Aiming Without Looking

[pottr]

When I play on my own, I usually just do the normal line-up.

Knock in long straight blues, clear the balls with 3 reds left or just play frames out...

You shouldn't really over complicate it, you just want to keep your arm going in between your matches and practice with a partner.

[lesedwards]

This is very true, I think its discipline that I need. when I am solo practicing I always look at the angle think of where I want the white to go and determine the shot I should play, however in games I seem to have less discipline I just look at the shot and get down and play it, which too often I end up either missing the shot or potting and be in no mans land.

I keep thinking that with all the solo practice I do it will automatically manifest itself subconsciously so I don't have to think about it too much in games. but it seems at the moment its not there yet.

then as you say getting frustrated and taking on shots that I shouldn't just because I don't want to leave the table.

to be fair I don't get enough practice with other players one to one. in our club there are too many players and we have to play doubles, which I hate, its ruining my game I'm sure of that

I think the secret to taking my practice game to my matches is a good pre shot routine. When I practice I talk out loud to myself about each shot I am playing and where I want to leave the cue ball. When I play a match I seem to just bang balls around not even thinking of my next shot. I drive home thinking what happened. I think back on my shots and cannot remember a shot where I stood back and thought about it. Interested to hear other posts on their PRE SHOT ROUTINE. I have the same problem as far as finding games sometimes I will not get a game from one qualifier to the next except for the odd game against my son that plays a game which I call. Calling all pockets as he just hits it hard and waits for all the balls to stop and hopes one falls in.

[SouthPaw]

Have to say there's been very good threads created lately, I can relate to this completely. I remember before I joined this forum I'd not worry about anything technique wise when playing, but since I seem to have all sorts of thoughts when striking the ball... for example must look at object ball, keep still, open close hand... when probably I should just be concentrating on one aspect like where to leave the cue ball. Next time I'm practicing I'm going to try and concentrate on one thought only during every shot and that's about position... like i used to before i started reading books and reading posts on here thinking I can get useful tips to improve...

[cyberheater]

For a laugh and as I like to test different things when I practice. I thought I try something different.

For a couple of frames. I did not look at the white at all. Just sighted the line of aim. Fixed my eyes on the line. Got straight down on the shot. No feathers. Just pulled back on the cue and pushed through.

I potted a lot more balls then I thought I would.

Obviously, the positional side was pretty bad as I had no real ideal where I was hitting the white. But I still managed to pot a lot of quite tough shots just by aiming whilst standing. Dropping down, pulling the cue back and bang, the object ball went in.

I wonder what that tells me?

[Byrom]

Have to say there's been very good threads created lately, I can relate to this completely. I remember before I joined this forum I'd not worry about anything technique wise when playing, but since I seem to have all sorts of thoughts when striking the ball... for example must look at object ball, keep still, open close hand... when probably I should just be concentrating on one aspect like where to leave the cue ball. Next time I'm practicing I'm going to try and concentrate on one thought only during every shot and that's about position... like i used to before i started reading books and reading posts on here thinking I can get useful tips to improve...

I feel your pain

[Stupree]

For a laugh and as I like to test different things when I practice. I thought I try something different.

For a couple of frames. I did not look at the white at all. Just sighted the line of aim. Fixed my eyes on the line. Got straight down on the shot. No feathers. Just pulled back on the cue and pushed through.

I potted a lot more balls then I thought I would.

Obviously, the positional side was pretty bad as I had no real ideal where I was hitting the white. But I still managed to pot a lot of quite tough shots just by aiming whilst standing. Dropping down, pulling the cue back and bang, the object ball went in.

I wonder what that tells me?

It is refreshing and reassuring to do this isn't it mate? It feels like snooker at its most basic best.

Add an eye check of the tip's position at the cue ball then get those eyes back up to the object ball but don't focus and see if that positional play returns.

Let us know how you get on

[cyberheater]

It is refreshing and reassuring to do this isn't it mate? It feels like snooker at its most basic best.

Add an eye check of the tip's position at the cue ball then get those eyes back up to the object ball but don't focus and see if that positional play returns.

Let us know how you get on

I will. To be honest. I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing. Playing freely and without fear, even long balls where going in. It felt very odd.

[lesedwards]

For a laugh and as I like to test different things when I practice. I thought I try something different.

For a couple of frames. I did not look at the white at all. Just sighted the line of aim. Fixed my eyes on the line. Got straight down on the shot. No feathers. Just pulled back on the cue and pushed through.

I potted a lot more balls then I thought I would.

Obviously, the positional side was pretty bad as I had no real ideal where I was hitting the white. But I still managed to pot a lot of quite tough shots just by aiming whilst standing. Dropping down, pulling the cue back and bang, the object ball went in.

I wonder what that tells me?

This is funny, our first qualifier back in the fall I tried the exact same thing and I was amazed at some of the real tough angles to the side pocket just fell dead Center. I to am a victim of this forum, videos & books and the more you research the worse your game gets. Try this try that till you have a million things going through your head. Going to practice today and I am also going back to just dropping down and shooting but one thing different I am going to make sure I pre plan every shot. I went to watch Cliff at a Pro Am last night and he is still amazing. He very seldom misses and his pre shot routine is perfect wether it is a break he is on or a safety shot. He knows exactly where he wants the cue ball and how he is going to get there. I told him last night my next coaching session with him is going to be on pre shot routine. I will tell him before every shot what I am going to do and then he will correct me if I am wrong. I have another qualifier coming up the first weekend in March and it is about time I do something. I hate loosing every frame, so far out of a possible 24 games which is seven matches I have one 4 games and I feel like I am much better then that.

[jay686]

Going into hardcore drago mode seems to work for all of us.At least for a short period of time.

Trouble is after a while it wears off and I go back into pigeon mode.

Just can't help thinking about not thinking !!!!

[cyberheater]

This is funny, our first qualifier back in the fall I tried the exact same thing and I was amazed at some of the real tough angles to the side pocket just fell dead Center. .

I experienced the same. I hope I can start transferring those skills to when I'm playing someone else.

[lesedwards]

I experienced the same. I hope I can start transferring those skills to when I'm playing someone else.

I will drink to that. :very_drunk:

[lesedwards]

Well I did not get as much practice as I would liked but I did get about an hour in. I started off by just throwing 15 reds out and making sure I walked into the shot. I could not believe it I made everything. Just a nice stroke with no thoughts other then where I wanted to place the cue ball. Then I tried a long blue which when I tried the other day was missing almost every shot 6" to the right. I tried just one and I nailed it right into the back of the pocket.

[GeordieDS]

I remember one time i was playing about as well as i could and i was closing my eyes whilst cueing and still potting the balls , this even worked on the few long pots i tried and proved to me that you don't need to have your eye on the object ball while striking but keeping absolutely still and delivering the cue straight was the most important thing bar none.

[vmax4steve]

I remember one time i was playing about as well as i could and i was closing my eyes whilst cueing and still potting the balls , this even worked on the few long pots i tried and proved to me that you don't need to have your eye on the object ball while striking but keeping absolutely still and delivering the cue straight was the most important thing bar none.

I wish people would stop putting this bollocks on the coaching threads about not needing to look at the object ball while striking because you can pot with your eyes closed.
You can pot with your bloody eyes closed because the eyes are then not focussing on anything at all.

When the eyes are open they guide the hand, fact not fiction and saying otherwise isn't going to help anyone.

[sprogbasket]

That's why you need to wear a special helmet that covers your eyes when you play snooker and simply rely on the Force to guide you...feel the force.

your snook eyeswater.

I wish people would stop putting this bollocks on the coaching threads about not needing to look at the object ball while striking because you can pot with your eyes closed.
You can pot with your bloody eyes closed because the eyes are then not focussing on anything at all.

When the eyes are open they guide the hand, fact not fiction and saying otherwise isn't going to help anyone.