Table mechanics gone wild ?

Out of the 10 Diamond Professionals where I play, 1 has 4" pockets, 6 have 4.5" pockets, and the 3 in the back have 5" pockets for the bangers. The owners had 7 tables reclothed with Simonis, but kept the 5 year old Milliken cloth on the 3 back tables. Those 3 back tables go for $8/hour, while the 6 reclothed 4.5" tables rent for $10/hour. The table with 4" pockets that was rebuilt by Glen isn't available for rent by most people. It stays covered with a reserved sign on it until a serious player wants to play on it.

I don't own the place or make the rules. If I did, it would be a lot different. Unfortunately the owners of this room know nothing about pool whatsoever, and have no interest in trying to learn. They run the business as a bar and music venue, that just happens to have 10 professional quality pool tables in it. They have live concerts several times a week. They have live jazz every Thursday during pool league. It's a shame.

Hmmm, Diamond pool tables AND live jazz on league night? Where do I sign up? If you want to know what sad is, come to my area and I will show you what passes as our city's pool room.
 
When the ball ever so lightly touches the point of the pocket to which it's entering that puts twist/turn on the ball that causes the ball to climb out out the pocket.
The professional tables today are designed for competition. There are only two professional pool tables marketed for competition and commercial use. Those two table share similar designs in different ways to make the pocket play tough... The speed and control is very much a factor. You can no longer use the old school way of playing pool. Each shot today requires way more than it did 10-15 years ago.
The equipment has come a long ways in a short period of time.

If they are rattling balls on a valley or alike coin op table they won't like diamonds at all...

Rob.M

Exactly. Shooting to the "pro side" of the pocket has never been more important. If you hit the rail or point on the way in, it put spin on the ball that wants to take it out of the pocket.
 
Diamond offers tables with league-cut pockets or the pro-cut which are 4 1/2", I think Brunswick does too. Did the owner of the establishment order pro-cut when maybe he should have gotten league-cut pockets? I dont think it would be a bad idea if most places got the league-cut pockets, unfortunately they always seem to opt for pro-cut for some reason.
 
Hmmm, Diamond pool tables AND live jazz on league night? Where do I sign up? If you want to know what sad is, come to my area and I will show you what passes as our city's pool room.

Live jazz with horns and everything in a basement while you're trying to play pool isn't as much fun as you might think. It also takes the entire social situation out of league play, because there's no way in hell you can talk to anyone else unless you're screaming straight into their ear. It's that loud. And if you saw the condition these tables get into, you might cry. I've seen many tables in bars that are kept in better shape. The room has a ton of potential, it's just a shame it isn't ran by somebody who gives a damn about pool.
 
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MBC in Marietta, GA just had Ernesto come in and preform hi magic on all their Gold Crowns. The 'tournament" area with 14 tables used to be all Olhausen with 5" pockets and the GC's were on the back side of the room (also with 5" pockets).

They moved all the GC's to the tourney area, and I think the pockets now are slightly less than 4.5" (two balls won't go through the opening). But man do they play nice and fair!

THe Olhausens are now on the far side of the room for the "rec" player - although anyone can rent the GC's if open.

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Live jazz with horns and everything in a basement while you're trying to play pool isn't as much fun as you might think. It also takes the entire social situation out of league play, because there's no way in hell you can talk to anyone else unless you're screaming straight into their ear. It's that loud. And if you saw the condition these tables get into, you might cry. I've seen many tables in bars that are kept in better shape. The room has a ton of potential, it's just a shame it isn't ran by somebody who gives a damn about pool.

Are you talking about the pool hall once known as "Team Players" in Chico? If so, what a shame. That place was a true pool hall back in the early 90's.
 
Maybe the main reason pool halls are losing customers is because table mechs are ruining the tables' pockets .
Had a couple here yesterday to pick up their cue. They are avid players.
They just bought a table and have stopped going to their two favorite pool halls because the pockets are rattlers now according to them.
These two are qualified to give that opinion because the husband is a solid B player and the wife is also one of the better regional players here.

You can't blame the mechanics for this. It's the owners and "serious" pool players who are responsible for this crap. If they were not always mentally masturbating about how tight the pockets at their favourite pool hall are, they would notice that they are the only players in there..All the casual players left a long time ago.

The best, attacking pool is played on normal pockets (4.5 - 4.75 inches). The way people here are talking, you'd think any bum off the streets is capable of running 10 racks on this kind of equipment at any given time. Ask those idiots how many racks they've run in a row at most this year....Thought so..Then WHY THE HELL do they want tighther pockets? I don't get it. Please go ruin your own tables, instead of messing up everyone else's good time.
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Hmmm, Diamond pool tables AND live jazz on league night? Where do I sign up? If you want to know what sad is, come to my area and I will show you what passes as our city's pool room.

I'd take that, too, in a heartbeat.

Better than loud, obnoxious filthy rap crap, for sure. I'd rather have someone poke me in the ribs while I play than have that crap fill my ears.


Jeff Livingston
 
Live jazz with horns and everything in a basement while you're trying to play pool isn't as much fun as you might think. It also takes the entire social situation out of league play, because there's no way in hell you can talk to anyone else unless you're screaming straight into their ear. It's that loud. (snip).

I wouldn't want that. Been there, done that. Bad for one's hearing.

I said, BAD FOR ONE'S HEARING!!!

Jeff Livingston
 
Not to redirect the conversation but has anyone seen a Diamond with the blue label that has 5" corner pockets? I would like to play on one just to compare it to a Gold Crown with 5" corner pockets.
For the customers that are not regular pool players 5" pockets seem to allow them to play and enjoy the game of pool. I don't really care if the pockets are tight or not when I play tournaments I have seen shots missed in all size pockets!
 
Of this I have no doubt.

Pool room owners listening to the better players demanding tighter and tighter pockets are shooting themselves in the wallet nuts.

People want to have a good time. Good time = pocketing balls.

Have a couple of tables slightly tighter but that's it. If the players want even tighter pockets, tell them to go tighten up their home table.

JoeyA

As usual there is wisdom with age. No offense meant to your age Joey, you got nothing but respect from me. Joey, as usual is dead on. And this coming from a man who plays and teaches at one of the biggest shark tanks in the country. If there is one guy who can appreciate two strong players battling it out on a tight table it's Joey. But he knows that the run of the mill bar player ain't gonna go for this. When I was a young player, up and coming thinking I was a hotshot we always had about 6 to 12 easy tables and one tough one. The pool room was filled to the point of a waiting list, especially on weekend nights. The top players gambled on the tight table but that was it. All. No one else ventured over there. Now you got too many tight tables and not enough players. Let's go back to a few tight tables and the rest big pockets. Get more drinkers in who like to shoot pool along with the $hit! Get this game popular again. That's the key. Popularity not a country full of world beaters. I love Diamonds. I love a good well modified Gold Crown. I've won and lost on both. But we gotta start recognizing that folks like me don't keep the pool rooms open. I say all this after getting accused of all kinds of stuff due to a now deleted post about a well known pool room redone by a well known mechanic. But seriously I want this game to flourish in the USA. And easier tables can and will help. Even for guys like me who used to shoot the lights out but now, due to glaucoma ain't got it anymore. Just food for thought from a drunk guy. Ok where'd I put my drink?
 
Not to redirect the conversation but has anyone seen a Diamond with the blue label that has 5" corner pockets? I would like to play on one just to compare it to a Gold Crown with 5" corner pockets.
For the customers that are not regular pool players 5" pockets seem to allow them to play and enjoy the game of pool. I don't really care if the pockets are tight or not when I play tournaments I have seen shots missed in all size pockets!

No 5" corner pockets on a Diamond blue label, factory set at 4 1/2".
 
No 5" corner pockets on a Diamond blue label, factory set at 4 1/2".



Which is much better. No one wants to play on buckets. It's just a shame that they can't produce a rail that doesn't cater to the I don't have a stroke crowd so they can use a girly man stroke & get around the table because it zings like a pinball machine. A ball shouldn't come off a rail with more velocity than it has going into that rail. It just doesn't make sense.
 
Which is much better. No one wants to play on buckets. It's just a shame that they can't produce a rail that doesn't cater to the I don't have a stroke crowd so they can use a girly man stroke & get around the table because it zings like a pinball machine. A ball shouldn't come off a rail with more velocity than it has going into that rail. It just doesn't make sense.

It's lmpossible for a ball to come off a rail faster than it goes into it:cool:
 
Which is much better. No one wants to play on buckets. It's just a shame that they can't produce a rail that doesn't cater to the I don't have a stroke crowd so they can use a girly man stroke & get around the table because it zings like a pinball machine. A ball shouldn't come off a rail with more velocity than it has going into that rail. It just doesn't make sense.

I disagree, respectfully. Lots of folks enjoy playing on tables with 5 inch pockets. For an experienced player 4 1/2 inch pockets are preferred but for the guy just out to have a few beers with his buddies or with his girlfriend 5 inch pockets are much more fun. When it comes down to the bottom dollar an owner needs to carefully consider who comes into his business and why. The Brass Tap in Raleigh did just that and the owner has watched many, many pool halls come and go right in his own vicinity while he has continued on. Part of his business plan is to keep all his customers happy and coming back and the larger pocket size has been one of the keys to doing just that. Their large tournaments also draw many big name players on those 5 inch pockets and are full field venues.
 
I play in 3 different rooms. Two I play in regularly. All GC's or Medalist tables, a couple of Diamonds. I've never measured the pocket size but the all appear to be about the same size.

In one of the rooms the table seems to spit out balls struck with any pace down the rail that hits the facing of the pocket. I'm not talking about a ball the nicks the point or a rail before going in, or a ball that is slammed into the pocket, I'm talking about the facing of the pocket itself. In the other rooms, not an issue. Some of the better players in the area have noticed the same thing and have commented on how tough the tables play.

Any thoughts on why that might happen?
 
Maybe the main reason pool halls are losing customers is because table mechs are ruining the tables' pockets .
Had a couple here yesterday to pick up their cue. They are avid players.
They just bought a table and have stopped going to their two favorite pool halls because the pockets are rattlers now according to them.
These two are qualified to give that opinion because the husband is a solid B player and the wife is also one of the better regional players here.

I have always thought that the smartest pool room owners were the ones who catered to different levels of players. Several rooms I have been in had a "fun" side with easy pockets and a serious side with tighter pockets.

I think it's up to the pool room owner to be aware of what's being done to his equipment and to make a conscious decision about it.
 
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