There is nothing wrong with enjoying any activity for casual entertainment and agreeing on what’s allowed and not allowed in any competitively played game or sports activity. Heck, playing basketball in the playgrounds in NYC, there isn’t any referee or playing by NBA or NCAA rules. It was commonly understood….No Blood…No Foul.
And we all played and enjoyed the game of basketball on 10’ hoops with chain link baskets, driving to the basket
really hard, getting pushed, bumped or shoved, literally tripping towards the basket, not stopping and then bouncing off the school chain fences surrounding the basketball courts. Remember shooting at the basket with the afternoon sun blinding you so had to squint when you took the shot sometimes not knowing you even reached the rim until you heard the sound of the hoop bounce or the rattle of the chain mesh from the basketball dropping into it. That sound was unmistakable, almost like a jar of quarters or a pocket full of nickels. But it was never played to NBA or NCAA rules yet we had a blast and called it basketball which it was, just a different version. Pool is the equivalent. Just abide by any local rules where you play and thoroughly enjoy the shots you pocket & agonize a little over those you missed.
Does that make it less fun in any way. Heck no, even if I play two consecutive mulligans and the last one rolls in the cup from 165 yards out or a 65’ putt on a high slope green rolls in. Who cares if it was for a 8 or 9. You still made the putt and
enjoyed every minute. When it comes to pool, as long as you play by the agreed upon rules beforehand, like in the
various leagues and associations, you are competing fairly with everyone else. Leagues are intended for social and
recreational play that helps grow the pool playing population. We all have learned that any table can play pretty tough.