Best (Toughest) Practice Table?

Best (Toughest) Practice Table?

  • Brunswick Gold Crown IV

    Votes: 4 21.1%
  • Diamond Professional

    Votes: 14 73.7%
  • Gandy "Big G"

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other (please specify)

    Votes: 1 5.3%

  • Total voters
    19

penguin

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am looking to buy a 9 footer to practice on and improve my game. Ignoring price & resale value, what would be the best (toughest) table to practice and improve on?
 
I like Gold Crowns and Diamonds, but it all depends on how you cut the pockets.
 
Agreed- pocket size will be the determining difference.

I would add that you should take care, given available room size, that the practice table is the same size as your tournament/ $ table.

-pigs
 
Diamond table for sure.
From the factory, they have less than 4 1/2" corner pockets.
Plus the slates are deep.
What's even tougher is the end rails' cushion facing's angle is very flat. Very easy to miss those rail shots.
Gold Crown tables come with huge pockets from the factory.
 
A Diamond with the Pro cut pockets is as tough as they come. But you have to specify Pro. Because they make 2 models. You can get the Professional with the Pro cut Pockets!
 
pooltablemech said:
A Diamond with the Pro cut pockets is as tough as they come. But you have to specify Pro. Because they make 2 models. You can get the Professional with the Pro cut Pockets!
With those pockets, you can play Golf or liability on them tables.:D
 
Hey Penguin,

Please don't forget Gabriels. They come with awesome slates and rails. The "pro" table looks like a Diamond Pro but with European rail material (Artimus I believe), it plays tougher and more consistant. What cloth to use? Simonis 860 is used by more tournaments and tours. Use the HR version for higher humidity situations. Have someone make you lighting that mimics Diamonds incredible 4 1/2 x 9 units. If you buy a Diamond table, work a deal out for their lights. That combo would be a killer practice setup! Can I visit?
 
If you have ever put a Diamond light together.....they really aren't worth what they cost. They are not very sturdy. But they light up the table well. The 1st one I saw I was amazed they get the price they do for them. I think they retail for over 500!
 
i think the best practice table is a snooker table,,,,,or at least a 5x10. the 9 foot table will look like such a baby table that you will play oozing with pocketing confidence. every shot will lot simple.
 
pooltablemech said:
If you have ever put a Diamond light together.....they really aren't worth what they cost. They are not very sturdy. But they light up the table well. The 1st one I saw I was amazed they get the price they do for them. I think they retail for over 500!

Hi PTM,

I agree with the cost thing. One regional billiard room bought one from Diamond and had a local carpenter duplicate it for about one quarter the price. You can't tell the difference!

Regarding a practice table. What do you gain by having a table that plays tough and perfect when most places I go have conditions that do not favor accuracy (miss a shot by a diamond or more and it falls)?
 
I have a Diamond Pro and love it. They play tough. You just can't take shots for granted. Several years back I was at the Derby City Classic and bought a Diamond Light. I paid $350 for a 1 week old used light. I stored it in a friends basement knowing someday I would get a Diamond table. I'm glad I did they want somewhere between $750 - $1000 for them now.
 
Old timers info...
Irving Crane said his personal table had large pockets...his thoughts were you need the confidence to pocket 100 balls of straight pool any time you wish...
Luther Lassiter said his table had tight pockets...his thoughts being that if you could run 75 balls on his table you could easily run 100 on anything else...

Pickem'...
 
ajrack said:
Old timers info...
Irving Crane said his personal table had large pockets...his thoughts were you need the confidence to pocket 100 balls of straight pool any time you wish...
Luther Lassiter said his table had tight pockets...his thoughts being that if you could run 75 balls on his table you could easily run 100 on anything else...

Pickem'...
I have mine done with 4 7/16" corners.
Generous pockets makes you lazy and build fake confidence.
Now, I wouldn't have it down to 4 1/4 or less like some people though.
 
my table's pockets are tight also, it makes you really focus, even on 'easier' shots, because they aren't guaranteed with tight pockets. the only draw back is not being able to practice cheating the pocket as much
 
I have an Olhausen Champion Pro, the black tables you see on Matt Braun ESPN events. Mine came from the first Artistic/7-Ball Shootout held in Chacago a few years ago and is setup to true Pro specs. Not only are the corner pockets TITE tight, they have the deepest cut I think I've ever seen. It's almost impossible to do anything with the cue ball if a ball hangs deep in the middle of a corner poket. Sure, it's pretty frustrating from time-to-time when playing at home, but when I go out to the bar leagues, the pockets are HUGE.
 
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