Dominant Eye/Opposite Hand

[Master Blaster]

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.

Damn, this kid ain't gonna go out and buy a sigh tright cue, how will they fleece snooker players if we can't invent problems?! lol

But occular dominance is important and whether it's strong or weak. Folk need to understand what they have in their brains. If they have strong dominance, the cue should be pretty much under that eye. If its weak, more towards centre chin. People do miss a lot of pots because their line of aim with their eye does not match up to the cue line. This can be solved.

[blinker]

Damn, this kid ain't gonna go out and buy a sigh tright cue, how will they fleece snooker players if we can't invent problems?! lol

But occular dominance is important and whether it's strong or weak. Folk need to understand what they have in their brains. If they have strong dominance, the cue should be pretty much under that eye. If its weak, more towards centre chin. People do miss a lot of pots because their line of aim with their eye does not match up to the cue line. This can be solved.

Can't agree more... I used to put so much focus into stance, grip, bridge arm, bridge and every aspect and some days you just miss every single shot. that no amount of correction you try can bring your confidence back. Took a step back and only realized the line of aim is totally not align with what my eye is seeing. Brain is a amazing thing that if you see what you don't trust it will pot, you will almost certainly subconsciously make adjustment or head movement to self-correct the alignment, this will then lead to missing pot which at most times you have no idea why.

The moment I focus back on the line of aim under my dominant eye it makes so much of a difference that even when i'm not cueing well, i'm still able to pot plenty as with getting down to the shot you see the right thing, cue moving in the right line it makes it so much easier to focus to only just deliver the cue towards the line of aim

[Master Blaster]

Can't agree more... I used to put so much focus into stance, grip, bridge arm, bridge and every aspect and some days you just miss every single shot. that no amount of correction you try can bring your confidence back. Took a step back and only realized the line of aim is totally not align with what my eye is seeing. Brain is a amazing thing that if you see what you don't trust it will pot, you will almost certainly subconsciously make adjustment or head movement to self-correct the alignment, this will then lead to missing pot which at most times you have no idea why.

The moment I focus back on the line of aim under my dominant eye it makes so much of a difference that even when i'm not cueing well, i'm still able to pot plenty as with getting down to the shot you see the right thing, cue moving in the right line it makes it so much easier to focus to only just deliver the cue towards the line of aim

As a very good player once said, if it doesn't look 10 out of 10 when you get down; get back up, something is wrong. I agree with you, subconsciously, if I don't believe in the shot when down, I rarely play it 100% the way I know I should, usually too much or too little mustard on the ball. Under or over playing a shot with doubt can lead to the cue going off line, take back or delivery.

[vmax4steve]

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!).

So you are saying that Hendry consciously knows that his vision is better in his left eye so deliberately uses it when checking a ball will go past another, overiding his dominant right eye.
I don't buy that at all.



As you can see Alex used his right eye for both scenarios because for both you need the best vision and I can't see anyones brain deliberately using an eye with weaker vision over one with better vision for either task.

Dominant eye is clearly a factor with an awful lot of players, but not everyone uses it for sighting in snooker, but those who do have a very dominant eye and deliberately overide it to cue centre chin to such an extent that both eyes are trying to put the cue on the line of aim, will have serious sighting issues.

One eye only, not neccessarilly the dominant one though as a players eyesight changes as he gets older; when a boy there isn't really one eye that dominates, so Hendry could very well have used his right when young, but when he reached puberty his left eye could have become the dominant one, but his snooker technique was already well ingrained by then, so he continued to sight with his right.

If his right eye became the dominant one when he reached puberty, then that's the one he would use when checking one ball past another, like Alex Higgins.

That's my twopence worth anyway.

[Master Blaster]

So you are saying that Hendry consciously knows that his vision is better in his left eye so deliberately uses it when checking a ball will go past another, overiding his dominant right eye.
I don't buy that at all.

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As you can see Alex used his right eye for both scenarios because for both you need the best vision and I can't see anyones brain deliberately using an eye with weaker vision over one with better vision for either task.

Dominant eye is clearly a factor with an awful lot of players, but not everyone uses it for sighting in snooker, but those who do have a very dominant eye and deliberately overide it to cue centre chin to such an extent that both eyes are trying to put the cue on the line of aim, will have serious sighting issues.

One eye only, not neccessarilly the dominant one though as a players eyesight changes as he gets older; when a boy there isn't really one eye that dominates, so Hendry could very well have used his right when young, but when he reached puberty his left eye could have become the dominant one, but his snooker technique was already well ingrained by then, so he continued to sight with his right.

If his right eye became the dominant one when he reached puberty, then that's the one he would use when checking one ball past another, like Alex Higgins.

That's my twopence worth anyway.

Players playing centre chin will not have a dominant eye problem because they will angle the cue across or change stance so the cue appears dead straight to the centre chin. I've done experiment as a R eye dominant person, as does many a club player. You can make the cue look straight to your dominant eye by adjusting the other mechanics in your set-up.

The only way for Hendry to use his L eye would have been for him to put the cue under his L eye and force his brain to use it, which he obviously didn't want to do. I've done this also and it works but feels a bit strange. Most players don't consciously choose an eye to play with, they grow up sighting/aiming with this eye naturally and then use it for sports. But they can choose which hand to play with. Some choose opposite hand, some don't, some are naturally opposite handed and perhaps those that are have an advantage?

[tetricky]

...you need the best vision and I can't see anyones brain deliberately using an eye with weaker vision over one with better vision for either task........

Well my brain does. Which is the dominant eye bears no relationship with quality of sight in the eye. I am right eye dominant, and my right eye is -1 Dioptres worse than my left eye. I am left handed. You're looking for a form of common sense that does not apply in this case.

[DeanH]

Well my brain does. Which is the dominant eye bears no relationship with quality of sight in the eye. I am right eye dominant, and my right eye is -1 Dioptres worse than my left eye. I am left handed. You're looking for a form of common sense that does not apply in this case.

many many years ago I used to be a dispensing optician and glazing technician, and there is no correlation between dominant eye and prescription; dominance is the brain's preference and prescription is by genetics or physical damage.
If the dominant eye has a "better" prescription, I would say "coincidence"

[Master Blaster]

many many years ago I used to be a dispensing optician and glazing technician, and there is no correlation between dominant eye and prescription; dominance is the brain's preference and prescription is by genetics or physical damage.
If the dominant eye has a "better" prescription, I would say "coincidence"

Sense. I think dominance may well be by genetic code as well. It's certainly decided before we even know about it to question it.

[inevermissblue]

Just to clarify...AIMING is done when standing up and behind the shot and a player would normally use both eyes (binocular vision) whilst using the image from his dominant eye.

Aiming is definitely NOT done in the standing position! As the body changes as it lowers into the address position. There is, or could be alot going on physically and visually. So much more to be able to afford to rely on the standing position to be the shot's prefix!
This standing position is merely a reference point (at best). You may well question me, as I'm sure you'll stand by your claims but there is literally no substance to it. I think that claims such as these do more harm than good for people just starting out. I am not a coach, just a player. This advice means absolutely nothing to me.

[tedisbill]

Aiming is definitely NOT done in the standing position! As the body changes as it lowers into the address position. There is, or could be alot going on physically and visually. So much more to be able to afford to rely on the standing position to be the shot's prefix!
This standing position is merely a reference point (at best). You may well question me, as I'm sure you'll stand by your claims but there is literally no substance to it. I think that claims such as these do more harm than good for people just starting out. I am not a coach, just a player. This advice means absolutely nothing to me.

I agree totally. It's the biggest load of rubbish that goes about by coaches - that all aiming must be done standing up. Totally ridiculous to suggest you're not aiming once you're down on the cue.

[vmax4steve]

Aiming is definitely NOT done in the standing position! As the body changes as it lowers into the address position. There is, or could be alot going on physically and visually. So much more to be able to afford to rely on the standing position to be the shot's prefix!
This standing position is merely a reference point (at best). You may well question me, as I'm sure you'll stand by your claims but there is literally no substance to it. I think that claims such as these do more harm than good for people just starting out. I am not a coach, just a player. This advice means absolutely nothing to me.

You see the shot when stood up, you find the contact point on the object ball when stood up, you find the line of aim when stood up, you have depth of field using both eyes when stood up so you see where you want the cue ball when stood up; once your feet are in position you then get down into your stance focussing on the contact point of the object ball only or switching between that and the cue ball, aiming is already done by then, the feet are position which means the cue is ready to be put on the line of aim by the hands as the sighting eye focusses on the contact point of the object ball. One eye has already been disregarded by the brain at this point as it has two images of the cue and can only put one on the line of aim, but the aiming process of determining where the line of aim actually is, is done by both eyes when stood up, so Terry is correct.

Nit picking at meaning and explanation from those who are already very good players but who don't know the actual natural processes they themselves have does more harm than good. We are talking to and trying to help players who have problems with aiming, you obviously don't, so it's best if you leave basic advice to the coaches and give us your best tips on what makes you a century break player such as shot selection etc.

[Leo]

You see the shot when stood up, you find the contact point on the object ball when stood up, you find the line of aim when stood up, you have depth of field using both eyes when stood up so you see where you want the cue ball when stood up; once your feet are in position you then get down into your stance focussing on the contact point of the object ball only or switching between that and the cue ball, aiming is already done by then, the feet are position which means the cue is ready to be put on the line of aim by the hands as the sighting eye focusses on the contact point of the object ball. One eye has already been disregarded by the brain at this point as it has two images of the cue and can only put one on the line of aim, but the aiming process of determining where the line of aim actually is, is done by both eyes when stood up, so Terry is correct.

Nit picking at meaning and explanation from those who are already very good players but who don't know the actual natural processes they themselves have does more harm than good. We are talking to and trying to help players who have problems with aiming, you obviously don't, so it's best if you leave basic advice to the coaches and give us your best tips on what makes you a century break player such as shot selection etc.

Well I can tell you gospel here VMAX that I personally never look at the point of contact when standing up and have always naturally got down on the table to find my line of aim which is registered in my head where to hit when I'm feathering. Why on earth do I need to look at the contact point when standing up when It comes naturally when I'm addressing the ball. We've all played that particular shot thousands of times we know where to hit it.

[alabadi]

Why on earth do I need to look at the contact point when standing up when It comes naturally when I'm addressing the ball. We've all played that particular shot thousands of times we know where to hit it.

I thought that this is what Vmax said

We are talking to and trying to help players who have problems with aiming, you obviously don't, so it's best if you leave basic advice to the coaches and give us your best tips on what makes you a century break player such as shot selection etc.

i think that those players who are very good and do things naturally don't do this as it's ingrained in their setup. the advise given here is for the beginner who are struggling with aiming and sighting.

[pottr]

I think folk over complicate the term 'aiming'.

I would say I aim when I'm stood up... But perhaps a more accurate way to describe it would be that: when I'm stood up, I make sure I'm aligned correctly before I address the white.

After all, if you get down wrong, you'll likely miss anyway...

Pushing the cue through in a straight line with as little movement as possible is all that matters.

Pre shot routines and consistent delivery patterns is what will achieve this... Oh... and PRACTICE, lots of PRACTICE!

[tetricky]

I think folk over complicate the term 'aiming'.

I would say I aim when I'm stood up... But perhaps a more accurate way to describe it would be that: when I'm stood up, I make sure I'm aligned correctly before I address the white.

After all, if you get down wrong, you'll likely miss anyway...

Pushing the cue through in a straight line with as little movement as possible is all that matters.

Pre shot routines and consistent delivery patterns is what will achieve this... Oh... and PRACTICE, lots of PRACTICE!

I think that you are right, if you are a 'natural'. The reality is that for someone like me that didn't just happen. I had to learn how to do the things that many people find second nature.

For what it's worth, I think aiming is a two part process....while up you assess the shot and the line, and walk into the shot so that your stance is in alignment with the shot that you want to execute. Then while down you look a the cue ball and the object ball to deliver the cue precisely where it's required. You aim at a p[osition on the cue ball, then look at the object ball to deliver the cue down a precise line.

Any misalingment in any of that process will probably result in a missed shot. Niether part of the process, aiming while up, and while down, is disposable.

...but maybe that's me.