How Many 9" Tables Meet WPA Specs?

[Bavafongoul]

Does the 9' table you play on pass the Cushion Rubber equipment test?
Did you know it's a specified requirement for 9' tables in WPA tournaments?

Are you Ready?

"Place the cue ball on the head spot shooting through the foot spot using center ball, level cue and firm stroke. The cue ball must travel a minimum of 4 lengths of the table without jumping and 4 1/2 lengths is the preferred length"

Table cushions greatly influence the speed of the cue ball, along with other notable factors , but the cushions are largely overlooked.......that is until you come across a table with some dead spots and then the cushions really become a topic of discussion. Nonetheless, there is a standard for table cushions and it's 4 to 4 1/2 lengths of a 9' tables length from the head spot thru the foot spot without jumping the cue ball using a center ball stroke.

I'm betting there are going to be some surprises when people test their home tables versus test results for pool hall tables.........Let's see what everyone reports back presuming this thread attracts any interest.

Matt B.

 

[44Runner]

No 9 inch tables meet the specs...

 

[pro9dg]

Not too many I would venture. I have a set of templates which check - pocket openings. slate fall and slate cut, cushion profiles. I have yet to find a table that meets all the requirements. These tables include ones used for World events and other televised stuff.

Some conform to part of the criteria but some get different things right.

Seems silly that the equipment is there to achieve an exact spec but is not used.

 

[SloMoHolic]

No 9 inch tables meet the specs...

I'm a beast on the 9 inchers.

But seriously, I'll check my old (and sold) Diamond Pro to see what results I get.

Honestly, I can't imagine any table that would allow 4.5 table lengths without ANY ball hop. Heck, the cue ball will hop on any standard hard shot from the head spot, even before it hits the first rail. The length and the resultant bounces of that initial hop also determine whether or not the cue ball will "hop" off the rail.

Could I just slam the cue ball, have it hop off the rail, then declare that the table is not within spec?

The contradictory terms in the definition don't make any sense. Cue ball on the head spot, cue aimed towards the foot spot, BUT keeping the cue level? Impossible.

Perhaps the requirements should be updated or clarified. Also, why is there no mention of cloth speed?

Please tell me I'm wrong.

-Blake

 

[Tony_in_MD]

4.5 rails on my GC3 (I was a diamond and a half from 5) with no ball hop.

I could not come close to this spec with the cushions that were on the table before. If I remember correctly I used to get 3.5 with the ball hopping off the first rail.

Glen redid my table 2 years ago.

 

[Bavafongoul]

No, You're Not Wrong.....

The table specs are admittedly insane and so I wonder if the regulations are strictly enforced. But I can't imagine that the rule would exist without being enforced so that would mean WPA tournament tables are indeed fast.

How about this requirement.........pool balls can vary as much as 1/2 oz in weight.......the 15 object balls can individually be all different weights in the same set. Now play on a table that meets WPA specs with object balls that vary in weight and I bet that table would be a Frankenstein.

Anyway, if the next time at your pool hall, some of the object balls don't match, i.e., different sets, which is not that unusual, and some the shots you attempt behave differently like a 9' long table cut shot, maybe object ball weight has something to do with it. Let's face it, the law of of physics still prevails in the real world.

For example, a red dot measles ball weighs 169 grams and all the balls in my Centennial set, including the blue dot centennial cue ball, all weigh 168 grams and measure 2.25". However, a red circle cue ball is actually 12 grams lighter than a Aramith measles cue ball or any of the balls in my Centennial set. If you don't think the difference in weight affects the way the cue ball behaves, then you didn't pay attention in high school to your Physics class.

It's a irrefutable fact that the application of force or applied energy to masses of varying weights will absolutely produce different results. So if the 8 or 9 ball,or for that matter any of the object balls, is significantly lighter or heavier then the cue ball you're using in a match, be prepared for some unexpected bad rolls that will ocuur more often than if you were playing with pool balls all of the same approximate weight range........and a weight variance of up to 1/2 ounce per pool ball does not meet my definition pool balls being in the same weight range...........but apparently does for WPA, BCA etc..