Would a tip difference 0.5mm affect my game?

[Greg M]

So, I'm looking to pick up my first English eight-ball cue soon enough through Peradon's CueWizard. It'll be 57" long, 18.5oz, but the tip will be 9mm. I've always played pool with 9.5mm snooker cues, but I'm wanting to go a touch smaller for my English pool cue.

This may seem like a stupid question, but does a difference of half a millimetre have any effect? Will it affect my spin shots, my long potting or even my break-off shots?

[DeanH]

9mm will be better than 9.5 for the very small cue ball
my pool cue is 8.2mm
my snooker cue is 9.5mm

I think 9 will be great for you

I did not choose 8.2 but it was the size of the first cue I got and stayed with the same since

[Greg M]

Cheers, Dean! I doubt I'd want to go as small as yours, but it seems to suit you well.

How do you find using an 8.2mm? Does it affect your long potting or your break-offs?

[DeanH]

often I will break with a house cue or a team-mates cue (with bigger tip)
long shots- no problem but then I have been using this size for over 30years (argh!)
always down to straight cueing

[Cue crafty]

it does make a difference when playing the same game, but as you are changing use for uk pool it should work out welll. The biggest difference i noted was in snooker, 0.5mm is actually massive in terms of difference in feel and the additional throw effect when using side.

[Mark187187]

I personally think that 9mm is ideal, especially when cueing off the cushion. Any bigger, and you're more limited.

[Greg M]

Thanks a lot for the advice, lads. I think I'll definitely stick with a choice of 9mm for my tip size.

To all the guys playing with 9mm and under, do you break off with your cue or do you use a break cue?

[DeanH]

9mm should be ok for breaking