too many players apologizing when they get a lucky roolI 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 took offNow 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
What changes have happened to pool in the last decade?
- Thread starter preacherman
- Start date
Less Pool Rooms, less place to play on Real Pool Tables. Bar Boxes are more popular because of money slots. Pool less popular with younger generation, because of Xbox, Phones, Video Games, and people want instant gradification.
I think that is a good thing
That's too bad.
Yes you hit in some of the things I missed in my list. 1. 9 ball on the spot. 2. Personally I am not fond of gray cloth. 3. What's up with expensive chalk (I'm assuming those are the round ones I see).
Yes the template rack!
I've noticed that even some of the nice pool halls are going to 8 ft tables or even 7 ft tables. It used to be that all the pool halls had 9 footers and just saw 8 and 7 in the small bars.
Sad IMHO
I didn't see the template rack coming (surprised). But I use it sometimes. I seem to get more balls in on the break with it.
It seems maybe a "little" better.
I love this. And I’ve always hated that pool in the US was traditionally a “sport that ate its own young.” The idea that you have to suffer and go through a “hazing” period by being robbed until you learn the basics is antiquated and smells of low class blue collar American mentality. Guarding fundamentals from beginners was a way to make losers with shitty lives and shitty attitudes feel important and needed.
I’m super happy to see so many high quality instructional material available for free and for purchase these days.
Than
Thanks for your list of changes in the past decade. Now that I'm getting older 10 years (decade) doesn't seem very long, yet it seems like so much has changed in pool hopefully for the better in most areas.
This is a significant reason they are popular. What were jewels are now tools.The biggest change around here has been leagues I think. Everyone around here played acs and bca. Now 90% of league players are playing apa. That’s really obvious if you goto nationals. Acs is tiny doesn’t even fill one of the big rooms in Vegas. Apa takes up all the space the casino has and they now broke it into two different national events 6 months apart because they just couldn’t fit it all in that space any longer.
You’re not.. there is and it’s not close. 10 years ago the best players were showing up for local tournaments to make a couple 100 bucks on the weekend or state 9 ball tournaments trying to make ends meet . I haven’t seen that since before covid now. Things are trending up and I’m glad to see it. People forget it wasn’t long ago that if you won the us open you weren’t even sure you were going to get paid. it would take months before they got the actual checks. Happily that time is gone. Thank god for matchroom.
If you think that’s because of covid you were living in a good pool area. That happened 25 plus years ago in pa. All the pool halls that were here in pa and md before covid are still here afterbut the world is a big place. so thing are different depending where you live I’m sure.
I can’t argue with him about custom cues. When I goto local leagues or nationals you just don’t see them like you used to. 9 out of 10 cues are something off the shelf like predator , cuetec, Viking etc. joss cues used to be big around here because we live so close to where they are made but now unless it’s someone playing over 60 that’s had the same cue forever you don’t see them. Even a lot of the old heads that played with them at least have put cf shafts on them. I’m not saying it’s a good or bad thing it just is. I stopped playing with customs simply because I play in a lot of bars and I was tired of worrying about what them being damaged. My predators I can snap in half and have another that plays just like it at my door tomorrow .
Pool is hurt by it takes skill to master, can play sitting down, pajama would not be cool in pool room.
Cost of doing business is high to run a pool room.
How many are really making money to point owner would not sell business?
Cost of doing business is high to run a pool room.
How many are really making money to point owner would not sell business?
I’ve seen people who can’t put 3 balls together play with custom cues worth thousands of dollars lol $30 for a piece of chalk surprises you? I waste more money then a lousy $30 on lot worse things then chalk I use every single day
