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  • Hello From Leicestershire

    Hi everyone,

    I've got a few questions about going/joining a snooker club and playing tournaments.

    As a kid I spent many a hours in the freezing cold garage on a small table playing against myself while trying not to knock paint tins off the shelf while playing shots from the side cushion.

    Now 27 I would like to get back playing on proper full size tables but am a little apprehensive/lacking in confidence. I've only ever played on a full size table once when I was a kid and lived in a different city.

    I now live near Coalvile, leics. What snooker clubs would be best for me to take a look at in this area? I've been to Spot on Loughborough with my brother in law a few times but that is just to play pool.

    As I'm new to the area and my brother in law has since moved away I would be going to play on my own, is this alright/allowed?

    Are there local leagues/tournaments that I could sign up for when I've got back into it and more confident on the table?

    Last question: 2 pc or 3/4 pc cue? Looking at getting a half decent cue but not really sure where to start, last one I brought was £16 from JJB!

    Thanks for any help.

  • #2
    Welcome. How much do you want to spend? If you're breaks are anything like 50 I'd suggest spending no more than £200, £2-300 for a ton breaker.

    Find a club, walk in and explain exactly what you've stated here to the owner. A good owner will fit you in, make some intros and get you playing. Some clubs have internal leagues for social players. Try this first.


    From China and terrific value, lots of other Grand cues on ebay as well:
    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Grand-1-pi...YAAOSwQYZWtq1L

    Well made British cue:
    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/James-Butt...#ht_417wt_1031

    Great value Chinese cue:
    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-3-4-pi...ht_7363wt_1006

    Or go to the nearest cue shop (Google this) and try out cues, always he best idea IMO.

    Comment


    • #3
      * Or you could do a search for the nearest social/lab/cons club in your area. Table rates tend to be less than half places like Rileys! If you can avoid Riley's I would unless you've found the golden fleece, a Riley's club run decently. lol

      Comment


      • #4
        Isn't that place where you can pick up a key and pay very reasonable monthly rates for unlimited play around Leicestershire?

        Otherwise. Arena in Loughborough has recently opened, i think, but you could also challenge yourself with a real man's game at the rack n roll in Leicester.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally Posted by focus View Post
          Welcome. How much do you want to spend? If you're breaks are anything like 50 I'd suggest spending no more than £200, £2-300 for a ton breaker.

          Find a club, walk in and explain exactly what you've stated here to the owner. A good owner will fit you in, make some intros and get you playing. Some clubs have internal leagues for social players. Try this first.


          From China and terrific value, lots of other Grand cues on ebay as well:
          http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Grand-1-pi...YAAOSwQYZWtq1L

          Well made British cue:
          http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/James-Butt...#ht_417wt_1031

          Great value Chinese cue:
          http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-3-4-pi...ht_7363wt_1006

          Or go to the nearest cue shop (Google this) and try out cues, always he best idea IMO.
          Thanks for the reply, I'll take a look at those cues when I get home from work. 50 breaks might be a bit optimistic at the moment as I haven't played for about 12 years

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally Posted by Hello, Mr Big Shot View Post
            Isn't that place where you can pick up a key and pay very reasonable monthly rates for unlimited play around Leicestershire?

            Otherwise. Arena in Loughborough has recently opened, i think, but you could also challenge yourself with a real man's game at the rack n roll in Leicester.
            I haven't heard about this although I've only played pool at Spot on and that is £6 something an hour.

            Rack n Roll is too far to be going regularly from where I live. I need a club in NW Leicestershire is poss.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally Posted by SnookerLoopy88 View Post
              I haven't heard about this although I've only played pool at Spot on and that is £6 something an hour.

              Rack n Roll is too far to be going regularly from where I live. I need a club in NW Leicestershire is poss.
              I think 6 quid an hour is probably about standard - your working men's club type venues will be less, if you can find them/put up with their clientele.

              If you think 6 quid is a lot, don't go to rileys them - 11 quid an hour! They proudly boast 25 notes for 3 hours during the day...

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally Posted by Hello, Mr Big Shot View Post
                I think 6 quid an hour is probably about standard - your working men's club type venues will be less, if you can find them/put up with their clientele.

                If you think 6 quid is a lot, don't go to rileys them - 11 quid an hour! They proudly boast 25 notes for 3 hours during the day...
                No I don't think six quid is a lot I was just making comment to the unlimited play around Leicestershire mention, which I've never heard about before.

                So far the list of clubs I'm looking at are Spot On Loughborough ( Already a member but not sure what the snooker scene is like? Seems very set up for darts.

                Arena Billiards - Loughborough again looks to be more central? I don't know the area very well

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally Posted by Hello, Mr Big Shot View Post
                  I think 6 quid an hour is probably about standard - your working men's club type venues will be less, if you can find them/put up with their clientele.

                  If you think 6 quid is a lot, don't go to rileys them - 11 quid an hour! They proudly boast 25 notes for 3 hours during the day...
                  Honestly! Riley's want £11 an hour, no bloody wonder loads shut down.
                  SnookLoop, just go for it, the first few times will feel strange but as long as you are respectful to the equipment and other members, you will be welcomed, most clubs are desperate for folk to go in on a regular basis nowadays.let us know how you get on.
                  This is how you play darts ,MVG two nines in the same match!
                  https://youtu.be/yqTGtwOpHu8

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally Posted by SnookerLoopy88 View Post
                    No I don't think six quid is a lot I was just making comment to the unlimited play around Leicestershire mention, which I've never heard about before.

                    So far the list of clubs I'm looking at are Spot On Loughborough ( Already a member but not sure what the snooker scene is like? Seems very set up for darts.

                    Arena Billiards - Loughborough again looks to be more central? I don't know the area very well
                    I pay a pound an hour, social club. Table is covered in lovely 6811T and plays fast after I've cared for it. Good social clubs will have tables in better condition with tighter pockets. The tables at a commercial club near me are bags, huge and the cloths are club cloths and shagged. Why would I pay £5 an hour for worse? Look in your area for social clubs. You will also find teams at these clubs in local leagues. You'll have plenty of practice partners when you walk in and you'll have a team to play for if you improve.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I think six pounds an hour is a lot.
                      This is how you play darts ,MVG two nines in the same match!
                      https://youtu.be/yqTGtwOpHu8

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally Posted by focus View Post
                        I pay a pound an hour, social club. Table is covered in lovely 6811T and plays fast after I've cared for it. Good social clubs will have tables in better condition with tighter pockets. The tables at a commercial club near me are bags, huge and the cloths are club cloths and shagged. Why would I pay £5 an hour for worse? Look in your area for social clubs. You will also find teams at these clubs in local leagues. You'll have plenty of practice partners when you walk in and you'll have a team to play for if you improve.
                        So, you brush and iron the tables for them and they STILL charge you to use them?

                        LOL!!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally Posted by itsnoteasy View Post
                          I think six pounds an hour is a lot.
                          True that. Riley's were doing a £3hr deal a couple of years back, bookable tables online but only in the afternoon. Then it went up to £6.??hr if you pre-booked. The walk-in rate was £8 an hour. Any club charging near Riley's prices had better have much better tables. I think Bolton et al were talking about the Aristocrat at Northern being £9hr. SWSA is £8/hr for a Star table with a no.10 cloth and something like £25 for a day's play.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally Posted by Hello, Mr Big Shot View Post
                            So, you brush and iron the tables for them and they STILL charge you to use them?

                            LOL!!
                            At one club I do it for free and stick money in the meter. They don't have a lot and I'm just happy to see this club continue. At another club, they give me free table time and look after me if I need the key out of hours. I do it, to put something back into the game and make the game more enjoyable for other players. We're not all selfish, money grabbing pool players.

                            Squarkdrdave, squarkdrdave!
                            Last edited by focus; 29 February 2016, 04:36 PM.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally Posted by focus View Post
                              At one club I do it for free and stick money in the meter. They don't have a lot and I'm just happy to see this club continue. At another club, they give me free table time and look after me if I need the key out of hours. I do it, to put something back into the game and make the game more enjoyable for other players. We're not all selfish, money grabbing pool players.

                              Squarkdrdave, squarkdrdave!
                              Haha, they see you coming! And stick the kettle on, there's a good lad.

                              They'll have you painting the place next.

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