Big Bad Bern said:
I was wondering if one of our wonderful friends from across the pond could fill in some information I am looking for
1. how does the club system work?
Snooker clubs are businesses run for profit. They will have an average of a dozen snooker tables and a few pool tables (many more in the big city clubs). Working Men's clubs (found mostly in the North) are owned by the members themselves and all profits after expenses are in essence returned to the members annually. They will usually have two immaculate tables. The most I've seen is 6.
2. is there a monthly or annual fee?
It would usually be annual. A couple of quid in a working men's club. More in a snooker club.
3. is there table time on top of the fee?
Snooker clubs hire you the table - any number may play - and around here the average is about £2.50 - £3.00 per hour. Working men's clubs only need to cover the expense of the facility, so tend to only charge a nominal amount (say 20p) which you put in a meter that turns the light on. The tables are often in superb condition in contrast to snooker clubs. The disadvantage is that you put your name down on a board for a game and have to wait your turn, and when you've had your game you're back off to the end of the queue again. Snooker clubs obviously hire you a table for as long as you want and meter the time you spend on it. That way you can have a good long session.
Snooker clubs with a resident pro operate in a similar manner to a golf course. In a working men's club the lessons and piss-taking are free and harsh.
5. how do they determine a club champion/ what does he win?
You organise an individual knock-out competition and the winner is the club champion. In a working men's club they are usually arranged to finishes around Christmas and are heavily handicapped as in golf. There you'll get a trophy and a round of applause. Snooker clubs may attract players from further afield by offering cash prizes.
6. do they travel to bigger tournaments together?
It would be foolish not to share expenses. Working Men's club leagues tend to involve darts, dominoes, and card games, along with the billiards and snooker, so they tend to lay on buses to ensure the whole team attends. Top clubs around here can easily bring 100+ thirsty players and supporters to a club, so league nights go down very well with the bean counters.
7. do they have a league and how many matches a week do they play?
Choose which night you want to play and there will probably be a league playing that night somewhere locally. The good players tend to play for a lot of clubs, so they adjacent leagues can't afford to clash. It would be unusual for a club to be involved in more than 2 a week though.
8. how long is the season?
It obviously depends on how many teams there are, but playing weekly home and away I imagine most people wouldn't want more than 20 or so in any division. That would make a 38 week season, but there are often knock-out cup and plate competitions towards the end too, as well as league run individuals events. Adding in a Christmas break it means they just about match the football season, starting in September and finishing in May/June around here.
After reading an article posted on the forums about a new snooker training facility recently opened, I am just trying to find if they are run like a karate/boxing club, where everyone trains under a master instuctor and competes against each other, or is it more like an american pool hall where people just hang out and play anybody else who happens to come in.
I think the academy you refer to is geared toward prospective professionals. Most learn from the good players around them or resident superstar in their local club or leagues, and nowadays they are chock full of them.
Boro Nut
