Where To Look, Cue Ball / Object Ball

[stephenm2682]

i said on page one as well, that after watching countless youtube videos, most pro's look at the cueball on strike then switch to the object ball and watch it go in etc.

[MCHymers]

When I had a coach, he would let me get down on the shot and address the cue ball. He would then put his hat in front of my face so I could not see the cue ball or the object ball. This puts you technique to the test and majority of the time I would pot he ball, even the long ones. He also used to tell me that you can't aim wrong it's technique that lets a player down!!! The hat in front of the face suggests that it is not important to be looking at the object ball. Looking at the object ball could (and does in some cases) promote head movement.

[02aleric]

It's ok to relate this to golf, i am in fact a golfer, but let's relate it to darts, how many Darts players do you see looking at the end of their dart when they release it!

[sixofclubs]

I'm undecided but can definitely see the logic in looking at the cue ball on strike. The real problem with snooker is that there are two balls to think about, so there will always be this debate !

I don't think it is set in stone, and there is probably room for both methods.

I agree that one should always look at the 'target' but maybe the target is actually the thing we are striking - the cue ball....

[Terry Davidson]

As everyone can see there are lots of opinions here. First of all, let me correct one statement made. Most pros DO NOT look at the cueball at the time of strike (OK, Ebdon is the exception) HOWEVER a lot of pros will flick their eyes very rapidly to the cueball just before the time of strike.

As it takes my eyes longer to focus at my age I tend to use a long front pause (I have no discernible rear pause) and during the front pause I focus on the object ball and leave the eyes there until after the strike.

As I said before, the most common that I've seen is those players with a rear pause will bring their eyes to the object ball either during or near the rear pause but again some will 'flick' their eyes to the cueball just before the strike and then quickly back to the object ball at the actual time of strike.

Basically the eye rhythm dictates the actual rhythm of the backswing and delivery and it's all a matter of what a player first learns the game using. If he learned to play with his eyes focused on the cueball then he will continue to play that way as changing this personal rhythm is VERY difficult.

Also, as has been mentioned where you have your eyes focused at the time of stike is not vitally important as most players will make pots with their eyes closed as long as they stay still on the backswing and delivery. I wouldn't recommend playing that way though...I recommend the player has his eyes on the object ball at the time of strike but it doesn't really matter what he does with the eyes before that as long as everything is SMOOTH

Terry

[Jake O'Sullivan]

This is a good question actually! I've often wondered this and always thought it was down to how the player plays? But watching all the pro's, videos and reading up on it, they all look at the object ball when striking.

[pottr]

Remember that it will never be your eyes that deliver the cue.

I flirted a few years back with the technique of lining up the shot as I walk in and then focussing intently on the point of the whiteball I wished to strike ignoring the object ball entirely.

It can work but the mental effort is exhausting and makes long potting impossible.

Putting such thoughts in your head as "where am I looking" will only take your attention away from maintaing a steady cue action and stance, which I find to be the most important factors of the action. Take those away and it won't matter where you look, how you hold the cue or what type of bridge you use.

But the forum is correct, the top players look at the object ball last, but it's not really a conscious decision.

[Daviddilly]

Ive played snooker all my life,got to quite an high standard made countless centuries and a maximum break in my prime,and I have always looked at the cue ball at time of impact.It makes sense because it creates your timing as I begin to cue foreword my eyes are on the cue ball until I contact it then move to the object ball has I deliver it.Ive watched and studied many of the top sunnier players and a majority of them look at the cue ball on impact.

[John Flaf]

Holy Thread revival

[The Artful Dodger]

ummm Mark Williams sometimes does not look at all... #justsaying

Seriously though - although as others have said there are different options.. some will feel wrong and others right.. try them out till you find one that you feel comfortable with. For me personally...because I am comfortable with my cue action and delivering the the cue straight I will after lining up where on the CB I am striking..will be looking at the OB at the point of striking the CB. Friendly tip here - dont move after hitting the CB..watch the shot from the exact position you have played the shot thru to completion.. either it misses or goes in..but you are in that position till it does...no head raises or anything.. almost like the mannequin challenge once ball is struck.

[vmax]

Ive played snooker all my life,got to quite an high standard made countless centuries and a maximum break in my prime,and I have always looked at the cue ball at time of impact.It makes sense because it creates your timing as I begin to cue foreword my eyes are on the cue ball until I contact it then move to the object ball has I deliver it.Ive watched and studied many of the top sunnier players and a majority of them look at the cue ball on impact.

Well you're wrong about the top players and wrong about yourself also, but that's OK as it's a hard thing to figure as there are three eye movements to account for but you're only seeing two while watching others and also missing one of your own as you deliver the cue forwards.
The eye movement from cue ball to object ball is tiny and easily missed, the last eye movement you see (and feel in yourself) is the player looking up at the peripheral view, not looking up at the object ball.

All the best players look at the object ball on delivery of the cue, the hand follows the eye to the target, the target is the contact point on the object ball so therefore needs to be guided further than the cue ball, this is the basic truth of hand eye co-ordination, and if you have made countless centuries then this is indeed true about you.