This is for all you coaches on here

[warren132]

Please can someone on here preferably a coach tell me if there is any truth in the rumor that when a snooker player gets older then he needs to use a hevier cue ? If so then what are the reasons for this ?
thanks.

[Terry Davidson]

warren:

This idea was originally proposed by Frank Callan many years ago. However, in modern times most snooker pros are already using 18oz cues or thereabouts and Frank proposed this when the average cue weight was around 17oz or so.

I think the weight of a cue is likely a matter of personal preference however there is one thing that does play into it. If a player happens to have a shorter backswing (Graeme Dott comes to mind) then I would recommend a cue at 18.5oz or heavier to give him a little more flexibily with power shots.

However, if a player has a reasonably long backswing (Ronnie, Shaun Murphy, etc. etc) then I think something around 18oz would give him all the flexibily he needs for various power shots.

I would also recommend to billiards only players that they keep their cues around 16-17oz since their requirements for power are not as extreme as that required for snooker.

Terry

[warren132]

Thanks for the reply Terry...I was only asking because i remember reading/seeing it somewhere and for the life of me i cant remember where so i thought i would ask here to see what answers i got...if any.I thougt that given todays TV set up with the best balls/cloth/under table heating and the likes then why would a lighter cue not work well as todays conditions seem to produce the need for fewer power shots..I know what i am trying to say but it may read funny hope you get what i am on about Terry..
thanks againg.


Warren

[adibon]

Salam,

Let me ask a few questions:
Does a little kid have to carry a bag as heavy as the one his father picks?
Do all the players wieght the same?
Do people have the same hieght?
If your answer is no to those asked above, then do advice the others to take a right cue according to their physical structure.

I will be glad to hear more on this matter

Be Sport ... Become adib (wise )

[warren132]

Salam,

Let me ask a few questions:
Does a little kid have to carry a bag as heavy as the one his father picks?
Do all the players wieght the same?
Do people have the same hieght?
If your answer is no to those asked above, then do advice the others to take a right cue according to their physical structure.

I will be glad to hear more on this matter

Be Sport ... Become adib (wise )

Sorry if i sound ignorant but i dont understand you analogy ?

[adibon]

Sorry if i sound ignorant but i dont understand you analogy ?

Salam,

I check the player's hieght,wieght,age ... and then can advice them to pick a right cue but not before then.

Doctors do not give the same medicine to all the patients and no body wonders, but billiard clubs offer the same lenght cues to all their players and not to many of them complaint. That makes me wonder a lot.

Be Sport ... become adib ( wise )

[Dennett]

Advantages of Light vs Heavy Cues

I would... recommend to billiards-only players that they keep their cues around 16-17oz since their requirements for power are not as extreme as that required for snooker.

Terry

Hello Terry from out here on the Wet Coast,

I too find that a lighter cue works best in general for billiards, but that raises a question: If an 18 oz cue is better than a 16 oz cue for the occasional power shot, and if the 18 oz cue has no disadvantages, then should it not be the best all-around cue for billiards as well as snooker? Are there actually some billiards disadvantages with an 18 oz cue?

At power P6 or less (90% of snooker shots), I seem to have better “touch” with a light cue than a heavier one, for snooker as well as billiards.

Cheers,
Dennett in Victoria
IBSF/Snooker Gym Master Coach

[bongo]

Dennett:

Do you play English Billiards?

[The Doctor]

The weight of a cue is all down to personal preference and there are benefits of both a heavier and lighter cue.
The length of the cue also matters although i would put more importance on where the player is holding the cue in relation to the vertical status of his forearm. A player can use a cue that would be considered a little long or short in relation to his/her height depending upon other technical factors, such as bent/straight bridging arm and length of bridge.

[jb134]

Same reason older golfers revert to heavier putters, as you get older the fine motor muscles are not quite so "controllable" and a heavier cue/putter reduces the effect of a very slight twitch.

[Dennett]

... there are benefits of both a heavier and lighter cue.

Doc, if choosing one's cue weight is a trade-off between different benefits, can you explain what those benefits are (and maybe the disadvantages too)?

Dennett

[Dennett]

English Billiards

Do you play English Billiards?

Yes, I do play English Billiards... two weeks ago I won our Club's annual EB tournament. But more often I play Russian Billiards because it is a more social game (works great with 3 or 4 players) and it is easier to score big breaks in Russian. The game is played to 100 points, and a decent player can sometimes run out from the break. It is more difficult to run 100 points in English Billiards.

Back in the mid-90's in Edmonton I played English regularly with Terry Melanchuk (a custom cuemaker) who played only English – no snooker – and he was at 13 centuries and counting. I have come close but don't recall scoring a century in English, whereas I scored a century in Russian after playing the game for just a few weeks.

English Billiards is a game unto itself, whereas Russian Billiards the way we play it in Canada (see the rules at http://www.palmtreesinoakbay.com/Rus...0Billiards.pdf) is a great alternative game for snooker players.

Give it a try, I think you will love it.

Cheers,
Dennett

[The Doctor]

The advantage of a heavier cue is that it tends to be easier to generate more power, the down side being that you tend to lose a bit of feedback and feel for the shot. The opposite being the case with a lighter cue.
That being said, I am aware of players who can generate lots of power with lighter cues and also players who have a wonderful touch even though they use a heavy cue, the most obvious example being Jimmy White.
I always thought though, that Jimmy would benefit from using a lighter cue.
When you look at players like John Higgins and Ronnie, they both use quite light cues(Johns being 16oz) and perhaps the weight of cue is an important factor.
The bottom line is that you must feel comfortable with the cue you use. Heavy or light is player preference as is the tip and butt diameter, another factor in the ability to play certain shots.
I hope this answers your question.

[The Doctor]

First of all I used to be a pro player and secondly I was among the first to become a wpbsa coach back in 1993. I was also coach to John.
I could not agree with you any more regarding the ideal compromise in weight for a cue.
In today's modern game, with the clothes so fast, I find it hard to understand why a player would need a cue any heavier than 18oz.

[The Doctor]

No I'm not JD. John was a pupil of Jim's when he was young kid and attended a group session only.
I worked with John during his first spell as World no.1 and worked on and off with him for 4 years or so. Not done any work for a few years now as his game is top notch but he knows where to turn for help.