He missed the first shot or two, but then he started making just about everything he shot at, even long angled shots. Now he looked at me as if to say "WOW, unbelievable, I just made those shots with my eyes closed!" Even I was impressed at the shots he was making.

There are a few lessons to the story. One is - if you can just learn to stay out of your own way, you will be surprised at how accurate you really are. By jumping up or fidgeting on your delivery stroke, you are destroying the setup and aim you worked so hard to build. Second - Shooting with your eyes closed proves just how important setting up is to your shot. If you do it well, you can literally shoot with your eyes closed! Third - if you work on your stroke, you can deliver it with your sense of feel and "muscle memory" once you get it lined up to your target. Closing your eyes will put your focus completely on what you are doing, not on whether you are worried about the ball going in or not.

When my friend closed his eyes, he no longer jumped or turned his cue during the stroke. It may take him a little time to bring that same calm in to his open-eyed game, but with some work he will do it.

While you practice with your eyes closed, pay attention to how your body feels during your shots and what parts move. Then, when you open your eyes again, remember the feeling and shoot as if your eyes are closed.

Practice a little with your eyes closed everyday for a week. This will improve your stance setup, help you keep your head and body still, and improve your feel for the game. Have fun practicing and may the FORCE be with you!