Playing on bad equipment: Does it affect your game?

K

kingwang

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
For most of this summer I've had a membership to Edgies billiards where I've been playing on 9' Gold Crowns in excellent condition with Simonis 860. However, in about a month I'm gonna go back to school, where we have rickety bar boxes with pretty heavy table roll and worn cloth in the rec room (Free play though). I talked to a friend taking summer classes and it turns out the kids at the pre-college program there have f'd up the tables pretty badly (like spilling drinks, etc).

Now, I'm sure these tables are still decently playable but would it damage my game to play on them? I'm tempted to go out to a real pool hall but thats a lot more expensive then playing on these free tables.

Thanks for your opinions
 
Hate playing on CRAP Cloth, Dirty Cloth, Cloth that is FUZZY like old Flannel Shirt, and with Balls that are not Clean, or Pitted from too many years of use.

We have a Bar with in maybe 3 miles of home that the Tables, and Balls have seen no attention I would guess as long as the place has been open, maybe 3-5 years.

Play there and come home with BLACK HANDS.
 
"Pitted" doesn't really describe these balls...more like "Lunar Surface"

Actually one was my fault...it was made of some cheap material and I left a crater with my phenolic tip...most of the balls are playable tho.
 
It all depends on if you let it affect your game. Personally, it bothers me to no end and I can't concentrate.
MULLY
 
Playing on bad equipment doesnt hurt my game as much as playing in a bad enviroment. too loud, too crowded, too noisy. Things like that will piss me off really fast and i dont shoot good pissed. I lose what little finesse I have once im pissed. Good players can adjust to bad equipment.
 
TXsouthpaw said:
Playing on bad equipment doesnt hurt my game as much as playing in a bad enviroment. too loud, too crowded, too noisy. Things like that will piss me off really fast and i dont shoot good pissed. I lose what little finesse I have once im pissed. Good players can adjust to bad equipment.
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Your point is very good.:thumbup:
 
kingwang said:
For most of this summer I've had a membership to Edgies billiards where I've been playing on 9' Gold Crowns in excellent condition with Simonis 860. However, in about a month I'm gonna go back to school, where we have rickety bar boxes with pretty heavy table roll and worn cloth in the rec room (Free play though). I talked to a friend taking summer classes and it turns out the kids at the pre-college program there have f'd up the tables pretty badly (like spilling drinks, etc).

Now, I'm sure these tables are still decently playable but would it damage my game to play on them? I'm tempted to go out to a real pool hall but thats a lot more expensive then playing on these free tables.

Thanks for your opinions
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It will probably make you a better player. I won't go into all the reasons now. Let's just say that if you can learn to play good on these tables, you will only play better on good equipment.

You should see some of the tables that many of the filipino stars learned to play on. I have! Same for several Mexican champions.
 
I think it's up to the player and his attitude if it helps or hurts.

If you make an attempt to learn something everytime you're at the table, your game will improve each time you play, regardless of equipment. Jay also makes an excellent point about adjusting from bad equipment.
 
Good players can adapt to any equipment. Sure, they'd rather not play on junk tables, but they figure out how to play on them in a few minutes.

James
 
Thanks for the replies guys. I don't really have much choice about these tables so when I get back I'll keep playing on them...I just hope I keep up my rate of improvement :)
 
jay helfert said:
It will probably make you a better player. I won't go into all the reasons now. Let's just say that if you can learn to play good on these tables, you will only play better on good equipment.

You should see some of the tables that many of the filipino stars learned to play on. I have! Same for several Mexican champions.
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My thoughts exactly. Johnnyt
 
The way I'd see it, it could very well hurt your game. I think a lot of the adaptation going from one table to another CAN BE simple because most tables fall into a range of playability. Maybe the cushions are a bit more lively, the pockets are a bit tighter or spit some balls out, maybe the cloth's a bit faster.

I'd think playing on tables that are too far away from these generally average conditions could make adjusting to normal equipment harder.
 
This is absolutely true! I play on all manner, size and conditions of pool tables, all across the country, when doing exhibitions. Some schools have great equipment...others have abysmal equipment (one school left me with a 9' table, set up for my show, that had only FIVE pockets...yep, the 6th pocket was simply missing, and the balls would fall to the floor!:eek: ). You have to learn to deal with whatever conditions there are. Remember...BOTH players have to play on the same table. The one who can adapt more quickly will always have an advantage!

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

jay helfert said:
It will probably make you a better player. I won't go into all the reasons now. Let's just say that if you can learn to play good on these tables, you will only play better on good equipment.

You should see some of the tables that many of the filipino stars learned to play on. I have! Same for several Mexican champions.
Click to expand...
 
Scott Lee said:
others have abysmal equipment (one school left me with a 9' table, set up for my show, that had only FIVE pockets...yep, the 6th pocket was simply missing, and the balls would fall to the floor!:eek: ).
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If these people were playing on a table with FIVE pockets, it tells me a lot about how much they care about the game. I don't understand why they would even be interested in a pool exhibition. I guess it takes all kinds to make up our world......

James
 
James...This was at a major university too! My contact was the VP of the university, and boy was she pissed that the maintenance people who set the table up, left it that way (I suspect that some heads rolled the next day)! However, I had to 'fade' it, and did my show anyway. I just couldn't do the multi-rail trickshots, and banks that I normally do in a show. In addition to only 5 pockets, this table also had a 3' circle of cloth that had pop spilled on it, and had dried, making the cloth like a rock. Also, there was not even one section of rail that was completely attached, anywhere on the table...some of it was hanging loose in 12" sections, with no cloth attached!:angry: Nice, huh?).

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
 
My problem is that I practice at home all of the time on excellent equipment and then when I am playing the tournaments on crappy equipment, I forget about adjusting to the table during the heat of battle. One of the biggest ones that I forget is playing pocket speed and forgetting about the table roll. I get very frustrated but I know that it is my fault for forgetting to adjust.
Some of the places that I play at do not take care of their equipment so everyone starts laughing at me when I brush down the tables or break out my rag and wipe off the pool balls. "There goes Vinnie again." Everyone must think that I am a little obsessive. Maybe I am. :smile:
 
Yes, not only bad equipment but hot/humid conditions and different cloth have an effect on my game.
 
playing on bad equipment

kingwang said:
For most of this summer I've had a membership to Edgies billiards where I've been playing on 9' Gold Crowns in excellent condition with Simonis 860. However, in about a month I'm gonna go back to school, where we have rickety bar boxes with pretty heavy table roll and worn cloth in the rec room (Free play though). I talked to a friend taking summer classes and it turns out the kids at the pre-college program there have f'd up the tables pretty badly (like spilling drinks, etc).

Now, I'm sure these tables are still decently playable but would it damage my game to play on them? I'm tempted to go out to a real pool hall but thats a lot more expensive then playing on these free tables.

Thanks for your opinions
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JMO:

Playing on all equipment is good for your game. Because you never know when you out what you will be playing on.
 
Jes Knock De Ball In De Hole

" Playing on bad equipment: Does it affect your game? "


Not any more than playing bad on good equipment.

Doug
( I don't know how I played so bad for so long and still enjoyed myself )
 
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