cue ball and object ball players

[CoachGavin]

Hello. Regarding the discussion over looking at the cue ball or object ball Chris Henry seems to suggest that unless the player is a complete beginner you should not interfere with their eyes.Did you check his Facebook page? On 5th June there is a picture of him with Ronnie and Hendry and he states that both are cue ball players and that according to most manuals they are wrong. However I think his view is that players should do whatever comes naturally whether it's object ball or cue ball.

[CoachGavin]

cue ball and object ball players

Henry also says that Mark Williams, Ebdon and Jimmy White look at the cue ball while Shaun Murphy and Mark Selby do a mixture. In response to Barry Pinches he says:-

"I know that Barry. I have been up close with these guys infact within 6 inches using a camera zoomed into their eyes and taken images at the moment of impact and they are clearly CB players with all of them quickly flicking their eyes up towards the travelling CB and OB after impact."

[Giggity1984]

Very Interesting Posts Gavin. :snooker:

[cyberheater]

Thanks for the information Gavin.

I just find it incredibly difficult to believe.


Okay. I've found a youtube vid.

Look at the 2:00 minute mark for Higgins and 3:30 for O'Sullivan. You can clearly see that they are looking at the white at the point of strike.
Unbelievable.

[gulliver]

Another example. See Mark Williams against Selby at the 13:10 mark (and the replay at 13:35) in this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8g6vzuozSc

I personally look at the CB too and I find it not very intuitive to look at the OB. Whenever I try to focus on the OB it messes up my cue action. I guess it is just how I got used to play.

[cyberheater]

And another one. Hendry. Look around the 21:50 mark. At the point of strike his eyes flick from the cue ball to the object ball.

[CoachGavin]

cue ball and object ball players

like I said I have been taught since I began to look at the object ball and I find that easiest. I think Chris Henry and Nic Barrow are saying if you are comfortable looking at the cue ball and potting balls then don't change cos of a out of date methodology or because the text books tell you to look at the object ball.

[Terry Davidson]

Thanks for the information Gavin.

I just find it incredibly difficult to believe.


Okay. I've found a youtube vid.

Look at the 2:00 minute mark for Higgins and 3:30 for O'Sullivan. You can clearly see that they are looking at the white at the point of strike.
Unbelievable.

I could see the Higgins one and it looked like he flicked his eyes to the object ball near the end of the delivery just before the strike or perhaps immediately after the strike. Couldn't see the one at 3:30 for Ronnie, but at 6:08 on the distant safety shot he kept his eyes on the OB for almost the entire shot.

I've found with myself I will look at the CB sometimes when I'm trying to break the pack off the black with stun/screw but not when I'm coming off the side cushion. Then I'm left wondering why I missed the black and broke the pack for my opponent

I think this happens more frequently when trying to control the cueball in close quarters when both the OB and the CB objective (break the pack, precise cannon or trying to miss a cannon) are all in the line of sight. If it's a difficult pot my eyes seem to be locked on like radar.

Perhaps some of the pros are so grooved in their delivery that on fairly easy pots where they require precise cueball control they will naturally leave their eyes on the cueball at strike. I don't really know as normally for me it's a disaster if I lose my focus on the OB.

Terry

[CoachGavin]

cue ball and object ball players

In some ways it does make sense to look at the cue ball. It is the ball you are striking and if you lined the shot up correctly and then strike Centre white the shot should be successful. in tennis and golf a player looks at the ball and not where they are aiming the ball. However I find I get more feedback about the shot by looking at the object ball but maybe I only prefer that way cos all the books I read told me to stare at the object ball. Definately all food for thought.

[cyberheater]

Sorry. It should have been 2:30 minute mark for Ronnie.

Try this gif.

[Terry Davidson]

Looks to me his eyes are on the OB the whole time?

Terry

[cyberheater]

Looks to me his eyes are on the OB the whole time?

Terry

The more I look at it. The more I think you are right. I think his eye brows have confused me.

[CoachGavin]

cue ball and object ball players

ive just looked through images of Ronnie and to me he sometimes does ob and sometimes cb. However I think Henry is more obviously cue ball most of the time. In the image is hard to tell and also you can't tell if it's on strike or not.

[cyberheater]

ive just looked through images of Ronnie and to me he sometimes does ob and sometimes cb. However I think Henry is more obviously cue ball most of the time. In the image is hard to tell and also you can't tell if it's on strike or not.

Yes. From the vids I've seen recently. When Hendry strikes the white, his eyes are momentarily on the cue ball and then immediately flicks off to the object ball.
I wonder if keeping that amount of co-ordination was problematic for him in the latter years.

[CoachGavin]

cue ball and object ball players

although by looking at the cue ball maybe that is why his position was so good. Always striking where he wanted on the white?