are pro's using a ghost ball method to aim...?what do you think..?

[blackvelvetus]

i know some of us have relied on a ghost ball aiming method at one time or maybe even now...but is it what pro's are really using...or do you think it is something else? what do you believe a pro uses as an aiming method......i personally i believe they use a system other than a ghost ball method...pro's please tell them.... blackvelvetus@yahoo.com..

[The Woim]

The Woim can't prove it, but I think pro's actually have an secret aiming technique based on something passed down from Ralph Greenleaf and it's very closely related to Hal Houle's system.

Is The Woim right? In some cases, yes. I know that now that I'm focusing on what you (Blackvelvetus) said about allowing the weight of the cue to do the stroking, I'm also shifting my attention to focusing on the cue ball entirely and am having more success on long straight table length shots.

If your stroke is straight, you don't really need to look at the object ball. That's The Woim's view and with more practice I may change my mind but I'm sticking with it.

Yours Truly,
The Woim

[JoeyInCali]

Originally Posted by blackvelvetus

i know some of us have relied on a ghost ball aiming method at one time or maybe even now...but is it what pro's are really using...or do you think it is something else? what do you believe a pro uses as an aiming method......i personally i believe they use a system other than a ghost ball method...pro's please tell them.... blackvelvetus@yahoo.com..

I think the pros use the ghost ball and contact point systems.
Think about it, they all play to control the cueball right?
You think they have any idea how the two balls look at point of collision?

To prove they used the contact point system sometimes or maybe most of the time, you often see them point at the contact point with their stick before shooting. Specially when shooting combos. Seen any of em bend over and look at the contact point? I see it all the time.

[JoeyInCali]

Originally Posted by The Woim

The Woim can't prove it, but I think pro's actually have an secret aiming technique based on something passed down from Ralph Greenleaf and it's very closely related to Hal Houle's system.

Is The Woim right? In some cases, yes. I know that now that I'm focusing on what you (Blackvelvetus) said about allowing the weight of the cue to do the stroking, I'm also shifting my attention to focusing on the cue ball entirely and am having more success on long straight table length shots.

If your stroke is straight, you don't really need to look at the object ball. That's The Woim's view and with more practice I may change my mind but I'm sticking with it.

Yours Truly,
The Woim

You think Efren and Parica have any clue who Greenleaf is?
When they came to Hard Times, they were nailing spot shots on the Big Bertha table where the pockets are barely wider than the snooker balls.
You think they just know the "patama"?

If your stroke is straight and you are bridged on on the right spot, why would you need to look at the cueball last?

[PocketRattler]

Originally Posted by JoeyInCali

I think the pros use the ghost ball and contact point systems.
Think about it, they all play to control the cueball right?
You think they have any idea how the two balls look at point of collision?

To prove they used the contact point system sometimes or maybe most of the time, you often see them point at the contact point with their stick before shooting. Specially when shooting combos. Seen any of em bend over and look at the contact point? I see it all the time.

I've got to believe that the pros use a several different aiming methods depending on the shot at hand. When they are consciously or even unconsciously visualizing the shot they want to pull off, whatever "method" their instinct dictates is the way they go.

Hope that makes sense.

I would also believe that proper alignment and hitting the cueball in the right spot makes any aiming method work.

[The Woim]

Joey,

Both Efren and Parica had "manongs ~ teachers"... When they were young guns, both boys knew there was some big stick in the baranguy running a rack of rotation in the back room of the sari sari where the San Miguel beer is frosty cold! The Woim misses the Philippines.

Now that I think about it, who really knows what Efren knows? He ain't gonna tell you and he's too much of a gentleman to insult you. What did Efren say about the Meucci? He called it "unlucky". Just saying that is Efren's way of being a true gentleman of this game we love so much.

As for straight stroking, The Woim is now looking at the cue ball last. Yes, I'm breaking with the conventional wisdom of the day. This is a technique I've been trying lately, and you know what, it's working wonders on my long shots!

As for the aiming, let's see what everyone else has to say because I think that Blackvelvetus is just trying to gauge where everyone is on this issue.

Yours Truly,
The Woim

[JoeyInCali]

Now that I think about it, who really knows what Efren knows? He ain't gonna tell you and he's too much of a gentleman to insult you. What did Efren say about the Meucci? He called it "unlucky". Just saying that is Efren's way of being a true gentleman of this game we love so much.
I once asked Efren if he gave lessons.
He said go to Parica. He said he spun the ball too much.
Efren does not teach professionally. Even refused to give the Sultan of Brunei lessons.
But, he does give tips to his kumpares here. And to other players.
If you believe Efren and Parica have some magical system besides ghost ball or contact point aiming ( let's throw in there tangent line aiming b/c that's really almost the same as ghost ball ) then you will be disappointed.
After all they are "secrets".
Or you could make it easy on yourself. Take lessons from a local kumpare of Efren. Beats the master BCA instructor here spotting him 3 games to 11 easily. He owns a beautiful pool hall and believe me. If there is anything to know about Efren, he'd be the one to see.
I was in his place the day Mark Wilson called Efren about the Color Of Money match. Efren had a few drinks and we picked his brains about his early days in the islands.
Kumander Pusa was once his manager. Ben Tumbling was killed behind the Lucky 13 and he was there. He was playing against a player being staked by Ben Tumbling.

[The Woim]

Joey,

Behind Efren's dark brown eyes is mind of a brilliant strategist and, patawad, he ain't letting you know everything he knows. No master ever really does. This is not related to Hal Houle's aiming system.

Yours Truly,
The Woim