cueing and eye switching

[mchpddl1]

hi,

Can i ask a question if anyone can help.

When i am down for a shot, after some featherings, my tip is as close to the cue ball as possible. At this moment, my eye is still on the cue ball. should my eye now switch to the object ball before pulling the cue back; or pull the cue ball and switch eye to object ball immediately? Or should this be a natural porgress or has it need to be trained?

The more i think the worse i am playing, hope someone can help me, many thanks

[Marc]

When you are lining up a shot look through the white towards the object ball. If you find it hard to actually pot anything, then just before your shot, walk around the table while looking at the ball you're to hit and the pocket you want to pot it in, you'll spot where you should hit it, dont take your eyes of that position and hit it, make sure you queue the shot nice and smooth and follow through...try not to think about things to much just queue the shot and hit the damn ball.

[MikeWooldridge]

hi,

The more i think the worse i am playing, hope someone can help me, many thanks

you're looking for a lot of answers aren't you?

don't think. that's the answer.

when you think too much, you start to doubt. when you doubt, you miss.

you're bringing part of your brain into the equation that is not needed and complicating the issue.

try getting down on the shot and then close your eyes before playing the shot. chances are you'll pot the ball. mind you, i'm assuming you'll be playing that shot plain ball and not with extreme running side...

you need to relax, and learn to play naturally, not tie yourself in knots trying to do the 'right' thing.

remember this important fact:

once you are down on the shot, your body is in a certain position. hopefully, it is in the 'right' position. in which case, you can do what you like with your eyes, but when you swing the cue back and forth it will be travelling along the correct line, and you'll pot the ball.

you know that feeling you get when you get down for a long pot and you just KNOW you are going to pot it?

that's when you're body as a whole is right. you don't need to think. your brain is recognising your body is right. everything 'feels' comfortable.

and then there's the times when you get down on the simplest pot and KNOW you are going to miss it. you can look at any ball you want but you'll still miss the shot. that's when the body as whole is 'wrong'. your brain recognises that too, and makes sure it lets you know how you're feeling about the shot!

practise the closed eyes routine. this will serve two purposes:

1) this will help you put your body in the right place to start with. once you've missed a few balls to the left or whatever, you will quickly learn to shift over a little bit and adjust your aim slightly.

2) once you've potted a few balls with your eyes closed, you'll KNOW that you don't need your eyes to keep checking the angles or to be particularly focused on any one thing. you'll be more relaxed in general.

it would help to practise with a friend. i suggest keeping your eyes closed well after you've played your shot and let your friend show you exactly where you missed afterwards. you'll soon find yourself lining up for shots a little differently than you may have always done.

you'll be re-educating your brain to put your body in the right place to start with. and you can stop worrying about eyes, tapers, and whatever else you have on your mind...

[mchpddl1]

Thank you Mike and everyone else for sharing.... really happy for your supports mates.........certainly will have more questions though. ; cheers have a nice afternoon.........

[scoo24]

try getting down on the shot and then close your eyes before playing the shot. chances are you'll pot the ball. mind you, i'm assuming you'll be playing that shot plain ball and not with extreme running side...

practise the closed eyes routine. this will serve two purposes:

1) this will help you put your body in the right place to start with. once you've missed a few balls to the left or whatever, you will quickly learn to shift over a little bit and adjust your aim slightly.

2) once you've potted a few balls with your eyes closed, you'll KNOW that you don't need your eyes to keep checking the angles or to be particularly focused on any one thing. you'll be more relaxed in general.

it would help to practise with a friend. i suggest keeping your eyes closed well after you've played your shot and let your friend show you exactly where you missed afterwards. you'll soon find yourself lining up for shots a little differently than you may have always done.

you'll be re-educating your brain to put your body in the right place to start with. and you can stop worrying about eyes, tapers, and whatever else you have on your mind...

I used to do the close eye routine for a while & it helped me get rid of errors in delivering the cue as well since you don't tend to adjust too much when you're down on the shot. A very good routine to practise I'd say

[checkSide]

I do the closed eye thing as well.

So much so that last season I potted a re-spotted black to win a league game with my eyes closed! I got nervous so I just closed my eyes to ensure I cued straight!!

Afterwards my opponent was miffed because he thought I had been taking the **** closing my eyes on the most important shot, lol.

[CueAntW147]

Great post from Mike with the old closed eye trick.......i also use the play with one hand trick basically the white needs to be fairly close to the cushion to start with then gradually move it further away, don't use your bridge hand just rest the cue on the cushion and cue normally if you can pot balls like this it improves stance etc so when you do go back to using your bridge hand again it just feels right and seems much easier i have got now that i can pot balls the length of the table one handed... not sure if anyone else has tryed this but its worth a go...improved my game for sure ......

[poolqjunkie]

Very good advice, thank you Mike.
By the way, I think in answering the original question, you can actually switch your eye to the object ball when the tip is rested real close to the cue ball, or you can do the switching while you are drawing the cue back, or you can keep your eye on the cue ball, and then switch your eye after you have completed your back swing. The important thing is that you should be doing the same thing all the time, so you do not even have to think about it after a while.
I think Terry Griffith recommends switching your eye over to the object ball at the end of your back swing, so you will pause, focus on the object ball, before you follow through.
But I have seen some players almost focusing on the object ball entirely during the whole time. You can watch the videos in youtube, and find out how the players switch their eyes. But whatever you do, you should not be thinking about it too much as you are playing.

[CoachGavin]

As a coach I usually ask a player to try 2 methods and then pick which one they prefer

1- switch eyes to object ball when the tip of the cue is at the white and then pause slightly at the back before going through with the shot.

2-switch the eyes at the pause at the end of the backswing before coming through with the shot.

Just spend a few minutes trying both methods and you will usually find one method you prefer over the other - once you have decided stick to it and DONT keep changing.

[poolqjunkie]

As a coach I usually ask a player to try 2 methods and then pick which one they prefer

1- switch eyes to object ball when the tip of the cue is at the white and then pause slightly at the back before going through with the shot.

2-switch the eyes at the pause at the end of the backswing before coming through with the shot.

Just spend a few minutes trying both methods and you will usually find one method you prefer over the other - once you have decided stick to it and DONT keep changing.

Do you think some players spend too much time looking at the cue ball and not enough on the object ball?
I have been paying more attention lately to spend more time focusing on the object ball during my feather because I sometimes take too much time looking at the cue ball. I notice that a lot of pro player focus almost entirely on the object ball and only look at the cue ball with a few flick of the eyes during their feather. Am I mistaken? What would you recommend?

[CoachGavin]

It is very individual. I think natural players tend to see the angle quickly and i think they only look at the white once or twice. Just flick your eyes from the white, along the line of aim and to the object ball while doing a few feathers. Then carry out your pauses, choosing one of the options above. Hope this helps.