Stiff cues

If you hit the center of the cue ball ...deflection should be minimal. Sounds like your stroke has some flaws and a certain type of cue (stiff in your case) is helping to mask them. Practice ironing out your flaws and your choice of stick shouldn't matter as much.

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Lately I've been experimenting with an old fiberglass cue. It has a maple core with fiberglass surrounding it, its a two piece cue and weighs about 19 oz. The cue is very stiff, and also has very little vibration when striking the cueball but goes very nicley through the ball. I noticied that I'm pocketing long, hard and difficult shots much better with this cue than my regular playing cue. I would say that the difference is significant, at least in the 20 % range. Obviously the cue has some drawbacks in other areas, but not too bad, for instance it has suprisingly low deflection.

I also had the reverse experience with a very whippy old Meucci, with which I could not pocket any long shots. The cue was twisting and turning in my hand unless I struck the ball absolutely perfectly.

The question is: Is this all in my head, or have others had similar experiences? Is it really easier to pocket long, hard shots with a stiff cue?

I'm probably going to stick with my current cue anyway, just wondering if this is a real thing or not.
I had the same experience years ago playing with a Schuler. He started making a line of pool cues but the only real difference from his billiard cues was the shaft taper. At first I liked the cue and my shot making was a little better. But as I continued to play with it, and I gave a a good few months, I found the cue just had no feel for general play. Especially playing straight pool and one pocket. When I tried to do close up stuff that needed real precision the cue was awful.
 
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