Practicing on a pro table - useful or disheartening?

[Drissa]

Hi all. I've retuned to the game after many years and I've been playing on an ex-pro's Star table. He had it fitted with tighter-than-tournament pockets (which I'm told many top players do to help with accuracy). I'm a reasonable club player, top break 52. I can manage 5 reds and blacks/pinks in a line-up on this table, but it's rather nerve wracking. Anything not right in the centre of the pocket wobbles and, from the pink spot, the near cushions of the middle pockets look like the corners of a desk. It's as if everything needs to be hit slightly thick. The heated surface and cloth also have an unusual throw - the cue ball really skids off the object ball.

Anyhow, this is either very good for my potting, or actually unhelpful for a player of my standard who will then return to a slower club table. Has anyone else been in this situation? Any thoughts? Many thanks

[Cue crafty]

Unless you're going to play in tournaments with these tables, only slight benefit is the pockets will feel easier on a club table. The slide on angles, the throw you noticed etc will be no help at all when you play on normal tables again.

[Drissa]

You’re probably right. Thanks for your thoughts.

[ludwellwill]

Hi Drissa

I alternate my table time between two clubs.
at one club we are usually on an ex-pro tour tournament table with superfine cloth and tight match cut pockets. ( other club bog standard heavy cloths, variable pockets)

high breaks are rare for us on the pro table but I actually enjoy the challenge.

real eye opener for me was what you can do with cue ball, without hitting it hard , also found not hitting object ball too hard is essential to give it a chance to drop.

when you describe the throw your experiencing are you sure its not cue ball throw off your tip?
I had to scuff my tip mid-session once as the throw was visible on ball strike

Another variable that might be at play is the balls?
I have my own set that I take to both clubs so its one less thing to think about.

if you've got chance to play on a table like that I'd make the most of it...but maybe dont spend all your time on it....adapting to different conditions is all part of the game

[Drissa]

Hi Drissa

I alternate my table time between...

Great, thanks for this. I also find it quite exciting to play on a 'big kids' table and hope it will bode well for potting on club tables. And yes, it definitely encourages a smoother or more gentle approach to shots.

The throw I noticed was more from the reaction of the cue ball against the object ball. I'm sure it's mainly just the fine cloth. I also feel that things need to be hit thicker - a half-ball pink, for example, wants to be right in the centre of the pocket rather than glancing the far jaw slightly. And the reaction from the cushions is impressive - I often screw back from the black for a red above the black, only to watch the cue ball gallop past the pink!

There are Peradon balls in a case under the table but I'm not sure if they're tournament or regular balls. They're rather dirty and I generally use a club set, which are cleaned more regularly.