Drop Pockets vs Ball Return Tables in Tournaments

[mikemosconi]

Ok so drop pockets are not good for straight pool. Not sure what the chances are of this happening in,8., 9 or 10 ball.

If you watch older 14.1 tournaments - the old timers including Mosconi etc . Always were sure to continuously empty bottom corner pockets as balls accumulated in them . A pocketed ball bouncing back onto the table was a missed ball .

Not much of an issue in rotation games- 9 or 10 ball - but could sometimes be in 8 ball.

 

[Island Drive]

they are also cheaper to make.

Yep, and likely easier/less costly to set up and break down.

 

[sudocrushms]

Drop pockets don't eat chalk, balls, etc.

 

[june-bug]

I like the sound of ball return tables.

 

[Badpenguin]

Still don’t see where there would be much interference, but you’re entitled to your opinion

Do you happen to notice how clearly you can hear the cue contacting the cue ball, balls hitting other balls, and balls going into pockets? I think they are using directional mics and probably software to scrub the background music out. Ball return noise would probably interfere with that. It is actually quite a sensitive mic to pick up the sound of the cue hitting the ball etc.

 

[bbb]

Do you happen to notice how clearly you can hear the cue contacting the cue ball, balls hitting other balls, and balls going into pockets? I think they are using directional mics and probably software to scrub the background music out. Ball return noise would probably interfere with that. It is actually quite a sensitive mic to pick up the sound of the cue hitting the ball etc.

ok if you say so

 

[maha]

most of the old tables were leather drop pockets. they certainly in your house are much quieter and that's what i have in mine.
other wise you cant shoot when someone is sleeping nearby.

in open pool rooms it doesnt matter so much but in a room with no carpet and low ceilings it does sound louder for sure. but not so much it annoys you.

but many of the drop pocket tables are plastic pockets and they are load compared to leather. so the ball return isnt all the noise.

although i don't see any commercial or tournament venues worried about noise from the tables. there is much more extraneous noise than that.

 

[trob]

Why do the large tournaments like the US Open, Florida Open, and others, use drop pocket tables?

They seem to exclusively use drop pockets every year. It seems like a ball return would save time for the referee to rack, rather than manually removing balls from every pocket each frame.

Is there a practical or technical reason why drop pockets are used for the largest events?

Simple.. it’s the noise. The have a mic there and it would sound terrible

 

[Island Drive]

I like the sound of ball return tables.

But if you have to buy, haul set up for example the US Open in TX it costs allot more.