When you are on a bar table with the heavier cue ball!?

Question

Do you use your same cue(no doubt most everyone does)...but my question is that I do have a little trouble controling the cue ball(especially stops and draw).....should one use a softer tip? Harder tip?....does it really make any difference? or maybe just a good house cue?....I know, a good pool player could play with a broom handle but just curious what adjustments you make?

Answer 1

I always use the same cue I shoot with any other time I don,t think it makes a lot of difference but I AM NOT TOO SMART ANY WAY

Answer 2

Vegas Matt makes some good points here.  It's usually a good idea to play shots with topspin if given the chance.  There are two ways to compensate for a heavy cue ball.  First, as was mentioned, increase your speed slightly.  Second, lower your tip position slightly.  Take a draw shot for example.  You control the amount of draw with how low on the ball you shoot and with what speed.  Since you know that most stop shots with a distance of more than a diamond or two are actually draw shots, you need to adjust for the extra weight by either lowering the tip, increasing the speed, or a combination of both.  The heavy cue ball is actually one of the reasons why bar table players tend to shoot a little harder.  I don't think that the cue stick itself is such a big factor.  It's a good question though.  I know this guy who uses a special shaft with a black ferrule for playing on bar tables.  There's no difference between his other shaft, but the black ferrule reminds him that he's playing with a heavy cue ball.  It's actually quite clever.  M.D.-BCA Instructor/Referee.

Answer 3

I also don't really know the answer, but it makes sense to me that you don't want to go changing too many things at once.  It's like a science experiment: you can only have one independent variable or you won't know what's making things change :) So I'd suggest playing with your own cue, and giving yourself plenty of time to warm up to try to adjust as best you can to the equipment. You know, maybe you'll have to hit draw shots a little harder to get the desired results, that sort of thing. Good luck; I hope Straight and Johnny weigh in :)

--Lea

Answer 4

Prob the whole package -Bad Tables-cloth cueball-rack of balls-Their wonderful house sticks ,ect............

But you can tell a bar player across the room by the way they just plain shoot to hard because most of the time they have to

Going to Nascar -Its like the local champ at the 1/4 mile dirt track getting a ride at the Daytona 500 A real diffrent game

But to finaly ans your question Its not your stick it is rheir equip.

Most bar tables you cant draw a ball on them with a crayon

Answer 5

There's no reason to use a different cue. You just have to adjust how you play to deal with the heavier ball. As you said, draw and stop shots are more difficult, so you must use more power to generate draw, and a bit of a draw shot to achieve a stop shot. Follow shots should be significantly easier as well, so when you have to option, use follow more often. If you use a larger diameter cue ball (some are weighted but standard size) remember to adjust your aim as well.