What changes have happened to pool in the last decade?

[sjm]

The biggest difference is the globalization of the game. Great players are popping up every corner of the globe now.

The list of players carrying a Fargo of 800+ includes at least one player from each of Iraq, Spain, Singapore, Albania, Poland, Vietnam, Bosnia, Hungary, Hong Kong, Lithuania, Serbia and Estonia. None of these nations had historically produced much pool talent.

Because of the globalization of the game, the standard of play has risen dramatically in the past ten years to a level that I could never have imagined.

 

[trob]

My hands sweat so after all these years. One year ago I gave in and got a glove. Yes, I have noticed alot more people wearing gloves.

I started wearing gloves the instant they came out 30 years ago sir Joseph’s was the one at all the pool halls. lol they just made sense. Most of the people who made fun of them then wear them now. If you don’t need them god bless lol but I have oily hands and went from having to deal with powder or cleaning the shaft all the time to never giving it a thought.

 

[nataddrho]

The biggest difference is the globalization of the game. Great players are popping up every corner of the globe now.

The list of players carrying a Fargo of 800+ includes at least one player from each of Iraq, Spain, Singapore, Albania, Poland, Vietnam, Bosnia, Hungary, Hong Kong, Lithuania, Serbia and Estonia. None of these nations had historically produced much pool talent.

Because of the globalization of the game, the standard of play has risen dramatically in the past ten years to a level that I could never have imagined.

This is probably the best answer.

 

[BilliardHome]

I started playing pool in 2001, then in 2002 I started my pool organization www.christianpoolplayers.com (CPPA) which was going quite well, but then it almost fizzled out in 2010's. Also during that time while I still loved pool I pretty much stopped playing. Then I played one season of league in 2018 (can't say I enjoyed it). But in 2020 I got an 9' old table for my new man cave. Played a little on it every month. But in past couple years CPPA has had a growth explosion .
Now I've starting to showing up at pool halls and playing a little. Just this month I started playing in a league for first time since 2018 and enjoying it. Hopefully tournaments by 2026 (I'll be 66 years old - I guess I'm a senior). So that brings me to my question. "What changes have happened to pool in the last decade?".
A few things I have noticed:
1. Carbon Fiber cues are popular.
2. Extenders to make your cue longer.
3. Lots of pool playing on YouTube.
4. A lot of new generation players that are quite good.

What are some other things that have changed in pool. Hopefully we can keep it positive.

Thanks in advance for your input.
Jim

Dealer/service side here, so I see it more from the equipment angle. Carbon fiber shafts (Predator Vantage, OB+, Cuetec) really did shift things, low deflection went from pro-only novelty to something a $150 starter cue advertises. Extenders got popular partly because of that low deflection craze too, guys wanting more length without giving up the tip feel. The YouTube effect is real but it cuts both ways, more people learning fundamentals early, but also more guys who can recite Dr. Dave physics and still can't run three balls.

Bigger change nobody mentioned: cloth got faster and more consistent across the board (Simonis basically won), so tables play quicker than they did in the 90s even at bar box level. Also table quality at the entry level went up a lot, Chinese-made tables with real slate got way better for the money, which changed what "beginner setup" even means. If anyone's shopping a first cue with all this new carbon fiber stuff flooding the market, fuller guide here covers what actually matters versus marketing.