[Dan White]

Originally Posted by FranCrimi

Well, you've actually done it and I'm only imagining it so I'll yield to you on this. But whatever you do with the laser, at some point you're going to have to translate that into shooting actual shots. That's not as easy as it seems.

I'm doing both together. I was using the laser for awhile and then turning it off and continuing the drill. Then I'd play some and the next day I'd do the drill again without the laser. If I was having trouble I'd turn the laser back on and see if I was off. More often than not my center ball alignment and starting cue alignment were spot on. That's the nice thing about being able to rule out some of the variables. I found subsequently that keeping my elbow still during draw back and just as I started forward was of paramount importance. Like night and day.

Last time I played I hadn't picked up the cue in 2 days. I hit three in a row having the two balls collide without any warm up. I can't do that every time but before I started using the laser I had no hope of doing that. It is much more difficult than hitting the cue ball down and back over the spot.

I'll continue to report findings as I find them.

[bbb]

I admire your creativity Dan
Great idea and glad it’s working for you

[BC21]

Originally Posted by bbb

I admire your creativity Dan
Great idea and glad it’s working for you

I agree, Larry. Using creative ("out of the box") or unorthodox methods or thinking can often lead to some great discoveries or learning experiences.

[FranCrimi]

Originally Posted by Dan White

I'm doing both together. I was using the laser for awhile and then turning it off and continuing the drill. Then I'd play some and the next day I'd do the drill again without the laser. If I was having trouble I'd turn the laser back on and see if I was off. More often than not my center ball alignment and starting cue alignment were spot on. That's the nice thing about being able to rule out some of the variables. I found subsequently that keeping my elbow still during draw back and just as I started forward was of paramount importance. Like night and day.

Last time I played I hadn't picked up the cue in 2 days. I hit three in a row having the two balls collide without any warm up. I can't do that every time but before I started using the laser I had no hope of doing that. It is much more difficult than hitting the cue ball down and back over the spot.

I'll continue to report findings as I find them.

Sounds good, Dan. Definitely keep us posted on your progress.

[Dan White]

A couple of people wanted to see what the shots looked like with a laser, so here is a 5 minute video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXDuqYMIFdc

[Patrick Johnson]

Originally Posted by Dan White

A couple of people wanted to see what the shots looked like with a laser, so here is a 5 minute video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXDuqYMIFdc

With the camera slightly off center as shown, the laser line appears to be a little right of center on the cue ball - therefore it should also appear to be a little right of center when centered on the shaft - or your shaft isn't really quite centered.

Just something to look out for in these videos...

pj
chgo

[bbb]

Originally Posted by Dan White

A couple of people wanted to see what the shots looked like with a laser, so here is a 5 minute video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXDuqYMIFdc

dan just curious
does the light look centered to you now on how you align and are over the cue with your head/eye positions?
does it feel "different"?
"seeing straight"

[Dan White]

Originally Posted by Patrick Johnson

With the camera slightly off center as shown, the laser line appears to be a little right of center on the cue ball - therefore it should also appear to be a little right of center when centered on the shaft - or your shaft isn't really quite centered.

Just something to look out for in these videos...

pj
chgo

Yes, exactly. That's why I didn't really intend to spend too much time on any kind of analysis. The camera is not directly overhead because I don't have any kind of extension for the tripod to be able to do that right now. The main point was simply to show what it looks like to hit some shots with the laser.

[Dan White]

Originally Posted by bbb

dan just curious
does the light look centered to you now on how you align and are over the cue with your head/eye positions?
does it feel "different"?
"seeing straight"

It's a funny thing that I noticed even years ago when I used a yellow string on the table instead of a laser. When the laser is shining on center ball with the tip on the line the tip looks to be in the correct location. I used to cue up a tiny bit left of center but when I turn the laser on and place the tip at the laser line it still looks correct. Not sure why that is but maybe it is because we are talking about very small differences in tip position.

I think there is a little test that would be interesting. Have the laser set up on center ball but cover the laser light. Then have someone cue up to what they think is center ball. Remove the cover so the laser shines on true center. Now we can see how far off center the player is, if at all. The problem with having the laser on all the time is that if you can see the laser as you get down on the shot you can't help but place the tip there. Once there it will look correct to you! I was toying with the idea of setting this contraption up at a pool hall and let people set up to the cue ball with the light initially covered and see what kind of results we get.

[bbb]

Originally Posted by Dan White

It's a funny thing that I noticed even years ago when I used a yellow string on the table instead of a laser. When the laser is shining on center ball with the tip on the line the tip looks to be in the correct location. I used to cue up a tiny bit left of center but when I turn the laser on and place the tip at the laser line it still looks correct. Not sure why that is but maybe it is because we are talking about very small differences in tip position.

I think there is a little test that would be interesting. Have the laser set up on center ball but cover the laser light. Then have someone cue up to what they think is center ball. Remove the cover so the laser shines on true center. Now we can see how far off center the player is, if at all. The problem with having the laser on all the time is that if you can see the laser as you get down on the shot you can't help but place the tip there. Once there it will look correct to you! I was toying with the idea of setting this contraption up at a pool hall and let people set up to the cue ball with the light initially covered and see what kind of results we get.

If you do that I would like to know the results
Great experiment

[Scott Lee]

IMO you'd do better shooting stop shots rather than a rolling CB. Then you'd also see how grabbing or twisting the cue in your hand, as you strike the CB, what kind of effect it would have on the OB. I'm suggesting that you have some twisting going on with your stroke...minor as it may be. Putting a small colored dot on the ferrule (and turning the cue so the dot is straight up) will prove or disprove that you are adding grip pressure causing you to stroke off line. Nice video. Use a full stroke (pull the tip back to your hand) will also show flaws in your delivery.

Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour

Originally Posted by Dan White

A couple of people wanted to see what the shots looked like with a laser, so here is a 5 minute video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXDuqYMIFdc

[Dan White]

Originally Posted by Scott Lee

IMO you'd do better shooting stop shots rather than a rolling CB. Then you'd also see how grabbing or twisting the cue in your hand, as you strike the CB, what kind of effect it would have on the OB. I'm suggesting that you have some twisting going on with your stroke...minor as it may be. Putting a small colored dot on the ferrule (and turning the cue so the dot is straight up) will prove or disprove that you are adding grip pressure causing you to stroke off line. Nice video. Use a full stroke (pull the tip back to your hand) will also show flaws in your delivery.

Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour

Thanks for the comments. It really has been an instructive tool.

I find that each shot, follow, stop and draw, are different, meaning that just because I can execute a follow shot along the exact center line it does not follow necessarily that I can execute a draw the same way. I think it is because the cue lays in the hand at a different angle for each shot and/or I might be hitting the draw shots harder, causing a different result.

[Patrick Johnson]

Originally Posted by Scott Lee

...see how grabbing or twisting the cue in your hand, as you strike the CB, what kind of effect it would have on the OB.
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour

Originally Posted by Dan White

I find that each shot, follow, stop and draw, are different, meaning that just because I can execute a follow shot along the exact center line it does not follow necessarily that I can execute a draw the same way. I think it is because the cue lays in the hand at a different angle for each shot and/or I might be hitting the draw shots harder, causing a different result.

I think it's often (usually?) what Scott mentions: we tend to "grab" the cue during the stroke on harder shots. I've spent a lot of time finding the grip that works for me at all speeds without changing during the stroke - has made a big difference for me.

pj
chgo

[Dan White]

Originally Posted by Patrick Johnson

I think it's often (usually?) what Scott mentions: we tend to "grab" the cue during the stroke on harder shots. I've spent a lot of time finding the grip that works for me at all speeds without changing during the stroke - has made a big difference for me.

pj
chgo

When I'm a little off and not executing the shots the first thing I try is relaxing the grip hand. It often fixes the problem.

[Patrick Johnson]

Originally Posted by Dan White

When I'm a little off and not executing the shots the first thing I try is relaxing the grip hand. It often fixes the problem.

Fixing the stance/stroke is a never ending game of whack-a-mole. After a few days of feeling that something was a little off I finally discovered today that my shoulder/torso position had gotten a little lazy - a tweak that a bystander couldn't even see and suddenly everything looked "straight" again.

I hate this game.

pj
chgo