Bigdaddi44 said:

I run a total of 3 leagues. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday my normal slow nights. Problem I'm having is that those nights are not making enough through food and beverage sales. I'm thinking about adding a greens fee to the league. I have 8 tables that are used on those nights out of my 13 availible and all of the leagues take 4 hours or more to complete. Last night I had to turn away paying customers because we had a 2 deep waiting list. I'm thinking about charging each team a $10 flat rate to make up some of the loss of them taking up almost all of my tables. Or limit the teams that play on those nights to leave room for paying customers. Any thoughts? Anyone else charge for league play.

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Our rule here for league or tournament nights - if they are gambling they pay for table time.

The Viper with a decent tip is better than some cues I've used to win small tournaments against strong competition. I wouldn't worry about that.

As far as the swerve and deflection, you have to get used to it. Practice the shots you struggle with and give yourself a years time feel completely confident in it. It may even take less time but be patient with yourself.

Almost all tips mushroom and need reshaping in the begining month or so. Shape it however you want. After that, if you still hate it, just change it to something you like.

your inability to swerve the cue ball is because you are an apa4...jmho
find an instructor to teach you

I'm not a fan of carbon fiber shafts even after owning and playing with one to give it a fair chance .
My wood shafts aren't smaller than 12.5 mm most are 13 mm or a bit larger .

My suggestion is to set up you're shot and mark where the balls are and practice the shot until you get it figured out , I'd elevate the butt of the cue after chalking the tip very well and a soft shot may just surprise you .

cuetechasaurus said:

Lets say the 9-ball is hanging in the jaws of the corner pocket, and you are locked up in jail behind a cluster of balls. There is no way to kick and pocket the 9 to prevent an easy combination, and none of the balls the cueball is frozen to are in line with the 9 ball. If you intentionally follow thru and double hit the cueball so that your stick pushes it thru all the balls and you make the 9, even though it is an intentional foul, should that be loss of game?

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Sounds like that would be very hard to do, but if the double hit is not one continuous follow through motion, I would clearly consider that would warrant an unsportsmanlike foul and loss of game.

trob said:

Branding has to be part of what you do if you want to make a serious career in the game. Tournament winnings isn’t enough.. at least not yet.

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I agree but she's just a kid and she's not at the point of her career for that.
With all due respect, she needs to work on her game and win a major event before selling products.
People like what world champions sells not what those who came 3rd. sell... but I get it, she's a wonderkid and they want to capitalize on it while they can, the trip could be over soon.
Some do it for the achievements and titles, some for the quick buck. The first approach gets you both and it last longer, like Jasmin Ouschan, the second approach usually leads to fast crash and burn.

Apologies, a swerve shot. Yes, mass'e, but not extreme english like Venom, it's a small swerve around a ball to make contact, for instance, when one gets hooked by an opponent's safety shot. I'm a 4 and don't often get to play against my level; generally my opp is a 5, and occasionally a 6. I get hooked a lot, and often a swerve shot would be a much better leave for the next shot, or the only option due to table constraints (no bank is available, and I would rather swerve than jump). I agree, I do need to continue to work on my basics. This is not in reference to that, though. I would like to be able to do both... It is a valuable concept just as a draw shot is a valuable concept, you just don't use it every time the occasion arises - it is for the times your basics are unavailable as relevant tools.

thanks to everyone who has responded so far, I appreciate it!

@skor: this is an Ultra-Low Deflection shaft; I have had to adjust for the lack of deflection I used to account for in a wooden shaft.

you have to take into consideration the deflection characteristics of the shaft and adjust the aim differently

nine_ball6970 said:

My friend has one. I should buy it and a comparable southwest so I can answer the question in this thread.

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Or you could post pictures and your impression of its playability. Cheers!

nine_ball6970 said:

My friend has one. I should buy it and a comparable southwest so I can answer the question in this thread.

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get back to us after you do

bamadog said:

It seems that no one here has owned one of these Northwest cues or compared one to a Southwest. Maybe they really are quite rare.

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My friend has one. I should buy it and a comparable southwest so I can answer the question in this thread.

To be frank, I don't know what you mean by your curve shot.

If you are literally curving the CB you are using bad technique and should seek some instruction.

And if your tip is mushrooming too much just lop it off and have it replaced with something a little firmer. IOWs, it's not you.

Lou Figueroa

Mensabum said:

Close, but no Ceegar.

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Like Fundamental #1? Why is everything besides linear technique lumped in as one fundamental? Maybe the OP's point is he can't stand the guys at his pool room?