the walk in

[pcb]

hi , i am right eyed but left handed, do i still put my left foot on the line of aim as i walk in , i feel as i am cueing across the ball due to my eyes are not selecting the right line of aim and the middle of the white . i am thinking of getting glasses so both eyes are the same , will this mean if both eyes are the same strength i will select the correct middle of the white and line the cue ball must take to pot the ball. please help thanks

[nrage]

I am right handed and cue slightly to the left of my nose "naturally".

I say naturally but I can't be sure if this is where I started cueing the first time I picked up a cue, or where I learned to cue over time. It is where I sight best now, determined by potting a bunch of balls on video and noticing the position on every shot was the same, and left of the nose.

I walk in, right foot ball of the foot on the line of aim, toes pointing 30 degrees outside the line of aim. This angle opens my hips and allows me to get them across and out of the way of my cue. If I try to stand more square my grip hand brushes my hip, or I get pain and discomfort from the strain of getting the hip out of the way.

This angle also allows me to lift my back shoulder up higher and push my front shoulder down lower, creating more space for my cue at the chest contact point and allowing it to get over to the left of my nose comfortably.

So... the Q is, 1. are you selecting the wrong line (aiming badly), or 2. are you getting down on the wrong line, or 3. are you down ok but is your head in the wrong place so it looks all wrong.

I like to be scientific about things like this, if you're the same then here are some ideas for checking your assumptions.

To test #1 you need to set up a few different angled pots and for each instead of getting down or playing the shot just place your cue on the table where you think the line of aim is. Leave room for a ball at the tip in the plant position. Place a ball in the plant position by standing on the line to the pocket through the ball, and then go back behind the cue and look along it to see if it is pointing directly at the center of the planting ball. If not, you aimed it wrong.

For #2 set up a straight pot where the cue is completely over the table, nothing hanging off over the sides. Place the cue down, tip to white bang on the line of aim. Place a piece of chalk under the cue about where your grip hand would be. Pick up the cue and walk into the shot as normal. Get a mate to check your cue is directly in line with the chalk. This will tell you if you got down on the correct line.

Lastly #3. Get down on a shot and when it looks all wrong just move your head left/right up to an inch or so and see if there is a position where it actually looks right. Try really hard not to move the cue if you can. Alternately, lie the cue down on the table on a dead straight pot and get your head down over the cue and see where your head needs to be for it to look "right" - does that match what you think you're doing already?

[pcb]

thanks will give it a go. thanks again

[Terry Davidson]

pcb:

Even if your eyes are even sighted your brain will still prefer the image from one of the yes when down in the address position and sighting the shot. See my post above on the 'baulk line' string for a way to find out which eye your brain uses for sighting. It may mean a slight change in your set-up.

My test is much more accurate than the standard 'dominant eye test' pointing the finger at a piece of chalk as I've tried that and I can't tell the difference out of either eye however I can easily see with my test which eye my brain is using for sighting.

Terry

[j6uk]

5-10mins before you play, get on the baulk line and cue along it in a straight line. Watch the cue tip go back and forth and play shots as you would do normally but obviously without hitting a ball, pretend, bit like shadow boxing but with a cue. Start slow..
Be aware of your balance and all the basics enjoy

hi , i am right eyed but left handed, do i still put my left foot on the line of aim as i walk in , i feel as i am cueing across the ball due to my eyes are not selecting the right line of aim and the middle of the white . i am thinking of getting glasses so both eyes are the same , will this mean if both eyes are the same strength i will select the correct middle of the white and line the cue ball must take to pot the ball. please help thanks

[chrissmall147]

first of all do the up and down the spots test with varying pace and different heights of the cue ball to see if u are hitting middle of the white or not. Now can i suggest something to you. Instead of lining your foot up to the line of aim, try lining the middle of your body up to the line of aim as everything is now central and then walk in slowly to the shot keeping this line of aim and see if this helps. So basically you are lining the middle of your body up with the spot on the object ball you intend to strike. If you are still having problems after trying this method get back to me and i will offer some other piece of advice.


cheers chris small

[pcb]

thanks chris . i wll let you know how i get on

[Sidd]

pcb:

Even if your eyes are even sighted your brain will still prefer the image from one of the yes when down in the address position and sighting the shot. See my post above on the 'baulk line' string for a way to find out which eye your brain uses for sighting. It may mean a slight change in your set-up.

My test is much more accurate than the standard 'dominant eye test' pointing the finger at a piece of chalk as I've tried that and I can't tell the difference out of either eye however I can easily see with my test which eye my brain is using for sighting.

Terry

Dear Terry and others:
The thread Terry is referring here to is called "Incorrect Sighting" containing the dominant eye selection method as per Terry.

[vmax4steve]

hi , i am right eyed but left handed, do i still put my left foot on the line of aim as i walk in , i feel as i am cueing across the ball due to my eyes are not selecting the right line of aim and the middle of the white . i am thinking of getting glasses so both eyes are the same , will this mean if both eyes are the same strength i will select the correct middle of the white and line the cue ball must take to pot the ball. please help thanks

Your eyes will select the correct line of aim as long as you are looking at what you should be looking at and that is the contact point on the object ball. No matter which eye is dominant the cue will fall naturally under that eye when doing this, you don't have to consciously think about it and force the cue under a specific eye, it just happens.
Keep the eyes focussed on this point when getting down into the stance and addressing the cue ball. Look at the cue ball when down and check that the tip of the cue is pointing at the centre of it. If it is then you have lined up the shot correctly and from there it is simply a case of keeping the eyes on the object ball at the moment of the strike to keep the cue on this line. Take your eyes off it and you will cue across the cue ball one way or the other depending on where you are looking.