I'm sick of practicing at the bars

M

mrpool06

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've hit a point recently where I've gotten sick of the people in some of the bars/pool halls (I don't have a pool table at home). There is one pool hall here in particular (Bullwackers) where I won't even go....a person gets dirty looks & bad vibes from some of the regulars there (I know several other players who feel the same way); I swear some of those guys live there, do they have jobs?? Alot of the bars have the "young punk" types hanging out there as well....I usually don't have problems with people like this, but am just getting sick of being around them....usually are unfriendly.

Thankfully, we do have a non-smoking/non-drinking pool hall here in town that has a decent crowd.

Anyone else get sick of bars? I have room in my family room for a table, but it'd take up the whole room, & my wife would kill me! :(
 
despotic931 said:
I have been told this as well :rolleyes: but it was mainly due to my lack of ability...
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There ya go...maybe golf is more your thing...
________
 
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mrpool06 said:
I've hit a point recently where I've gotten sick of the people in some of the bars/pool halls (I don't have a pool table at home). There is one pool hall here in particular (Bullwackers) where I won't even go....a person gets dirty looks & bad vibes from some of the regulars there (I know several other players who feel the same way); I swear some of those guys live there, do they have jobs?? Alot of the bars have the "young punk" types hanging out there as well....I usually don't have problems with people like this, but am just getting sick of being around them....usually are unfriendly.

Thankfully, we do have a non-smoking/non-drinking pool hall here in town that has a decent crowd.

Anyone else get sick of bars? I have room in my family room for a table, but it'd take up the whole room, & my wife would kill me! :(
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I know exactly what you're saying. I quit playing in bars and bought a table. It was a great investment.
 
mrpool06 said:
I've hit a point recently where I've gotten sick of the people in some of the bars/pool halls (I don't have a pool table at home). There is one pool hall here in particular (Bullwackers) where I won't even go....a person gets dirty looks & bad vibes from some of the regulars there (I know several other players who feel the same way); I swear some of those guys live there, do they have jobs?? Alot of the bars have the "young punk" types hanging out there as well....I usually don't have problems with people like this, but am just getting sick of being around them....usually are unfriendly.

Thankfully, we do have a non-smoking/non-drinking pool hall here in town that has a decent crowd.

Anyone else get sick of bars? I have room in my family room for a table, but it'd take up the whole room, & my wife would kill me! :(
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I know what you mean. I hate bars. I don't want any trouble because when you do get in a fight it ain't one on one. Its a group against one person. Yeah. Thats why I invested in a table for my house so I don't have to put up with that crap. :) I'd like to at least enjoy playing the game with a couple of friends without having to think about a drunk deciding to start somethin.
 
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I grew up playing in both pool halls and bars. I revert back to a pool hall for practice and bars for playing(leagues). I also play in pool halls, but don't consider bars a place to practice, at least not seriously. If anything, going to a bar is reason to just let loose, relax and maybe play some less serious games for drinks.

But I also agree that some bars - that may even be great places on league nights or weekends - can be crappy places other nights of the week. And other bars are not conducive to serious pool playing at all yet there is a table.

I wouldn't say pool is not your sport, but find places that offer the environment you are looking for and spend time there. Not all bars are fan's of drinkers, even though they offer pretty much the same alcohol. Same can be said about pool players. :)

ez
 
tedkaufman said:
Pool might not be the right game for you ...
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tap tap tap.

My dad used to say to me, if you can't figure out who the biggest degenerate is in the poolroom, find a mirror.

He also used to say, sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees.

What does all this mean?. If you're one of them, stop thinking you're better than them.
 
do you have a basement ? how about an addition .a lean to type off the back of the house....just trying to give you ideas..i don't like the crowds or smoke either..i bought a table 2 years ago and never regretted it..it has paid for itself....good luck to you...let us know what you decide..just think if you can't sleep you go into the other room and play some pool !!! Happy New Year
 
You answered your own question... "Thankfully, we do have a non-smoking/non-drinking pool hall here in town that has a decent crowd." I say - play there!

It troubles me that people would say that pool isn't the game for you. There is a pool hall 5 miles away that I can't stand walking into. The regulars there are rude and unpleasant. Mostly because they view me as a fish who doesn't gamble. I have a table in my basement - a nice Ohlhausen, but it's a 7-footer. I go to the pool hall to play on a 9-footer because I love the game. I am able to tune them out. My "competition" comes on Friday nights when I play on a 6-foot bar box with friends. We don't play for money. We don't play for beer. We play for fun. And boy, do we have fun!

Playing for fun is lost on a lot of people I guess.
 
TimFXF said:
You answered your own question... "Thankfully, we do have a non-smoking/non-drinking pool hall here in town that has a decent crowd." I say - play there!

It troubles me that people would say that pool isn't the game for you. There is a pool hall 5 miles away that I can't stand walking into. The regulars there are rude and unpleasant. Mostly because they view me as a fish who doesn't gamble. I have a table in my basement - a nice Ohlhausen, but it's a 7-footer. I go to the pool hall to play on a 9-footer because I love the game. I am able to tune them out. My "competition" comes on Friday nights when I play on a 6-foot bar box with friends. We don't play for money. We don't play for beer. We play for fun. And boy, do we have fun!

Playing for fun is lost on a lot of people I guess.
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AMEN to that Brother! :D
 
If you have to go into these bars, make it early before the booze really starts flowing. I've noticed over the years, the later it gets, more nut jobs come out of the woodwork.
Don't go in alone either. Go with a friend and even better, friends. The bottom feeders are less likely to bother a group of people over an individual.
I managed a pretty rough poolroom and there were a few people who came in 3-4 times a week and I didn't even know their names.
There are some things in life you really don't want to know about, if you catch my drift.
Everyone is looking for their Cheers (tv sitcom), sounds to me like you still have to find yours.
 
tedkaufman said:
Pool might not be the right game for you ...
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I don't understand how you could make this statement. This person stated an observation based on pool halls they have frequented and you draw the above conclusion.

What does one have to do with the other?

"Great spirits often encounter violent opposition from mediocre minds" - Albert Eintein.
 
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TimFXF said:
It troubles me that people would say that pool isn't the game for you..
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My take on the comment "maybe pool isn't for you" is; these are the kind of people (myself included) that play pool and frequent poolhalls. If OP can't stand these types of people, maybe he should take up golf or tennis where everyone is clean shaven and gainfully employed. I can't speak for the others, but that's the impression I got from the comment.

Sometimes a patron can be insecure and too sensitive when dealing with the poolhall junkies. Play them, beat them and they'll look at you differently. Running to the safety of a warm basement table only shelters a person from real life further. That's my two cents.:)
 
tedkaufman said:
Pool might not be the right game for you ...
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I think I know where you're coming from, but I think I'm going to disagree with this only because of the geography. There is one particular bar with maybe 3-4 tables in Billings I had the misfortune of checking out a year and a half ago that was just downright creepy, and I'm usually right at home in any dive. I don't even want to remember the name, but it was pretty close to the center of town. There's a big difference between gamblers checking out your speed, and serious weirdos. I felt lucky to leave without incident and being 6'3" in decent shape, it is very rare that I get this feeling anywhere.

I've heard great things about the pool scene in Billings and I hope this place is the exception rather than the rule. Some places or bars are just better than others, no big deal. If you don't like a place, don't spend your money there.
 
Da Poet said:
I think I know where you're coming from, but I think I'm going to disagree with this only because of the geography. There is one particular bar with maybe 3-4 tables in Billings I had the misfortune of checking out a year and a half ago that was just downright creepy, and I'm usually right at home in any dive. I don't even want to remember the name, but it was pretty close to the center of town. There's a big difference between gamblers checking out your speed, and serious weirdos. I felt lucky to leave without incident and being 6'3" in decent shape, it is very rare that I get this feeling anywhere.

I've heard great things about the pool scene in Billings and I hope this place is the exception rather than the rule. Some places or bars are just better than others, no big deal. If you don't like a place, don't spend your money there.
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Good point. I just didn't like how the original post came off. When I hear someone use the term "young punks", I immediately think it's coming from an angry old man or a pool snob. If the bars he was referring to are truly dangerous, that's a different story and I understand.:)
 
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Well first ...

If you are a true lover of the sport, quite calling them 'Pool halls', and start calling them 'Billiard rooms' if you want to help elevate the sport a little.
If we want to go into the future, we can't be stuck in the past.

I quit playing in bars years ago for the most part, and have an aversion to them today. I just go to 'Billiard rooms', and although sometimes some unsavory types or troublemakers show up, they are usually a more sociable place and more enjoyable than bars, and the people usually have a vested interest in the sport.

Plus, very few bars maintain their tables very well.
 
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mrpool06 said:
I have room in my family room for a table, but it'd take up the whole room, & my wife would kill me! :(
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Doesn't sound like a hard choice to me. Just thank your wife for her years of fine service, write her a check, and send her packing. :D
 
mrpool06 wrote:
> Anyone else get sick of bars?

Actually, it's the opposite with me -- I usually get fed up with the stuck-up, sterile, and often unfriendly pool-halls. Instead, I like to play in a local dive-bar which has full-size coin-tables... and if you play well, you'll keep the table the entire night (i.e., you'll play for free). The only problem I have is the heavy cue-ball. But when it comes to crazy & rowdy regulars (as you mentioned), I couldn't care less -- to me it's just a good exercise to stay cool, no matter what's around you.

-- peer
 
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