You leave home and forget your cue, can you play good with any cue? Some people claim they cannot shoot good without their personal cue! Thanks for your input.
Regards,
Lock N Load.
Regards,
Lock N Load.
Can you play good pool with any Cue?
- Thread starter Lock N Load
- Start date
In my opinion the answer is yes. It's the indian not the arrow. Even though I admit I myself often forget that adage. It comes down to 99% mental. It's all what you tell yourself.
I think familiarity with your tools help a little, and a personal Cue is a tool that gives a slight edge. But than you have road players who travel with nothing but sandpaper and a willard shaper. Who will go home with the the victims money most of the time. The victim is the guy who thinks he plays better than the road player.
Yeah I can play ok playing of the wall if it's a decent house cue. But I've never been able to play my best with a house cue. The tip weight and taper make a difference to me. But I have to add the reason I bought my first Predator was after playing with a friends after a touranament. I just couldn't get over how good I shot with his that night. Bought a new one the next day.
There is a noticeable difference when I am playing with a cue that is not mine. Off the wall or someone elses $1000 custom, doesn't matter. If I don't know the particular playing characteristics of the cue in my hand, I will not be able to play as well as with my own cue.
I'm lost if I don't have my own cue with my Predator 314-2 shaft to play with. I can play descent with a different cue as long as I stay in the center of the cue ball, but when I need side spin i'm in trouble since I don't know how the cue deflects compared to my own cue.
James
Once you get to a certain level, through practice and persistence, it is indeed the Indian and not the arrow.
Once saw a guy beat another guy 100 a rack 9 ball...with a blind duster handle...he was chalking it even like a cue stick, eventhough it didn't need it. I called that insult to injury.
Shorty
Once saw a guy beat another guy 100 a rack 9 ball...with a blind duster handle...he was chalking it even like a cue stick, eventhough it didn't need it. I called that insult to injury.
Shorty
As long as I get a little time to warm up with it, I'll be fine. But I may need be so liberal with my use of side or stroke shots as I wouldn't be as familiar or comfortable with it. You can't completely write off having a good cue, if it didn't matter at all there would be more top players playing off the wall in tournaments.
Maybe not off the wall, but I've seen alot of guys borrow a cue for a tournament. Sometimes a different cue for each match. They say Bugs never owned a cue and he was one the best bankers ever. Allison beat everyone with a Cuetec, for pete's sake. Efren arrived in this country with a $14 piece of junk. Go figure.
Borrowing a cue with a good balance and tip makes a huge difference. That's really all you need.
I play bad pool with my own cue, house cues, broom handles, or cues of my buddies
IMHO, if you believe you gotta have your cue, then you gotta have it.....if you believe you can play pool with any cue, then you can.....90 percent mental, 10% equipment, just like the rest of the game...
I guess I am one of those people because I can play with any cue I pick up, with a little time using it ( a game or two ). Now will I win every game the answer is NO, I don't win every game playing with my own cue, but I am a firm believer that a cue is nothing more than a tool. While some tools are more comfortable than others I think any player can make the adjustments necessary to use the tool they currently have in their hands.
I think that anyone who claims that they can only play well with their own cue should find another game to attempt to master, because pool is not for them. There are too many variables in the games associated with pool, such as balls, tables, cloth, shafts, tips and on and on, so if some one can only play well with a single cue they certainly do not have the proper mind set for this game.
JIMO
Allison and Efren were very familiar with their cues. When it comes to loading up a shot with english, you better be familiar with your cue, or more importantly these days, your shaft. There's no way you can be shooting with your usual level of confidence when spinning balls with an unfamiliar cue/shaft. Of course if you're playing inferior opponents, you'll get another turn at the table. That's not the point.
I wouldn't know for sure because I haven't played with a house cue in a long time. I'd say I can hold my own with it as long as it has a good tip, fairly straight, and it can pass through my fingers nicely.
But I'd prefer my cue because I'm familiar with my playing cue and I have a level of certainty and confidence with it.
But I'd prefer my cue because I'm familiar with my playing cue and I have a level of certainty and confidence with it.