Many times, we wish the game of pool were as simple as grabbing a cue off the rack. As a novice player, you are given cue provided by the place where you play pool. But, if you really want to improve your game, you must have the right pool cue that you own.
You should experiment with different cue sticks and also examine the length, weight and diameter of each of their tips. Choose the cue you are most comfortable with. There are some basic things you should keep in mind before making a selection.
5 Things to Consider for Selecting the Right Pool Cue
If you’re a pro player, you must already know about the things that one should consider when buying a pool cue. If you’ve just started, the following tips will help you choose the right pool cue for you game:
Pool Cue Length: A perfectly straight pool cue with a right length is the first thing you should consider when buying a new pool cue for your game. It should fit with the length of your arm to provide full control to your game.
A standard two-piece cue that lengths 58 inches (57 inches for one-piece cue) can be comfortably used by any person of height between 5 feet 8 inches to 6 feet 5 inches.
For persons of height more than that, they may need to specially order a cue that’s up to 61 inches long.
Children or people below average height should opt for a 48 inches 0r 52 inches cue.
Weight of the Cue: Normally, the weight of pool cues ranges between 17 ounces to 21 ounces. It completely depends on your comfort level. However, most players choose either the 19 ounces or 21 ounces.
A cue’s most weight is in its butt end as it is thicker than the shaft. If you feel too heavy in your back hand, you’d probably need a lighter one.
For short people, a lighter cue will be better as it would save them from lowering the butt and raising the cue’s tip during the shot.
Wrap Type: Wrap options include leather and linen, or may come with no wrap at all. Keep in mind that you have to hold the wrap part of the cue with your back hand which means that a large part of your skin comes in contact with it.
If you sweat a lot, it’s better to use fine linen or leather wrap that can absorb good amount of liquid.
You can also take the rubber grip but they wear out fast and will become ultimately slippery.
In any case, it’s best to avoid the bare wood or fiber glass because they won’t provide you a grip on your cue and may slip after a bit of use.
Cue Tip: The tip is located at the front most part of the pool cue. While hitting the cue ball, it’s the tip that makes contact with the ball. This makes it essential to choose the tip that supports your game style.
A soft tip tends to misshape and wear out faster but they are ideal for those who put a lot of spin on the cue ball while playing their shot.
Oppositely, hard tip can last longer but they aren’t quite good for spin shots. Medium tips are more standard to use in the new cues.
If you’re a pro and like to play all kinds of shot, you can keep all three types of tips and use them just as you like.
Pool Cue Case: Your pool cue case will ensure the safety of your pool cue when kept idle or when carrying it on your back. That’s why you should always select a good quality pool cue case when you purchase your new pool cue.
Choose the hard case box that contains separate tubes for shaft and butt. They are hard and save your pool cue from a high impact. Also, keeping the shaft and butt away from contact will save them from denting.
Soft cases also keep the shaft and butt separate but they don’t have tubes that could save them from impacts. Go for this one if you are low on budget.
Take special care of the straightness while selecting a two-piece cue. The two separate pieces of this cue can turn out to be bent after joining them in center.
Pro players are more specific about the weight and considers about it depending on how it supports them playing their favorite shots. For example, they prefer heavier cue for breaking shots while lighter cues for skill shots.
If you’re still undecided about what type of pool cue to buy, just go to your practice center and have some practice with all types of pool cues available there. Think about your game and decide which one will help enhance your game and your style. But, before that, decide about your budget, and also between a one-piece or two-piece cue. Only then you could be able to choose the right pool cue for yourself.
Call us at (626) 810-1388 for more information or visit our store to get a better look at all types of pool cues that we have for you.
