Should a pool cue be perfectly straight?

All cues have some variation in the straightness and roundness of the cue. Remember that cues are made from a natural product and are affected by their surroundings. Humidity and temperature will always affect a piece of wood. Even the most expensive cues are not perfectly straight.

What is the ideal cue shape?

Therefore, a rounded tip is better than a flat tip. You shape the tip with a tip scuffer, a file, a piece of sandpaper, and other similar abrasive tools. Most players like their tips rounded with the radius of either a nickel or a dime; a coin can be held next to the tip for reference.

What is the best pool cue position?

Ideally, your arm should create a 90-degree angle when you hold the cue stick and are bent over to make your shot. In other words, your arm is perpendicular with the cue stick. Place your non-dominant hand on the pool table as close to the cue ball as possible, without touching the ball with your hand or the cue stick.

What weight pool cue do most pros use?

While professional billiards players tend to use pool sticks that weigh about 19 ounces, it is a better idea for beginners to use pool sticks that are a bit lighter (around 15 ounces) while they are still learning how to pocket those tough shots with ease.

What cue tip do the pros use?

Medium-hard tips

This is the most common cue tip, and it gives players a good balance of cue ball control and consistency. Medium-hard tips also require less maintenance than soft tips. Most beginning and intermediate players will benefit from the medium-hard tip.

Do you REALLY cue straight?

Should pool cue be heavy or light?

In general, a lighter cue will allow more control over finesse shots, and a heavier cue will allow more cue ball (CB) speed with less apparent stroke effort. A heavier cue might also be easier for some people to keep on line during the stroke, but this is a very individual thing.

What is the straight rule pool?

In straight pool, the player may call and attempt to pocket any object ball on the table regardless of its number or color until only one object ball and the cue ball remain, at which point the other fourteen balls are re-racked.

Why is my pool stick not shooting straight?

The most common reasons why people miss straight-in shots, especially long ones, are the following: Your “vision center” is not properly aligned. If this is the case, you won't perceive the straight line of the shot and your cue alignment properly.

What is the difference between cheap and expensive pool cues?

There is a big difference in the manufacture process. Making a Hand-spliced cue is a longer process and often involves extra splicing and includes more exotic woods. The cheapest cues that many suppliers sell are not spliced at all and are in fact painted to look like they are spliced.

What pool cue for my height?

A standard cue length is considered to be 57 inches. This should suit most adults. Also appropriately-sized for adults, but ideal for younger or shorter players, are 48-inch cues. For very young players, a range of 36-inch cues is available.

What is the best cue weight for beginners?

Length & Weight

Cues usually weigh 18 – 21 ounces. For a beginner, we would recommend about 20 ounces.

How often should you change your cue tip?

When or how often should you replace a cue tip? Usually, a tip is replaced either when you want to try something new or if your current tip has worn down too low, where there is almost no tip material left on the shoulder of the ferrule.

Is a nickel or dime cue tip better?

Tips shaped to a dime have a smaller contact point with the cueball, so in theory they can create more spin, but the smaller “sweet spot” can be slightly less forgiving. I prefer a nickel shape, personally, because I find that a nickel is more forgiving and versatile.

Is a soft or hard tip better for pool?

A harder tip has a slightly better hit efficiency (energy transfer) than a softer tip. This will result in slightly more CB speed for a given stroke speed. This can provide a slight advantage for draw shots, where, where slightly more CB speed will retain slightly more backspin on the way to the OB.

What is the most popular pool cue tip size?

Generally speaking most pool players prefer and 8mm to 8.5mm tip for a 1 & 7/8 pool cue ball, and most snooker players prefer a 9.5mm to 10mm tip for a full size 2 1/16 snooker cue ball. American pool uses an even bigger cue ball so the tip sizes are normally between 12.5 mm and 13.5mm.

Is heavier cue stick better?

A heavier cue will tend to create more CB speed for a given stroke effort. A heavier cue might also be easier for some to keep on line during the stroke, but this is a very individual thing. More weight can also help prevent stroke deceleration.

What is the difference between 19 oz and 21 oz cue?

Using a lighter weight stick (18-19 oz.) will create more "snap" in your shot; your cue ball will be dynamic and your object ball will go into the pocket at a slower pace. A heavier cue (20-21 oz) results in a more sluggish cue ball; the object ball will go into the pocket faster.

How do you aim precisely in pool?

Stand behind line of shot to find aiming point. Walk behind cue ball keeping your eye on contact point you want to hit and get ready to shoot. Keep your eyes on the contact point you want to hit all the way as you get down on shot. Once down on shot, you can check check which spot you want to hit the cue ball.

What is the most important ball in pool?

Being the most important ball in the 8 ball pool game, the black ball is placed right in the center when all the balls are racked on the table. The 8-ball is surrounded by solid and striped balls from all sides.

How much should you spend on a pool cue?

Most of that is for looks and makes the cue much more expensive than what you would need just beginning. So to answer your question: the sky's the limit, however, for someone just starting out a good price range is between $100-$150. Pool cues are made up of two main pieces: the butt and the shaft.