I didn't have the heart to tell him.
is there benefit to increasing table difficulty factor on my home table?
- Thread starter CanadianGuy
- Start date
tomatoshooter
Well-known member
I agree. I think tighter pockets may enforce more care in ball pocketing but they are not mandatory for becoming a precise shooter.
Pocket size doesn't matter if you can consistently shoot center pocket, but few can do that.
It’s funny, I’m about to reply with almost the exact wording. Thanks for posting what I was going to state as well.
It's an illusion. It's a custom modification of the old Fisher. Handcrafted. It's a spacer that lowered the nose height and tighten the pockets a little. Plastic salvaged and ripped on a table saw.
My table my goal is good play. The rails are ready for a little tlc. Just not a priority. The pockets are butt ugly but won't damage the balls.
and play right. 
Today's play
Aw man, you can't leave us hangin like that, you gotta show the whole table now.It's an illusion. It's a custom modification of the old Fisher. Handcrafted. It's a spacer that lowered the nose height and tighten the pockets a little. Plastic salvaged and ripped on a table saw.
My table my goal is good play. The rails are ready for a little tlc. Just not a priority. The pockets are butt ugly but won't damage the balls.
Today's playView attachment 742490
Ah crap it's a mechanics beater car. Wink. Looks better from a distance.
I built my first table in the early '70s. Working at Novo Ply making particle board. We made a table top for Sears. 1 and 3/4" thick board. Saw a Popular Science article on how to.......
My current table was free the cloth was free the rubber and pockets put me in the table really cheap. I have carpet lined the undercarriage and ball rack.
My current table was free the cloth was free the rubber and pockets put me in the table really cheap. I have carpet lined the undercarriage and ball rack.
It will if you constantly get away with murder at home but don't when out
tomatoshooter
Well-known member
I think the biggest advantage of making your home table tougher is not an increase in ability, but that every shot you take in a tournament will be easier than in practice. Even if you are not playing your best, you will still be sinking more balls than what you're used to at home. It just really helps you build momentum and confidence.
I'd add that the benefit of homework is how you treat it. Habituating yourself to and conquering restrictive conditions can yield bigger gains than going through the same ole routine; bad habits, slop, and all...
When I had my GC3 recovered last year, I also replaced the rails (they were over 25 years old). Away from home, I usually play on Diamond tables with 4.5" pockets. So, I told the mechanic that I wanted my table to play as close to a Diamond as possible. He cut the pockets to 4 3/8--slightly smaller than the Diamond pockets to account for the shallower shelf.
I have a set of BarCo ReLiners that I bought in the 1990s. When I put those in, the pockets are 3 3/4". I only use them when I am working on my fundamentals, which have to be near perfect to pocket balls when using the ReLiners.
I have a set of BarCo ReLiners that I bought in the 1990s. When I put those in, the pockets are 3 3/4". I only use them when I am working on my fundamentals, which have to be near perfect to pocket balls when using the ReLiners.
the big advantage is that it will be no fun for others to play on and you get to have your table all to yourself without having to have friends over.
will having a smaller basketball hoop make you a better player
will tighter goal posts make you a better kicker.
actually looser pockets make you learn to hit exact spots on the pockets so you can get your cue ball around the table better.
will having a smaller basketball hoop make you a better player
will tighter goal posts make you a better kicker.
actually looser pockets make you learn to hit exact spots on the pockets so you can get your cue ball around the table better.
All I know is I thought I had solid fundamentals coming back to the game after a few years when I had an olhausen and then I got a diamond with 4.25 pockets. I wanted to push that thing into the street for the first 6 weeks or so. I had to rebuild my stroke because it just wasn’t consistent enough. Now my stroke is better then it’s ever been I’m beating the ghost again with ease.
I think you have to find a happy medium. You don’t want them so crazy tight it takes away from the game but imo your not going to get to the next level if your playing on a valley with 4.75 pockets that have no depth that even when you miss you make it.
I think you have to find a happy medium. You don’t want them so crazy tight it takes away from the game but imo your not going to get to the next level if your playing on a valley with 4.75 pockets that have no depth that even when you miss you make it.
I find you have all the adjustments you need on the rock. I got started on that at the beginning with 2.25" balls on various snooker tables. You learn many of the parameters of ball control independent of the object ball line. Mastery would require many times the minutes I've put in but that's a fundamental truth.
Yes sir! You hit the nail on the head. The tighter pockets will help identify deficiencies in stroke and fundamentals.
In my opinion. The OP is already a decent level player so definitely tighter pockets on practice will help improve. I play on tighter pockets and warm up at home before my local league match. When I get to the pool hall the pockets play so easily, often with a few - “oops that would have missed at home!”
Conversely if the OP were a beginner player then bigger pockets are better so that you can learn how to run balls and get positions without rattling the pockets all the time
One thing to add to the first point, you do have to make sure you don’t get lazy and think “oh these pockets play easy and not play as focused as you would on your home table”!
Conversely if the OP were a beginner player then bigger pockets are better so that you can learn how to run balls and get positions without rattling the pockets all the time
One thing to add to the first point, you do have to make sure you don’t get lazy and think “oh these pockets play easy and not play as focused as you would on your home table”!
Good thought here. Too tight is bad. Cheating pockets is a major aspect of pool, which is why it's different from snooker. It's obviously best to be able to find center pocket, but still be able to cheat the pocket when desired. It may be limiting to the thought process if pockets are too tight and one fails to see the full spectrum of outcomes on "normal" tables.
I play snooker twice a week and pool twice a week.
Snooker definitely points any deficiencies in my stroke.
Before, when playing pool, I didn't really think much about bad habits, balls going in that were sloppily hit, ... These days when I play pool I notice exactly where the ball goes in the pocket or if it touches the rail first before going in. Just makes me more aware of what I'm doing and to not settle for sloppy play.
tomatoshooter
Well-known member
Depending on the table and the shot, there may be significant room for error on the rail side of the pocket. I typically aim to have the center of the ball pass midway between the points but on some tables the center of the range is actually close to half an inch towards the rail. I'm also trying to be more aware of when it can be favorable to miss to one side or the other.
And yet, I have been advised that covering my table with Simonis 760 is too fast for an 8 foot table (as big as will fit in my playing room.)
I do it anyway--This lets me work on the delicate end of practice. It is easier to add power than it is to add delicacy.