Bringing your own pool balls

[Still_Learning]

In your opinion, is buying a set of pool balls (Super Pro or Centennials) and bringing them with you to practice in a commercial pool hall a good or bad idea?

I'm going to be doing a lot of drill-based practice over the next few months. I thought using the same set of balls every time would eliminate one variable from the exercises. (Having my own table in the basement would eliminate nearly all variables, but I can't do that right now.)

Is there a down-side I'm not considering? Thanks...

 

[Bob Jewett]

In your opinion, is buying a set of pool balls (Super Pro or Centennials) and bringing them with you to practice in a commercial pool hall a good or bad idea?

I'm going to be doing a lot of drill-based practice over the next few months. I thought using the same set of balls every time would eliminate one variable from the exercises. (Having my own table in the basement would eliminate nearly all variables, but I can't do that right now.)

Is there a down-side I'm not considering? Thanks...

The main downside is that any competition in that pool hall is unlikely to have the balls you are used to. If you are mostly interested in developing your game, that should not be a factor.

Where I usually play, the balls had not been changed for a long time. They had worn down about half way to snooker-sized balls. I bought my own set of balls and started playing with them. As I recall, my opponents in league were happy to use them. A few months later, the room was sold and about the first thing the new owner did was to replace all the balls with the Aramith Super Pro TV balls.

You might try a sort of warm up I used to do when I was practicing a lot. I brushed the table and cleaned the balls before each practice session. That was really needed since in that particular pool room, the staff and management had forgotten what the brushes were for and didn't understand that the balls could get dirty, but I think it also got me into the mood to take each session seriously.

 

[skor]

Most pool halls in my area don't have decent balls, most of them have the Aramith Premier so I bring my own set of pro level balls.

The only down side is the wear and tear the balls suffer while not getting any discount for bringing my own equipment...

 

[BETNHI]

Used to watch Ed Kelly play 0ne hole at Cuetopia in Las Vegas, he always carried his own pool balls in a leather fitted briefcase.

 

[RRfireblade]

In your opinion, is buying a set of pool balls (Super Pro or Centennials) and bringing them with you to practice in a commercial pool hall a good or bad idea?

I'm going to be doing a lot of drill-based practice over the next few months. I thought using the same set of balls every time would eliminate one variable from the exercises. (Having my own table in the basement would eliminate nearly all variables, but I can't do that right now.)

Is there a down-side I'm not considering? Thanks...

Depends . . .

The abiltiy to adjust to different equiptment and conditions 'may' be the most important lesson to learn in pool. Your never going to play a Tourny/League/whatever on your table with your equiptment so it seems like even during drills and practice you should be learning what and how to make those adjustments as well as everything else your working.

Very often being able to adjust quicker than you opponent becomes the biggest difference in the outcome during the all too common , short race.

 

[Fatboy]

Used to watch Ed Kelly play 0ne hole at Cuetopia in Las Vegas, he always carried his own pool balls in a leather fitted briefcase.

This is a true statment,'

also i have a set of balls with me when i play in certain rooms where i dont like the balls,

 

[sygfrid]

In your opinion, is buying a set of pool balls (Super Pro or Centennials) and bringing them with you to practice in a commercial pool hall a good or bad idea?

I'm going to be doing a lot of drill-based practice over the next few months. I thought using the same set of balls every time would eliminate one variable from the exercises. (Having my own table in the basement would eliminate nearly all variables, but I can't do that right now.)

Is there a down-side I'm not considering? Thanks...

I used to bring my own set of Super Pro's until the centers that I go to upgraded to Super Pro's.

The advantage of bringing your own balls is that you are getting consistent roll and reaction as your balls are of the same density & diameter (some house balls get interchanged and and even have lost consistency). This is good for practicing such as doing drills and developing the fundamentals as your equipment are already in "ideal" conditions

HOWEVER, it is important to play with the house balls from time to time so that you'll learn to ADJUST to different conditions especially when you play in local leagues.

There were great local players who, in their aspiring days, had a hard time getting in the professional tournaments because they got used to playing house balls which were smaller than regulation balls.

 

[Still_Learning]

It is important to play with the house balls from time to time so that you'll learn to ADJUST to different conditions especially when you play in local leagues.

There were great local players who, in their aspiring days, had a hard time getting in the professional tournaments because they got used to playing house balls which were smaller than regulation balls.

Interesting point! I never considered not being able to adjust to GOOD equipment.

Well, I'm buying the set of balls, but I won't let myself use them exclusively. Just mostly.

Thanks for the input everyone.

 

[mosconiac]

I bring my own because I've endured enough of the mix-matched sets of balls (I've seen as many as 4 different types of balls in a single rack), chipped balls, odd cueballs, and generally filthy conditions. My aramiths are a matched set (even the CB) & always pretty clean. I have to clean them after a couple sessions because of the dirty felt.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

IMHO Bad Idea,

Unless Quality Clean Ballsl is what you will play with in your league, and tournaments.

Learn to be FLEXIBLE, and Play on all conditions, and with & without bad equipment. You will be a better player for it IMHO.

 

[tksix]

I bring em every where I go.............................and you know I have them after I fire a table length cut shot down the rail to win! As opposed to palying safe!! LOL


oops sorry didn't see the word pool in that question!

 

[mosconiac]

IMHO Bad Idea,

Unless Quality Clean Ballsl is what you will play with in your league, and tournaments.

Learn to be FLEXIBLE, and Play on all conditions, and with & without bad equipment. You will be a better player for it IMHO.

That's some good logic...the ultimate would be to switch to a cuetech every other game, swap in a mud ball every other shot, shoot opposite-handed every fourth shot,...no thank you.

No way am I going to play under obvious handicaps 100% of the time, just so I can say I was "prepared" when that ball skidded, or I undercut a shot because of a light CB....the end result would be the same either way.

 

[YaktyYak]

I am working out of town and there is a coinop table in the hotel. The cue ball was in poor shape so i bought one to bring with me there, otherwise I play with house balls. Each place you shoot pool out of tends to have its own flavor due to conditions.