What weight are you using for your playing cue on 9ft tables?

S

SSP

Well-known member
I just returned t playing pool again after a 10 yr hiatus, started in Jan., I have always used a cue with a weight about 18.5 oz, In my quest for knowledge I became a member on this forum and found great people with lots of good advice, One of the things I read on here is a lighter cue gives better control on the cue ball while a heavier cue will give more action on the cue ball, I had to shoot on the 7ft tables last Monday because a league was using all the 9fters, they were Diamonds so tight pockets and nice cloth, shot pretty well, played last Wednesday on the 9ft tables and shot pretty well until I had to really move the cue ball for position, while watching the pro's, I know, I know I'm not a pro, I noticed that they did not hit the ball as hard as I did to move the cue ball around, I also noticed they didn't have to move off center as far to get the same spin, It got me thinking should I try changing the weight of my cue? Has anyone else had the same experience? Any advice or ridicule accepted Thanks
 
I've never heard of anyone saying they use a lighter cue on a smaller table for better control. The only argument I've heard on cue weight is usually a break cue weight. I would think their might be a doctor dave video out on this. This type of debate is usually up his alley.

Now as per cue weight i would go with what feels right. For decades i used a 19.25oz playing and breaking cue. Right now i am using 18.9 playing and a 18oz break cue
 
I would also think if a lighter cue made us play better we would all be using 12oz cues. Most cues people are using are in the 19oz range give or take some
 
I agree that balance is more important than weight. I can used to slightly different weights and can deal with anything from 18.5-20oz. 19.25oz is my ideal and that is what my main playing cue is but I've had high 18 and high 19 cues and they've been fine.

I don't think weight has any correlation with spin/action imparted on the cue ball.
 
Thanks for all the replies, I am working on my stroke EVERY TIME I go to the pool hall, my cue is forward weighted and I like that, I know the first thing is to refine stroke and aim to automatic plus speed control, not there yet but enjoy the work, it seems around 19oz is the where you guys are at, I'm gonna try 1/2 to 3/4 of an oz and see how it feels
 
Seems like watching the pros play, a great many are playing with a butt extension on their cues all the time now. Seems like 6-8" is about the common length, and with that on, the cue is longer and more rear weighted. That's just an observation, not advice.
For me, I found that switching to a CF shaft made my cue a little lighter, and moved the balance point rearward. It feels good, and I like it, but like others, I have no idea what it actually weighs.
 
58" => 20.4 oz
+ 4" mid cue extension => 21.6 oz
+ 8" rear extension => 24.85 oz

I like playing with both extensions if there's enough room around the table, so a 70" cue that weighs 24.85 oz. However, pros move the ball around the table with ease because they are playing on lightning fast cloth, and they hit the cue ball with extreme precision. When I aim at a spot on the cue ball, my spread of chalk marks around my aim point if I hit the shot 20 times is going to be dispersed over, say, an 8mm diameter circle (the size of a dot on a measles ball). A pro's dispersion will be contained within a 2 mm diameter circle around their aim point. I may aim at a spot on the cue ball that gives me outside english to go three rails, but I may miss my aim point towards the center, and the cue ball ends up only going two rails. So, the next time I have a similar shot, I adjust and hit the shot harder, but this time I miss my aim point to the outside, and the cue ball ends up going 3 rails and scratches.

If you are interested in working on your stroke, you should consider getting Mark Wilson's "Play Great Pool", which teaches the fundamentals, like stance, grip, bridge, what you should be doing on your practice strokes, your eye movement during your practice strokes, etc. For instance, do you think about where your feet are in relation to the shot line when you shoot a shot? He is going to teach you where to place your feet and why. Do you think about how you hold the butt of your cue? He is going to teach you how to hold a cue in great detail. It's a great book for those coming back to pool after a long break. He teaches you step by step how to build a pressure resistant, repeatable stroke. I think you need to film yourself at every step to make sure you are doing things correctly before you put in too much practice, so that you don't hone a flaw into your stroke. If you like practicing--I do--he has plenty of advice on how to work on your stroke, and if you have your own table and you are really hardcore, the end of the book lays out a rigorous practice schedule.
 
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SSP said:
I just returned t playing pool again after a 10 yr hiatus, started in Jan., I have always used a cue with a weight about 18.5 oz, In my quest for knowledge I became a member on this forum and found great people with lots of good advice, One of the things I read on here is a lighter cue gives better control on the cue ball while a heavier cue will give more action on the cue ball, I had to shoot on the 7ft tables last Monday because a league was using all the 9fters, they were Diamonds so tight pockets and nice cloth, shot pretty well, played last Wednesday on the 9ft tables and shot pretty well until I had to really move the cue ball for position, while watching the pro's, I know, I know I'm not a pro, I noticed that they did not hit the ball as hard as I did to move the cue ball around, I also noticed they didn't have to move off center as far to get the same spin, It got me thinking should I try changing the weight of my cue? Has anyone else had the same experience? Any advice or ridicule accepted Thanks
Click to expand...
I am 6'1"
cue is 58"
weight 19.5-20.5
 
SSP said:
I just returned t playing pool again after a 10 yr hiatus, started in Jan., I have always used a cue with a weight about 18.5 oz, In my quest for knowledge I became a member on this forum and found great people with lots of good advice, One of the things I read on here is a lighter cue gives better control on the cue ball while a heavier cue will give more action on the cue ball, I had to shoot on the 7ft tables last Monday because a league was using all the 9fters, they were Diamonds so tight pockets and nice cloth, shot pretty well, played last Wednesday on the 9ft tables and shot pretty well until I had to really move the cue ball for position, while watching the pro's, I know, I know I'm not a pro, I noticed that they did not hit the ball as hard as I did to move the cue ball around, I also noticed they didn't have to move off center as far to get the same spin, It got me thinking should I try changing the weight of my cue? Has anyone else had the same experience? Any advice or ridicule accepted Thanks
Click to expand...

it's not the weight of the cue that makes a difference between you and the pros, it's how accurate and well they hit the cueball, and the way they use angles to control speed not just spin. Plus they are on newer tables with good cloth in all those matches. I played with an extension on my cue for a few games and it worked pretty well, but I did not like how it felt for long term playing so stopped. Felt like I was using too much effort in cue control vs the normal weight and length. I am a fan of cues around 19 oz with an even balance point.
 
Great thread. I play on variety of tables and it is definitely more about the cushions and cloth than the size Angle Speed and Spin is where it is at for sure Just a little more angle and spin on those slow tables goes a long way. But, I have actually contemplated trying a heavier cue on two of my buddies tables that’s both Big, and Slow.
 
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