Aiming

[Art Vandalaay]

I hope I can describe this clearly. I've been playing about 2 months now and I'm driving myself crazy with self diagnosis. But I think I've settled on an aiming technique. Just wondered what others think about it.

I've found that by focusing on the spot i want to hit the object ball and not taking my eyes off the spot as I step in and get down to the shot helps. Then, if I can, once I'm happy that I'm hitting centre ball, I try to ignore the cue ball and just imagine my cue tip hitting the point on the object ball that will pot the ball. Does that make sense? And is it a technique that works for others.

I find that by just focussing on the point on the object ball, that everything else automatically slots into place. Of couse, I can't seem to do it consistently enough yet but I can feel it working when I get it right. Any tips to help my consistency?

[The Artful Dodger]

For me personally, I look at the table and decide what I want to do with the cue ball first, obviously pot the object ball but also do I need to add side or screw etc... walk into the shot, eyes fixed upon the point of impact on the object ball, eyes will drop to cue ball briefly to make sure I am striking it where I need to depending on the shot I want to play..then back to the object ball to begin feathering...control the backswing and pause before the shot is played... dunno about others but I also imagine tramlines or tracks for the path that the object ball needs to take... this is a far cry from how I used to play when I was half decent many years ago.. I was much more natural and fluent..and entered the zone frequently .. some of you guys will know what I mean.. missing does not come into it and you cant see or hear anything other than the balls.