aiming contact point on preshot routine

[sack316]

hey guys and gals, just had a quick question for y'all. Once upon a time I noticed a strong shooter that during his practice strokes would actually be aiming his cue opposite of where he was striking the cue ball (ie. if he was going to put top on a ball his practice strokes lined up bottom). I was curious and asked him, his answer was that it helped him stroke through the ball better.
So of course I try it and hate it and go back to just lining up as I hit it. Or so I think.
A few weeks ago a guy I know, who isn't the best shot in the world, but is a real student of the game, asks me why I just lined up top on the ball but shot bottom when I actually stroked. I told him I didn't realize I was doing that, but however I have been stroking has been working well for me as my game has improved lately. He asked where it came from and I told him, and all he could say was that is a hustler tactic, and though the guy I saw do that was good, it would hold him back and thats why he'd never be a pro (although he was 25th in amateur nationals 2 years ago).
Now personally for me I'm in a "if it ain't broke" mentality about it. But I did want to get some opinion from the vast knowledge on here. I realize it does make more sense for accuracy to line up where you are going to hit, but it also does cause me to stab or push at a ball when I do that sometimes. Is this one of those things where either can be wrong or right, and it's the comfort of the player that matters? Or am I using a bad habit that could limit my game?

[Cane]

When I was a kid, an local road player taught me to play pool. After I learned enough to pocket balls, he started teaching me how to move the cue ball. One thing he always said was CUE HIGH, then move my cue on my final stroke to where I wanted to hit the ball. He always wanted me, no matter if I was going to follow or draw or spin left or right, to cue one tip high, center ball. His purpose in this was that, in his eyes, you don't want to pull off a position shot and let anyone see how you did it. Keep in mind, this was over 40 years ago, and back then many players, especially gamblers, didn't want anyone to know ANYTHING. Sharing information was not the order of the day.

Personally, I never could do that and control my spin, so when he wasn't around, I just cued where I was going to strike the cue ball and played pool. I still do that today.

Later,
Bob (Anyone want to come and help me move the rest of this furniture? It's only 106 outside!!! Humidity is somewhere around the "drown on a deep breath" level!)

[theinel]

This isn't related to all pre-shot routines but I see a lot of pros and really good amateurs doing something similar on the break shot. They take all of their practice strokes very low, almost scraping the cloth, but when they make the final stroke they hit much higher on the ball. I don't know why they do it and I always forget to ask.

[Scott Lee]

Although the best player on Earth (Efren) aims at the bottom of the CB on every warm up swing, and hits wherever he wants on the final delivery stroke...I do not recommend this style of aiming. You'll get a much more accurate hit on the CB, with a repeatable stroke, if you aim EXACTLY where you want to strike the CB on every warm up stroke. In order to be the most accurate with this, your tip should be no more than 1/8" to 1/4" from the CB when you stop at the CB (up to 1/2" if you wear glasses). Interestingly, I find many students who are stopping 1-2" inches from the CB at the end of their warm up swings...and this is something I focus on to correct! jmo

Scott Lee

[HALHOULE]

IT IS BECAUSE THE PARTICULAR AIMING SYSTEM THEY ARE USING DEMANDS WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

[rukiddingme]

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote HALHOULE:</font><hr> IT IS BECAUSE THE PARTICULAR AIMING SYSTEM THEY ARE USING DEMANDS WHAT THEY ARE DOING. <hr /></blockquote>
Hal,
can you elaborate?

[HALHOULE]

THE SHOOTER MOVES HIS CUE STICK OUT OF THE LINE OF THE SHOT, BECAUSE HE IS AIMING THE CUE BALL AT THE OBJECT BALL, AND HE WANTS THAT VIEW CLEAR, THEN HE MOVES HIS CUE STICK TO ANY SPOT ON THE CUE BALL THAT HE DESIRES AND HITS THE CUE BALL.