Sighting when striking

[mhughes34]

Is it okay to look at the white ball when you strike the cue ball?? I'm sure Graeme Dott does, doesn't he?? Are there any snooker players who do this??

[mick 142]

You should always look at the object ball when you strike the white .

[magicman]

This has been talked of before. It's very, very unusual for any decent player to be looking at the white on delivery of the cue. How can you hit the target if you're looking at the gun barrel?

There's an argument that if you've prepared properly, then you can close your eyes and still pot the ball, and you can, but who'd do that in the final of their local league comp?

Assuming centre ball striking - look at the white when you feather until you're sure you will hit centre ball, then transfer your eyes to the object ball, and don't deliver the cue until you know you'll pot the ball.

[mhughes34]

So get down feather whilst looking at the white, then transfer your eyes to the object ball and eventually strike??

[nrage]

So get down feather whilst looking at the white, then transfer your eyes to the object ball and eventually strike??

Almost.. as you get down you should be looking at the object ball, and visualising the line of aim, so you get down straight. Then, once down in position, start feathering and look at the white, to ensure you're hitting center ball, or whereever you're after. Before final back swing, or on final back pause, look at the object ball for the stroke.

[Terry Davidson]

Actually, the recommended 'ideal' eye rhythm is during the feathering to switch your eyes between cueball and object ball but not necessarily in rhythm with the cue.

At the front pause lock your eyes on the spot of the cueball you want to hit.

At some point during the final backswing the eyes should go to the object ball and remain there. This can be anywhere from the start of the backswing all the way through to the rear pause (most common) and even starting the delivery and then moving the eyes to the object ball (like Dott).

However, do not try and copy other players, even though they might be pros, in their own individual technique points. Much better to find and use your own natural eye rhythm.

Only copy the technique points the top pros all have in COMMON. Every one of them will have little differences in grip, stance, elbow position and a few others. But every one of them has at least 7 points in common which every player should have.

Terry

[Gerry Armstrong]

Actually, the recommended 'ideal' eye rhythm is during the feathering to switch your eyes between cueball and object ball but not necessarily in rhythm with the cue.

At the front pause lock your eyes on the spot of the cueball you want to hit.

At some point during the final backswing the eyes should go to the object ball and remain there. This can be anywhere from the start of the backswing all the way through to the rear pause (most common) and even starting the delivery and then moving the eyes to the object ball (like Dott).

However, do not try and copy other players, even though they might be pros, in their own individual technique points. Much better to find and use your own natural eye rhythm.

Only copy the technique points the top pros all have in COMMON. Every one of them will have little differences in grip, stance, elbow position and a few others. But every one of them has at least 7 points in common which every player should have.

Terry

The obvious question I suppose, could you list the 7 points?

[Terry Davidson]

I've listed the top 5 or 6 many times on here before, however as a reminder to every serious player on here, I will list them again:

0. Stable stance, mostly square to the shot (too obvious for a number). Choose the line of aim when standing up behind the shot.
1. Loose grip (cue should slide easily within the grip)
2. Drop the head STRAIGHT DOWN on the line of aim.
3. Two feathers, or maybe 3, but no more.
4. Front pause before the final backswing and then a SLOW backswing so it's under total control and straight, then a rear pause.
5. Start accelerating slow, build up speed, accelerating THROUGH the cueball until the hand hits the chest (this is the Del Hill 'drive').
6. Grip hand hits chest on EVERY shot
7. Stay still at the end of delivery with cue extended and observe the object ball with your eyes only.

I could break it down into about 15 separate things, like taking only TWO steps to get down into the shot, form the final grip when standing behind the shot, as long a backswing as you can control and keep straight and grip or 'hold' on the cue should be with forefinger and thumb only with the butt of the cue pushing the back 3 fingers out of the way.

Terry

[Theguywithaplan]

I've listed the top 5 or 6 many times on here before, however as a reminder to every serious player on here, I will list them again:

0. Stable stance, mostly square to the shot (too obvious for a number). Choose the line of aim when standing up behind the shot.
1. Loose grip (cue should slide easily within the grip)
2. Drop the head STRAIGHT DOWN on the line of aim.
3. Two feathers, or maybe 3, but no more.
4. Front pause before the final backswing and then a SLOW backswing so it's under total control and straight, then a rear pause.
5. Start accelerating slow, build up speed, accelerating THROUGH the cueball until the hand hits the chest (this is the Del Hill 'drive').
6. Grip hand hits chest on EVERY shot
7. Stay still at the end of delivery with cue extended and observe the object ball with your eyes only.

I could break it down into about 15 separate things, like taking only TWO steps to get down into the shot, form the final grip when standing behind the shot, as long a backswing as you can control and keep straight and grip or 'hold' on the cue should be with forefinger and thumb only with the butt of the cue pushing the back 3 fingers out of the way.

Terry

Just on point three, I can only think of a couple of players who don't take more than 2 or 3 feathers on a lot of shots. Robertson, Ding, Higgins, Murphy, Ebdon , Hendry, Maguire, Davis etc take 4 or more a lot of the time.

[Terry Davidson]

guywithaplan:

Sorry to disagree with you but in this instance here is what i've noticed. When the players are not playing on top form they tend to feather more but when they start rolling most of them cut down on the feathers to just 2 or 3.

As an example, see if you can find on youtube the 2nd and 3rd session of the O'Sullivan vs Hendry match in the 2008 World Champs. In the second session Ronnie won all 8 frames and his feathering was one long - one short - and then backswing whilst Hendry was feathering 4 or 5 times.

In the 3rd session Hendry started playing a lot better and knocked in a couple of centuries and I noticed all of a sudden he was exactly the same as Ronnie, one long - one short - then slow backswing.

Since then I've watched a lot of the pros on DVD and live on the internet and it looks to me like when their confidence gets high they all reduce the number of feathers they do (with the possible exception of John Higgins who seems to me to be identical whether he's playing good or bad).

Terry

[nrage]

Steve Davis has an interesting blog post on the topic of feathering:
http://www.myspace.com/stevedavissnooker/blog/508246508

His conclusion reads..

So, this can only lead to one conclusion.
The most important reason for preparatory "feathers" is to give yourself the time to settle, and mentally confirm that you are "lined up" on the intended shot. Some shots require more time!

You have to read it all, to get a better idea what he means here, but essentially he think feathering is mental preparation for a shot. I think Terry's observation supports this idea, when a player is 'on' they are more quickly prepared for a shot, so feather less. When they are playing badly, or it's a tough shot they feather more, to be completely prepared for the shot.

[Terry Davidson]

nrage:

Thanks for the posting of Steve's blog. I thought I had hit 'follow' on it last year but I haven't been getting any updates since I changed my email address.

I have to say I agree with Steve 100%. Since you don't go through the cueball when you feather it can't be preparation or a rehersal of the shot so it must be to prepare the mind for the final backswing and delivery.

I haven't analysed my own feathering but I think I do feather more on the longer and more difficult shots. I'm sure I don't conciously try and keep the same number of feathers as I would find that far too mechanical.

All I've noticed is amongst all the top pros, once their confidence starts to flow that they all cut down on the number of feathers. I don't think it can be the other way around, i.e. - cut down on the number of feathers to increase the confidence as I don't think that would work.

I still feel the danger of a player feathering too much is it gives him a chance to make those killing 'micro-adjustments' which kill the accuracy on long pots. I've also noticed the players who are the most accurate long potters remain absolutely still throughout all the cue actions, so much so that a full glass of water balanced on their heads wouldn't spill! I think it's this remaining absolutely still throughout the shot that is the real secret to accurate potting.

However, I'm still getting a lot of students who swear they miss because they haven't developed a guaranteed aiming method and ask me for one, which is something I can't give as I've never found one that work reliably and besides most shots are missed because the player has failed to deliver his cue straight along his intended line of aim of the cue.

I just tell them if they remain absolutely still and observe the object ball path eventually their brain will work it out.

Terry

[LittleMissAlexa]

Terry makes a good point

If you change your natural quirks your game will only go down hill

you can overcoach someone to be two orthodox and it will screw up their game

coaching is about improving your atributes not changing them

every player has a different style

as long as your cue action has a pause and the cue goes through straight theres no issue

when sighting a ball if you dont have a dominant eye you can sight both if you have a dominant eye (you may of noticed some players chins arent paralel with the cue) your chin faces to the left if your right eyed and to the right if your left eyed as i am

if you have lined up the pot properly you dont have to look at the object ball

and if you are confident about your cueing you can take your eye off the cue ball

it really depends on where your confidence lies

[LittleMissAlexa]

but again asian players dont tend to feather they tend to point

feather of point the most important part of getting yourself composed is the pause in the action

but again Darren Morgan Never had much of a pause and his feathering was quite fast

[RocketRoy1983]

The only thing you should be looking at as your tip hits the cueball is the point of impact on the object ball. In your pre-shot routine centre ball striking shouldve been obtained.