Let's talk about sighting methods.

[cyberheater]

I have over the last couple of years taken up snooker again and I would like to get to a decent standard. With that in mind I have looked at different sighting methods. None of them seem perfectly ideal.

The method I tend to use these days is the ghost ball method. I try to imagine a virtual white ball that is touching the object ball such that it is directly behind the object ball in a straight line towards the pocket.
I then try to imagine a line between the center of the ghost ball and the center of the white ball. This becomes my line of aim.
As you can imagine. To do this very accurately is almost impossible.

Now I've got the point where a lot of the time I don't actually need to do that. I sort of look at the contact point on the back of the object ball and my brain sort of already knows what my line of aim is although I still use the ghost ball method for potting blues into the middle bags which I find still helps.

What sighting method do you use and how do you apply it.

[Catch 22]

I have a quick glance at the line of object ball to pocket . I then stand on the line of the shot . I rely on my brain to work out the line of aim from the information I just gave it . I address the cue all and get down on the shot . My brain tells me if the shot "feels" right . If it doesn't feel right I get back up .

It's basically the BOB technique but I don't try to keep my eyes locked on BOB because I end up loosing it . Just a glance and my brain does the maths (kind of )

Long potting is different though

[Stupree]

I use BOB method myself and coach both this and the ghost ball method which are useful. I am however working on another visual way to represent the contact points of the object ball with the aim of making this clearer and providing a common language when talking about sighting and contact points similar to 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 ball. Hopefully a combination of the best of all of these.

[j6uk]

to me sighting and recognition of the angle 'so as to pot the ball', they are two different things..
to be able to see the angle 'most of the time' comes through initially talent, practice, and to fine tune would be the study of the table and how it how it works.
enjoy

[Terry Davidson]

First of all 'ghost ball' and 'BOB' are actually identical in that you imagine a contact point opposite the pocket for both.

The recommended method of aiming and sighting is to look at the angle and determine the potting contact point opposite the pocket when standing behind the shot since you are well above the table and get the best perspective of the potting angle from there.

Step 2 is to place your eyes on this line of aim with a lot of people using the nose as a guide although some will have their heads turned to favour their preferred eye so I would say get the head on the line of aim exactly on the line where it will be when in the address position.

Next place the straight leg foot on this same line of aim (still standing up remember). It can be anywhere between the toes and the heel of the foot although I recommend the arch initially until a player determines his own most comfortable and stable set-up. Now you have the cue across the hips but have the grip hand directly over the straight leg foot (you will be leaning a bit over towards the straight leg foot in order to keep the eyes on the line of aim).

Now the most important part comes...DROP THE HEAD STRAIGHT DOWN and get into your normal address position, placing the other foot out to the side or slightly ahead of the straight leg foot, wherever the player feels the most comfortable and wherever the eye line determines where it should be.

If you did this correctly you cannot fail to be on the best line of aim as determined by your brain when standing up. In the address position you should stop the cue against the cueball at least once to sight everything in and determine if the line of aim 'feels' correct. Most players will stop the cue initially when they get into the address position and then do their feathers (hopefully not too many) and then stop the cue again in the front pause which is the final confirmation that everything is good.

Remember, the front pause in the address position is EXACTLY where you want the cue to come back to during the delivery so it's very important to have that front pause position firmly cemented into your brain so you can return to it. This is why I recommend a very definite and observable and deliberate front pause.

Slow backswing, rear pause if you naturally have one, start the delivery slow and build up the acceleration until well after the strike and you should pot the ball. It all relies on what potting angle you chose while standing up behind the shot.

Terry

[cyberheater]

Cheers guys for the input.

My main problem is this (forgive my artistic skills).



I find it difficult to determine the correct line of aim going to the center of the ghost ball. I often on acute angle shots hit much nearer the contact point so I hit the object ball too thick.

[mythman69]

[ace man]

I find it difficult to determine the correct line of aim going to the center of the ghost ball. I often on acute angle shots hit much nearer the contact point so I hit the object ball too thick.

You probably don't play often enough, and when you do, you think too much about things that must be automatic.
Your brain has billions of neurons, it will learn the proper angles and offsets through lots of repetitions. There are no short cuts. Just play by feel, avoid conscious aiming/sighting. All of these methods are approximations anyway, they are not correct because they assume perfect collisions and perfect conditions with no friction at all which don't exist in a real world.
Many players think they aim and sight poorly. Maybe so, but they deliver the cue far far worse. That's the main problem.

[j6uk]

yeah well done above,but again these are two differing things. please take into account of my last post:snooker::snooker:
believe! i can talk about the angles and structure of the table all day long..

[Removal man stevie]

Before a take the shot a have a look at the path a want the object ball to go into the pocket then stand back trying to walk into the shot and have a good look at contact point a wish the Wight ball to hit the object ball and always try a rear pause

[damienlch]

I have a quick glance at the line of object ball to pocket . I then stand on the line of the shot . I rely on my brain to work out the line of aim from the information I just gave it . I address the cue all and get down on the shot . My brain tells me if the shot "feels" right . If it doesn't feel right I get back up .

It's basically the BOB technique but I don't try to keep my eyes locked on BOB because I end up loosing it . Just a glance and my brain does the maths (kind of )

Long potting is different though

Hi Catch 22, you left us in a cliffhanger...

How's long potting different?

[Catch 22]

Hi Catch 22, you left us in a cliffhanger...

How's long potting different?

Lol yeah ..... In and around the balls and medium pots I use the method I described but on long pots I do need a reference point in my mind . On the longer pots I don't "feel" the shot when I drop my head down (don't know why ) ,so I need a reference point to aim at .

[cyberheater]

This is why Neil is wrong in this video.

If the shot should be played like this



The ball will go into the pocket. However. If you just look at the contact point on the object ball and imagine a line from the center of the white ball to the contact point. The real contact point will force hit the object ball to thick like this.



A worse example is of a finer cut.

[damienlch]

Lol yeah ..... In and around the balls and medium pots I use the method I described but on long pots I do need a reference point in my mind . On the longer pots I don't "feel" the shot when I drop my head down (don't know why ) ,so I need a reference point to aim at .

Thanks for sharing... For longish pots, it helps if I were to imagine I am lining up to a point on a cushion behind the object ball. The distance don't seem that great that way and it takes a bit of pressure off the pot, for me at least.

[dcrackers147]

Wow you guys make things complicated!! Maybe it's because I have been playing snooker since a young child but I just look at the point of contact I want to make with the object ball once locked in I keep deadly still. I then conciously feel my backswing and deliver the cue positively. I have seen coaches in the game but not until I was already making 100 breaks so sighting was not something we worked on. I find it hard to believe that sighting is the biggest issue for low to average level club/league players.