Sighting the shots? - changing methods?A natural thing?

[Byrom]

Me too mate, played the last two nights and my highest break was 24. I find that keeping my eyes on the contact point of the object ball is the hardest of the basics to master and the more I try the worse I get.

I dont really think about sighting I do it naturally so this is hard to break down and decribe but I am going to try - mabye I do it wrong maybe the coaches and good players can give me advice -

I read a few threads and the above post shows how many people are different to me -

I think I have a different ways of sighting on different shots and only do what is said above here on certain shots - say when the ball is a full ball or 3 quarter ball contact as this is the only time I can properly pick out the back of the ball contact point spoke about here -

I pick out the angle naturally though I dont think about the process - therefore I cant describe what I do but I am going to try - Here goes - I will probably end up sounding daft - I have not read it in any text book yet so dont laugh at me - but it works for me.

I just recognise the correct potting angle because I played them over and over before - which is why it is hard for me to explain.

Explaining my thought process therefore is hard to do but I realise I do different things on different shots like a mixture of using a ghost ball and the angle approach with the line of my cue and the edges of my tip as a guide sometimes - Cant explain it really as I look at two points on certain shots to get the correct contact point/potting angle - then there are also times I time the shot and get in a rythm.

In theory I just make the heart of the white meet the middle of the red at the back in a plant position if you where to draw a line through the back of the red and the white and the pocket - but there is a bit more to it than that.

Plain ball i do what v-max does and just pick out the back of the ball or imagine my tip going through the object ball or use the edges of my tip as a guide.

But there are times you cant see the back of the ball - quarter ball shots are an example of this so I use my imagination to get the correct angle judging any throw - using a combination of ghost ball and my cue as a guide to pick out the correct angle - and of course judge the amount of throw by either hitting it with a tad of helping side or slightly thinner if needing plain ball sometimes I sort of section off the white ball.

See I am confusing myself explaining it because basically I dont think its easy to explain - I natually understand the reflection - or the angle the white deflects after contact with the object ball depending on how hard you hit it - harder you narrow the angle of reflection slower you widen it and I understand this - I play the position rather than the pot - if that makes sense? and therefore I see the shot naturally and dont actually think about it like I hear people on the forum here talk about it.

Sighting is not something that is easily described as there are different factors on different types of shot to consider such as the throw of the white with side the narrowing of relection with pace. There are shots when finishing straight when you might need to widen the angle off the chusion screwing back needing reverse side - on them i pick out the center line of the middle of the white and red but strike the edge of the white with screw and judge the throw accordingly on distance between the white and object ball - I only play this shot closer in because of this throw.

Another example of using different sighting is on long shots.

Just to re cap

On long shots I just use the line of my cue and recognise the line of the shot rather being like the arms on a clock face - dont ask me why but it works for me. 7 o clock or thinner is usually a good one lol

On thin cuts ghost ball edge to edge contact using the line of my cue as a second guide

Full in the face - three quarter ball shots I use your v max steves method - back of the ball edges of my tip or imagine my spearing the object ball using the line of my cue as a guide - the big hand lol.

Quarter ball - a combination of ghost ball -shading - and my cue as a guide again - I get more success timing these shots with a tad of side to counter the throw - well not so much throw as squaring the ball up- If needing plain ball for my position I generally hit these shots slightly thinner.

Basically I just imagine a line or tram lines through the object ball to the pocket and try and send it down that line. I dont look at the pocket after I check that line I dont even look at the white I keep my eyes focused on the object ball as I get down and think most of it is instinctive.

I dont recomend these methods to anyone as a coach might tell you to do this or that - this is just what I do. It is for the player to find their own way - I just do it all naturally and play the position rather than the pot as I just recognise the shots and the different angles of reflection using pace to widen and narrow the angle and this is why I cant describe it properly - because I dont actively think about angles this and that as I read on other posts about sighting I just visualise the shot/pot/position naturally imagine the pot and deflection of the white and get down and play it. I do this without thinking of anything.

Perhaps many people over think this part of the game sorry if I confuse anyone I dont mean to I never really thought about it untill I read these sighting threads - I think it is only something that comes with hours on the table replicating the shots - the angles repeat themselves all over the table - eventually if you play enough you begin to get it naturally.

Am I right on any of this? - it would be intersting to see what you good players and coaches make of this?