Dominant Eye/Opposite Hand

[vmax4steve]

I see dominant eye differently; I think the brain uses one eye over the other to identify distance and depth when both eyes are open and looking at a general picture, like when standing up behind the shot before getting down into the stance.
Once a line of aim has been identified then the brain shuts down one eye either partially or altogether to enable a single picture of the cue to be placed on this line.
Those with a very dominant eye will use that eye for sighting when down in the stance, cue under that eye, those who don't have a very dominant eye will have the cue somewhere near one eye but not altogether directly under it.

some pics of great players for consideration



As you can see all these players cue directly under one eye, Ronnie uses his left eye when playing right and left handed.

[tetricky]

I have been right eye dominant all my life however I sight with only my left eye and my dominant right eye is only supplying spatial reference or depth perception. ....

It's not massively constructive to just keep arguing backwards and forwards, but to make one final point. In this scenario your left eye is dominant - because that's what a dominant eye is. If it's not, then what you think is happening, isn't what is actually happening.

[markz]

It's not massively constructive to just keep arguing backwards and forwards, but to make one final point. In this scenario your left eye is dominant - because that's what a dominant eye is. If it's not, then what you think is happening, isn't what is actually happening.

I don't think Terry is arguing and he always posts helpful comments. He's just giving his point of view and saying it might not be the best thing for new players to try. I know this is coached now and players use the technique. I've got no idea what my dominant eye is and happy with the way I approach the game with finding the line of aim and delivering the cue straight. Are there noticeable benefits with pot success and improving scoring when in the balls to maybe get higher breaks?

[tetricky]

I don't think Terry is arguing and he always posts helpful comments. He's just giving his point of view and saying it might not be the best thing for new players to try. I know this is coached now and players use the technique. I've got no idea what my dominant eye is and happy with the way I approach the game with finding the line of aim and delivering the cue straight. Are there noticeable benefits with pot success and improving scoring when in the balls to maybe get higher breaks?

My understanding is that it can be contributory in causing one to strike across the cue ball. I had a problem with unintentional side, especially when it came to long pots. I've taken a number of steps to change that (not least go to a bigger tip). I now have much better centre ball striking, and find that I can play more controlled shots - where before I was always playing with a degree of side, with some variability of outcome as a result. My pot success rate went up when I moved my stance to get my dominant eye over the cue, even before I took other measures. There are lots of ways of playing the game. You can get used to anything, but it may place limitations on the level you play at. For me, you would have a very hard job convincing me that it isn't, or can't, be a factor.

[markz]

My understanding is that it can be contributory in causing one to strike across the cue ball. I had a problem with unintentional side, especially when it came to long pots. I've taken a number of steps to change that (not least go to a bigger tip). I now have much better centre ball striking, and find that I can play more controlled shots - where before I was always playing with a degree of side, with some variability of outcome as a result. My pot success rate went up when I moved my stance to get my dominant eye over the cue, even before I took other measures. There are lots of ways of playing the game. You can get used to anything, but it may place limitations on the level you play at. For me, you would have a very hard job convincing me that it isn't, or can't, be a factor.

I've been playing about three and a half years now after not picking up a cue for twenty years. Back when I was a youngster I bought the Frank Callan book and tried to learn as much about the game as I could. I agree with you that it's a really useful book. Since I came back to the game it's so much easier to get information about improving. I am a pretty natural player but I have tried to implement changes that people say improve your game, I've tried front pause, back pause, same amount of feathers etc but I've gone back to my natural way as it feels too robotic and instead of my mind concentrating on the shot it's thinking about technique. My basics are pretty good and I trust my technique so try not to confuse my game anymore. I was recommended a book called The Inner Game Of Golf on here and that helped my snooker, it's worth a read if you haven't read it already.

[Terry Davidson]

I've been playing about three and a half years now after not picking up a cue for twenty years. Back when I was a youngster I bought the Frank Callan book and tried to learn as much about the game as I could. I agree with you that it's a really useful book. Since I came back to the game it's so much easier to get information about improving. I am a pretty natural player but I have tried to implement changes that people say improve your game, I've tried front pause, back pause, same amount of feathers etc but I've gone back to my natural way as it feels too robotic and instead of my mind concentrating on the shot it's thinking about technique. My basics are pretty good and I trust my technique so try not to confuse my game anymore. I was recommended a book called The Inner Game Of Golf on here and that helped my snooker, it's worth a read if you haven't read it already.

You are doing exactly the right thing by not concentrating on technique and just letting your own natural technique run things. I only have a student think about technique when he's doing something which causes him to not cue consistently straight. Once we discover the root cause of him not cueing straight I try and give him some practice routines to improve that but it does take quite awhile to ingrain something new into a player's technique and a lot of students just don't have the patience.

[markz]

You are doing exactly the right thing by not concentrating on technique and just letting your own natural technique run things. I only have a student think about technique when he's doing something which causes him to not cue consistently straight. Once we discover the root cause of him not cueing straight I try and give him some practice routines to improve that but it does take quite awhile to ingrain something new into a player's technique and a lot of students just don't have the patience.

Cheers for your comments Terry. I'm always trying to learn about the game but try not to mess with the mechanics of my shot playing, just don't want to over complicate my thinking. Managing to get regular 50s and clearing basic line ups and T line up. Also managed to improve my highest break which I got when I was 17, that was 75. Didn't play for 20 years and this year got my first game century 112 at 41 years old so happy with my progress and level I'm playing at.

[Ramon]

I see dominant eye differently; I think the brain uses one eye over the other to identify distance and depth when both eyes are open and looking at a general picture, like when standing up behind the shot before getting down into the stance.
Once a line of aim has been identified then the brain shuts down one eye either partially or altogether to enable a single picture of the cue to be placed on this line.
Those with a very dominant eye will use that eye for sighting when down in the stance, cue under that eye, those who don't have a very dominant eye will have the cue somewhere near one eye but not altogether directly under it.

some pics of great players for consideration

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As you can see all these players cue directly under one eye, Ronnie uses his left eye when playing right and left handed.

This is actually the answer to this thread !! Great post !!!

[Terry Davidson]

It's not massively constructive to just keep arguing backwards and forwards, but to make one final point. In this scenario your left eye is dominant - because that's what a dominant eye is. If it's not, then what you think is happening, isn't what is actually happening.

I'm still trying to figure this comment out. First of all I think I know what's happening as I do have some experience in snooker technique. In addition I thought the theory of a dominant eye is that it remains dominant all the time but what you're saying is for the purpose of snooker (only) I change my dominant eye to my left eye.

I find that one hard to take in (I did check again on which of my eyes is dominant in normal conditions and it's still my right eye) but I know in snooker I use my left eye for sighting. I tried using the dominant right eye and couldn't even sight the pot nor make it.

[vmax4steve]

There's dominant eye and sighting eye, or is there ? Would you say Hendry had a dominant right or left eye, surely the brain chooses which eye to use when playing snooker, surely when looking to see if a ball will just go past another it's automatic which eye the brain uses. Is it the dominant eye, or the eye with the best vision, and if it's the eye with the best vision, how come that's not the dominant eye.

[tetricky]

There's dominant eye and sighting eye, or is there ? Would you say Hendry had a dominant right or left eye, surely the brain chooses which eye to use when playing snooker, surely when looking to see if a ball will just go past another it's automatic which eye the brain uses. Is it the dominant eye, or the eye with the best vision, and if it's the eye with the best vision, how come that's not the dominant eye.

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It's pretty clear to me, in the case you illustrate with. Hendry is right eye dominant, and puts his right eye over the cue. However, he probably has better vision in his left eye. when checking something he wants to see the balls with the eye with clearer vision...so he closes his right eye, to force his brain to use his left eye as dominant in that situation (it's the only one open, the only one providing information - so in a choice of one eye, the brain chooses that one as dominant in that scenario!). If you don't occlude or close your dominant eye, your brain will use that for the line. It doesn't much matter where you put your head, or what you choose to 'sight' with....if both eyes can see the target, your brain will take the line from your dominant eye. That's what a dominant eye is!

If your vision is so occluded that your brain cant take information from the dominant eye, then it wont use it as dominant in that scenario...but if you can determine that the eye with lesser vision is acting as the dominant eye, then it is the dominant eye! My right eye is significantly more shortsighted than my left. Even when I can barely see the ball with my right eye, I can still determine it is acting as the dominant eye. When I correct vision with contacts, I get substantially better outcomes with my dominant eye more in line with my cue.

...of course I then have astigmatism, which makes balls look like they are in one place, when they're actually somewhere slightly different. Which is less than ideal. Nevertheless, a dominant eye is a dominant eye. It's not related to the relative standard of your eyesight in respective eyes. How you choose to set up, has no bearing on it. Your brain has just made an unconscious decision for you, and you're stuck with it. Or an eyepatch and much reduced depth perception. I don't recommend that.

[Master Blaster]

There's dominant eye and sighting eye, or is there ? Would you say Hendry had a dominant right or left eye, surely the brain chooses which eye to use when playing snooker, surely when looking to see if a ball will just go past another it's automatic which eye the brain uses. Is it the dominant eye, or the eye with the best vision, and if it's the eye with the best vision, how come that's not the dominant eye.

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People are born with a dominant eye, 2/3s are R eye, 1/3 Left eye. Players pick up a cue and start playing and sighting with what their brain tells em is right, which is almost certainly the dominant eye. My coach tells me that in 20yrs of coaching, he's only ever come across one person who sights with his passive eye. You can force your brain into using the passive eye, above the shot (by closing the dominant eye) or on the shot by putting the passive eye over the cue but this isn't advisable for many reasons. Yes, I have done it and I can pot very well doing it but mentally, it doesn't feel 'as right'. And it leads to a slight fuzzy feeling.

[bolton-cueman]

People are born with a dominant eye, 2/3s are R eye, 1/3 Left eye. Players pick up a cue and start playing and sighting with what their brain tells em is right, which is almost certainly the dominant eye. My coach tells me that in 20yrs of coaching, he's only ever come across one person who sights with his passive eye. You can force your brain into using the passive eye, above the shot (by closing the dominant eye) or on the shot by putting the passive eye over the cue but this isn't advisable for many reasons. Yes, I have done it and I can pot very well doing it but mentally, it doesn't feel 'as right'. And it leads to a slight fuzzy feeling.

total rubbish.

give your source to the 2/3s and 1/3 (fictitious) statistic. Site your source or admit you just fabricated it.

Over to you MB.

[Master Blaster]

total rubbish.

give your source to the 2/3s and 1/3 (fictitious) statistic. Site your source or admit you just fabricated it.

Over to you MB.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocular_dominance - read the sources they quote. Show me the statistic that says you're not a loon.

[pottr]

I think this is one of these things where you shouldn't worry about it and just play. IMHO address poor eyesight issues obviously but don't get caught up in the eye dominance thing. It will only tie you up in knots LOL. Look at ROS and his ambidexterous play. Bet you he has a dominant eye.

I love that post.

I'm sure there is something in this using the stronger eye business... But, if you're already on a snooker forum then you must be a pretty keen player whatever your standard... I doubt knowing how you sight matters much by now.