European Snooker Pocket Size vs American
- Thread starter Samiel
- Start date
Many American tables were tightened up to play the game of "golf". I have seen a 10-foot table where it was nearly impossible to make the black off its spot. Often snooker/golf tables were fitted with the fastest cloth available. They are generally unusable for snooker.
Lately, most of the snooker tables I've seen in the US were 12-foot and set up with napped cloth for snooker.
Lately, most of the snooker tables I've seen in the US were 12-foot and set up with napped cloth for snooker.
Magoo's in Tulsa has a 10ft B'wick Royale table they use for golf. Pockets are tiny and they use super-fast 3c cloth. They play with pool balls. Tough game when it gets to be 6-7 handed.
If you ever played on that 6×12 at Wilts it was quite like the professional tables.
There used to be a man in Houston with a pro quality table set up in house.
I think Houston has a couple of rooms that are mostly snooker with 12-foot tables. The site findsnooker.com lists over a dozen tables, mostly 12-foot.
You might be talking about me, or Mark White.... We're both in the Houston area and have a sweet set up at home.
And Bob Jewett is correct, there are also two clubs with at least 4 full size snooker tables in the area as well. I will say that they play a little tighter than typical club tables in Europe.
However, I did visit Ding's club in Sheffield and those pockets are super tight. Not having played on a table with pockets cut to the modern templates, I cannot speak to OP.
So i have read comments about club tables and even some trnmnt tables being "more forgiving" ?
All I know is besides the prior mentioned table at Wilts almost every Snooker tables I see has been bastardized for golf.
The more forgiving is really arbitrary and time dependent as the official pocket templates change over time.
My table was used for the world championships in the 90's so the pockets match the templates at the time, which is more forgiving then the templates in the 2010's. Rumor has it that the templates changed recently again to the easier side.
If almost every table being converted to golf, not sure, but doubt that.
If you look at the US national snooker tour:
www.oxbilliards.com
All those tables are official (non-golf) snooker tables. In addition, Embassy in Los Angeles (8x), the two new clubs in Sacramento (9x each) and the one in Concord (8x) are all normal snooker tables. Some of them have used STAR snooker tables bought from the pro-tour so have recent template sizes.
So not cut and dry and your mileage my vary!
My table was used for the world championships in the 90's so the pockets match the templates at the time, which is more forgiving then the templates in the 2010's. Rumor has it that the templates changed recently again to the easier side.
If almost every table being converted to golf, not sure, but doubt that.
If you look at the US national snooker tour:
2024 USSA National Snooker Tour — OX BILLIARDS
The 2024 United States Snooker Association National Tour will get underway on April 18th with the Texas Open at Houston’s Q Ball Snooker and Pool . Houston will also host the Houston Open on October 12th. The tour has a total of 12 stops across 10 cities , and gives US players a chance
www.oxbilliards.com
So not cut and dry and your mileage my vary!
club tables are more forgiving. on the pro tour the saudi and china invitationals tables are more forgiving because they want centuries
Tournament tables tend to play looser because new cloth makes the pockets more forgiving…put those tables in a club for three months…
….they’re gonna play tough.
I live in the USA and have never played on an official European table. I’ve been playing the game for almost 60 years around the Midwest and seen many tables. Mostly 10 footers but last few years on a 12’. Even ran a few 10 ft tables in my day. I have watched countless hours of ROS, Higgins, Williams and others the last 10 - 15 years. I agree the new cloth lets a few shots pot. Sometimes it’s WOW.
I also think pocket shape has an impact. Both the American and European tables have rounded edge. To me it appears the Euro table then have a straight edge going to the back of the pocket. An American table has a slightly rounded edge going in. That’s how they can shoot down the rail and draw back for the 5. This rounded edge is not much but it makes a difference. Olhausen pool and snooker tables are made this way. You can slow roll down the rail on a pool table and the ball might not drop. This slight arc actually bounces the ball away from the pocket. Look at the inner edge of corner pocket when they are shooting the black ball. They look straight to me.
I’m not in any way downgrading their skills and abilities. The pros are unbelievably talented. But I do believe there is a difference in the way tables are made. Thanks.