Diamond pro-cut 4.5" vs GC 4.25" pockets.

[Hollismason]

I would actually be curious as to what people's favorite table was. I personally love Brunswick GC 9 footers. After that I really like Diamond 7 foot tables.

That is so true. Be thankful for any pool halls you still have. We have a really great one here but the 24 Brunswick Centennial and Anniversaries are getting in bad shape. Jim insists on recovering them using Championship cloth because his table mechanics can handle that cloth. They hate Simonis. I'm pretty sure they still have the 50-60 year old cushions. I think it would just be bad business to have a first rate pool hall with proper set up Diamond tables. Nice but not smart business with today's lack of pool interest. When the owner of this place decides he's had enough, it will close and all the tables will be sold.
We need Hollywood to come out with another "Color of Money" type of movie. I understand Japan converted hundreds of bowling alleys to pool halls after that movie.
We do have a nice bar in the area with 8 Diamond 7' tables and one 9' with 4.25" pockets. Play is free on the 7 foot tables from 11am until 4pm on weekdays. They charge $10 @ hour for play on the 9'. How many places offer that?

I'm in the Chicago Land area and they've got Chris's Billiards and few other places that all have the 9 foot Brunswicks but there are a few places that have Diamond 9 footers . Chris's is pretty impressive. Largest pool hall I've ever been in. 41 tables!! Carom Billiard tables, Snooker Table (which I am looking forward to playing on), 7 foot Diamonds, 9 foot Diamonds( I think pretty sure), Brunswicks. Oh and a ping pong table in the back.

10 bucks during the week to play 9am to 6pm.

Probably my favorite pool hall here in Chicago.

 

[Bobkitty]

I would actually be curious as to what people's favorite table was. I personally love Brunswick GC 9 footers. After that I really like Diamond 7 foot tables.

I think the Brunswick Anniversary is the prettiest table for the home. Built beefy to be a commercial table but pretty enough that the wife won't gripe too much. Someone like Mark Gregory (rails) and Glen (RKC on AZB) can turn these tables into the best playing tables in the world. I love the Centennials too but they remind me of a Grayhound bus and the chrome days of the 50's. Gold Crowns and Diamonds can be made to play just as good but they are just not a pretty piece of furniture for the home (my two cents and that's what it's worth). Of course what I have is the best!

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[Hollismason]

I think the Brunswick Anniversary is the prettiest table for the home. Built beefy to be a commercial table but pretty enough that the wife won't gripe too much. Someone like Mark Gregory (rails) and Glen (RKC on AZB) can turn these tables into the best playing tables in the world. I love the Centennials too but they remind me of a Grayhound bus and the chrome days of the 50's. Gold Crowns and Diamonds can be made to play just as good but they are just not a pretty piece of furniture for the home (my two cents and that's what it's worth). Of course what I have is the best!

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I dunno just something about the GC that I really love. I will say if I had a choice I'd probably take a Anniversary over a GC for my home , but just on tables to play at a pool hall definitely the GC.

 

[JoeyInCali]

I dunno just something about the GC that I really love. I will say if I had a choice I'd probably take a Anniversary over a GC for my home , but just on tables to play at a pool hall definitely the GC.

The sleek tear shaped Gold Crown rails.
When you get down on a shot, you see mostly the cushion and pockets.
You don't see much of the rails.
Imo, that's what makes GC's easier to play on.

 

[Bobkitty]

The sleek tear shaped Gold Crown rails.
When you get down on a shot, you see mostly the cushion and pockets.
You don't see much of the rails.
Imo, that's what makes GC's easier to play on.

A good personal opinion just like mine. "to each his own".

 

[Cardigan Kid]

When I say, "IMO it's a perfectly fair table," I judge that by feel. When I play, the instant, the ball leaves my tip, I know if I hit it "True enough" that I deserve a drop. I also know at that instant when I don't deserve a drop. With my pockets at 4.3/8" I get what I deserve and don't get what I don't deserve. I can't say this for sure; but, I highly suspect the situation isn't much different with 4.5" pockets. In fact, happy as I am with my pockets, if I had to do it again, I'd probably go with 4.5."I know one thing for certain. I wouldn't want them 4.1/4," nor would I want them 4.3/5."

You made a good choice. Two years ago I had my rails rebuilt, sub rails extended for 4.25" pockets on my gold crown 9 footer.
After a couple of years of drills and practice, the pockets are well broken in, and boy does this table play tough.
At times it's unfair tough, you know on those shots where you hit it well, good stroke and the ball isn't accepted.
Also, playing the different parts of the pocket, especially sides (which were resized to 4.75), there just aren't any options to work with, so I have to go for power and force position which then leads to rejected balls.

Needless to say, when I finally got a chance to play on a diamond table, it was a dream in that the pockets were opened up, and balls actually dropped.

In hindsight, I will never want gold crown pockets smaller than 4.5" on the simple fact that it takes some of the fun out of the game. That quarter inch many times could be the ticket to getting another option trying to work position to the next ball.

On the plus side, my accuracy has greatly improved over two years, but my imagination and patterns have been limited.

4.5" is fair and perfect for high level pool. Doctor Dave's table difficulty chart has it listed as a 1.00 difficulty and that's perfect.
My current table is a 1.08 TDF and it just limits not only the enjoyment of your game but the learning is limited as well.