Tip Sizes

[TornadoTed]

I use an 8.5mm tip but last year when my cue was damaged I used my 9.7mm snooker cue. I didn't feel like there were shots I couldn't play but I did find it more awkward in tight situations, cueing over balls etc. At the end of the day there are 22 balls on a snooker table and 16 in a pool table but it is 1/4 of the size. It can get congested and a slimmer tip helps then IMO. Of course the white being smaller than the object balls makes bridging tougher with a bigger tip too.

[rdsalt]

From my maths as a snooker cue ball is 2 1/16 inches and a pool cue ball is 1 7/8 inches, if you consider a normal snooker cue tip to be 9.7mm then in proportion the equivalent pool tip would be 8mm. Personally I prefer around 9mm but I would say that most of the best players in our league just play with normal snooker cues.

[timcunnell]

I use an 8.5mm tip but last year when my cue was damaged I used my 9.7mm snooker cue. I didn't feel like there were shots I couldn't play but I did find it more awkward in tight situations, cueing over balls etc. At the end of the day there are 22 balls on a snooker table and 16 in a pool table but it is 1/4 of the size. It can get congested and a slimmer tip helps then IMO. Of course the white being smaller than the object balls makes bridging tougher with a bigger tip too.

I was playing 8-ball at the weekend, and trying different shots with my 8-ball cue (8.5mm tip) and snooker cue (9.5mm). Aside from the fact my snooker cue is a little heavier, which meant for me it lacked the touch on delicate shots, there were certain shots that couldn't be played with the snooker cue. Admittedly these are shots that don't come up all that often - but when they do, its nice to have the option.
What were these shots you say?? Well, holding the white is definitely one example. Being able to play with minimum pace on pots that are just off straight and play with bottom in order to hold the white reasonably well. With a larger tip (assuming you can't generate as many RPMs with a larger tip) you'd not be able to hold the white as you'd have to hit the white harder, which means getting too much stun and the white going sideways.
Mainly though the shots that a found I couldn't play were extreme check-side or reverse side.
I am a bit puzzled by you guys who are saying that you've tried a smaller tip and don't get any more spin. I am definitely not saying you're wrong - or that you're making it up! But it does go against most conventional teaching, and science in general! To a large extent, the amount of spin you get is determined by where you strike the white. Therefore, if you cue just below the middle of the cue ball with a 10mm tip or an 8mm tip, the spin you get will be roughly the same (assuming all other factors are the same - e.g. firmness of tip, how much power you apply, quality of timing...). But my argument would be that a small tip enables you to strike the extreme outsides of the cue ball - in other words you could strike lower on the cue ball with an 8mm tip that you could with a 10mm tip. Now its important to note that this part is not my opinion - that is a fact. A smaller tip will let you strike lower on the cue ball, without causing a miscue. Sticking with the science thing, I can't see how hitting lower on the cue ball wouldn't create more spin?
Certain important points should still be noted though:

1 - It can be harder to play with a smaller tip as unwanted side can be applied.
2 - If you have a great cue action you can get a lot of spin with a 10mm tip
3 - Many people (including some very good players) will probably feel they can get enough spin with a larger tip to play to an adequate standard.

I am definitely not telling everyone who uses a snooker cue-type tip for pool that you're wrong! And I am sure there'll be guys using such cues that would beat me. All I would say is that there is a reason why you can get cues with 8mm or 8.5mm tips - and its certainly not for people who can't cue well enough to spin an 8-ball cue ball with a snooker cue! Get used to a small tip and you could very well be giving yourself an advantage.

[billabong]

Reading the first paragraph made me wonder if for example,

a 7.5mm tip would then give you the same step forward in advantage, as your test of 9.5mm vs 8.5mm tip size ?

If that's too small, what about a 7.75m tip ? Surely better than an 8mm ?


I still think in summary that players should try tips of differing sizes, then settle on the one that suits them .

Don't feel there's something wrong with you if you tried the smaller tip, then preferred the larger solution.


Confidence in your cue and cueing after all will probably make more difference to your game than changing tip size. IMHO

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[timcunnell]

Reading the first paragraph made me wonder if for example,

a 7.5mm tip would then give you the same step forward in advantage, as your test of 9.5mm vs 8.5mm tip size ?

If that's too small, what about a 7.75m tip ? Surely better than an 8mm ?


I still think in summary that players should try tips of differing sizes, then settle on the one that suits them .

Don't feel there's something wrong with you if you tried the smaller tip, then preferred the larger solution.


Confidence in your cue and cueing after all will probably make more difference to your game than changing tip size. IMHO

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I totally agree. The right approach is to try different options - and ultimately go with what you think you'll play best with. And confidence in your cueing is worth more! Put it this way - if you're using a 10mm tip for 8-ball, and you're not generating enough spin to play all the shots you need to in order to be competitive, you need to look at your cue action - not a smaller tip.

There is definitely a point where a tip is too small - for pool and snooker. I remember reading about a time (can't remember when and who - but we are talking early 80's perhaps, and top-16 pros) the fashion was to use a 6mm tip. 6mm!!! For snooker!!! Top players found it advantageous to have that amount of touch and control when in the balls. BUT this died out because even top 16 players were finding it way too hard to avoid putting on unwanted side.

So that would be the advice for pool players (or anyone really) - avoid using a small tip if you're not able to consistently strike the white where you intend to. Forget generating loads of lovely spin - you need a consistently good cue action to benefit from a small tip, or you'll be missing pots all over the place.

[billabong]

+1

My pool cue has a 7.9mm ferrule btw, but I bought it 2nd hand ( the cue, not just the ferrule ), so it was just a case of trying it out,

although I found the balance and general feel was the thing that made me feel good about it ,. .

[aucott80]

Tip Sizes

I tend not to worry about the shots where I need loads of side and worry more about the shots that lead me to using loads of side. For me personally I use between. 8.5 and 8.75mm majority of the time.
Find something that can play the 80% case of shots and you'll be fine practice will bridge the 20% gap

[Dave Walton]

I started out playing pool with a 9.5mm tip and could play any and every shot needed, then moved down to 8mm then 7.5mm, your cuing has to be far more accurate to play with a smaller tip to avoid unwanted side, if you can't cue well you cannot play with an 8mm or smaller tip, the advantages of a smaller tip come when bridging over balls, playing off the cushion and the fact you can hit the ball lower/higher/wider whilst keeping the cue as close to parallel as possible thus generating more spin with less effort. Its all about making the game as easy as you can, I've played with 10mm tips in league matches aswell and you can get away with sloppy cuing as there's less chance of putting unwanted side on. I currently play with an 8.45mm tip that started as 8.8 but has worn down a bit, and I find is a great balance between cue ball control and potting. The above argument of sub 50 break snooker players not being able to cue or play is laughable at best, the likes of myself has always loved pool and never played snooker at all when I was young, and rarely play now, others have never played snooker, they're completely different games, a decent snooker player should be able to pot and maneuver the cue ball with ease on a pool table but will have to learn the patterns and tactics involved which are more complex than snooker players give it credit for, being good at pool doesn't usually translate onto the snooker table though

[paulrgn]

For what it's worth, I've been playing American pool for some time now and have always preferred to play with a snooker cue – have settled on a 9.5mm tip and a cue weight of around 18 ounces. Now I've started playing more snooker I'm yet to decide what I need for that, I'm experimenting with different tip sizes and types at the moment, not helped by what feels like a bit of a talent deficit at the larger table...

[paulrgn]

I was getting through Elkmasters pretty quickly but have swapped to layered ADR147 tip which is wearing very well so far. Plays really nicely too.

Maybe it's in the mind a bit but I feel like I get more spin with the smaller tip – I tend to play a gentler game than most which helps and obviously always break with a house cue. I also enjoy looking after the cue so retipping isn't so much of a chore!

[mythman69]

Gareth Potts on tip sizes:

"I’d played snooker the week before the IPAs and then, when I picked up my cue for a practice session at English 8-Ball, it was like using a chopstick. The tip on my snooker cue is 9.5mm, whereas on my pool cue it is 8.5mm. But I’ve been so used to playing with my Chinese 8-Ball cue, which is 11.7mm, that I just couldn’t play with my English cue, the difference was huge.

So I settled for something in between and used my snooker cue at the Lakeside. And look what happened! I think I’ve been missing something all these years!"

[SnookeredYou]

I just starting playing American pool with a snooker cue and I haven't noticed any difference in my game. I never break with the cue tho just because I don't want to accidently crack or break the shaft. I have noticed that playing with a smaller tip forces me to focus more on the shot. My regular pool cue has a 11.75mm tip and I find it a tad to big.

[SnookeredYou]

Thanks for the information, maybe my Joe Davis 11mm tipped maple cue could be used for 9-ball then.

That would be perfect! Its really all personal preference. I personally like shooting with a small tip but other people could like fat shafts that are 13.5mm. Its beyond me how anyone could play with anything over 13mm. It would be like shooting with a log.

[paulrgn]

Funnily enough I just ordered some Talisman soft tips to try. I was also tempted by the Pool Barons because ADR said they are 'great for those who find layered tips to hard'. My worry is they'll get beaten up to fast. Would love to try a Kamui but I'm running out of cues...

[DeanH]

Pool Barons are very soft, even the Medium will need reshaping after some hours of use.
I do like the feel of the Pool Baron Soft and Medium but don't like the need to reshape all the time.
I have used them for UK pool and Snooker.
I am now - for snooker - using an ADR laminate Soft "black (no tans in stock) and so far it is a very good tip. There has been a bit of compaction to one edge but it is not drastic so will not reshape yet.