For the purpose of this article, we are going to address the manual pivoting method of CTE PRO ONE.
Think about this for a moment. When you address a shot in pool, there are a lot of things in play. You look at the pocket, the object ball and the cue ball. Everything has to be calculated perfectly. You must address the cue ball to make perfect contact with the object ball to send it to the pocket. Often times, a challenging task. This is especially true with longer shots, thinner cuts, or when the pocket is not in peripheral view. Now, what if we could reduce the task of finding the shot line to just focusing on center cue ball?
This is part of what makes CTE PRO ONE such a powerful system. But you have to trust it. From a standing position you choose the visuals and pivot direction. You put your eyes in the perfect position and freeze. From this point forward, all your focus is now on center cue ball. Forget the visuals, forget the object ball, forget the pocket. Just focus on center cue ball. Move straight in, never taking your eyes off center cue ball. Sweep the cue in from the side and position the tip with exactly a half tip offset. Make a strict pivot to center cue ball. Stoke straight down that line, and the object ball hits the back of the pocket.
When you are learning the system, you have to trust center cue ball. If you are going to miss, you want to learn from it. Don’t look up at the object ball after addressing center cue ball and “steer” the cue. You may be doing it and not even know it. If you are having troubles, just re-focus on center cue ball. While learning it is important to practice the shots from the DVD. This gives you 100% certainty you are using the correct visuals and pivot, and you can focus your attention on execution. If you miss, figure out why. Remember on close shots (CB/OB less than 1 diamond apart) to shorten up the bridge, or you risk undercutting the ball.
If you trust the system and focus on center cue ball, your time and effort in learning will be minimized. Once you are comfortable with the system, you can then venture into taking your eyes off center cue ball to check your alignment on the object ball (if you even need to.) If you chose the wrong visual or pivot, stand up and start over. Just be sure to keep your head perfectly still and move your eyes only. Then move the eyes back to center cue ball before executing the shot.
All things said, of course there will be times when you want to blend some english into the shot. This is accomplished by applying back-hand-english to the shot after you are lined up on center cue ball. If you are banking you must be keenly aware of speed and spin, as usual. The emphasis is focusing on center cue ball during address. This will start you on the perfect shot line.
[edit] Stan has posted an excellent video regarding center cue ball.
CTE PRO ONE is a product of Stan Shuffett and Just Cue It productions.