Bridge length, has something changed?

middleofnowhere

Registered
Been watching a lot of YouTube videos of pool lately. Is it my imagination or has many of these players bridges gotten almost reduclously long.

Judging from a shaft being 29 inches in length some of these guys have bridges anywhere from 18 to 24 inches and playing with open hand most of the time. They commonly bridge off the rail with so much shaft sticking out it looks like they can hardly hit the cueball.

I am not being sarcastic. My wife thinks it is due to so many of the foreign players being also snooker players.
 

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
I’ve always been a shortish bridge guy...and I started at snooker.
But when I started gambling with one hand, I found you could actually aim better on long safeties because often more cue was in front of you.
So I think if not much has to be done with the cue ball, the modern players find more cue in front of them beneficial.
....if you need power or a lot of spin, I still prefer a short bridge.
 

straightline

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The longer line of sight is so much less prone to interpretation with the "max" bridge. Mechanically too, if the tip connects from 2 feet away, that's pretty much as tuned as you can get it. Vilmos Foldes is a good subject to observe. He bridges from a whole light year and pauses on the ball till the quantum anomalies dissipate. Then he pulls back and simple reconnects the stick to the cue ball.
 

middleofnowhere

Registered
Dont think I've seen a bridge that exaggerated. Have any pics or vids of players doing this?
Let's not debate actual lengths, they are much longer then players of the past and it seems to be a lot of players doing it. Of course then you have all the gloves also. Things are changing.
 
Last edited:

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Been watching a lot of YouTube videos of pool lately. Is it my imagination or has many of these players bridges gotten almost reduclously long.

Judging from a shaft being 29 inches in length some of these guys have bridges anywhere from 18 to 24 inches and playing with open hand most of the time. They commonly bridge off the rail with so much shaft sticking out it looks like they can hardly hit the cueball.

I am not being sarcastic. My wife thinks it is due to so many of the foreign players being also snooker players.
Need to back-off the hooch there brother. ;) I watch a lot of pool and while some do have longer bridges i don't see 20+" of cue sticking out. Lo-deflect. shafts allow a longer bridge length but not what you're describing.
 

middleofnowhere

Registered
Need to back-off the hooch there brother. ;) I watch a lot of pool and while some do have longer bridges i don't see 20+" of cue sticking out. Lo-deflect. shafts allow a longer bridge length but not what you're describing.
Can we agree they are in fact longer for some reason the of players of the past.
 

buckshotshoey

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Let's not debate actual lengths, they are much longer then players of the past and it seems to be a lot of players doing it. Of course then you have all the gloves. Things are changing for sure.
I was just curious... never seen anyone use a bridge length that long. So you exaggerated then. Ok. Got it.

But yes, I do tend to see longer bridge lengths also. 15 inches seems common these days. With some pros anyway. They have a stoke pure enough to be accurate.

Some of it might be to do with modern shaft design? For instance Predator shafts work best with longer bridge lengths (compared to standard maple) due to the natrual pivot lengths? Think about that for a moment. If you use a shafts natural pivot length, and your cue ball contact point is off a little, the squirt and swerve will cancel each other out.... as long as your speed is consistent.

Another reason, and probably the bigger reason... a longer bridge length is easier to sight the shot... it gets your eyes on a lower sight plane without bending over farther. You are lengthening the hypotenuse of your "stance triangle". Gives a better view. Think of shooting two rifles with the same barrel length. They are both inherently accurate. But the rifle that has a longer sight radius is easier to keep on target.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Pin

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Can we agree they are in fact longer for some reason the of players of the past.
Somewhat but not as long as what you describe. I DO know that lo-deflect. shafts allow for a much longer bridge and still retain accuracy. Older hi-squirt cues needed shorter bridges.
 

DieselPete

Active member
Somewhat but not as long as what you describe. I DO know that lo-deflect. shafts allow for a much longer bridge and still retain accuracy. Older hi-squirt cues needed shorter bridges.

Yep. First, I absolutely have noticed what the OP is suggesting; there are bridges being commonly used that we would have decried as amateur garbage and players in need of a lesson back in the day. Second, I believe it works today because it allows players to get a longer line of sight down the shaft, uninterrupted by their bridge, without much concern that the shaft will deflect all over the place because of the carbon fiber and low deflection shafts.
 

chefjeff

If not now...
Silver Member
If using pivot, the length really matters...Are these shots with the long bridge being done without side spin?


Jeff Livingston
 

middleofnowhere

Registered
Somewhat but not as long as what you describe. I DO know that lo-deflect. shafts allow for a much longer bridge and still retain accuracy. Older hi-squirt cues needed shorter bridges.
Let's go even a little bit further, how about these guys that screw on extensions and leave them there. They're playing with cues that are really long.

Weight and balance of the cue seems to have gone out the window. I have no idea what those cues weigh with the extensions.

I remember guys losing sleep over a 1/4 ounce and balance points in a new cue. I played with a 57 1/2", most played with a 58. If you played with a 59 you were a freak.

None of the neunces of the cue seem to matter anymore. I don't get it. Are players that much different today?
 

chefjeff

If not now...
Silver Member
Let's go even a little bit further, how about these guys that screw on extensions and leave them there. They're playing with cues that are really long.

Weight and balance of the cue seems to have gone out the window. I have no idea what those cues weigh with the extensions.

I remember guys losing sleep over a 1/4 ounce and balance points in a new cue. I played with a 57 1/2", most played with a 58. If you played with a 59 you were a freak.

None of the neunces of the cue seem to matter anymore. I don't get it. Are players that much different today?

Perhaps each player finally practiced enough to realize an expensive cue doesn't add to potting skills.


Jeff Livingston
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Let's go even a little bit further, how about these guys that screw on extensions and leave them there. They're playing with cues that are really long.

Weight and balance of the cue seems to have gone out the window. I have no idea what those cues weigh with the extensions.

I remember guys losing sleep over a 1/4 ounce and balance points in a new cue. I played with a 57 1/2", most played with a 58. If you played with a 59 you were a freak.

None of the neunces of the cue seem to matter anymore. I don't get it. Are players that much different today?
I use a 58" Mezz. With the bolt out and my 3" cf extension attached its 61" and weighs exactly 20oz. I never remove it other that to case it. I hate using a mech. bridge so this set-up works great.
 

Cornerman

Cue Author...Sometimes
Gold Member
Silver Member
Can we agree they are in fact longer for some reason the of players of the past.
They’ve been longer since 9-ball became the game of choice, and it has nothing to do with foreign players and snooker. Hardly any foreign pool players come from snooker, despite that strange fantasy.
 

The_JV

'AZB_Combat Certified'
Near gone are the days with elite players having goofy strokes. The pool world has figured out that a straight stroke provides greater results with easier effort. A straight stroke allows a player to increase bridge length without introducing cueing errors. As already stated, a longer bridge length increases sighting accuracy.

Evolution of how the game is played is all.
 
Top