Lesson 7(e): Sighting the Shot

By Nick Prinsloo

More of this Series •  Introduction • 1.) Philosophy Of Pool • 2.) Learning To Play Pool • 3.) Overcoming The Physical Barriers • 4.) Overcoming The Mental Barriers • 5.) Why Pool? • 6.) Becoming A Natural Player • 7.) Judging The Angle & Establishing The Right Technique • 7e.) Sighting The Shot • 7f.) The Practice Strokes • 7g.) Pausing For Perfection • 7h.) Final Cue Delivery

E. SIGHTING THE SHOT

Sighting the shot is relatively easy but this part is nevertheless fouled up by so many of us. Often we don't realize how important it is to get it absolutely right. The fact that our eyes sometimes deceive us (if we don't really LOOK) is easily demonstrated here. How often have you caught yourself thinking you are sighting down the right line of aim when you are in fact not doing so? Shots just off straight-in are commonly sighted as straight shots and so missed.

The key here is to LOOK and really see what you are aiming at. If the line you are sighting down is not the one which is going to let you pocket the ball, you must get up and approach the shot again - from scratch.

But be careful: the angle of the shot looks different when you are down on the shot compared to when you are standing upright behind the cue ball. So, don't change the angle if it doesn't look right from down there. If you are really unsure, get up and start over. But, whatever you do, DO NOT CHANGE THE ANGLE WHILE YOU ARE DOWN ON THE SHOT! You may find the right angle from the tip of the cue, but are you still sighting through the point on the cue ball that you were originally sighting through? No, you are now applying unintentional english to the cue ball, which will make you miss the ball nine times out of ten.

But enough of this negative business. Let's look at what should be done.

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