Is a shorter cue better if you're short?

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Jennica

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Hi this is my first post so please be nice. :o I was looking at pool cues and the man who owned the shop told me I would play better with a 57" cue since I am only 5'2". Does one inch make that much difference or should I have him special order a 57" cue? Thank you. Jenn :)
 
hi! im 5'5 1/2 and my cue stick is i think 5'2 which is equal to 62"
i dont think the height does matter. what's more important for me is its weight, the size of the tip and its shaft. also, i would prefer a maple shaft over any other types of shafts...:)
 
don't believe him. he hasn't even seen you shoot.

i actually think tall players have a bigger problem with the average cue.
 
also, the 57" cue is too short i think. what does he think of you? a boy?
go get the normal cue you really want! :D
 
Try this:

Get in your stance for a shot, put the tip of the cue almost touching the cb, you should grip the cue with your forearm pointing in a straight line to the floor. If your grip hand is more than a few inches either in front of or behind the balance point on the cue, it is either too long or too short. You can find the balance point by using your hand as a fulcrum and keep moving your hand until the cue balances on your hand.
 
Jennica said:
Hi this is my first post so please be nice. :o I was looking at pool cues and the man who owned the shop told me I would play better with a 57" cue since I am only 5'2". Does one inch make that much difference or should I have him special order a 57" cue? Thank you. Jenn :)
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There is a pretty good consensus by many players, that a shorter cue may in fact perform better. The length of 58 inches is just arbitrary as far as I am concerned. It is not some written in stone thing. Reminds me of one inch ferrules. Almost every cuemakers make their ferrules one inch, Why? I doubt anyone here could tell you a reason to play with a 58 inch cue and not a 57 or 57 1/2 or a 59. The balance of the cue has more meaning then the length. Unless you reach for a shot, your hand has no idea how much cue is behind your grip. On a personal note though, I believe a shorter cue just plays better, I use a 57 myself. I think Jimmy Reid uses something like a 56 and Pat Fleming even shorter. Billiard cues are all short, around 54 and 55 inches. It is not a crazy thing.
 
Rickw said:
Try this:

Get in your stance for a shot, put the tip of the cue almost touching the cb, you should grip the cue with your forearm pointing in a straight line to the floor. If your grip hand is more than a few inches either in front of or behind the balance point on the cue, it is either too long or too short. You can find the balance point by using your hand as a fulcrum and keep moving your hand until the cue balances on your hand.
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Are you saying to hold the cue at the balance point? On most cues you would be in front of the wrap.
 
macguy said:
Are you saying to hold the cue at the balance point? On most cues you would be in front of the wrap.
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No. I said more than a few inches in front of or behind the balance point. Another way to say this is if your in the stance and your hand is on the butt of the cue, the cue is too short. If your hand is in front of the wrap, it's too long. Sorry, I may not have articulated that in a way that was not clear einough for others to understand.
 
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WOW thank you all for the replies!!!!1 :) :) :)

You guys gave me a lot to think about, but I think I will get a 57" cue. The 58" feels a little bit awkward and I do tend to hold the 58 a little in front of the wrap, which is not quite comfie for me. Thank you again. Jenn :cool:
 
I would think that a shorter cue would be better...just as a longer cue for taller people. However I chatted with a person who has written books and done tests about pool who is as tall as me 6'2" and says the ideal length for him was a 56 3/4" cue. So who knows...I like the reach of a longer cue.

I always grip way back on the buttcap of a cue, and have a Vietnamese friend who is 5'5' and grips all the way in front of the wrap...soooo....???
 
well, i used a shorter cue earlier while i was playing, i lost...:D oh well...
 
I say Rickw is right. Only, the distance between the bridge hand and the ball should be considered. Make the usual bridge and check where you are holding the cue with your hand beside your waist in a shooting stance. Middle of the cue handle should be perfect.
 
I am not laughing, Fast Larry. I have seen gladiators here in Manila aim while swinging their cue from side to side on the bridge and then suddenly release the stroke. Look at the way Luat holds his cue. There are pros who teach taking off from any habit the student is comfortable in because they believe in adaptation.

But the question is how to know what cue length is right for a beginner. I would suggest starting off "by the book" rather than from an unorthrodox style.

That goes with no offense to your being an established pro. I am sure your holding your cue in different places are tools you dig into your toolbox to use in different situations.
 
i hold my cue in the upper portion of the cloth, if i use a shorter cue, i find myself holding its butt...:D
my cue is actually 58" i just measured it... i thought it was around 5'3"...hehehe...
so i was using a short stick after all?
 
I've been playing with a Mali 386-15 for the past 8 years and it is a 58" cue. Last yeaar I purchased a Predator 314 shaft to go with it and it makes my cue 58 1/4" long. I really havn't noticed any difference at all in the feel except that the longer the cue, the farther your reach.

And I also never have my rear hand in the same place, it just goes wherever it feels comfortable whether it is in the middle of the cloth or on the butt for the longer reach.
 
I am sorry if I gave the impression that I was suggesting always holding the cue in the middle of the handle. I was referring to it as a standard in selecting a cue (length).
 
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