Is a century break possible in your mid 40s?

[The_Professor]

Hello all,

Hope you're doing well.

I had a question and wanted to get some thoughts on it.

I'm going to have my own full size snooker table at the end of the year. I'm 45 and have been playing snooker for 30 years but have only ever managed to make an 86 break as my highest break. I've also made a 68 a few 50s, a fair few 40s and lots of 30s and 20s.

I wanted to ask, is it possible for someone in their mid 40s to make a century? Or is it likely to be something I will never achieve?

I don't know how much of a factor this plays, but I've never really played on a quality quick table with good cushions, so have always had to hit the ball harder to get position.

In any case, if I've never been a consistent 60-70 break builder, is there any hope?

Would really appreciate some feedback.

Thanks,

[DeanH]

Welcome to TSF

Well Ray Reardon did a century early last year, just before he died in his 90s; so there is hope for us all
There is always hope!
Enjoy the game, enjoy the process of practising with clear goals, and most importantly, enjoy

[GeordieDS]

Having your own table is a massive help to anyone’s game, if you put the practice in you will imo definitely make a few centuries, welcome to the forum

[vmax]

Make sure your table has official world snooker pocket template openings as they are more generous than stated by the tv commentators who say that they're tight, they're not. You can get the drawings for the templates from DeanH, I did and re-cut the openings on our clubs old match table, taking 3mm off the curve of the pocket opening each side, straightening them out so that the balls are deflected into the pocket instead of across the jaws, same width across the fall of the slate (86mm), and now the breaks are flying in and everyone loves the table now whereas before it was avoided like the plague.

Like you my highest break is 86, missed the last red, perfect on the blue, colours on their spots 20 years ago now but at age 67 I've lost all hope now my hips are mullered with arthritis and I can no longer take my natural stance, I did make a 61 and 38 in one frame a couple of weeks ago though, pleased with that, and it wouldn't have happened with the old pocket openings.

[snookerdad]

Definitely possible. I know of quite a few players in the Southampton area who made first centuries in their 40s or 50s.

Tim (WPBSA coach)

[Ginger Freak]

If you've had an 86 in the past when you DIDN'T have your own table, you will definitely be more than capable of making one now you have your own! For a non-professional (or top amateur), snooker skills only really start deteriorating in your 60's. Its all about practice times till then. I had a couple of centuries in my early 20s when I played 5 nights a week, nowadays I play 5 nights a month if I'm lucky and I'm happy if I make a 40+ these days!

Now if I could convince the wife to let me build an outhouse in the garden to put my own table in......the glory days would be back baby! Till then I will have to accept being a 42 year old has-been!!

[DeanH]

You can get the drawings for the templates from DeanH,

I will find that post by that guy who now 3D prints pocket templates; I hope to hear from someone as to whether they are good


Found it:
https://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/bo...cket-templates

[The_Professor]

Thank you all for your comments and feedback. It's nice to know there is hope. Also I can relate to the physical health side. I played the other day and had quite a bit of lower back pain the next few days. I have tight hips.

I also have a shoulder impingement issue which I'm thinking about having surgery for. Been there for 10 years and never really got better. Would be great to play with a pain free shoulder. Though you never know with surgery. Could make it worse, who knows.

In regard to the pocket sizes, I was basically going to ask for the non tournament size, so club pocket size. Is the world snooker pocket template smaller than the amateur club sizes?

[itsnoteasy]

Templated pockets are 83/84mm across the fall or 3 1/3 inches club pockets are all random sizes, I've seen some at 4 1/2 inch but also played on templated stars in clubs.
There is a lot more than pocket size opening that makes a "tight table" the undercut on the rubber can make a tightish pocket play much bigger, how deep/shallow the falls are makes a huge difference, if the falls are rounded or square at the edges,how old the cloth is as well. Once the slide goes and the bounce squares up an 83mm pocket can play very tight indeed.

[The_Professor]

Is this the size we are talking about?

https://makerworld.com/en/models/179...ofileId-197546

[DeanH]

Here is one NOT to emulate
Back in 2013 I was asked by a friend to have a look at a table a friend of his had put together; full size balls

[The_Professor]

That is huge!

[philip in china]

Why ever not?

[Cue crafty]

Simple answer - yes.

Once your table is set up, practice routines like the line up etc will help you get good cue ball control.

dont however chase the 3 digit number 💯 !

do work on cueing well and cue ball control/ positional play.

if you cue well, improve your positional play and start to make regular high 50/60 breaks, always always remember to try to clear up even if it’s only for 50 + it will give you the experience of clearing to complete a break.

the easiest chances to make those tons are when you’re on a high 60 with a red and all the colours left.

enjoy the game dont chase a number though. 🙏😉

[itsnoteasy]

CC, good luck being on sixty odd and making a century with one red left