Two playing cues used in the same game?

[galipeau]

Golfers have 14 clubs, each with their own purpose. Why as pool players do we limit ourselves to one playing cue? Sure, we have a break and jump cue that are specialized, but why not extend that logic to your player?

Would you use for example, a low deflection shaft for long accuracy focused shots, and a larger tip solid maple cue shaft for touchy small position movements like a safety?

I've tried it and it didn't really help, but I've gone all last year without my main player I used to use every time I played. Long story short, I sent it out for a wrap that took 12 months to return to me.... I know.

Screwed me up since I had to use my other cues. Trying to reintroduce the old player, but I've found it hard to adjust. So I keep it in the bag, along with the cue I've been using in the interim, abs just swap in and out to see how I'm doing. I know it's likely better to pick a cue and stick to it... maybe that's why nobody used different cues during the same match. Too hard to adjust.

Recently watched Alex pagulyan talking about his cues. He plays a steel joint solid maple shaft for one pocket, and an ld shaft for 9 ball, etc.

I split my cues by game generally. There's a 1p cue, a billiard cue, 8 ball, etc. Maybe I'll just keep it that way...

Just my random thoughts, I know they may not make any sense

 

[easy-e]

Golfers have 14 clubs, each with their own purpose. Why as pool players do we limit ourselves to one playing cue? Sure, we have a break and jump cue that are specialized, but why not extend that logic to your player?

Would you use for example, a low deflection shaft for long accuracy focused shots, and a larger tip solid maple cue shaft for touchy small position movements like a safety?

I've tried it and it didn't really help, but I've gone all last year without my main player I used to use every time I played. Long story short, I sent it out for a wrap that took 12 months to return to me.... I know.

Screwed me up since I had to use my other cues. Trying to reintroduce the old player, but I've found it hard to adjust. So I keep it in the bag, along with the cue I've been using in the interim, abs just swap in and out to see how I'm doing. I know it's likely better to pick a cue and stick to it... maybe that's why nobody used different cues during the same match. Too hard to adjust.

Recently watched Alex pagulyan talking about his cues. He plays a steel joint solid maple shaft for one pocket, and an ld shaft for 9 ball, etc.

I split my cues by game generally. There's a 1p cue, a billiard cue, 8 ball, etc. Maybe I'll just keep it that way...

Just my random thoughts, I know they may not make any sense

I'm of the opposite mindset. I don't know why golfers don't just use one club.

 

[Baron]

The more I distribute my play between cues, the worse I play. Conversely, I do plan to start only picking up cues/having cues made that are relatively close in measurements and ideally with interchangeable shafts. That way I can keep being an idiot and spending my money on cues, because I like doing that, without it impacting my game so much.

And truthfully, I think I could handle different weights/lengths if deflection wasn't an issue. That's the main thing I can't handle. So in that sense, switching cues can be a bit of a positive reset for me since it makes me stick to center ball as often as possible.

 

[slide13]

I don't really think you can corelate pool to golf. As someone who enjoys both it's just not the same thing at all.

I actually like to play golf with fewer clubs than 14, I usually use 7-9 myself, but there is no way one could play high level golf with just 1 or even only a few clubs. The club selection has too much of an impact on shot distance and being able to control that shot distance.

Pool is different, the cue doesn't really have that much impact on the performance of the shot like a golf club with it's variable length and loft. Break cues and jump cues being the two exceptions where the harder tips do make a big and useful difference. But in regular pool shots, I just don't see what benefit there is to be gained from it.

Sure, you could have LD vs non-LD shafts, or different tip hardnesses...but to what end. I think with pool, familiarity and predictability of what the cue will do is much more important.

I think the better correlation of pool to golf would be just pool to putting. Golfers use the same putter for a 2" tap in and a 45' shot from the fringe. And like in pool I like to know my putter and be very used to it. I haven't changed my putter or my playing cue in many years now.

 

[spktur]

I've seen Efren look at a shot and change shafts or cues mid game. Seems to like the other equipment for that particular shot

 

[briankenobi]

I do this, but for artistic pool tournaments so its a little different. But it is the same concept. I have a main cue I use with a CF shaft, a cue for 2mm draw shots which is a lighter cue with a really thin wood shaft, and another light cue with a thicker wood shaft. I also use three different jump cues. I can see people using different cues while playing regular pool but not really the same game. I think it would over complicate things. I can see changing shafts/cues for different size tables and even different style games like Alex does for rotation and one pocket.

 

[hang-the-9]

While I would swap shafts and maybe even cues in a single night of playing, there is no way that I would swap to different cues for different "normal" shots in a game. But I can see the reasoning, in theory, that it may help someone. Theory and practice do not always line up with the same results though Jumps/breaks are of course the exception.

 

[Zerksies]

As much as i love spending money on new gear, I'd probably go nuts trying to figure out what cue for what shot. I'd probably say most of my selection would involve shaft diameter.

I'd really like to get a Revo 3C shaft, but the pool hall i'm playing i think they are playing some other variant Billiard game. I'd also have to upgrade my case too if i got another shaft.

 

[axejunkie]

I've pondered this a bit too and think switching cues during a rack would impair one's rhythm. Walking away from the table to grab another cue to me seems counterproductive to finding a mental rhythm.

That said, I can understand using a different shaft on different table sizes.

 

[Sealegs50]

I'm of the opposite mindset. I don't know why golfers don't just use one club.

You can play a lot of golf with a 7-iron.

 

[Bavafongoul]

I'm of the opposite mindset. I don't know why golfers don't just use one club.

Because there is a world of difference playing a par 3 @ 120 yds & then a par 5 @ 520 yds.
Playing from a bunker or having to go over a tree is very different than middle of the fairway.
Lastly, using the almost up right flat club really well counts more than any of the other clubs.

 

[joelpope]

I'm of the opposite mindset. I don't know why golfers don't just use one club.

the concept is that for full hits golfers use one "swing" the same swing on a highly lofted 9 iron produces a high trajectory, less distance and more spin (throwing a dart) whereas the same swing on a 4 iron produces a lower trajectory and much greater distance (playing to an approximate area). Once a golfer can replicate his "swing" he can calibrate the length of each of his clubs with consistency

There is more to it, including shaft length and where ball is positioned relative to your stance but that basically answers your question of why different clubs

 

[GoldCrown]

I play like crap with 1 cue. I’d be twice as bad with 2

 

[joelpope]

Golfers have 14 clubs, each with their own purpose. Why as pool players do we limit ourselves to one playing cue? Sure, we have a break and jump cue that are specialized, but why not extend that logic to your player?

Would you use for example, a low deflection shaft for long accuracy focused shots, and a larger tip solid maple cue shaft for touchy small position movements like a safety?

I've tried it and it didn't really help, but I've gone all last year without my main player I used to use every time I played. Long story short, I sent it out for a wrap that took 12 months to return to me.... I know.

Screwed me up since I had to use my other cues. Trying to reintroduce the old player, but I've found it hard to adjust. So I keep it in the bag, along with the cue I've been using in the interim, abs just swap in and out to see how I'm doing. I know it's likely better to pick a cue and stick to it... maybe that's why nobody used different cues during the same match. Too hard to adjust.

Recently watched Alex pagulyan talking about his cues. He plays a steel joint solid maple shaft for one pocket, and an ld shaft for 9 ball, etc.

I split my cues by game generally. There's a 1p cue, a billiard cue, 8 ball, etc. Maybe I'll just keep it that way...

Just my random thoughts, I know they may not make any sense

one school of thought is to eliminate as many variables as you possible can

variables you can't control:
- table set up, cloth, speed, rails, pockets
- balls being clean, dirty, poor quality, mixed sets, brand
- environment being quiet, noisy, bright, dark, hot, cold, humid

variables you can control
- cue weight, taper & deflection
- tip construct and shape

Use one cue, a particular style tip and of course a consistent shape for your tip and I believe you are better off

while the percentage of shot types vary by game, you will need accuracy, power and touch at some point in any game you choose to play

the exception being snooker & billiards where you are using different sized balls and differently designed cloth than you use for 8 ball, 9 ball, 10 ball and straight pool on your typical pocket pool table

 

[tim913]

The deflection from one shaft to the other might be different, it would feel different, I would not be as accurate and therefore have no confidence going back and forth.
During hunting season the arrows in my quiver are all the same weight, spine, and length. Total arrow weights, including broadheads, nocks, fletching are the same. It’s all about consistency

 

[maha]

not so good players or good players that get superstition or wacky ideas in their heads believe in these far out solutions to a problem that doesn't exist.

as far as golf goes very good players can play with say a 6 iron and shoot within two strokes of their normal game. try betting someone someday on not shooting say a 75 or less on a regular course.
or dont bet the guy that will play you even with his putter only and you traditionally break 80.

 

[tomatoshooter]

No.

This is why I am ambivalent about break and jump cues. I'm opposed to them, per se, I just don't want to have to lug 5 cues out when we get specialized cues for each shot. In golf you are hitting from 5 different surfaces, I think a single club would struggle to cover that range, although I wonder how many amateurs can truly need all 14 clubs.

And, really, would you have more fun carrying 5 cues? I can see the need for the jump cue and break cue, but most of that is because other players have them. Aside from jump and break cues, I don't think a different cue would make me more effective than the one I have now, although I have had better results on swerve shots, I think that could be overcome with practice.

as far as golf goes very good players can play with say a 6 iron and shoot within two strokes of their normal game.

I think they would give up too much distance on the drives, no? And getting out of a bunker would be tough. I think they could 5 clubs and get really close to their regular score though.

 

[Cornerman]

The more I distribute my play between cues, the worse I play. Conversely, I do plan to start only picking up cues/having cues made that are relatively close in measurements and ideally with interchangeable shafts. That way I can keep being an idiot and spending my money on cues, because I like doing that, without it impacting my game so much.

And truthfully, I think I could handle different weights/lengths if deflection wasn't an issue. That's the main thing I can't handle. So in that sense, switching cues can be a bit of a positive reset for me since it makes me stick to center ball as often as possible.

Man, it feels like I wrote this. The more I play with different cues and shaft combos, the worse I get. I’ve played with Schulers so long that I kept trying to get shafts built for Schulers. But now I’m trying to switch to using my Tascarella so that I can goof around with shafts with 5/16-14. Any cue purchase going forward would be 5/16-14. No more cue purchases!!!! Right…

But of course I have Brandon Jacoby buiilding me one with a Schuler joint. Fortunately, I have about 20 shafts to choose from…

 

[SpiderWebComm]

I'm of the opposite mindset. I don't know why golfers don't just use one club.

You really can't on a regulation length golf course. Each club is set at an angle and shaft length to vary the distances each one can max out based on the swing speed of the player.

However, I know a few guys who gamble a lot and play gaffe games to make things interesting and a challenge.
Each player picks one club out of the entire set and has to use it for all shots. Driving, fairway, sand traps, and putting.
They're usually 9-hole matches. The participants mostly choose a 7, 6, or 5 iron with each having certain benefits for versatility as well as disadvantages.

 

[GoldCrown]

I'm of the opposite mindset. I don't know why golfers don't just use one club.

or wear 2 pair of pants in case they get a hole in one.