It's the Indian not the arrow.....and what I learned

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EJmagnum186

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So I am about a 470 fargo and last night I had to play 2 players on league night and 1 is about my speed and the other might be the best player in NH. Well low and behold I left my cue at work. So I just grab a house cue off the rack and chalk up. First rack was just a little awkward getting the feel on not playing w/ my usual. Both matches were respectable and went down to the final rack in spite of some lack luster shots on my part, but here is what I learned and was cognizant of while I was playing. I found out that I couldn't move the cue ball the way I would normally and as a result I was much more aware of paying attention to my basic mechanics and playing much more precise position and taking what the table was giving me than I typically would. Yeah, it would have been nice to free wheel a little more and there were times where I need my normal stroke/delivery but I just slowed down and tried to make lemons out of lemonade instead of trying to force what I "think" I can do.

Here is my point, for all of the carbon fiber shafts, best hit, best tip, jump cue what gadget will get me to the next level talk.......In the end it really is the Indian and the 6" between their ears and not the arrow. The only thing about the house cue that truly impacted my game is that they were 57" cues and I wound up touching the cue ball 6x while getting ready to pull the trigger......what did I learn.....My girlfriend is right...1" really does matter, lol.
 
I agree with your overall sentiment. I hate that phrase though. For one thing the pool equivalent of an arrow would be a cue ball. But anyway....

There is definitely something to that simplification of approach when playing with an unusual cue that can pay a lot of dividends. I think a lot of mid level amateur players try to do too much, and I'm very much guilty of that myself. When I take out one of my standard deflection wood shaft cues a lot of things go better for the same reasons you mention....focus on fundamentals, being very careful to hit your spots, and doing less with the cue ball.

Now one can take that same approach with a modern carbon low deflection cue too of course...and still have the added benefits available to them when needed, but that takes a discipline I have yet to cultivate. Working on it though.

Every few months I like to pull a house cue off the while just to remind myself that good pool can absolutely be played with simple tools.
 
get a house cue and sand down to a good taper for you and round up the tip how you like it and in an hours play its like it was always your stick.

i love carbon shafts and low deflection. because if i see them in the pool rooms i go to, those that have them i can easily beat almost all of them.

but the wood shaft guys can all play. how come is that?

same as golf those with the newest most expensive clubs play the worst. and claim how much better they are with those clubs.
they still cant break 90 from the middle tees
 
I feel like that is one of the dumbest expressions when relating to pool. Give a shitty cue to the best player and they won't be the best player. The other way around probably doesn't matter much... An Indian that can't shoot with the best arrow likely won't see much difference with a shitty arrow.
 
lfigueroa said:
IMO, the arrow counts for a lot.

But you need to know how to use it for best benefit, particularly if you are not an especially gifted Indian.

Lou Figueroa
Click to expand...
Oh I do agree and I play with a vintage Schon R6 with a JP Rogue shaft and kamui tip....my point being, a lot of people put more emphasis on the latest and greatest as a way to level up instead of of practice, knowledge, talent and fundamentals. Put those in place and then use the technology to help level up. No short cuts to hard work and Buddy or Shane could play with a broomstick and still get there against half of us on here. Good rolls to all
 
There’s a reason you’re a 470 Fargo.

The pool cue makes a huge difference in your game.

The right diameter, weight, balance point, and tip all make a difference.

Yeah you can play with a cue off the wall but it’s not like using your own cue. 🤷‍♂️
 
if you change that to a minor difference i can agree but,,,,

as long as the cue is decently functionally close for you all it takes is some amount of time for a person to adjust to it and play at their normal speed or close to it if the cue has limitations.

ive played with dozens upon dozens of different cues and also many off the wall and found i play about the same after an hour with the worst ones,
ten minutes in general.

am i an exception. i dont know. but i do like the feel of certain ones better so those are the ones i lean towards.
 
Here we go again.. Indians didn’t use shitty arrows. Just the dumbest nonsensical saying I hear. They were careful picking the wood they were making arrows out of.

that being said you don’t need the most expensive cue. You don’t need carbon fiber specially if your as low a Fargo as you are. I also wouldn’t play with some cheap pos you get at Walmart either lol I don’t think a carbon fiber shaft makes me better. I just like the way it hits and looks Over wood. If someone doesn’t agree they aren’t wrong. It’s a Very individual thinG.
 
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Old school, high deflection, one or two piece, wood stick and
Uber doober, micro tapered, carbon fiber cue are two very different instruments.

Any Indian might be able to produce similar results with either but only fine Indians will be able to discern and produce the differences.
 
Great pool playing is all about being a great cueist - control of the cue ball - any cue that maximizes your ability to do just that is the best cue for you. Shotmaking is necessary - but becomes secondary to cue ball control among the best players.
 
Don't be too hard on the guy....He will figure it out as he gets better.

IMO....it may be the best learning process....Learn how to play with any broomstick off the rack....then once you have developed some skill and get a type of broomstick you prefer to grab....then transition into a precision Q set up for your preferences.
 
Well maybe there is a half answer that makes sense, the Great at Most Sports will or could be better, with Better Equipment. Like Golfer with Fitted Club, v/s off the shelf at Big 5.

The duffer with the same set as the tour Pro still can't play Golf well, but had great clubs they could learn to use.

Skill is what I would take over best equipment.
 
easy-e said:
I feel like that is one of the dumbest expressions when relating to pool. Give a shitty cue to the best player and they won't be the best player. The other way around probably doesn't matter much... An Indian that can't shoot with the best arrow likely won't see much difference with a shitty arrow.
Click to expand...
One time 2 guys were wolfing in the pool room and one guy said I could beat you with any cue in the building. Other guys says can I pick the cue?

Guy #1 says sure.
They make a game and guy #2 goes to the basement and comes back with and old house cue that resembles a banana.

Guy #1 got robbed playing with the banana cue.
 
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