What's the butt diameter of a JFlowers Legends cue? I emailed JFlowers two months ago on this but no response.

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Pool participation is a very different dynamic today than, say, both post pool movie boom years of 62 to 69 and 87 to 2000.
Today league play dominates the pool room scene. Seven foot tables have all but taken over many, many rooms that still exist or even those that are opening as new.
Women are as much a part of the pool scene as men in many instances- just like you see in public gyms today .
The 1960s scene and the initial stages of the 1980s pool scene was 9 foot tables, men dominating the arenas, younger solo guys spending hours in rooms learning the skills, gambling, etc.
For the most part, it is just different, probably neither more dead or alive in terms of total participation- can’t comment on exact numbers because no such valid count exists.

Most of the older guys left in the game - 65 to 80s in age now either play in their own homes if they have a table or go to senior center and community center places that still have dedicated small billiard spaces and those dedicated billiard spaces in such centers are also dwindling bc the demand for space usage is pushing out the pool tables. In high retirement dominated states like Florida - many gated living communities still have a members rec building where one or two tables still exist - most are still used by the male65 to 85 group but the numbers of players are dwindling every year and many tables are coming into disrepair due to lack of support by HOA boards.
I have personally experienced every one of these pool participation developments and now am very happily back to a home table Gold Crown situation with an option to go to a room of choice when desired.

WobblyStroke said:

How about the elbow?

Weird to refer to it as shoulder extension, which it technically is, but OP is talking about playing with a high elbow where the shoulder is extended and humerus angles upward vs a more neutral position for the shoulder with a more horizontal humerus and a lower elbow.

After reading my own explanation, trying to relay OP's intent, I've decided Bob was def right... we need pictures

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My opinion is that there are only so many things you can work on to improve your stroke -- and shoulders and elbows are pretty much going to do what they gonna do.

I think the four key elements to focus on are: footwork, head position, grip, and bridges. If you work on those everything else will fall into place... or not, lol.

Lou Figueroa

I’ll be at expo next month with this sweet looking cue unless it sells before then.

it is an older gentleman and gentlewoman sport. In my local pool hall, the average is way more toward retirement than young people.

Jaden said:

Yep, never think the negative. Always focus on what you want to do never on what you don't want to do, your subconscious just knows that you're focusing on it, not that it's what you don't want to do.

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I was taught that the subconscious doesnt register the don't when you think Don't Miss. Miss is all that it hears. So miss I will. If I catch myself thinking of the don't when pre shot analysis is happening, I need to replace it with a positive thought. "Don't miis" needed to be replaced with, "just make the ball." Imagine success works.

League pool is doing great.. pro pool is doing better than it’s been doing in decades. Just play pool support the game anyway you can and Don’t listen to the negative people

VVP said:

Mark Wilson says that people play at 70% of their skill level in competition compared to what they do in private practice. Not sure where he got the 70% from, but the conclusion is correct.

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Well it is correct for Some People, not everyone. Some people carry that baggage. It's possible to overcome that sort of limiting attitude. Some can be satisfied with a 70% performance. It's much more rewarding when I can perform at 110%. Exceeding expectations starts with dropping expectations.
The fight or flight is something I can't create in practice. The deer in the headlights look is a Tell. The predator eyes tell nothing. So even when nervousness creeps in .....don't let it show. Any sign of weakness strengthens the opposition. NEVER show displeasure with a missed shot. Efren is my role model. Period. When he misses he scratches his head and smiles or even chuckles.
Half the game is 85% mental. When playing for money my goal was to make my opponent surrender. Making him quit was more important than the money. Of course there were times when I got down to my last barrel and the self to self always got around to, "Well I have been broke monetarily a few times and I survived. So uh ? The inner Alfred E Newman says, WHAT? ME Worry?" Some of my favorite comeback memories. My observation and study of Cole playing one pocket for a thousand a game was entertaining and educational. Cole's game Never changed based on his money. His last barrel game was the same as his 25,000 ahead game. Perhaps better. Cole always showed up to play Harry with one barrel, or less. Figuring to get the full thousand required to play Harry with $20 nine ball the night before. I never saw Cole seek a backer. I did see him go broke a time or few. It wasn't the pressure that changed his game it was the alcohol. Alcoholism is a disease that's incredibly hard to cure. Cole tried the wagon many times but always fell off. His confession to me was, "I just need one drink to take the edge off." The nerves solution worked at first but Cole couldn't stop at just one.The big 2 day event that I performed my best in had me starting Sunday morning with 3 drinks at my table when my first match started. A beer a cup of coffee and a glass of water. The beer and coffee got a sip or two depending on how my mind felt. The water quickly became my go to and the other two were not finished. The method took me to the finals. worked for me.

A good idea, but the maximum age needs to be different for men and women.

For men, it should be capped at 16 and for women it should be capped at 18.