Expanding Interest In Pool

New players and families enjoy atmospheres lacking poorly dressed, aggressive gamblers accosting people for action matches - who would have thought?

pool makes people feel good about themselves,especially the people that love displaying thier 90degree masse who cant run 5 hangers if there were 3 on the table

Patrick Johnson said:

This morning there are 7 players, and 5 of them are women in their 60s, learning/practicing on their own.

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I'd guess that people like that are not there just because they decided to take up the game on their own. I could be wrong, but they probably have a friend or group they play with, maybe a league.

Patrick Johnson said:

I've written before about the unusual customers I see here at Surge Billiards in Chicago - usually fathers teaching their young sons and daughters. This morning there are 7 players, and 5 of them are women in their 60s, learning/practicing on their own.

What do you suppose attracts these atypical new players to pool? I think it's the atypical atmosphere - nicely decorated place without a lot of the high-testosterone customers and antics you'd see in a more typical pool hall. Not an action room by any stretch - but I think it does a lot more than those do for pool's expanding popularity.

Business has been great here since opening a year and a half ago - proving, I think, that there's unsatisfied demand for recreational pool in a nice, friendly, non-threatening setting.

pj
chgo

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I think pool tends to attract people to it because it's a "cool" and somewhat "indecent" thing to do and say you are good at it. A bit like having a tattoo or smoking pot.

Question I have, when you see people trying to play or trying to teach someone else to play, but they clearly have no clue what they are doing, do you approach them with advice?

I saw a father/son pair one night during our tournament, the guy had some, should we say "interesting" ideas about how to play and technique of the stance and cue grip. I really wanted to walk over to show them a few things but then did not want to intrude since many people don't even care if they play well, it's just a place to go spend free time at. I won't even mention the number of times I have seen people try to teach someone 9 ball and then rack 1-9 in order, or talk about how hitting more than 2 or 3 rails when you whiff on a ball makes it not a scratch, or talk about a "table scratch". Takes a lot of will power not to go around correcting people.

skip100 said:

New players and families enjoy atmospheres lacking poorly dressed, aggressive gamblers accosting people for action matches - who would have thought?

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Basically this. I know one of the rooms I go to tries to curtail as much of the gamblers as possible because it drives their potential business away.

Know what else is making a small bit of a comeback? Arcades. If you find the right place with foot traffic, you'd be surprised how many people my age group(early 30s to mid 40s) are taking their kids to places that have machines. I know in NJ there is an arcade in a mall where the owner has been enjoying some good success with his opening.

I like it. I like recreational players that simply enjoy the "pleasures of small motions".

Years ago, playing guitar in a band that was booked somewhere every weekend, I can't tell you how many times there'd be a pool table or two in a place and NOBODY would be playing. I remember in the late 80's how you'd have to wait for an hour or more to get a chance to play pool in these little bars and clubs. It was a weird feeling to be on stage, cranking out an AC/DC song or whatever, and looking over at those vacant tables, wanting to hit a few balls, wondering why no one else was thinking the same.

Nowadays I see more non-pool-players occupying pool tables for the fun of it, just a way to hangout and be social with friends. And I like it.

BC21 said:

I like it. I like recreational players that simply enjoy the "pleasures of small motions".

Years ago, playing guitar in a band that was booked somewhere every weekend, I can't tell you how many times there'd be a pool table or two in a place and NOBODY would be playing. I remember in the late 80's how you'd have to wait for an hour or more to get a chance to play pool in these little bars and clubs. It was a weird feeling to be on stage, cranking out an AC/DC song or whatever, and looking over at those vacant tables, wanting to hit a few balls, wondering why no one else was thinking the same.

Nowadays I see more non-pool-players occupying pool tables for the fun of it, just a way to hangout and be social with friends. And I like it.

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Funny thing here, if I am at a place with a pool table that has a band going, I feel a bit bad playing since to me it seems to disrespect the band playing for you. In my head I am thinkging "here I am playing guitar and you have your back towards me shooting pool" hehe.

hang-the-9 said:

Funny thing here, if I am at a place with a pool table that has a band going, I feel a bit bad playing since to me it seems to disrespect the band playing for you. In my head I am thinkging "here I am playing guitar and you have your back towards me shooting pool" hehe.

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Lol. The thing is, not everyone that comes out to where a band is playing is there to see the band. The band realizes this.

We had a decent parlor to play for several years but I did not go on Friday or Saturday nights. Might have been the karoke. :frown:

Glad to hear some see the upswing. Tables and places is one thing but bringing back 9 footers might take longer I'm afraid.

As the local owner said - we need a new pool movie BAD!!

Patrick Johnson said:

Whatever their reasons for wanting to play, here is where they're practicing today, and I never see that elsewhere.

pj
chgo

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I know several women older than 45 who love to go to places to practice alone doing drills or just hitting the balls. It is hard for them because in every place some guy will come up and start giving advice.

I have even seen an occasion where two guys sandwiched the woman in the middle arguing over a shot.

It gets tiresome for them.

Patrick Johnson said:

I've written before about the unusual customers I see here at Surge Billiards in Chicago - usually fathers teaching their young sons and daughters. This morning there are 7 players, and 5 of them are women in their 60s, learning/practicing on their own.

What do you suppose attracts these atypical new players to pool?

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good news.

sounds like some retired folks, who have different schedules and motivations than working folks. They probably appreciate a clean and friendly place, that's not too crowded or loud. They want to get out of the house and socialize (with people their age), they generally don't want to spend hours on the computer.

"Family" Friendly Billiard halls sprung up quite a bit after the Hustler Movie in the early 60s - the halls stood up for awhile - maybe until 67,68 - along with the large Brunswick and AMF bowling places( 40 lanes+) as a family friendly environment. The Color of Money in '86 mostly resulted in billiard halls that seemed to tilt much more towards the serious players, they were not really marketed as social gathering places- but there certainly were exceptions to that rule- such as Boston Billiards locations, Dave & Busters, etc. Well, Boston Billiards is mostly gone now, new D&Bs don't even have pool tables; so the INCENTIVE for people to INVEST in family friendly billiard establishments is missing - where did it go? THE INTERNET for one, and many other reasons too numerous to mention here. Can it be brought back again? Yes, probably so. what would it take? Much, much more interest by developers than what we currently are experiencing: case in point, WHERE is all the marketing around this game that SHOULD be in place since the 600+ run by JS? Is he booked for exhibitions in major cities by the two or three largest table MFGS.? Is his cue stick sponsor setting up appearances around the US to promote the game and their cues and shafts? Why was ALL of this NOT in place when the record breaking attempt was in progress, so that the achievement could be promoted IMMEDIATELY TO THE MASSES? Will this great accomplishment's marketing efforts be limited to one guy selling the DVD of his now record run? Seems to be no singular organization around billiards that can successfully organize the sport 's appeal to the masses- therefore, entrepreneurs; which this country has thousands with ready cash, are not seeing billiards as a good risk/reward scenario right now- so these rooms are not being opened. I would personally seriously consider opening a room if I felt that I even had a 70/30 chance of success ( those are actually very good odds for new business success) but I feel right now like there is no support from anywhere to assist in generating the interest levels need to bring out the masses to billiard establishments - ALL the people who manufacure, distribute, and sell billiard products need to get their COLLECTIVE acts together to get billiards back on national TV with tours that produce mass interest in the game- you just can't expect the small business guy to throw his/her money at such an unsupported item at this time.

Women in their '60s taking up pool are on a man hunt.
Trust me on this.

measureman said:

Women in their '60s taking up pool are on a man hunt.
Trust me on this.

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My thought exactly!
Although they could just be practicing for league. (where they are probably on a man hunt also).:grin:

Now that's the welcoming spirit.

Patrick Johnson said:

I've written before about the unusual customers I see here at Surge Billiards in Chicago - usually fathers teaching their young sons and daughters. This morning there are 7 players, and 5 of them are women in their 60s, learning/practicing on their own.

What do you suppose attracts these atypical new players to pool?

pj
chgo

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Maybe not in this case, but I have heard/read that problem solving (crossword puzzles, computer games, and even pool) is good for brain function as one approaches their later years. That, and just the social aspects of it. It's inexpensive, relatively quiet, and you can sit and chatter over mixed drinks if you like. There are far worse places one could go to achieve that.

Maniac