How many nine footer tables do you have to play on?

[jaime_lion]

So I went into our only pool hall and they had gotten rid of one nine foot table and replaced it with a seven footer. I asked about this and was told they are replacing two of the nine footers with seven footers. The "new" seven footers are both rentals like the nine footers. So we are going from five nine foot tables to three nine foot tables.

Have you guys seen a decline in nine footers over the recent years? How many nine footers do you have to play on?

Thanks

 

[jimmyco]

1 6

 

[samy1969]

I love playing on 9-footers. But I’ll say that the 7’ diamond pro-ams are really a lot of fun! If I ever get rid of my 9’, my next table will be this 7-footer.

 

[Tin Man]

I live in MN.

We have 5 major pool rooms. Each has at least one 9', but the majority are 7' in all. A couple have just one 9'. Furthermore, none of the 9's are tournament Diamonds. All are older and a bit gaffy, none play like new equipment. Some are triple shimmed for one pocket, some are quirky in other ways. I predict in 10 years I might not be able to find more than 1-2 rooms with a 9' at all, and that will be like how some rooms today have a snooker table. An oddity for the last generation.

We also haven't had a big table tournament in MN for years. It's all bar table. Mostly handicapped or Fargo Rate capped. But even the few open tournaments are bar table.

As a result of this I've played one tournament a year in my home state. The majority of my play is in other states. I practice at home on my 9' Diamond, I train, I spar with other players at my place, and I travel to play pool.

Change is change. Pool room owners have to do what they have to do. I'm fine. But I do feel a bit sad for the 12 year old I know that is running nine ball tables on his 8' at home dreaming of greatness that will have to find his way to the elite level among a sea of bar boxes. I'm coaching him so I'll try to steer him right. But it doesn't make it easy...

 

[jaime_lion]

I live in MN.

We have 5 major pool rooms. Each has at least one 9', but the majority are 7' in all. A couple have just one 9'. Furthermore, none of the 9's are tournament Diamonds. All are older and a bit gaffy, none play like new equipment. Some are triple shimmed for one pocket, some are quirky in other ways. I predict in 10 years I might not be able to find more than 1-2 rooms with a 9' at all, and that will be like how some rooms today have a snooker table. An oddity for the last generation.

We also haven't had a big table tournament in MN for years. It's all bar table. Mostly handicapped or Fargo Rate capped. But even the few open tournaments are bar table.

As a result of this I've played one tournament a year in my home state. The majority of my play is in other states. I practice at home on my 9' Diamond, I train, I spar with other players at my place, and I travel to play pool.

Change is change. Pool room owners have to do what they have to do. I'm fine. But I do feel a bit sad for the 12 year old I know that is running nine ball tables on his 8' at home dreaming of greatness that will have to find his way to the elite level among a sea of bar boxes. I'm coaching him so I'll try to steer him right. But it doesn't make it easy...

I hear ya. As of right now we have 3 9 footers 2 brunswick and 1 diamond. And I can totally see them replacing the 2 brunswick with 7 foot valley tables. By the way the 2 tables they replaced were both brunswick.

I also feel for the kids who are playing right now. Like there is this kid who is like 11 years old. He beats the grown ups and wins money etc. I told him how lucky he is to grow up with a pool hall cause where I grew up there was none. I wonder what it will be like for him if/when the pool hall closes.

 

[Bavafongoul]

Hate ‘Em.....Don’t Play On ‘Em......Would Rather Read a Book Instead.

It is a matter of practicality simple as that. It is the trend and 9’ tables are becoming scarcer.

Easier to maintain, i.e., clean, you can squeeze more tables in the same space, more inviting environment
for pool leagues, new players find the game more to their liking with smaller tables and the larger pockets
versus 9’ tables and recreational players find the game more appealing because they play better on 7’ers.

 

[straightline]

Besides 9 footers do take up extra space, at the learner level, practice on 7 footers can be as efficient as practice on them. IOW the mechanics of a shot, at least everything that transpires in a 1, 2 foot radius from the epicenter will be constant regardless of table size. In this regard, you'd gain more practical knowledge trying different cloths .
Yes the rails and bed dimensions do come into play but you can't cover everything at once.

 

[I Got Lucky]

If I walk in to a bar and see a bar table I would play. If I walk in to a POOL HALL and see bar tables, I would walk out.

 

[HNTFSH]

If I walk in to a bar and see a bar table I would play. If I walk in to a POOL HALL and see bar tables, I would walk out.

:lol::thumbup2::thumbup2:

 

[garczar]

If I walk in to a bar and see a bar table I would play. If I walk in to a POOL HALL and see bar tables, I would walk out.

Just about every POOL HALL you go into these days has some bar-boxes. Its called giving the PAYING customer what they want. A room with only big tables(exist???) is just ignoring a large number of players and will probably not stay open. This isn't the Hustler-driven 60's-70's anymore.

 

[Buzzard II]

I walk into my basement and there is a germ free GC IV. Trouble is all of the tables in the three pool halls within ten miles also have 9' tables.

I want to practice on a bar table too. Not for bar tournaments but because I run into so many little tables on the road. I tour on motorcycle spring, summer and fall. I want to be ready for that damn magnetic cue ball. Answer, turn right at the GC and play the Valley, I bought mid-pandemic.

But there's no long tours for me this year. Bummer. On the other hand I'm finding out how much position drills differ between the two.

Retirement, life is good.

 

[HNTFSH]

Just about every POOL HALL you go into these days has some bar-boxes. Its called giving the PAYING customer what they want. A room with only big tables(exist???) is just ignoring a large number of players and will probably not stay open. This isn't the Hustler-driven 60's-70's anymore.

You're right. It's just a shame that so many halls have overloaded their joints with bar boxes. It's getting tough in many to even know if you make the trip over, there will be a 9 footers available to play. Takes evenings out-of-play in a lot of cases. Closest one to me I had to arrive 10 minutes before opening to make sure I could grab 1 of the two 9 footers left. Seems there could be a better distribution of table sizes in "a pool hall".

 

[Geosnooker]

In my Canadian City most of the ‘pool‘ tables in the three nearby pool halls are 9 footers. Maybe 30 tables in total. There are also four 8 foot tables and one coin operated Valley 7 foot table.

There are also six 12 foot snooker tables.

Bars, not pool halls, tend to have have 7 footers.

The only People using a 8 foot table in a pool hall are some newbies and their girlfriends. No regular players play on 8 footers. Using an 8 footer is a Last resort if the 9 footers and snooker tables are all occupied.

Unlike many here, 98% of the players I play with are enjoying their evening. The goal is to have a fun Challenge and not ‘training’ for a loftier goal. It’s like Slowpitch or hockey on the pond. I Personally don’t know anyone who has an ambition to be a billiards pro and needs a certain size table. By the age of 12 we have goals to be geologists (me) or mechanics rather than NHL stars or World Snooker Champions ,

 

[jtompilot]

Just about every POOL HALL you go into these days has some bar-boxes. Its called giving the PAYING customer what they want. A room with only big tables(exist???) is just ignoring a large number of players and will probably not stay open. This isn't the Hustler-driven 60's-70's anymore.

The paying customer is a funny thing. In my experience playing around the country and in my local room the only time i see the 7' tables being played on more than 9' tables is when its league night. When im i Dallas I'll go to CKs for some 1P action. If I get there to late all the 9' tables are in use and the 8' side is a ghost town. Even though they dont take care of the 9' tables they are the preferred tables. Next week I'll be in Columbus and visit Cushions. They have one diamond 9', two pos 9' Gandys. Its a nice room but if the 9' Diamond is not available, I'll walk out. I have no interest in playing on 8' tables. Every once in a great while someone will talk me into playing on a 7' Diamond. Valleys and the others are just firewood.

 

[iusedtoberich]

I've probably been to 50 rooms in my life all over the world. I'd say 95% of the tables in the rooms have been 9'.

 

[garczar]

I'm not a league player but most rooms need them to survive. A small place with all big tables might make it but a bigger spot will fight to keep the doors open. Place i play is big(17,000sq/ft) and has 13 9ft and 16 7ft tables. The 7ft tables and league play keep the place open. Most days there will 3-4 tables with guys my age(60) playing and everyone else is on a bar-table. At night most all are in action.

 

[justadub]

Most of the state of Maine plays league on 9-footers. There are very few 7's around, typically in small bars.

Here in Bangor, we have a room with ten 9' Diamonds, and one 7' for league teams to practice on before going to national events, both APA and TAP. There is another venue in town, a big rec center attached to a bowling alley, with fifteen or sixteen 9-footers, older Brunswicks. We don't play league out of there currently, but have in the past. The Elks Lodge in the same town has three 9-footers. The Eagles Club in the next town over has five 9-footers. That's a bunch of 9-foot tables just here in our community.

You can drive 25-30 miles in a couple directions from here and find more rooms with 9-footers. Then another 25-30 again, same result. Smaller tables exist in our part of the world, but are rarer.

 

[jimmyco]

Just about every POOL HALL you go into these days has some bar-boxes. Its called giving the PAYING customer what they want. A room with only big tables(exist???) is just ignoring a large number of players and will probably not stay open. This isn't the Hustler-driven 60's-70's anymore.

Slate Street Billiards in Rio Rancho, NM does not have anything other than Gold Crowns. They are well maintained and covered when not in play.

Gerard's Pool Hall in Five Points, Denver has only Gold Crowns.

I wouldn't bet either to go tango uniform anytime soon.

 

[Scott Lee]

As many as I want to...I have 5 rooms, all with some 9' Diamond tables within 5-10 miles of me. Plus I travel all over the country teaching full time, so I see 9' tables almost everywhere in the country. Instead of complaining about the pool situation where you live...MOVE!

Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour

How many nine footers do you have to play on?

Thanks

 

[garczar]

Slate Street Billiards in Rio Rancho, NM does not have anything other than Gold Crowns. They are well maintained and covered when not in play.

Gerard's Pool Hall in Five Points, Denver has only Gold Crowns.

I wouldn't bet either to go tango uniform anytime soon.

Hasn't Slate St. been closed a while due to covid? Hope they survive. Nice place.