Another dominant eye/alignment question...

[Nugget]

Looking at professionals with a dominant eye playing, none of them seems to have their cue away off to one side so that it is "directly under" that eye as the textbooks generally recommend. Usually it's a little to one side or the other, but still pretty central. Hendry is a little to the right, O'Sullivan a little to the left. Is it that they have a "slightly dominant" eye? Are there degrees of dominance?

When I do the standard test closing one eye, it's my right finger that's left pointing at the object, dead on. Should I have the cue slightly to the right, or completely so that my right eye is right on the line of the cue?

[Terry Davidson]

My own recommendation would be to turn your head slightly but try and keep the cue in the same position in relation to the chin. This slight adjustment would mean your cue would be closer to being aligned with your preferred eye but you wouldn't have to change your set-up at all as changing that would lead to possibly more adjustments and learning a new technique.

This also affords you the advantage of natural depth perception.

Terry

[Nugget]

Thanks Terry. I'll give it a try next time I'm at the table. Had a bit of a Graham Miles thing going, only with the cue away off to the right. I wouldn't mind learning a new technique, though. The one I have at the minute is useless. Got major issues with alignment, and I think my chest is in the way of my grip hand coming through.

If I could find my ideal set-up where I'm on line and not in my own way, I'd be happy enough to work on drilling that in, even if I have to change everything about my current action.

[Terry Davidson]

Not sure where Coatbridge is, but you should contact Jim Donnelly in Glasgow and get a couple of lessons from him. He is a very good coach and he will set you on the right path, one that's suited to you

Terry

[cueman25]

Thanks Terry. I'll give it a try next time I'm at the table. Had a bit of a Graham Miles thing going, only with the cue away off to the right. I wouldn't mind learning a new technique, though. The one I have at the minute is useless. Got major issues with alignment, and I think my chest is in the way of my grip hand coming through.

If I could find my ideal set-up where I'm on line and not in my own way, I'd be happy enough to work on drilling that in, even if I have to change everything about my current action.

Turning your head even slightly is not something you should be doing.
When are you going to turn it? By how much?
Once you have correctly walked into your shot, set your cue you'll then turn your head is my guess and promptly send the cue off line.
Why? Because everything should follow the line of the shot. One you've turned your head you have achieved nothing except altered the line of sight.
Try it.
And when you have finished, close the eye you don't sight with to prove it.
You will have to adjust.
And apart from that you'll never set the head by the same amount and if your first walk in set up id slightly out you will add to it.
And lastly, twisting the head creates tension in the neck, even if you can't feel it it's not something you want to do. Body alignment is extremely important.

[jaybee136]

Not sure where Coatbridge is, but you should contact Jim Donnelly in Glasgow and get a couple of lessons from him. He is a very good coach and he will set you on the right path, one that's suited to you

Terry

Coatbridge is only about 10 miles from Glasgow Terry (East).

Jim Donnelly is usually in the Q-Club at Charing Cross on a Sunday if you are interested in arranging coaching with him Nugget or he has a website you could get contact details from (www.improveyoursnooker.net)

[Acrowot]

I have one of same problems as you Nugget or maybe more. My right pec gets in the way and is a problem I did not have when I stopped playing many years ago. I now weigh over 28lbs more than in those days.

With cueman's ideas about eye sighting. My right eye seems to be the dominant eye now, but even though I wear specs, my left eye sees things slightly more clearly.

What problems us snooker players have .... lol.

I know that I will never get any of my old game back, but would be nice just to get a little of it back - even 25% would be nice.
:snooker:

[Nugget]

Coatbridge is only about 10 miles from Glasgow Terry (East).

Jim Donnelly is usually in the Q-Club at Charing Cross on a Sunday if you are interested in arranging coaching with him Nugget or he has a website you could get contact details from (www.improveyoursnooker.net)

Thanks jaybee! I'll probably track him down once I'm playing more regularly.

I have one of same problems as you Nugget or maybe more. My right pec gets in the way and is a problem I did not have when I stopped playing many years ago. I now weigh over 28lbs more than in those days.

With cueman's ideas about eye sighting. My right eye seems to be the dominant eye now, but even though I wear specs, my left eye sees things slightly more clearly.

What problems us snooker players have .... lol.

The pec issue...I can relate to this one as well!

My cue runs along there, and I've found that when I'm not keeping the cue level on the backswing the chest/pec contact-point rising and falling causes the cue to go off-line in a sort of arc. And I got a bit concerned that it was impeding my follow-through. I noticed I was steering my hand around it a bit so I wouldn't hit it.

I think the number one problem we have is that we're all a bit mental for playing the game in the first place!

[cueman25]

I have one of same problems as you Nugget or maybe more. My right pec gets in the way and is a problem I did not have when I stopped playing many years ago. I now weigh over 28lbs more than in those days.

With cueman's ideas about eye sighting. My right eye seems to be the dominant eye now, but even though I wear specs, my left eye sees things slightly more clearly.

What problems us snooker players have .... lol.

I know that I will never get any of my old game back, but would be nice just to get a little of it back - even 25% would be nice.
:snooker:

Acrowot, change your optician pronto. When you wear your specs you should see equally well with both eyes, not to do so can cause eye strain and headaches. You'd be surprised what poor opticians get away with.

[Acrowot]

cueman25


There is nothing the optician can do about the tiny dark hairlike things in my right eye. Nothing wrong with the optician. Just one of the things of old age.
:snooker:

[cueman25]

cueman25


There is nothing the optician can do about the tiny dark hairlike things in my right eye. Nothing wrong with the optician. Just one of the things of old age.
:snooker:

Hard luck. I took you to mean one focussed clearer, which could have been a prescription error (it's been done to me).
Playing snooker, well any activity really puts these things under scrutiny. Fact is though, a dominant eye plays only a small part in a players missing ability (as I like to amusingly call it, don't laugh and you'd go crackers).
For most the brain senses the eye not being in control and the head adjusts without you being aware, sometimes not though and that's where a problem can arise, but I stress it's not a big an issue as not aligning the shot up right in the first place, by which I mean your body. With age it becomes the biggest problem, so check it regularly. 2/3 past the age of 50 do not (can't even) get down on a shot in a totally relaxed position. Snooker is perceived as a sedate game requiring only a modicum of energy and fitness, to play well that's a decent oversight.