sighting

[j6uk]

Hi tommy,
I find that if I cue along the baulk line I can't help but align everything, to cue straight along it, making sure the line stays in the middle of the tip/ferrule as I slowly draw the cue back, pause, transfer the energy with the eye of the hand and then accelerate along it, just like in real time play.
Many good experienced players would do this as a warmup before knuckling down to a practice session. Its simple and fool proof.
Good luck and enjoy

I have found that making sure that my right eye is over the cue during address gives me much better results. My right eye is the dominant, so I guess it makes sense that that should be my 'sighting' eye. I have been cueing centre chin for much of my last few years and believe that this has just been sufficient to push my line of aim slightly offline. It feels a little strange at the moment with my head being in the position it is, and on straight shots I feel I am going to miss, but hold my nerve, and hey presto, object ball to centre of pocket. Thanks for the help.

[lesedwards]

thanks for all your replys , however my main question was do we look at object ball as we get in to the stance before we look at the white thanks

This is a good question. When I was in my teens I played some snooker and always dropped down looking at the OB then as soon as I checked my line I would concentrate on where I wanted to hit the cue ball and then keep my eyes on the CB. Then I started back at the game last year and everyone says you have to concentrate on BOB. Well my game has been up and down like a toilet seat and one of my worst shots are straight in pink with a little stun run through for black or for that matter any dead straight shot. Tonight I tried my old way, drop down on the shot double check to make sure my line of aim is correct then look at back of cue ball figure out where I need to hit it and keep my eyes on CB until after shot. I made every pink with perfect shape. Question if I hace my line sighted correct why do I have to have my eyes on BOB when the most important part is how hard you hit the CB and where you hit it.

[itsnoteasy]

Don't go down that line Les, it's a backward step, not one pro or even good player plays this way ,if it was right you would think at least some of them would.
Stick a ball near the pink area and pot it from the baulk area just looking at the cue ball and see how you get on, close up shots won't tell you anything, not enough distance for mistakes to be shown up.

[j6uk]

Well hold on, what does your coach say?

Question if I hace my line sighted correct why do I have to have my eyes on BOB when the most important part is how hard you hit the CB and where you hit it.

[lesedwards]

Well hold on, what does your coach say?

My coach says look at BOB. I can see it when you are trying to make a very long pot and also when you are trying to flick off a red and back to baulk but when I am in the balls why not go with what works. I find I hit the cue ball exactly where I want to hit and I have better feel at how hard to hit it. I also found that I hit right through the cue ball instead of jabbing at it. I think my stroke fails due to maybe a mental block when looking at BOB I stab and try to steer the cue ball which causes a miss and if it does go in my position is not even close. I went through the snooker GYM and there was a spot where Nic tells you to close your eyes at your front pause and play the shot which proves you do not need to look at BOB if your sighting is correct.

[RunningSide]

For me these words "aiming" and "sighting" are very confusing (English is not my mother-tongue). In my language "sighting" means like lining-up things and making comparisons and judgements there. Also, "sightning" could be done along something or through something (like lining-up tiles, water pipes etc. in construction site). "Aiming" is more like stabile action like shooting with a rifle and aiming to target.

So, when standing behind the shot and lining the shot, you are actually doing all the aiming/sighting. When you drop down to the shot you are focusing on BOB (most times this is off-line from the true cueing line), you may have a look at cue ball's hitting point and again focus to BOB (before backswing or delivery). If you feel any need to make somed adjustments when down on the shot, you must stand up and start all over the aiming process again. So, when on the shot at the table you are switching focus between cueball and BOB, while your bridge and cue hand are in the line of a shot (cueing line). Correct?

In my opinion: this is not either sighting or aiming - just focusing. I've always tried to somehow aim my shots when down on the shot. Now, after reading TSF, I'm just trying to rely on focusing not aiming any more (when down on the shot) - and hoping that I'm not sub-consciously twisting the cue line. I'm practising this now.

I'm saying here that it is a fundamental difference in your head, when aiming/sighting is changed to focusing. And moreover, cue is even delivered to end up different position where your eyes are focused. Whole idea of accuracy is different, when focusing eyes on BOB instead of trying to aim your cue to match the imaginary line of aim (when down on the shot); still I believe that aiming/sighting/lining/judging contact points are all essential when behind the shot.

I'm needing a lots of more work with this. Some sessions it's a big relief to have actual spot to concentrate on (BOB) and potting feels simple straight forward action (no aiming needed after drop down) - some days I'm missing almost every pot like absolute first timer...

[Terry Davidson]

Les:

Even though 99.9% of players will have their eyes on the object ball at the time of strike if you feel this method helps you to play better then it will give you more confidence and you WILL (probably, but not over the long term I believe) play better.

HOWEVER, as with everything else you've experimented with please persevere with this one and give it a good trial, say every day for at least 2 weeks and see if you still feel you are playing better.

One other point to remember is when a player changes something he will concentrate on that one item which sort of 'parks' his brain on the other technique issues he has and it allows the unconscious aspect take over, and he will likely play better but it isn't because of the change he's tried and it takes a good trial period to find that out.

One other point to remember regarding looking at the cueball at time of strike. Anyone can pot an easy one with their eyes closed and you have even commented that you had successfully tried it. As long as you aim and sight correct and do not move the upper body at all you will likely pot those easy ones, even with the eyes closed and you might even pot the harder ones with enough practice.

As was suggested, try potting the pink from the green spot with your eyes locked on the cueball and see how you get on. I don't think you'll see the same results. Besides which, if you are not striking the cueball where you want to with your eyes on the object ball then you are likely moving during the backswing or delivery. If locking your eyes on the CB stops this movement then that would be for the better but if it was me I'd work on correcting the basic flaw and not using another gimmick to solve the problem.

Terry

[Terry Davidson]

RunningSide:

There is no confusion between aiming and sighting. You do your aiming when standing behind the shot and select what you believe is the correct line of aim for the cue.

Sighting happens when you are in the address position and at the front pause you 'sight' along the cue through the cueball to the object ball to confirm you are on your previously selected line of aim.

So you 'aim' when standing up and you 'sight' when in the address position

Terry

[RunningSide]

RunningSide:

Sighting happens when you are in the address position and at the front pause you 'sight' along the cue through the cueball to the object ball to confirm you are on your previously selected line of aim.

Terry

So, 1/4 plain pot (no side) I'm sighting along the cue through the cueball pass the object ball?!? And, then at back pause switch eyes focused to BOB?

[lesedwards]

Les:

Even though 99.9% of players will have their eyes on the object ball at the time of strike if you feel this method helps you to play better then it will give you more confidence and you WILL (probably, but not over the long term I believe) play better.

HOWEVER, as with everything else you've experimented with please persevere with this one and give it a good trial, say every day for at least 2 weeks and see if you still feel you are playing better.

One other point to remember is when a player changes something he will concentrate on that one item which sort of 'parks' his brain on the other technique issues he has and it allows the unconscious aspect take over, and he will likely play better but it isn't because of the change he's tried and it takes a good trial period to find that out.

One other point to remember regarding looking at the cueball at time of strike. Anyone can pot an easy one with their eyes closed and you have even commented that you had successfully tried it. As long as you aim and sight correct and do not move the upper body at all you will likely pot those easy ones, even with the eyes closed and you might even pot the harder ones with enough practice.

As was suggested, try potting the pink from the green spot with your eyes locked on the cueball and see how you get on. I don't think you'll see the same results. Besides which, if you are not striking the cueball where you want to with your eyes on the object ball then you are likely moving during the backswing or delivery. If locking your eyes on the CB stops this movement then that would be for the better but if it was me I'd work on correcting the basic flaw and not using another gimmick to solve the problem.

Terry

Good Morning Terry, i realize this could be just another one of my majic fixes but what got me onto this is very simple. You know how I have this tendency to put un intentional side on the CB because of the way I come through with the cue and I have been potting very poorly missing everything to the left. So last night I tried running the cue ball up the spots one cushion and every time I was off by a couple ball widths so then I tried 4 cushions and The CB hit the side rail before I got 4 cushions so then I concentrated on the back of the cue ball and tried one cushion and I was dead on so then I tried 4 cushions and I was still dead on. Because of the way I seem to have adopted this cue action looking at a point on the back of the CB seems to bring the cue back online. I did try some long blues and again very successful but like you said try it for a couple weeks and see what happens. I still have this theory that if you can drop down on the correct line pick a spot on the back of the cue ball and hit it there it should go in unless your line is not correct. When up against the rail with a dead in shot how many times do you miss because you did not hit the top center of the CB? I know I miss 90% of them.

[lesedwards]

Les:

Even though 99.9% of players will have their eyes on the object ball at the time of strike if you feel this method helps you to play better then it will give you more confidence and you WILL (probably, but not over the long term I believe) play better.

HOWEVER, as with everything else you've experimented with please persevere with this one and give it a good trial, say every day for at least 2 weeks and see if you still feel you are playing better.

One other point to remember is when a player changes something he will concentrate on that one item which sort of 'parks' his brain on the other technique issues he has and it allows the unconscious aspect take over, and he will likely play better but it isn't because of the change he's tried and it takes a good trial period to find that out.

One other point to remember regarding looking at the cueball at time of strike. Anyone can pot an easy one with their eyes closed and you have even commented that you had successfully tried it. As long as you aim and sight correct and do not move the upper body at all you will likely pot those easy ones, even with the eyes closed and you might even pot the harder ones with enough practice.

As was suggested, try potting the pink from the green spot with your eyes locked on the cueball and see how you get on. I don't think you'll see the same results. Besides which, if you are not striking the cueball where you want to with your eyes on the object ball then you are likely moving during the backswing or delivery. If locking your eyes on the CB stops this movement then that would be for the better but if it was me I'd work on correcting the basic flaw and not using another gimmick to solve the problem.

Terry

Good Morning Terry, i realize this could be just another one of my majic fixes but what got me onto this is very simple. You know how I have this tendency to put un intentional side on the CB because of the way I come through with the cue and I have been potting very poorly missing everything to the left. So last night I tried running the cue ball up the spots one cushion and every time I was off by a couple ball widths so then I tried 4 cushions and The CB hit the side rail before I got 4 cushions so then I concentrated on the back of the cue ball and tried one cushion and I was dead on so then I tried 4 cushions and I was still dead on. Because of the way I seem to have adopted this cue action looking at a point on the back of the CB seems to bring the cue back online. I did try some long blues and again very successful but like you said try it for a couple weeks and see what happens. I still have this theory that if you can drop down on the correct line pick a spot on the back of the cue ball and hit it there it should go in unless your line is not correct. When up against the rail with a dead in shot how many times do you miss because you did not hit the top center of the CB? I know I miss 90% of them.

[itsnoteasy]

Les why are you still tinkering, or looking for magic fixes? Didn't Terry come down and have you potting long blues and screwing back into baulk, I bet you were looking at bob then?, having done this He must have had you in a lovely set up, you can not have been tightening the grip too early, and you must have been getting through the cue ball you also must have been staying down and still, what I am trying to say is, you have been shown what to do, while Terry has been there you have done it, the rest is bloody hard work and practice, all the rest of this nonsense is going in the opposite direction to what you were shown, what's the point in that?, unless you think what Terry and everyone else on here(excluding me because I'm rubbish) has shown or told you is wrong.Please just practice what Terry showed you, if you are missing it's not bad advice it's poor technique pure and simple, the only answer to that is hard work.
I don't mean this to sound harsh, it's just that you have not even tried to replicate what Terry has taught you, so it seems he has basically wasted his time

[j6uk]

Now sid has retired, maybe les will now be terry's new sid on the technical roundabout

[humperdingle]

I believe Les will only improve when he stops trying to micro-manage his technique.

The basic steps are there and easy enough to remember... Just enjoy it and don't stress. You have the luxury that few others have... Your own table... Don't make it your enemy

[lesedwards]

Les why are you still tinkering, or looking for magic fixes? Didn't Terry come down and have you potting long blues and screwing back into baulk, I bet you were looking at bob then?, having done this He must have had you in a lovely set up, you can not have been tightening the grip too early, and you must have been getting through the cue ball you also must have been staying down and still, what I am trying to say is, you have been shown what to do, while Terry has been there you have done it, the rest is bloody hard work and practice, all the rest of this nonsense is going in the opposite direction to what you were shown, what's the point in that?, unless you think what Terry and everyone else on here(excluding me because I'm rubbish) has shown or told you is wrong.Please just practice what Terry showed you, if you are missing it's not bad advice it's poor technique pure and simple, the only answer to that is hard work.
I don't mean this to sound harsh, it's just that you have not even tried to replicate what Terry has taught you, so it seems he has basically wasted his time

I understand what you are saying but for what ever reason it does not seem to all connect after i finish with Terry. Not sure whether it is my age, bad concentration or my bad arm wanting my body to go back to what feels comfortable. I know it is not for the lack of trying or practicing. I spend hours on my table practicing every night. I played a best of 7 against my son last night giving him 25 and the one game I made 12 of the reds and only one blue because of bad positonal play basically because I am not hitting the cue ball in the right spot that I planned so if my alignment is good then why not concentrate on the back of cue ball.