One thing many people respect about golf is they have allowed condition changes and higher tech equipment , but not at the expense of the integrity of the game.....the ball is the same size, the hole is the same size, and they use a "Stimpmeter" to measure the speed of the greens ...and they have taken strides to make the golf courses even more challenging because of the lighter shafts, better designed balls and other high tech material that improves distance. It's proven that their fans want to see the power shots and that holds true in tennis and baseball too.
What many Top Players say is make conditions tougher and give someone a chance to dominate, so this can truly be called the "Master Game".....it MUST to be MORE difficult/challenging for a pro....statistically there are a lot more great players today, but VERY FEW new ones, 70% of them were top players 15 years ago, but the thing is the tables with the fast, slick cloth, super-fast rails, high tech jump/break cues and heavier cue balls DO NOT require as much knowledge, stroke or power, and that's what separates CHAMPION level play more than anything... popular opinion indicates {demands for athletic type performance} is the most fun to watch as well....the power/shotmaking game is exciting to watch and it's virtually been eliminated ...with the faster playing conditions it's taken MANY shots out of the game and made running balls much easier....which isn't just an equalizer, but has taken away some of the most difficult and visually appealing parts of the game ... on the average pool shots are hit with 30% less force than they were back when pool was so popular in the 70s, 80s & 90s. This, in comparison it would be like golfers hitting 240 yard drives which would be far LESS exciting for the fans to watch.
To make this point as clear as possible imagine the following scenario as an EXTREME example:
Few regular athletes can compete with Michael Jordan at basketball or Tiger Woods at golf, however, if they have to play on an unusually fast substance (solid ice) MANY people would have a chance to win against them....speeding up playing surfaces is not only one of the greatest equalizers, but it has, in effect made the game incredibly boring ... Anyone that saw that great match ups of the 70's, 80's and 90's will agree that there was just a different sound and force to the shots and atmosphere because of the conditions....which was more conducive to exciting matches and more exciting, dominant, and powerful players.
What many Top Players say is make conditions tougher and give someone a chance to dominate, so this can truly be called the "Master Game".....it MUST to be MORE difficult/challenging for a pro....statistically there are a lot more great players today, but VERY FEW new ones, 70% of them were top players 15 years ago, but the thing is the tables with the fast, slick cloth, super-fast rails, high tech jump/break cues and heavier cue balls DO NOT require as much knowledge, stroke or power, and that's what separates CHAMPION level play more than anything... popular opinion indicates {demands for athletic type performance} is the most fun to watch as well....the power/shotmaking game is exciting to watch and it's virtually been eliminated ...with the faster playing conditions it's taken MANY shots out of the game and made running balls much easier....which isn't just an equalizer, but has taken away some of the most difficult and visually appealing parts of the game ... on the average pool shots are hit with 30% less force than they were back when pool was so popular in the 70s, 80s & 90s. This, in comparison it would be like golfers hitting 240 yard drives which would be far LESS exciting for the fans to watch.
To make this point as clear as possible imagine the following scenario as an EXTREME example:
Few regular athletes can compete with Michael Jordan at basketball or Tiger Woods at golf, however, if they have to play on an unusually fast substance (solid ice) MANY people would have a chance to win against them....speeding up playing surfaces is not only one of the greatest equalizers, but it has, in effect made the game incredibly boring ... Anyone that saw that great match ups of the 70's, 80's and 90's will agree that there was just a different sound and force to the shots and atmosphere because of the conditions....which was more conducive to exciting matches and more exciting, dominant, and powerful players.