Archive for September, 2008

Billiard Cues For Beginners – What Should They Choose?

Friday, September 19th, 2008

If you’re a beginner starting to play billiard games, you don’t want to exhaust your financial resources buying a cue.  You will want to stay in the range of $150 or less for your first few.

Of course, you don’t want to get a super cheap one.  Those don’t last long and you’ll have plenty of issues with them.  They won’t remain straight and the finish won’t look good.  You will just be wasting your time with the really cheap ones.

When you are buying a cue, you are paying for the most part decorations and artwork.  Wrapping and the butt finish would probably be included in that.  If the cue is a brand name, don’t think you won’t be paying for that too.  Don’t be so hasty to get the first nice one that you see.  Remember, you want one that is durable and will help you to play well.

There are two types of tips to choose from:  soft and hard.  The soft tip provides the ball with a better feel during the shot.  The harder tip remains on the cue and keeps its round shape.  Even though you’re just starting out, professional billiard players prefer a hard tip.

The specified measurement range for sizes of cue tips is 11 – 14 millimeters.  The majority of beginning billiard players use 13 millimeters.  However, if your fingers are stubby, a 12 – 12 ½ millimeter would be better for you in the beginning.  After you’ve had some exposure, you can change the cue tip size.

As far as the cue’s weight, beginners should use a 20 or 21 ounce cue.  This cue weight will last longer and is easier for the beginner to use.  Using anything else in the beginning stages may not work.  For instance, a 19 ounce cue is more advanced.  Professional billiard players would us this weight type.  The stroke has to be focused and skilled.

With the material around the cue, it’s usually nylon wrap or Irish linen.  Some cues are wrapped with other exotic wraps or leather wraps.  Leather wraps are good for those players that give off a lot of moisture.

Beginning players are advised to check out the wrap that would suit them prior to buying.  Use tow fingertips to see how you are able to balance a cue.  Keep an eye on the area and try shooting with different cues to see if a forward or rear balance point would be better for you.

If you need to adjust the weight and balance of the cue, remove some of the weight that is located in the butt of the cue.

Use a hard or soft cue case to protect your cue.  The hard cue case would be the better choice because the soft cue case doesn’t provide as much protection.  In the end, you want a pool cue that will work for you.  Brand and style may not matter much if you can’t use it to your advantage.

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Pool Table Covers – A Great Way To Protect Your Investment

Friday, September 19th, 2008

If you want to have your pool table for a long time, you should purchase a pool table cover.  It can be a protector for it to prevent dust and dirt from accumulating.  If you have drinks, it can prevent spills that can damage the material of the table. 

Not having a cover can cause you to replace the material.  You would have to spend from one hundred dollars or more to do that.  It would depend on what kind of material you wanted to get as a replacement.  With a pool table cover, you would be able to protect your table.

In addition to protecting it from the above, it can also shield it from the sun.  If exposed to the sun, it can damage the material.  The material needs to stay intact because the balls need to have a smooth rolling mechanism. 

If the material is damaged from the sun, it will have to be replaced.  Again, this would be a costly procedure.  There are covers available for all pool sizes.  You can also get these covers in different colors.  They are also constructed from different types of material such as vinyl, plastic, leather, velvet, cloth and velour, just to name a few.

There are different prices for the covers, which will depend on what size you get.  The kind of material you choose is also a factor when you select a cover.  You can also find what are called high conversion covers. 

These covers can be used for more than just your pool table.  They can also be used for a game table or a dining room table.  Another good thing about them is that they are nor prone to stains or heat. 

This can prove to be a very useful resource in connection with a pool table.  It will help to keep it in good condition, as long as you are diligent in using it.  It will greatly help with the maintenance of your table. 

You will not have to clean the material as much in order to keep it looking fresh, but don’t neglect to clean the material at all.  It will help to extend the longevity of the material and the table in general. 

You will not have to concern yourself with making a shot and the ball not rolling smoothly across the table.  It’s important that you don’t ignore this important part of your pool table.  Besides, quality pool tables can start from the high three figures and escalate to the thousands. 

With something that you’re shelling out money for something like this, you want your investment to last for years to come.  The best way to do it is to purchase a pool table cover.  This is an item that you won’t regret having for your pool table.

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Novelty Billiard Balls – Balls That Stand Out From The Pack

Friday, September 19th, 2008

You don’t have to use the regular solid and striped billiard balls to play the game.  If you want to stand out and be noticed, you can get novelty billiard balls.  These balls are usually one of a kind.  People think of them as a collection, just like they do rare coins.

There are different types of these balls available to purchase.  You don’t have to use them if you don’t want to.  They can just be displayed as decoration.  You can select some designs that will be eye-catching to others.

Some of the most popular novelty billiard balls come in the form of logo sets.  Different colleges and universities have stamped their name on these prized balls.  You can have some that are from the top-notch educational institutions in the country.

In addition to the schools, you also have professional sports teams available.  You can get balls with logos from the NBA, NHL. MLB and NFL.  It doesn’t matter who your favorite team is, the logo can be made available on billiard balls.  If you have more than one team that you like you can get that team also.

There are more novelty balls that you can choose from that include:

• Military sets
• Harley Davidson sets
• Casino sets
• Harlequin Family sets
• Breast Cancer sets
• Neon sets
• Poker ball sets (King, Ace, Queen and Jack without the numbers)
• Walt Disney

These sets can be made to your specifications.  The cost of these can range from approximately $25 to the low hundreds.  It depends on how popular the novelty theme is.

The colors of the balls are usually the same.  You may find something slightly different depending on the company that manufactures them.  You can also find them in different patterns, such as color swirls or marbleized designs.  These can break up the monotony of the regular solid and striped colors.

If you’re not looking to get a whole set, you can just get a cue ball or a crazy eight ball.  You can also request logos on these types of balls as well.  They don’t have to be plain looking.  A jazzed up ball can do wonders.  You will still be able to have what you want and don’t have to dish out a lot of funds for a set.

If any of the above suggestions don’t suit you, you can always get Professional Style Billiard Balls.  Some of the companies have different designs for each ball.  They want to stand out against their competitions.

You may want to check several companies before you make a decision on what you like.  Some of the more requested styles include:  Pro Series, Premier Belgian Aramith, Minnesota Fats and others.

So, if you’re looking for something that’s different and will get people talking, novelty billiard balls will do it for you.

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