What the hell is wrong with me? How did I miss that shot? Why do I always have a problem cutting a ball to the right and not the left? What's wrong with my eyes? Does any of the above sound familiar? Has any on ever told you that you put English on the ball and you thought you were shooting center?


I'm sure this happens a lot in shooting pool, because if your dominant eye isn't over the stick then your eyes tell your mind that you are shooting center ball hit. Did you ever hear the saying that your eyes are playing tricks on you? Which eye is your dominant eye? There is a test you can do one your self to find out which is your dominant eye and once you find out which eye is your dominant eye then keep that eye over your stick and you will be surprised how much your game will improve.


First put your arm out in front of you with your thumb in the air and your fingers bent in towards your palm. Now pick an object on the wall in front of you about 15 feet away and try to cover the object with you thumb and keep both eyes open. You should see two thumbs. Now close the right eye and then the left eye. You should have noticed that your thumb covered the object with one eye and it moves with the other eye.


Once you find out which eye is your dominant eye then practice making shots making sure this eye is over the stick. It might feel weird at first, but if you persist then you will start feeling comfortable with this technique. Also, keep in mind, if you are right handed and left eye dominant or vise versa, then this technique will be some what more difficult to catch on to. I am right handed and left eye dominant, so when I approach my shot I walk into my shot with my left eye heading towards the object ball into the pocket.


Another test for which eye is dominant is to, place a piece of chalk on a diamond and put you cue ball at the other end of the table at the matching diamond and a comfortable distance away from the rail. Now shoot the cue ball at the chalk at lag speeds up the table and don't move your stick after you shoot. See if your cue ball comes back to your tip or if it drifts left or right after you shoot. If it drifts then you are applying English, if it doesn't drift then you are shooting center cue ball. Try it a few times; keep shooting at the chalk. Now move the chalk to another diamond and see if you are persistent with the center cue ball hit. Now try cutting a ball into a corner pocket. If the ball goes in the pocket and seams to circle out of the pocket, then you are applying English on the shot.


So watch that dominant eye, for it can be your friend or the reason you lost the game. Good shooting.