basic shots trying to get a break going. However, it has a big impact whenever I need to play hard shots or when going for a long pot. When I'm a little out of practice it affects most of my game but when I'm playing regularly it is just power shots and long potting that is affected.

I also find it very uncomfortable to keep my right leg straight. I'm not sure if that is a sign that something else in my technique is off, causing problems with cueing off centre and preventing me from getting that right leg straight and in-line. I am quite tall which could be a reason but I see many of the taller players can keep their right leg straight so I'm not convinced it should be a problem.

All I need is some tips on cueing dead centre, on all types of shot. It's really hindering my game and my confidence on long pots in particular is very low. I feel it's the very basics that are preventing me from improving.

Thanks.

[frazz]

Ifnyou are saying you are left eyed i take it you are holding the cue under the left eye while on the shot? Maybe you are too far over on that side or not far enough, i know a lot of player do this and it seems to be caused by being too much under the one eye. You would be best going to a coach to figure out which it is you are doing or get someone to help you find the middle of the white and help you see the middle

[NorthWestJunior]

Ok, thanks for the reply. It's quite frustrating because to me it looks like the centre of the cue ball. Sometimes I believe I do find centre but when any sort of pace comes into the picture I cue right across it on the final stroke. I'm not too sure. I guess a coach would be best.

[Terry Davidson]

I would also recommend you see a coach too. It sounds like you are cueing right-to-left which is a very common problem and if you also can't determine the centre of the white then you will always have a problem with long shots and power shots.

If you can draw a circle on a sheet of paper and then determine the centre of that circle and mark and measure it I'm sure you'll find you can pick the centre accurately so I think you have a technique problem which needs correcting

Terry

[frazz]

Its not a cueing problem I don't think, almost definately a sighting problem, you are cueing to what looks to you to be the centre but. Its not because you are sighting too predominantly through 1 eye, get to a coach asap before you mess with technique and other stuff which probably doesn't need touched

[NorthWestJunior]

Ok, I will have to see what I can do.

[DandyA]

two simple things to try ...

(1) put the blue on it's spot ... then just rest your cue on the table to line up a dead straight pot into a corner pocket ... cue tip nice and close to the blue resting on a chalk to simulate approx centre striking ... take your time, step back and ensure cue, blue and corner pocket are dead straight ...

then, without touching the cue, put your chin over the cue pretending you are holding it ... move your head slightly left or right ... I think you'll be amazed, there will be one position where the shot looks lined up correctly but a millimetre or two either side looks way off ... obviously, the position under your chin where it looks correct is the best place for you to sight ...

(2) running the spots ... place the white on the brown spot, try to cue dead centre and hit the white over the blue/pink/black spots and back to the cue tip ... if you're not hitting dead centre, the cue ball will come back either left or right off the black cushion ... try it at your preferred weight of shot and then also try it softer or harder, test out your whole range of power ...

do it 10 times at each power level, one success is not enough because that's only a 10% pot success, 10 times in a row is 100% which could make you World Champion, pro's generally achieve 90% so aim for that or better

one thing to note ... unless it's a really good table, the spots may be divots (depressions) so I'd normally try it a couple of inches left or right of the spots - putting a chalk on the black cushion helps you get a clear line of aiming ...

you're half way there! you are now sighting well and consistently hitting the centre of the white ... that is half the battle ... well done

[Terry Davidson]

Incidentally...to find the centre of the white just use the bottom where it's much easier to determine. Then lift the tip straight up to centre using your bridge hand. (This is for players who say they have trouble determining the centre of the white)

Terry

[acpc89]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNLGgfrNavg

I think this may help you if you have not done this already. When I first tried this, it felt as though I was cueing drastically off as I still had the cue in the centre of my chin. This was when I realised just how dominant my right eye was. If you do what the video says, you should find the perfect place to rest your cue on your chin and to allow a straight cueing action.

[GeordieDS]

I myself am right handed for everything except snooker and my right eye is my strong eye so in matches under a bit more pressure i strike left of centre causing unwanted side so i feel your frustrations.

I have only been on here a short while but i am putting into practise some of the things i never new until reading this forum and it is working wonders for my confidence and i am starting to pot well and make bigger breaks......gl with the practise.

[co004]

I also find it very uncomfortable to keep my right leg straight. I'm not sure if that is a sign that something else in my technique is off, causing problems with cueing off centre and preventing me from getting that right leg straight and in-line. I am quite tall which could be a reason but I see many of the taller players can keep their right leg straight so I'm not convinced it should be a problem.

I have the same problem with my leg, (I think it's just having hamstrings that are too tight due to years of amateur football with no warm ups/warm downs) Is it something I should be especially worried about with my snooker? I plant my right foot on the sighting line but maybe that's no use with a bent leg?

Some very useful eye line tips there. I'm right handed but left I dominant and I think I need to try some of these techniques to get my head in the right position.

[co004]

I also find it very uncomfortable to keep my right leg straight. I'm not sure if that is a sign that something else in my technique is off, causing problems with cueing off centre and preventing me from getting that right leg straight and in-line. I am quite tall which could be a reason but I see many of the taller players can keep their right leg straight so I'm not convinced it should be a problem.

I have the same problem with my leg, (I think it's just having hamstrings that are too tight due to years of amateur football with no warm ups/warm downs) Is it something I should be especially worried about with my snooker? I plant my right foot on the sighting line but maybe that's no use with a bent leg?

Some very useful eye line tips there. I'm right handed but left I dominant and I think I need to try some of these techniques to get my head in the right position.