Rules for Custom pool Room, ur opinion?

dsoriano

dsoriano

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
As some of you know I am building a Pool Room and I have been working on the House Rules. Well, I've revised them several times and I am teeter-tottering back and forth as to how direct I should make them. I'm going to make a 18X24 poster and post these on the wall.
My issue is, I want visitors to respect the equipment, and after spending my time and money I don't want people mistreating the room nor the cues or tables, but I don't want to come across as over critical and sensitive towards the equipment. I do want friends to have fun but I also want them to understand I don't have the means to replace cues and felt on a regular basis. I just want everyone to take the rules serious after all the time and effort I put into building it.

Here are the Rules.........
Opinions anyone?
 

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Unfortunately, it probably won't matter what rules you use because nobody will ever read them, let alone abide by them.

Roger
 
Roger Long said:
Unfortunately, it probably won't matter what rules you use because nobody will ever read them, let alone abide by them.

Roger
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Yup, pool players are notorious for not reading signs, posted rules, tournament fliers, etc. Where I played for almost 25 years, guys would walk in on a Saturday and ask "What are all these people doing here?" when the tournament poster/flier had been up, right in front of the door going in for over a month.
 
Did you build a pool hall or a place that you could preside over and set rules?

Honestly, I don't disagree with your rules, but I'd laugh at that poster when I walk into a place.

You are going to dictate to your patrons that are paying to use your tables what version of the rules will be used to settle disputes? Your the pool hall owner and judge that presides over all disputes?

If it were me, I'd say you are in the right for wanting to protect your equipment, but some of this stuff goes too far.

I would perhaps consider seperating the Pool Etiquette information into a different "poster" although I would suggest having a sign made with your etiquette information so as to come off more like something that is generally accepted and that you are mearly sharing the common etiquette and making it more known rather than enforcing your version of the "rules" based on etiquette.

It's a small distinction, but if I walked into your place and saw the Etiquette Sign I'd think "hey, that's a good thing to have up" and the rules sign seems appropriate (minus the BCA dispute/resolution part), but if you put them together and it's on a poster, I'm gonna snicker because you think you're God.
 
Personally I dont invite anybody over to my pool room that doesn't already respect me and my equipment. But I do have kids and they got friends and every now and then I got to lay down the law.

Your list looks ok to me.
 
Are you serious?

You wont let people break with your house cues?

It's your room, so it's your rules, but, i think you are going overboard.

Why not just put a velvet rope across the doorway & a sign that states look but dont touch.

Sure doesn't seem like a place that friends will want to come to to relax & have fun.

SLIM
 
Thumbs Up

Cdryden said:
Personally I dont invite anybody over to my pool room that doesn't already respect me and my equipment. But I do have kids and they got friends and every now and then I got to lay down the law.

Your list looks ok to me.
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Very good statement. I totally agree. Respect is the name of the game.
 
Mozart had too many notes.
You ain't Mozart - you have too many words :D:D:D

Rules OK.
Lose the explanations.
Clarity is concise.
 
Okay, I'm getting the feeling this is a private pool room in your house? If that's the case, then write as many rules as you'd like and a poster is fine...haha. I thought you meant a pool room as in pool hall. Disregard my comments, lol.
 
In my opinion, you need to drastically change your focus.

This is the most ridiculous situation I have witnessed in many years. I agree with another poster. If I saw that rule sheet, I would probably make a few snide remarks...then hit the door and go find a place based in reality.

You do by example...not by DECREE.
 
You have a rule against making excuses for a miss?

Have you ever been tested for a personality disorder?
 
A miss, don't you know its never the shooters fault, its always the table, or the wind or that guy over there farted.
 
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dsoriano said:
As some of you know I am building a Pool Room and I have been working on the House Rules. Well, I've revised them several times and I am teeter-tottering back and forth as to how direct I should make them. I'm going to make a 18X24 poster and post these on the wall.
My issue is, I want visitors to respect the equipment, and after spending my time and money I don't want people mistreating the room nor the cues or tables, but I don't want to come across as over critical and sensitive towards the equipment. I do want friends to have fun but I also want them to understand I don't have the means to replace cues and felt on a regular basis. I just want everyone to take the rules serious after all the time and effort I put into building it.

Here are the Rules.........
Opinions anyone?
Click to expand...
Too many rules. It is not your house it is a business where people want to come and enjoy themselves. Just reasonable common sense rules are necessary. I remember once my bartender put a sign in the bathrooms asking people to not use to many paper towels. The next day someone had taken all the towels and stuffed them down the toilet clogging it. People get tired of being bullied everyday in their lives at their jobs and so on, they don't want it shoved in their faces when they go out to enjoy themselves.
 
WOW, I'm really glad I posted this tread, it really helps me put everything into perspective. Like I said, i didn't know whether the rules were to overboard or not, but reading all the responses I now see how they can be interpreted different ways.

Thanks everyone!
 
Neil said:
I'm very reluctant to say anything, because this is YOUR room, in YOUR backyard. You certainly are entitled to make whatever rules you want to.

That said, do you plan on charging your "guests"? If yes, that changes things too. If no, well, it's your room. Now, with THAT said, did you build a church, or a pool room?? You want friends over, but they can't even talk during a game? How long before they don't come back and you are all alone in your cathedral??

And, just so you know, breaking won't warp a cue. Especially a house cue! If the tip mushrooms a little, shave it down. Only takes a few minutes. And, jumping and masse' shots will NOT rip the cloth. Jumping will leave a white spot that doesn't affect anything.

I'm surprised you don't make a rule for a break cloth. Breaking from the same spot will wear out the cloth in that spot faster than anything else will. If you are going to have kids in there, teach them what they are doing. Such as chalk after every shot, and don't grind the chalk onto the tip. Teach them how to play right and you won't have any problems with them. It's a sport, not just a "game" to pass time. If they are going to do it, then do it right or don't do it at all. But, keep the fun in it for them at the same time.

I know you spent a lot to build it in both time, sweat, and money, but just remember- you built something to enjoy, not something as a shrine. Don't get too anal on the rules.
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Your post reminded me of something. There was a guy in my town who came in my place and was always picking my brain about the business. It was no secret he wanted a pool room. He had no money or business background he was a cement finisher. We one day he begins telling everyone he was opening a room, he had gotten his mother-in-law to help him out with money. Long story short he does put a place together. He and his wife worked night and day building the place. It was small only 10 tables with a beer bar but real nice. He opens and business begins to pick up. After a short time you could see the change in the guy. You would go in and he would be sitting at the bar dressed like he had a business appointment ordering around the girl behind the bar.

Forget him actually going behind the bar or brushing a table. Then comes the new car he parks right in front of the door with a parking space with his name painted on it. It was unbelievable, he fantasized he owned General Motors or something instead of a small pool room. Then the attitude began and no one was off limits including people he had known for years. One of his favorites was.

"This is my place and if you don't like you it get out".

Not a very good way to act in a town with three other pool rooms at the time. He did not last a year before he lost his credit with the beer distributor and could not get a delivery. I saw in the supermarket buying beer a few cases at a time. He got behind in rent and every other bill, including the new car being repossessed. He finally sold the place for like nothing with the new owner picking up his back rent and walking in.

The new owner turned the place around, him and his son working and keeping the money in the family. The place did very good for years till they could not get the lease renewed because of the building being sold to one of those Dollar store chain stores. The point of my story is, there was a good viable business, all it needed was an owner who saw the business for what it was. When you own something like a pool room you actually own a job that requires you to put in the hours. It is a place of entertainment and believe me, something people can easily do without if you make them feel unwelcome.
 
Scaramouche said:
Mozart had too many notes.
You ain't Mozart - you have too many words :D:D:D

Rules OK.
Lose the explanations.
Clarity is concise.
Click to expand...

I agree. Way too many words and the explainations are NOT needed.

Here's my house rules. Any comments appreciated:

HOUSE RULES
- BCA rules rule
- Lag for break
- Rack your own (money ball on the break is not a win)
- Put break cloth under the cue ball when breaking
- Cue ball fouls only
- Winner breaks

Please:
- Wash your hands before using someone else's cue
- No food or drink near the table
- If you scratch or foul, retrieve the cue ball for your opponent
- Place the chalk cube face up when done chalking your cue
- Don't sit on the rails
- Be seated in your chair when it's not your turn
- Help retrieve balls from the pockets when the game is over

------------------------

Note: The primary purpose is to have fun with friends. I let them know that the house rules are mostly based on tournament/league play at pool halls in the area but that If anyone has a problem with any of the rules they can be relaxed (especially the game rules for bar players not used to BIH and of the mind that safety play is chicken$hit pool).

Also, if they want to allow sharking that's O.K. but that usually only lasts for a little while since I grew up playing very dirty pool and can quickly become very mean-spirited when people start screwing with me while I'm shooting. For example, one of my mentor's as a kid was a psychologist and his sharking motto was, "If you keep telling someone they are f'ed up over and over, pretty soon they will start to believe you." A constant barage of demeaning words, shotgun going off out a window behind them while they are shooting, jumping balls off the table into someone's crotch who is standing in front of you, salt/sugar/tabasco in their drinks, condoms hidden in their food while they are shooting, etc. ususally has them wanting to play gentleman's pool.

However, if anyone disrespects the equipment, such as getting mad after missing a shot and putting a ding in one of my cue shafts by banging it against the edge of the table, play stops immediately. Steam pot is warmed up, ding removed and shaft refinished before any play resumes. And, the offending person is given a beat up POS stick with bad tip and craters in the shaft and told in no uncertain terms that they will never be allowed to touch one of my custom cues again.

They either play with the crummy POS cue I give them or bring their own cue from then on. They can complain all they want and say it was an involuntary reflex. Tough, deal with it or bring your own cue. I refuse to supply good house sticks and allow people to beat them up and thereby reward their negative behavior.
 
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