Cost of playing pool.

well if you're an sl4...

Kevin3824 said:
Recently I went through a very tough decision form me to make. I wanted to get to be very good at pool. I started playing when I was pretty young but then at the age of about 13 I stopped for a few years then started up and stopped many times after that. Now as I type this I am 50 years old and probably only an SL4. I still have the desire to play at or above an SL9 level. I know I am most likely too old to go pro which is fine. I don't want to go travelling around the country or world either. I know the only way to get better would be to work on my fundamentals and practice more. In order to get where I want to be it will mean a lot of time practicing which I am ok with. So it all boils down to the cost of the equipment and training expenses really.

I agree with the idea that is is not the stick that makes a player good it is his or her skills.
I also know that a straight cue is still pretty important anyhow.

I am surrounded by people in real life that not only do not really have the love or appreciation of pool but think it is infact a waist of time and money. I feel the opposite. They all tell me how Crazy I am to pay over 5k for a pool table. I personally can easily justify the cost of it several ways. If I was to practice 5 hours per day everyday at a pool hall that was even 5 dollars an hour which around me none are that cheap. Even a $6000 table would pay for itself in 240 days. Another way to see it might be look at history I still see tables on ebay made by Brunswick that are 1-200 years old. A pool table tha is taken care of is a valuable asset to you and your relatives you may leave it to after you pass on. It seems to me too many of the people out there are stuck in the electronic and subscription worlds for entertainment. Most of the entertainment available comes with an additional cost for internet or some recurring charge for subscriptions. Pool is not like that once you own it you can use it as much as you want. If it wears then you can have it repaired or replace the cloth for example. Someone once told me that no matter what you buy to learn to play pool it will eventually pay for itself as long as you don't give up. In reality purchasing your own quality pool table may be one of your least expensive investments over time.
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First off, talking about league ratings really doesn't mean much... There are sl9's that I can give the 6 out to.

You being an sl4 the biggest obstacle you're likely going to have is 30 years of habits and lack of advanced pool knowledge.

Your best friend will be lots of knowledgeable practice and gaining the requisite knowledge to be able to practice correctly.

If you can afford a $5000 table, and you want one; you don't need any justification. Buy it.

I would suggest getting a 9 foot table, even if you primarily plan on playing on bar boxes.

Skills from practicing on a 9 foot translate to smaller tables much easier than the other way around.

I would start with the the books by Byrne to gain the knowledge and also get some professional instruction from reputable instructors.

Get yourself a camera and tripod and record both your practice and your competition and watch it back.

When you start to get to where you can practice at the level that you desire, you need to be able to find out what you do differently when competing.(You will do things differently).

Figuring out the things you do and focus on when you DON'T miss will be key to figuring out what to focus on to get to your best game.

Those last two things will be the biggest obstacle to competing at the level you want to.

Jaden
 
Corwyn_8 said:
Set up three bank accounts: Hers, His, Ours. Agree on how much goes into each. No one gets to complain about what gets spent out of personal accounts.

Thank you kindly.
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That's not the problem it's "you bought a pool cue? You already have one!" that type of thing

It will be shipped to my work to avoid "what did you buy now?"

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
 
I would have to believe if you call her out on buying shoes or whatever her weakness might be in spending... that it will mitigate the "You have one already" conversation :)
 
Kevin3824 said:
Recently I went through a very tough decision form me to make. I wanted to get to be very good at pool. I started playing when I was pretty young but then at the age of about 13 I stopped for a few years then started up and stopped many times after that. Now as I type this I am 50 years old and probably only an SL4. I still have the desire to play at or above an SL9 level. I know I am most likely too old to go pro which is fine. I don't want to go travelling around the country or world either. I know the only way to get better would be to work on my fundamentals and practice more. In order to get where I want to be it will mean a lot of time practicing which I am ok with. So it all boils down to the cost of the equipment and training expenses really.

I agree with the idea that is is not the stick that makes a player good it is his or her skills.
I also know that a straight cue is still pretty important anyhow.

I am surrounded by people in real life that not only do not really have the love or appreciation of pool but think it is infact a waist of time and money. I feel the opposite. They all tell me how Crazy I am to pay over 5k for a pool table. I personally can easily justify the cost of it several ways. If I was to practice 5 hours per day everyday at a pool hall that was even 5 dollars an hour which around me none are that cheap. Even a $6000 table would pay for itself in 240 days. Another way to see it might be look at history I still see tables on ebay made by Brunswick that are 1-200 years old. A pool table tha is taken care of is a valuable asset to you and your relatives you may leave it to after you pass on. It seems to me too many of the people out there are stuck in the electronic and subscription worlds for entertainment. Most of the entertainment available comes with an additional cost for internet or some recurring charge for subscriptions. Pool is not like that once you own it you can use it as much as you want. If it wears then you can have it repaired or replace the cloth for example. Someone once told me that no matter what you buy to learn to play pool it will eventually pay for itself as long as you don't give up. In reality purchasing your own quality pool table may be one of your least expensive investments over time.
Click to expand...

I started back playing Pool in 1999, after a 21 year hiatus.... it's been a great ride. I played well as a young man, so I didn't have to start over. I bought myself a good Pechauer Cue & a great Pool table. In 2001, me & friend won an Oklahoma State Championship. At 73, I still play regularly. Today, I have a good international pool & billiard industry company that enjoys success in the world of Pool... maybe after you get going, you too will have something to offer the game.

Come on in... the water is fine. There will be lots of choices for a Cue & a Pool Table. Buying a cue is a monetary decision & a personal decision...aka. "that cue spoke to me". Buying a table is a different story. They make good furniture tables & good commercial tables.

They are not the same. When I had my beautiful FURNITURE TABLE, I soon learned that I couldn't take my banking practice on my furniture table to the Pool Rom... there was a difference. However, my wife loved that beautiful piece of functional furniture.

So that was that. You will also have to make decisions about a Pool Table Light for your table & the size you want, that fits in the area you have

Good Luck
 
trob said:
I don't have to justify anything in my life. I'm an adult.

When I was a kid my cousin was a biker. Hard core. He didn't wear all the Harley crap ...you knew who he was and what he was about just by looking at him. Well he was in a terrible accident. Pins in his legs and both shoulders. Almost died. I went down to the garage to get my bike when I was at there house and there he was. The pins were finally out of his shoulder and he was already sanding the tank down of his beloved bsa so he can rebuild and ride it again. I asked "Donnie how could you want to get on that bike after all the pain you've been through?" His answer was simple ..."if I had to explain it to you you wouldn't understand". That's how I feel about 30 years of being a pool player. I'm nothing more then a really good local player but who cares. If I have to explain to people why I play they wouldn't understand. So I don't bother.
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+1 to that!
 
WTF are you talking about?

Slim Limpy said:
I am baffled by your "Pool costs (or may cost) a lot" commentary. Slightly less baffled by your desire to fit into a pool player/pool playing environment. I started playing pool when I was 50 after buying a condo and dumping the upkeep on a house, garage, and yard/landscaping responsibilities eight years or so ago. Bought a cheap Craigslist Brunswick, changed it out several times with other tables and settled with the Olhausen I have now. I certainly have enough money to buy any cue for sale on this site but wouldn't waste my money in that fashion--I love my Schmelkes and Mcdermotts--none better on the market for me.

Cheapo-wise: Before even considering buying a new or used table, start reading the ads for every Estate sale in your area--particularly the higher end suburban Estate sales that exist. Pool tables are practically given away at Estate sales due to time constraints and lack of a market--even quality Brunswicks and custom builds. Yah, it requires you have someone (or yourself) with a mechanical aptitude to disassemble it and reassemble it, but pool tables are generally well constructed for tear down and reassembly with minimal tools and without any advanced engineering aptitude. It does require the reassembler to be very meticulous and detail oriented, however.

In eight years, I've practically never played with anyone worse than me--I only go the the pool room to practice occasionally and shoot against players much better than me. However, I'm not a competitive pool player type person. Pool for me is purely a relaxation--even though I probably shoot two hours a day regularly and am now a pretty decent player--but I have no idea what level I'm at nor do I care. My object is to watch and play against other better players and learn from them. The fact that I lose every match means little to me. Oh, and I've never and will never bet a penny on a game. Donate that money to a charity--it's much healthier for your self esteem and ego.

And since bikes have come up in this thread I would have to say that a quality bike is much more a necessity for someone like me who rides about 100+ miles a week in bike weather season than a high end cue is. My three bikes have a combined value of twice to three times the value of all my cues and table combined.

My personal feeling is that in today's market about $2000 is the break point for the start of diminishing returns for a serious casual bike rider like myself. Bike riding also involves benefits to health and fitness that pool can't duplicate--for the twenty grand or so I've spent on bikes in my lifetime I've probably tripled that in medical savings and my most recent physical and blood numbers would prove that. The guys I ride (we average around 55 years old) with have bikes ranging from 350-6000 dollars retail value and like my pool playing, our riding isn't competitive in nature--we compete against each other on our health numbers--weight, blood numbers, blood pressure, dietary and gym habits, etc. Even that 6000 dollar bike is worth the money if it keeps that person fit, but I personally can't imagine saying that same thing for a 6000 dollar pool cue. Spending that for a quality Brunswick or Diamond table due to the savings of owning and using one as compared to the fees of renting one daily might be worth it however. Playing on a great table is an incomparable pleasure in my opinion (even if you suck that day or session playing on it).
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You are comparing apples to oranges. What one person values another person can despise.

And HEALTH??? Really...

Nothing can come close to pool in regards to protecting my mental health.

When I'm down on myself, a three hour session on the table is the best remedy.

Shit Oxy isn't as good as playing pool is for me...

Jaden
 
beerpressure said:
What do you guys tell your wives when you buy an expensive cue? I need some excuses when I buy a new one.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
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You gotta have a good story :-)

#####
I owned an eight-point Gina when I was a teenager, growing up in SF. ALL the top players on the West Coast, at that time, used a Gina -- a few, played with a TAD.

I bought it off a fellow named Dennis, who, in a moment of temporary insanity, sold it to me -- with three shafts and a black alligator Gina case -- for $150. Several years later, I sold it back to him for $250. Ah, youth.



Flash forward 25 years or so and for our tenth anniversary, my wife asked me what I would like for the event (keep in mind that I had a custom made,1 carat emerald cut diamond, with baguettes, in the works for her). I blurted out that I always regretted selling that Gina, so many years ago. She said, "If he's still around making cues, get on the phone and get what you want."



I called Ernie and told him the story and described the cue I had previously owned. He said, yes, he remembered the cue, but didn't make them quite that way any more, and if I wanted one, he'd have to pull out the drawings, spend some time on the computer, and reload the specs. I said great, but with some small changes: I wanted the joint, the inlays, and butt plate in ivory, and a leather wrap. He said no problem and that he would be happy to charge me appropriately. He said eight months.



Six months later he called and said he was sending leather samples for the wrap. He also said that when he looked at the drawings, he saw that he use to make this particular cue with an additional ring below that wrap that I had forgotten to mention. He said he took the liberty of adding it, in ivory, at no additional charge, so that it would look just like the cue I had previously owned.



A week later it was in my hands. It was absolutely flawless -- exactly as I remembered it, but better.

#####

Lou Figueroa
 
Banks said:
If i get a table, she gets a garden.

That's the cost. :o
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A garden you have to keep and maintain, that is....lol :thumbup:

I'm not sure who said it, but part of the reason I fell in love with this game is the social aspect. It's where I learned the art and power of being able to take something that happened, and through gentle embelishment, intonnation, and effect, weave a story for those around you. With that having been said, I love the game itself, but being around the characters that are in this great society of pool players is something special.
 
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beerpressure said:
I would happily take this deal. Vegetable garden?

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
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A mix of sorts. Not a bad deal at all, but it means i don't get to clear out the apartment living room, nor can i just find a place with no yard.

TheBook said:
He may live in an apartment and she wants to move to a farm.

��
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With the prices in Portland, i may have to move to a farm. As long as it has access to water, im all good.

Dagwoodz said:
A garden you have to keep and maintain, that is....lol :thumbup:
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The only plants ill be maintaining will be green and sticky. :thumbup: As it is, i couldn't keep mold alive, much less a garden. :sorry:

Until then, all i can do is go out, drink with friends and shoot.

I was talking to someone about what you added there. I'd rather have a place to fish, because the table would sit most of the time and id end up going out anyways.
 
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beerpressure said:
What do you guys tell your wives when you buy an expensive cue? I need some excuses when I buy a new one.
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This belongs under a Group Hug thread....This is a very sensitive delicate subject. It must be handled in a certain fashion. What I do is quite simple and I recommend using this technique. FKN LIE. Be real honest and fkn lie.
However it can backfire. After I got my table I realized I like having cues on the wall for fun...for looks, for guests. So I bring a new one home ....wife says...Another...how many do you need...you just bought one ...blah blah blah...nag nag nag....ball bust ball bust ball bust...yada yada yada
I look at her and say I bought it for you. She smiles and says Oh very thoughtful of you. From that moment...it's hers and no one can use it. This is known as a reversal of fortune. Guys...practice with cheap cues before moving up.
I eventually got away from CueTecs and went for nice production cues and some customs.
I tell her these are not mine. They belong to various people and I'm storing the cues for them. Also tell her some are reconditioned...just got them back from the cue shop. Also say it followed me home can I keep it. You must be vigilant and fast.
So:
I won it on eBay for $10
I borrowed it from a friend
Got it from a pawn shop
Found it laying in a parking lot with no ID
I was asked to Test Drive it.
What cue? It's a 2 piece cane
Someone left it in the pool room.
It fell off of a truck.
It fell out of nowhere
I won the cue in a tournament.
It was the prize in a Cracker Jack box.

My brothers...what ever you do...ask for forgiveness...do not beg for permission. However a day will come and you will say to her... it anything happens to me do not sell the cues for the amount I told you I paid for them. This being the case...GO ORDER A NEW CUE....and I just ordered another sneaky. I love you guys. This thread is bringing tears to my eyes.
 
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GoldCrown said:
This belongs under a Group Hug thread....This is a very sensitive delicate subject. It must be handled in a certain fashion. What I do is quite simply and I recommend using this technique. FKN LIE. Be real honest and fkn lie.
However it can backfire. After I got my table I realized I like having cues on the wall for fun...for looks, for guests. So I bring a new one home ....wife says...Another...how many do you need...you just bought one ...blah blah blah...nag nag nag....ball bust ball bust ball bust...yada yada yada
I look at her and say I bought it for you. She smiles and says Oh very thoughtful of you. From that moment...it's hers and no one can use it. This is known as a reversal of fortune. Guys...practice with cheap cues before moving up.
I eventually got away from CueTecs and went for nice production cues and some customs.
I tell her these are not mine. They belong to various people and I'm storing the cues for them. Also tell her some are reconditioned...just got them back from the cue shop. Also say it followed me home can I keep it. You must be vigilant and fast.
So:
I won it on eBay for $10
I borrowed it from a friend
Got it from a pawn shop
Found it laying in a parking lot with no ID
I was asked to Test Drive it.
What cue? It's a 2 piece cane
Someone left it in the pool room.
It fell off of a truck.
It fell out of nowhere
I won the cue in tournament.
It was the prize in a Cracker Jack box.

My brothers...what ever you do...ask for forgiveness...do not beg for permission. However a day will come and you will say to her... it anything happens to me do not sell the cues for the amount I told you I paid for them. This being the case...GO ORDER A NEW CUE....and I just ordered another sneaky. I love you guys. This thread is bringing tears to my eyes.
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this brought tears to my eyes from laughter...
 
"Putting back-spin on the cue ball is one of the most profound pleasurable experiences in life."- Robert Byrne
 
Kevin3824 said:
Recently I went through a very tough decision form me to make. I wanted to get to be very good at pool...Now as I type this I am 50 years old and probably only an SL4. I still have the desire to play at or above an SL9 level. I know I am most likely too old to go pro which is fine. I don't want to go travelling around the country or world either. I know the only way to get better would be to work on my fundamentals and practice more. In order to get where I want to be it will mean a lot of time practicing which I am ok with. So it all boils down to the cost of the equipment and training expenses really...
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Similarly, I am about to turn 50 and have been casually failing to play pool off & on all my life. Lately I got the bug to develop some real skill. For me, that meant a home table, and for me, that meant building a separate building. I struggled only a bit with justifying the cost of a freaking building for a pool table, when I was not even a decent player yet - quite unjustifiable by any standards. Fortunately my wife wanted me to have it almost as much as I wanted it and neither of us were concerned about how the expense might seem to anyone else.

I do have hopes though, that not only will I actually develop some real ability, but that also I'll get some great one-on-one time with my two adult sons across this table. Both are very excited and each have been quite clear in their desire to master the game. If this helps keep the family spending time together then all the costs may actually become justifiable after all... :smile:
 
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