Looking at the cue ball

[vucko117]

Hi guys,

i am interested to hear your opinion. Have you ever tried to look at the cue ball during the backswing and delivery? I have found that this helps me to cue straighter and to hit the cue ball much more accurate and it helps me to generate more spin. Any thoughts on this topic?

[nrage]

Recent thread(s) on the subject:
http://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/boa...d-when-to-look
http://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/boa...Eyes-Wide-Shut

[DandyA]

Hi guys,

i am interested to hear your opinion. Have you ever tried to look at the cue ball during the backswing and delivery? I have found that this helps me to cue straighter and to hit the cue ball much more accurate and it helps me to generate more spin. Any thoughts on this topic?

I too find that vucko ... although, as you'll see from the links nrage posted above, it causes a heated debate LOL ...

[vucko117]

Dandy, i have only tried this two days ago. I have now read couple of pages of eyes wide shut thread. And while I agree that object ball sighting is probably way to go for most players, I thimk that looking at the cue ball can seriously help players bellow 50 break to learn how to cue straight and to get immediate answer did they go straight through the cue ball or not and did they hit tje cue ball where they intended to hit it. I think tjat people can benefit from this because it will also teach you how you need to alter your cue action and delivery in order to get the cue to go straight through the ball. Once you manage to do this automaticaly you can then concentrate on looking tje contact point. Because if you ask me, there is no use in looking the object ball or contact point if you are not delivering the cue straight, or worse if you are convinced that the cue is going straight when in reality it is not anywhere near straight.

[DandyA]

Dandy, i have only tried this two days ago. I have now read couple of pages of eyes wide shut thread. And while I agree that object ball sighting is probably way to go for most players, I thimk that looking at the cue ball can seriously help players bellow 50 break to learn how to cue straight and to get immediate answer did they go straight through the cue ball or not and did they hit tje cue ball where they intended to hit it. I think tjat people can benefit from this because it will also teach you how you need to alter your cue action and delivery in order to get the cue to go straight through the ball. Once you manage to do this automaticaly you can then concentrate on looking tje contact point. Because if you ask me, there is no use in looking the object ball or contact point if you are not delivering the cue straight, or worse if you are convinced that the cue is going straight when in reality it is not anywhere near straight.

yes, I totally agree with you vucko ... you are explaining it very well ... I have been looking at the cue-ball during delivery for a quite a few months now and agree with the benefits you find ... in my opinion, my cue action has improved significantly simply because I see it rather than previously (when I looked at the object ball during delivery) when I didn't have a clue why I missed the pot ...

I do also agree that looking at the object ball during delivery must be the ideal way and I may well change back to it if I ever manage to perfect my delivery action

[alabadi]

i think that u would need to practice hitting the cueball center,as it is vital to be able to do this, there are plenty of routines that can help with this.

then once u are confident u can play looking at the OB

[Sidd]

Alabadi: Good advice.

Vucko: You can follow what Alabadi mentions above; I explained the same thing in other words in another thread that Nrage attached for you.. You can look at CB even during back swing and delivery however for long breaks and positive concentration needed to carry on potting you have to have your eyes locked on OB at the exact moment of strike ... best way to do it is to look at CB as much as you desire and even if you need to do that to have straighter delivery do it till the last final back swing pause; then swtich to OB and deliver once you have a habit of this I assure you that your potting as well as break building improves...!!!

[pottr]

I find, using the chest and chin is the best guide to find out if you're cueing straight. That's what works for me.

I can tell when the cue has moved off the line of the shot because I feel it go across my chest incorrectly.

[Terry Davidson]

For a lot of players, the only reason they do not cue straight is because their backswing is not straight. 90% of delivery problems are developed during the backswing. Slow down the backswing to a point where you can positively control it and keep it straight. You should practice this without a cueball present and then practice it with just the cueball, shooting it into a top pocket.

I do not agree with keeping the eyes on the cueball at the strike for two reasons:
1. No point of aiming reference once the sighting is done; and,
2. You will develop the mental attitude unconsciously that once the cueball is hit you've completed the job and will decelerate through the cueball (this one would take a little time to develop). This type of problem will 'creep up' into the delivery until you are doing it before the strike.

Terry

[throtts]

I find, using the chest and chin is the best guide to find out if you're cueing straight. That's what works for me.

I can tell when the cue has moved off the line of the shot because I feel it go across my chest incorrectly.

Very true and my 2 important contact points.

Funny yesterday evening, before practise I had a shower a put some Nivea on my face neck and chin. Anyway during play the bloody shaft kept on sticking to my chin on feathers and strike, it was really off putting, I had to go and remove all the cream from my chin ..

[ace man]

The only time I focus on the cueball during the strike is when I'm forced to play big swerve, masse or any other shot with highly elevated cue. The reason is that on such extreme shots the object ball might not be in sight anyway...

For me, on normal shots, the object ball focus during strike is the way to go. I wouldn't want to fiddle with my natural eye rythm anyway. Not sure if I ever want to be aware of what my eyes are doing during feathering. I think this really belongs to subconscious mind.

[pottr]

For me, on normal shots, the object ball focus during strike is the way to go. I wouldn't want to fiddle with my natural eye rythm anyway. Not sure if I ever want to be aware of what my eyes are doing during feathering. I think this really belongs to subconscious mind.

That's the nail on the head. About two months ago for no reason at all, I became aware of where I was looking to the point it was all I could think of. Absolutely ruined me and took a solid 5/6 hours solo practice, in one sitting to pot the idea out of my head.

The striking down or swerving pointer is valid too. I do something similar.

[Giggity1984]

I had to go and remove all the cream from my chin ..

LMAO. Sorry, the immature child in me couldn't let this go unmentioned.

[vucko117]

Terry,

That advice was really really brilliant. Thank you. I was always thinking that my backswing is slow enough. I have slowed it down even more and with moee attention on cue ball during the pre shot routine, with occasional looks towards the object ball and conract point I made quite serious breaks yestersay... 60 47 45 in 3 consecutive breaks. Dandy, maybe you should try this aswell... pay attention on the cue ball as.much as you like but on the half way of the backswing focus on the object ball... maybe this will work for you too...

[throtts]

LMAO. Sorry, the immature child in me couldn't let this go unmentioned.

Haha, my chin contact is a better one with a slight unshaven stubble, much smoother