Does Anyone Have Problems With Aiming, Sighting, & Potting?

[Ramon]

What is CTE? Cue The Edge? Cut The Eggs? Core Tremble Estranged?

Anyway, my problem with aiming is that I tend to lose the line either while I'm down, or on the way down, then I tense up a bit and cue badly. I have a solution which is to speed up my play, no feathers and quick as anything. I call this "doing a Drago" for a while, but it doesn't last, after a few shots I'm jawing everything.

I have a theory that we can all see the right line of almost any pot without too much hassle, but we mess up cuing or alignment a lot while we are learning the game, this makes us doubt our ability to see the correct line, pockets looking smaller etc... then we start over thinking things and making problems for ourselves, it's a tricky situation. It's the reason that snooker is the game we all love and hate at the same time.

So can I have one of these free thingys Nic? I even spelled your name correctly.

I think it means , center to edge. I saw this vid on ytb . I've never tried it btw .

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=csbelnX-RDw

[alabadi]

Yes Byrom Black

Aiming is actually the easier part in all this, but equally the alignment and aiming does need to be accurate, otherwise you have to cue badly to pot the ball!

I like this, i feel sometimes although i potted the OB i didn't cue straight. feels like i'm steering the cueball to the contact point

[alabadi]

This is why I insist that 99% of missed pots are due to inconsistent cueing.

Terry i don't agree with this statement totally. i do agree that a lot of shots are missed due to some error in technique, however i have experimented with aiming with a coach potting black when high ( the bain of my life) when i miss always thick, well 90% of the time.

so we set up some shots and every time i missed he said this is where i was aiming. so he put a red ball on the left edge of the leather and the cushion. and told me to aim for it.

it looked i was going to over cut the black every time , however they went in clean as a whistle. then he removed it and i started over-cutting it.

strange but frustrating that i can't see the angle or in other words can't line this up correctly

[Nic Barrow]

Well Done

I do have my head in a certain position, the cue left of center under my chin and my head slightly tilted to the right. in this position my vision is clearer.

i made a crude type of sight right device where the two lines on different levels can look broken depending where you stand. i found this slight tilt to the right of my head while lining the shot up slightly under my left eye when standing gave me a straight line. so i have stuck with this since i discovered it a few months ago

WELL DONE for reaching that conclusion...

[Nic Barrow]

we are supposed to be posting problems which he will no doubt sift though before sending this gadget to one of his mates.

But I will get this ball rolling down the right line for him - so to speak

I have one problem - I have kids that have insomnia it seems and they passed it onto me it seems - I also work late on the PC a lot and during the day and often it gives me tired - lazy eye and sometimes I cant focus or find the line and end up guessing rather than other days when you know its in before you hit it if you know what I mean? I am not sure if this is just tiredness or what and yeah I know it is but this is just life I cant cure it for now so muddle on - Anyhow I notice if I do too much work on PC then go to a match my aim can be off and I try too hard to correct it - never found a solution aside from sleeping properly which I cant and as I can usually B game a win I struggle on but it does bug me playing like this as other days I just click. Never usually right away though. I also notice it takes a bit of time to click in a match unlike some players who fly out of the blocks I am the type who needs to give it a bit of practice first usually. It would be good if there was something that helped you to start up like the Ferrari you know you can be on those purple patch days.

I notice I cue under my left eye but only on long shots or where accuracy is required a bit Robertson like but centre chin rest of time. This is not a conscious decision or anything its just what I do - a bit line a brick layer looking down a bit of string to line up a wall or a archer taking aim.

All very good points Byrom
During the day have you tried doing eye exercises (The Bates method / palming etc) to prevent eye mis-shaping / cramp?
I have had a couple of other clients saying the same thing about working on computers - and if that can make a difference it has to be due to the fact we are not designed to do that.
Like standing up and walking in the plane on a long flight I guess?

Sometimes not potting is also not to do with aiming, but cueing, concentration and many other variables - and sometimes we never put our finger on it, but can only get better over time at self diagnosing and prescribing solutions for ourself.

I have never found a player who can change head positions effectively according to the shot, as in the same way I have never seen a player who has found their vision centre and found they need to shift head position on certain types of shot.
So the product will help you establish that for yourself amongst other things.

I like to ask people their opinion on what issues bug them - as I do have a chance before launch to include a few pet hates.
I have learned a lot from this process so far.
From a selfish perspective, that makes more sales of the huge stock I had to produce to get the unit price down, but from an altruistic standpoint, it helps gives players more accurately what they want - which I often need help on defining.

[Nic Barrow]

My problem / question .......

When I am in the address position and a place the tip of my cue at the very centre of the cue ball, it looks perfectly centre . Whenever a friend stands behind me to check ,they tell me that I'm actual left of centre by about a quarter of a tip . When they move the tip to centre for me it looks to me as though I'm hitting right of centre .
Changing the position of the cue under my chin either left or tight makes no difference as to how I view the centre of the white .

Also to add . I too have tried a sight right board and when the lower line is revealed , I don't see one line that is straight or broken . I see two lines splitting off in a V shape . Again this doesn't change with head positioning .

I've had my eyes tested and all seems to be fine with them

Any ideas ?

Just to add ..... I can send the white up and down the spots and other straight cuing routines ( sometimes haha)

Can you do the 'Push Practice' where you place the tip against the cue ball, touching it, and then simply push the cue forward toward the pocket so that the white goes in.
In effect pushing the cue ball along the cushion - this magnifies any tiny centre ball error and gives you a chance to improve it as a result.

[Nic Barrow]

Nic...as I mentioned it's a bit of a hornet's nest and you have even forgot to mention your thought on 'dominant eye' which will make it worse I think.

For those of you reading this, especially alibadi...I have had cataract lense replacement on both my eyes and the surgeon did not listen to me and keep my right eye as the stronger as I know it was my 'preferred' aiming eye. So now without contacts my visual acuity is 20/20 left eye and 20/50 right eye, so left for distance like driving and right eye for close like reading.

After working a long time on my aiming and sighting technique I have discovered I now sight (in the address position) with my left eye but I keep the cue on centre-chin and turn my head slightly to the right but not a lot, my nose points perhaps 20* to the right. I am still not certain whether this is for actual accurate (or more accurate) sighting or if it's just a comfort thing, taking the strain off the lower neck.

Remember, I've always said COMFORT is the most important thing in a player's set-up.

Interesting Terry.
When they set one eye for long distance, does that mean you keep the same head /eye position even on shorter range shots.
Yes comfort is so important and oft overlooked as necessary

[Nic Barrow]

Do you believe that doing two things wrong may even straighten the problem up and may still be within the margin of error on a 12ft table.

A strong grip and an open stance (not aiming perfectly) in golf can still allow you to hit the ball down the middle of a fairway but, as soon as you correct one you will dramatically reduce results.

I'm always fearful that some stances maybe the bodies way of compensating for the sighting issue we keep coming back to (dominent eye or centre); would a change of stance look right but then confuse the sighting if the dominant eye theory is utilised within the brain.

I guess the answer would always be with the majority of experiences a coach has as this would be be the majority of successes and improvements, not too sure of it is a complete fix for all.

Still open at the moment thought (although it doesn't sound like it).

You sound open and your concern is very real.
It is a bit of a spaghetti bowl to get ones technique all working together.
And that is one of the joys of playing snooker!
There is a bit of science and also art involved, but eye alignment comes first and the technique then should mould around the cue to enable that head/eye position.

[Nic Barrow]

I mean just playing a touch of bottom right to go left off the cushion.... but thanks for trying to pick fault in my comment instead of taking that time instead to answer my question and help as you said you would in the post.

This was your comment above, and I don't see a question - unless you made a previous post:
Yes thats what i mean; i rarely need to play a shot with check side but it is probably the most uncomfortable shot for me.... the only time i am truely confident is playing a straight shot and i just need a touch of check side to get the cb up the table.

Bear in mind I am putting 16 hours a day into this, and don't have to answer or help anyone... especially when receiving sarcasm.
But if you have a question, please feel free to ask it clearly...

[Nic Barrow]

34 years ago, the Captain of our local club put me into the team as an 18 years old, the other team players were well established players having won many tournaments.

I turned up in my best jeans and a waistcoat (as we were poor) but I made sure my shoes were ultra shiny as the older generation loved shiny shoes and these guys were all legends (just like the cue).

We were playing 4 guys who all came with reputations and were top of the league; a South East Counties Champion, 2 guys who later turned pro and a guy who was 6 times league individuals champion, the pressure was immense, especially for me and the games drew a good crowd in them days, some days coming by coach.

The tension was unbearable and my heart was beating through my chest with the pressure on me to beat one of these well established local hero's.

As I shook the guys hand he stared at me like I'd had an affair with his wife and drunk his beer from the fridge, he was gonna kill me, my dog and my goldfish if I beat him, not a nice moment.

Early in the game I couldn't reach the white easily as it was nestled in the pack as no balls had been potted and Field Marshall Rommell (who I felt like I was playing) wasn't giving me an inch.

As I leaned over the pack the silence felt like I was playing for my life with the fate of the modern world was resting on this one shot. Would the young pretender rise to glory and be paraded around the town as the new big thing? On tip toes I raised my 6ft 2 frame over the mountainous cluster of reds and focused like a starving hunter with his last bullet.

Just aim straight, just aim straight. Breath and relax.

I then slipped with my shiny shoes, dropped my cue, placed both hands fully into the reds as I headed toward the table face first at mach 2; the reds scattered to all 4 corners of the universe while I narrowly missed head butting the white ball as my chest bounced off the baize.

34 years later and I don't get easily embarrassed any more but I do raise a few laughs every now and again, some of them are even intentional.

Brilliant. Do you laugh at the memory, or cringe - or both?!

[Byrom]

Have you mastered the bates method of palming to cure your pc problem

Sorry could not resist lol

Yeah anyway I don't mean to disagree but I have seen a few change position Robertson for example sights under one eye on long shots as do I but centre chin rest of time and there will always be certain exceptions out there in the snooker world who do things slightly differently if consistent to their own set up.

I looked into sight right myself - got the ol cheese board in the cupboard somewhere collecting dust but got to admire anyone who gets a patient on a straight line - of course as an avid player I would sell my soul for an extra black. Sighting is strange because you can focus with either eye or both and the line appears different each time and as you said the chalk thing is not really a precise way to find your dominant or preferred eye because of how you stand and which eye you use to focus on the chalk with initially try it focusing with each eye first in turn then both. I just think sighting is habitual and your brain works it out naturally. So does your head if you keep missing.

Fred Davis thought his brother Joe had an advantage only having one good eye but sighting like snooker is a strange old thing.

Now cut to the chase again nic with a c empty yer garage out and flog me one of yer gadgets on the cheap mind and I will do you a honest review - beware though if its crap I will say so. Is it the plastic see thro ghost ball with the dial then?

[Nic Barrow]

Well a baby cant walk because its a baby its not got enough muscle or form. Honestly - I like some of your stuff which is gold but like reading it just as much for your blonde moments really.

A teacher is a guide someone who opens the door and shows them the way - it is the student that must walk thro it at the end of the day. I think some of what you say and the optimum cue stroke thing is over technical and maybe you like things this is because you are perhaps a intelligent, overly curious, slightly OCD kind of guy?

Snooker is very much a kinaesthetic thing to learn as Leo points to - but you can guide and motivate someone to make a ton - I was useless someone taught me. In fact that statement contradicts your job.

Some people only listen to people they think are qualified to speak about things - I don't agree - I learnt some good stuff from good players like J6UK or Inevermissablue or your Terry on this forum but I also learnt some stuff from Rimmer a guy who has never made a 30 and itsnoteasy who had never made a ton and others and indeed the best advice in life came from a grumpy old man no-one ever listened too.

You don't need to be qualified to teach Nik - but you do need certain qualities to be a good one. Also to learn you need certain qualities = To learn you need to be able to be motivated and have the sense to filter, understand, listen, apply, and reflect.

Not every person wanting to teach or wanting to learn has those qualities.

I stand by my comment that aiming cannot be taught, and only learned.
As is the case with speed control of the cue - that is something we have to acquire.
What is interesting is that I will often make a comment, and based on where a particular player is, one will say I am too technical and one will say they want more detail.
So unless I am one to one with someone, all comments should be viewed with the slight limitation they have - I am trying to speak to all audiences.

I always learn from any player I can and all coaches if I can as well as referees and people in other sports too.

Yes there is also a lot of knowledge and skill to being the best student you can be - some of this may even be taught!

[Nic Barrow]

When I used to do business coaching I was always taught that even the outwardly stupidous of people will eventually have something to learn from; if you don't have an open mind you will miss it as teaching (or coaching) is a two way interaction as the instructor needs feedback on how successful they are in delivering or sharing information.

And for those of us who don't have an ounce of skill? Even a blind squirrel finds a nut occasionally if they're prepared to look.

Or my personal favourite,

"None as blind as those that don't listen."

Ah...I'd better stop there.

Nice one. I learn so much from my students - the phrases and questions they give me continuously gives me such a great feedback loop on how to explain and demonstrate points.

[Nic Barrow]

It is claimed that it will work on both a pool or snooker table. As near as I can tell, the benefit is that it seems to help a player put their cue on the line of aim and not just find the line of aim. The down side it seems is all the pivoting and It seems you have to stand offset from the shot line (instead of bringing your head straight down), all of which goes against what is currently being taught in snooker. I may be wrong as I've only read a little of the material.

Pivot system for side spin compensation clearly does not work and is based on woolly thinking.
With a perfect pivot approach, I could miss ANY ball set up for me by simply playing hard or soft enough for the cue ball deflection to be wrong for the pot in concern.
Equally, for a given speed, it will be impossible to perfectly pivot from a set position and pot at that speed.

[Nic Barrow]

What is CTE? Cue The Edge? Cut The Eggs? Core Tremble Estranged?

Anyway, my problem with aiming is that I tend to lose the line either while I'm down, or on the way down, then I tense up a bit and cue badly. I have a solution which is to speed up my play, no feathers and quick as anything. I call this "doing a Drago" for a while, but it doesn't last, after a few shots I'm jawing everything.

I have a theory that we can all see the right line of almost any pot without too much hassle, but we mess up cuing or alignment a lot while we are learning the game, this makes us doubt our ability to see the correct line, pockets looking smaller etc... then we start over thinking things and making problems for ourselves, it's a tricky situation. It's the reason that snooker is the game we all love and hate at the same time.

So can I have one of these free thingys Nic? I even spelled your name correctly.

Hi Jonny
Centre To Edge - look it up online.
I agree with making problems for ourselves - I still do it as a player but not all the time!
Some pros count in their head at the table eg '1.2.3' along with each cue action...
That can help keep self 1 (Tim Gallwey's phrase) engaged so self 2 can play the shot.

Ok you got it!
msg me your address and you win the prize.....
you will get it posted upon launch....
Congratulations!
Sometimes, all one has to do is ask!