Standard pool cues are too short

[Monti]

Lots of the pros- Fedor,Svb,Shaw all changed to longer with an extension. Seemed to last for about a year or 2 and now seem to have gone back. Although at the us open I thought SVB’s looked lobgwr- can anyone confirm?

 

[skogstokig]

Lots of the pros- Fedor,Svb,Shaw all changed to longer with an extension. Seemed to last for about a year or 2 and now seem to have gone back. Although at the us open I thought SVB’s looked lobgwr- can anyone confirm?

yes, gone long again. fedor is to and fro during matches, for different shots

 

[skor]

Adding a short extension for certain shots is something that I can understand as it provides a bit more power when needed without increasing speed that might cause a miss.
But in my opinion it’s too much BS to deal with during play and any pro on tournament condition equipment (new and slick) should be able to get the action needed without the extension added.
Basically it’s all Earl Strickland’s fault and SVB that followed him, the rest are just copycats

 

[Benelli]

All to often I watch players consistently hold their cue on the sleeve behind the wrap. They do it because that is where they need to hold it to get the right length when using a 58" cue. When I let them hit a couple of balls with my 60.5 they immediately feel the difference in both the balance and there stroke.

I made the jump to 60" cues about two years a ago and it made a significant improvement in my game. I have both a 30" and 30.5" Richard Black butts and switch between the two using a 30" Whyte triple 60 shaft.

If you spend a majority of your play time holding the sleeve over the wrap you should strongly consider a longer cue.

 

[Good Sam]

I use a 4" center extension full time. I paid good money for my leather wrap, I want my grip on the wrap, not hanging off the back end.

 

[Matt_24]

I think it all depends on your height. I'm shorter so 58 works great for me. And I grew up playing opposite hand and using the bridge for hard to reach shots. I can see the logic in wanting a longer cue if you are taller.

 

[iusedtoberich]

I don't agree with the whole premise of this thread. The vast majority of players use a standard 58" cue without any issues. Their hand is on the wrap area. Some really tall folk like myself (6' 2") go a few inches longer.

If anything changed over the years, I think it's the stance. Since about the 1990's players get lower on the cue. That spreads the arms out longer on the stick.

 

[Bavafongoul]

IMO, your bridge length should remain the same approximate length you’d normally use unless you were stretching to
play the shot. If anything, your grip position on the cue butt is more likely to change instead of the length of your bridge.

 

[fastone371]

I actually prefer a 57" cue. Im 5' 11. I don't think it is to short. Maybe players that prefer a long cue actually likes the rear weighted balance. I shoot with a long bridge 13.5 to 14.5" with my bridge arm fully extended and a 57" cue still puts me holding my cue with my middle finger at the edge of the wrap. The cue's forearm is really forward weighted and has a stainless steel joint and by holding the cue further back it makes the forward weight do more of the work without the extra overall weight of the cue.

I am only 2" taller, I stand and bridge the same way, my rear hand always had 2 fingers hanging off of the rear of a 59" cue so I added a custom 2 1/2" mid cue extension, now I hold the cue on the butt cap but never get close to the wrap.

 

[skor]

I don't agree with the whole premise of this thread. The vast majority of players use a standard 58" cue without any issues. Their hand is on the wrap area. Some really tall folk like myself (6' 2") go a few inches longer.

If anything changed over the years, I think it's the stance. Since about the 1990's players get lower on the cue. That spreads the arms out longer on the stick.

Also worth mentioning that the USA is not the center of the pool world, there are more pool players and cue manufacturers in Asia and most Asian players are shorter so 58inches is probably just right

 

[fjk]

My potting improves with a longer cue. It's a noticeable difference.

 

[skor]

My potting improves with a longer cue. It's a noticeable difference.

I would say that it is purely psychological.
pro Snooker players are much better potters than pro pool players, the standard snooker cue length is 57 inches.

 

[JasonATX]

I'm 6'4". I shoot with a standard cue and use an extension when needed, but I've found recently that a 60 or 61" fits me a bit better. I'm having a couple 62" cues made because of this and toying with the idea of longer.

 

[DynoDan]

I noticed the tall Russian that won the 14.1 championship a few yrs. ago played full time with an extension.

 

[7stud]

I am only 2" taller, I stand and bridge the same way, my rear hand always had 2 fingers hanging off of the rear of a 59" cue so I added a custom 2 1/2" mid cue extension, now I hold the cue on the butt cap but never get close to the wrap.

The wrap on my cues is purely for looks: my hand never comes close to the wrap. I often wonder what it must be like to cradle soft Spanish Bull leather while shooting.

 

[Jaden]

Pool cues were 57"-58" in 1900, the same as they are today. People (in the US, at least) are, on average, 3" taller today than people were in 1900.

Wingspan is about the same as height. If the ergonomics of a pool cue were about right in 1900, pool cues today should have a standard length of 61".

I changed to the only production cue of 60" or more I could find, an Elite extra long (62") cue. It is much more comfortable for me to play with.

The only problem I have found is that very few cases accommodate 31" shafts and butts. I think modern-length cues are a market opportunity for someone.

It's not even so much that people are taller. With low deflection people are bridging farther back and holding on to the butt of the cue and if deflection gets much lower they won't have anywhere to grab...

 

[Monti]

yes, gone long again. fedor is to and fro during matches, for different shots

Thanks

 

[Zerksies]

I mentioned this a few years ago people that people are taller and the nerds came out with all these facts that people are not taller.

But oh well, A pool cue length should be as long and from the floor to your chin height. plus or minus an inch or so depending on your prefference.

You really expect a 6'6" person to use a 58 or 59 inch cue?

 

[derangedhermit]

I mentioned this a few years ago people that people are taller and the nerds came out with all these facts that people are not taller.

But oh well, A pool cue length should be as long and from the floor to your chin height. plus or minus an inch or so depending on your prefference.

You really expect a 6'6" person to use a 58 or 59 inch cue?

"Floor to chin" is a good rule of thumb, a big improvement on what we have now.

Adopting floor-to-chin would be an even bigger aid for women. Standard pool cues are too short for many men, but too long for most women. Why not have pool cues that fit?

 

[Zerksies]

"Floor to chin" is a good rule of thumb, a big improvement on what we have now.

Adopting floor-to-chin would be an even bigger aid for women. Standard pool cues are too short for many men, but too long for most women. Why not have pool cues that fit?

Expense would be the biggest thing. I think this has been discussed before here.

Image a big cue maker like Cuetec or Viking having diffrent sizes of the same cue model sitting around. You have tooling and manufacturing of all these longer cues is a bigger expense. People want things now and are not going to want to wait for someone to make them a 63" cue when someone else has it.

So they need to make it and stock it. So now you have all this dead inventory that might or might not sell. As of right now mid cue extensions or butt extensions are the way to go.