New GC5 Pocket Opening Recommendations

Dan White

Dan White

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Howdy. I'm having a GC5 installed on Sunday and have some pocket options. They are:

1. Keep the standard opening, which is 5",

2. Use a slightly thicker facing to give a 4 13/16" opening (that's just over 4 3/4" opening),

3. Go with the "pro cut" rails which are 4 1/2".

I'm leaning towards option 2. I play pretty much exclusively straight pool. My reasoning is this: While many believe 5" is perfectly acceptable for straight pool, I find that when I play out in a pool hall, the openings are often less than 5". I didn't want to get sloppy with the 5" pockets and have trouble when playing in a pool hall. The 4 1/2" pockets seem designed specifically for "shot making" games like nine ball. 4 1/2" would be good training for keeping me real accurate, but I wonder if it will take some of the fun out of straight pool.

So, I asked them to put together the 4 13/16" rails, but I still have an option on the 4.5". I think I could be swayed into the 4.5", but probably not the 5".

Any comments or advise would be appreciated!
 
I'd opt for #2. I have a GC II with pockets set at roughly 4.75". Play is perfectly acceptable for 14.1. And yes, I still miss plenty of shots at this pocket cut.
 
I got to say I haven't regretted my diamond or the pocket size. 4.5 keeps me sharp and the pockets still play fair. That being said on some steep break shots I feel the pocket looks really small.

Now if you could do 4.5 in the corners and 5 in the sides that would be like having best of both worlds :)

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You are right, forgot about that. Side pockets just seen so small playing straight pool sometimes.

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Do the GC5 pockets spit balls out like the 3's. Or are the cut like Diamonds that have the famous Brunswick rattle?

Anyways, home tables are for practice and drills so I would choose 4.5
 
jtompilot said:
Do the GC5 pockets spit balls out like the 3's. Or are the cut like Diamonds that have the famous Brunswick rattle?

Anyways, home tables are for practice and drills so I would choose 4.5
Click to expand...


I am not aware of any issues with pockets not accepting balls correctly on the GC5.

Thanks for your comment!
 
I have factory 5" pockets on my home GC. When I gamble, I routinely play on double and triple shimmed GC's (no Diamonds in my areas).

I absolutely love the bucket pockets for my home table. It's great for straight pool. IMO banger opinion, the function of a home table is to get you and keep you in stroke, so when you get a call for action, you are ready. A bigger pocket size IMO gets you in better stroke than a small pocket size.
 
Last week I played straight on a table with sub 4 inch side pockets. They took away a lot from the game.

center pocket said:
You are right, forgot about that. Side pockets just seen so small playing straight pool sometimes.

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Plus it builds your confidence. Which IMHO is good too


iusedtoberich said:
I have factory 5" pockets on my home GC. When I gamble, I routinely play on double and triple shimmed GC's (no Diamonds in my areas).

I absolutely love the bucket pockets for my home table. It's great for straight pool. IMO banger opinion, the function of a home table is to get you and keep you in stroke, so when you get a call for action, you are ready. A bigger pocket size IMO gets you in better stroke than a small pocket size.
Click to expand...





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk.
 
I posed this question to a friend of mine that I respect a lot, and his position was as follows:

If at all possible get a diamond or pockets similar to a diamond as almost all the events now (even the 14.1 event at derby) are played on a diamond.

However, I can understand your rational; if you are only a straight pool player, and unlikely to compete in straight pool events with diamonds (there is only one that I know of) then maybe it is better to go with a bigger pocket.

After all, having fun with pool is the point.

I am interested to hear other views. Since I also enjoy one pocket, if I were to get a table, I would try and get a diamond.

kollegedave
 
Simple answer, get 4 5/8s pockets! The pool game is definitely migrating to smaller pockets. If 4.5 is too small, see if you can have Brunswick open them up a bit like Diamond did for me. IMO long runs in straight pool can be boring. We play the game to challenge our physical skills, if you are not doing that then just get 5 inch and make believe you're better than you really are. I now know how bad I really am.
 
Thanks for the comments. I've decided to stay with my original feeling, which was to have 4 3/4" (actually 1/16" larger) pockets. These are not shimmed rails, so you can only change the pocket opening in certain increments by using a slightly thicker facing.

The deciding factor for me is really the side pockets, now that I think about it some more. My existing table has just under 5" corner pockets, essentially 5", and I had gotten used to the relatively forgiving side pockets. When I play at a nearby pool hall, with both 4 3/4 and 5" tables, I found myself hitting the points on the sides.

Also, more philosophically, straight pool is played mainly with 2 corner pockets and 2 side pockets. If the pockets are really sized for 9 ball or 1 pocket, then it will be a chore to play 14.1 with those tight sides.

I just think the 4 3/4" is a good compromise.

So now that I'm pretty sure I've said more about this than anybody on Earth cares, I'll leave it at that. :rolleyes:
 
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