No, Most people do not want to play pool on big pockets.

For players and not home recreational bangers: Pro Cut Pockets or Buckets?


  • Total voters
    167

iusedtoberich

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm a player. I've gambled mostly on double and triple shimmed GC's (before the rage of extending the rails came to be). I had no problem playing either one hole or 9 ball on a double or triple shim. Preferred double for 9 ball, and triple for one pocket.

All that said, when I chose my home table, a GC4, I wanted the factory pockets, which are about 5 to 5 1/8 at the corner. My home table is for practice. To get in stroke after a layoff, and to keep in stroke while I'm in a playing stretch. Its also to learn new shots, and practice new or old shots. AND, its also to boost my morale and confidence of my own game. For all of those reasons, I picked a bucked GC when I had my first and only home table installed 7 years ago. 7 years later, I have zero regrets, and I'd do it all the same. I still gamble at the pool room on tighter pockets, and its absolutely no problem.
 

JazzyJeff87

AzB Plutonium Member
Silver Member
4.5” pockets seem to me to be the “natural standard” for pool. Twice the size of the ball makes sense. Anything bigger I’d call loose (my table) and smaller is tight. Amateur, home recreation etc could call for loose. Standard pool games for pros 4.5. 1 pocket 4”. Let it be known.


Side note. Check out the names of voters on the poll. A lot of people I never see posting.
i wonder if they know who I am?
 

u12armresl

One Pocket back cutter
Silver Member
You don't sell pool tables to "most people"
Most people aren't on AZ billiards, in fact most people aren't.

No, Most people do not want to play pool on big pockets. Older generations might, but, that does not mean everyone else wants that.

The Game has changed across the board!!

From my experience in the field and selling pool tables all over the country I have found from that data this: More people prefer a Pro Cut Pocket:4.5" corners and 5" sides.

Diamonds come standard this way and the 7' Diamond is one of the best selling pool tables in the business. The new Rasson tables come with the Pro Cut as well.

Not to mention the tons of threads on AZB about tightening pockets.

I am interested to see how the poll does.

Trent from Toledo:thumbup:
 

u12armresl

One Pocket back cutter
Silver Member
Penguin pro cut rails were the best investment on my Valley table.
Changed everything.

The wording of your poll kinda cooked the books a little!

You talk about people wanting the small pockets then about what big sellers seven foot tables are. I would want smaller pockets on the smaller table too, to raise the difficulty level to close to the same as a nine footer.

I voted for buckets. You didn't give me the option to say I wanted the buckets on a ten foot table but that is what I want. I watched Bugs Rucker's instructional videos on banks last night. A lot of his banks wouldn't have went on a tight Diamond, particularly into side pockets off of the end rail.

A lot has changed. As a whole much newer and better maintained tables in halls has led to livelier cushions and much faster cloth. That has changed the game as has the smaller pockets. Do these changes make the game better? Not really, they just make it different. As for all of the runout claims I watched four of the top pro's playing a skins game on TV in the modern era. Seven ball, ball in hand if the player before you missed. Runout city! Well it should have been. Usually multiple players after the breaker got to the table and the breaker won at least once after coming back to the table. This wasn't on a tough rack.

I think the future of pool in the US is seven foot tables, tighter pockets, maybe even snooker style pockets. Doesn't mean I have to like small tables.

Hu
 

cueman

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Who cares? The guy I'm shooting against has the same size pockets I do. If I can't beat him on fives, I probably can't beat on 4 1/2s either.

I am one who cares about the pockets being too tight. I ran over the field in a tournament on gandy tables with regular pockets. But that room always played the finals on the triple shimmed practice table. So the other top player there who i ran over on the normal table earlier ran over me in the finals two sets with no problem. He played that table all the time.
 

poolpro2

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The angle of my pockets kill me...

I could have understood everything wrong, but this is what I think I know.

RKC changed the angle of the pockets to compensate for the shallow shelf, they are the pro cut 4.5"s otherwise.

It allows me to cheat a bit, but if you hit too hard, it will rattle. Drove me nuts for about 2 months.

Because of this, my speed has become much more consistent. I have to hit the ball right, period, or it will rattle.

I had a stock oversized 8 ft. Brunswick and my high run in straight pool was 34 after a couple of dozen tries.

I can run 8 and 9 ball racks now but my straight pool record on this table is 13.

I did the Dr. Dave table calculation and I figured it at 105.

When I go to a stock 9 footer, everything goes.

I think it is the best of both worlds now, hated it for a while.

Sorry, there is supposed to be a picture.
 
Last edited:

Boxcar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am one who cares about the pockets being too tight. I ran over the field in a tournament on gandy tables with regular pockets. But that room always played the finals on the triple shimmed practice table. So the other top player there who i ran over on the normal table earlier ran over me in the finals two sets with no problem. He played that table all the time.

Did you know in advance what table the finals would be held on?
 

Dan_B

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Dan,

That thing looks embarrassing! I make it about ten inch side pockets at the corners which are missing, maybe six inch corners, again with the cushions all butchered up. I live on a farm where nobody would see it. If you will cover the tear down, shipping, and set up, I will hide it in a barn or somewhere so people won't see it. Throw in a couple nice sticks and a nice set of balls and I'll even give you a fully cured ham.

You don't have to thank me. I am a people person and always glad to help someone recover from their mistakes!


Hu

...brings a tear too your eye does it?
Hu, I'm humbled to my very core for your reach out...
cured ham aye'
hmmm, Christmas is coming up, I'll may give you a call.

I was thinking of submitting to Dr. Dave for a prognosis,
thanks for saving me lots of greif.

Do you play on these rounded facings with 2.25 pool balls, or smaller snooker balls?

I bet with pool balls it plays a lot tougher than it looks.

yes sir, 2 and a 1/4,
is it easier than it looks?
No, however the wide mouth sides give a little back for what the corners do take away
tablepocket6_8.jpg

]
 

Straightpool_99

I see dead balls
Silver Member
Most people have a vastly inflated opinion on their own games. If you're not running out regularly and stringing racks, the equipment is not to easy for you.
 

realkingcobra

Well-known member
Silver Member
No, Most people do not want to play pool on big pockets. Older generations might, but, that does not mean everyone else wants that.

The Game has changed across the board!!

From my experience in the field and selling pool tables all over the country I have found from that data this: More people prefer a Pro Cut Pocket:4.5" corners and 5" sides.

Diamonds come standard this way and the 7' Diamond is one of the best selling pool tables in the business. The new Rasson tables come with the Pro Cut as well.

Not to mention the tons of threads on AZB about tightening pockets.

I am interested to see how the poll does.

Trent from Toledo:thumbup:

This is going to be a bias pole, I hope you know that. If you want more accurate numbers, pole the retail billiards businesses and ask them which pocket sizes they sell, then ask them if they offer Diamonds and, or, Gold Crowns for sale. AZB does not represent the even the slightest sampling of the majority of the table customers buying pool tables today.

How many customers do you sell your reconditioned Brunswick pool tables to, that are AZB members as well?
 

trentfromtoledo

8onthebreaktoledo
Silver Member
This is going to be a bias pole, I hope you know that. If you want more accurate numbers, pole the retail billiards businesses and ask them which pocket sizes they sell, then ask them if they offer Diamonds and, or, Gold Crowns for sale. AZB does not represent the even the slightest sampling of the majority of the table customers buying pool tables today.

How many customers do you sell your reconditioned Brunswick pool tables to, that are AZB members as well?


Did you actually read what the question for the Poll was??

"FOR PLAYERS AND NOT HOME RECREATIONAL BANGERS: PRO CUT POCKETS OR BUCKETS?"

It was very specific. Go back to your hole you rowdy ole Snake! :)

Trent from Toledo
 

JazzyJeff87

AzB Plutonium Member
Silver Member
Whoever thought of corian rails? That’s badass. I’d love to play on that table. Good job on your life decisions Dan B
 

realkingcobra

Well-known member
Silver Member
Did you actually read what the question for the Poll was??

"FOR PLAYERS AND NOT HOME RECREATIONAL BANGERS: PRO CUT POCKETS OR BUCKETS?"

It was very specific. Go back to your hole you rowdy ole Snake! :)

Trent from Toledo

If this industry was dependent on PLAYERS buying pool tables, it would have crashed a long time ago and this game wouldn't even exist today.
 

trentfromtoledo

8onthebreaktoledo
Silver Member
If this industry was dependent on PLAYERS buying pool tables, it would have crashed a long time ago and this game wouldn't even exist today.

Argue it how ever you want, but, the question had nothing to do with recreational tables or players:)

It is almost like there are 2 separate sides of the business. I recognize what you are saying, but, I choose to work on commercial pool tables and do just that about 99% of the time.

Trent
 

realkingcobra

Well-known member
Silver Member
Argue it how ever you want, but, the question had nothing to do with recreational tables or players:)

It is almost like there are 2 separate sides of the business. I recognize what you are saying, but, I choose to work on commercial pool tables and do just that about 99% of the time.

Trent
And you know as well as I do, most all of your tables sold have buckets for pockets, because players don't buy tables at those price points you get for reselling restored Brunswick pool tables.
 

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Argue it how ever you want, but, the question had nothing to do with recreational tables or players:)

It is almost like there are 2 separate sides of the business. I recognize what you are saying, but, I choose to work on commercial pool tables and do just that about 99% of the time.

Trent

Yes, your poll was designed to get the answer you wanted.
 

trentfromtoledo

8onthebreaktoledo
Silver Member
Yes, your poll was designed to get the answer you wanted.

No, my poll was to prove what is most popular amongst players and the results do exactly that. My experience from my business says that as well.

I think you already posted about how you feel about the poll, thing is I don't agree. Kindly move on to something else if you don't like it. :thumbup:

Trent
 

atlas333

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
4.5" seems good to me

I bought my GCIII last year about this time. It is an 8' pro. I played on it happily until I went to SBE and lost my first match on the 7' Diamonds with what were for me tight pockets. I called Trent and had him come out and extend my rails. The table plays beautifully now and when I go to league and play on the Valley's it all comes more easily. I am sure that practicing on my tighter GC has improved my game these last 6 months. I don't really have anyone over to play at home so it is really just a practice table.
Paul
 
Top