From Shaun Murphy RE: his cue

[thelongbomber]

Me:
Hi Shaun. First off, congrats on the win against John. Well deserved.

I have a question about your cue. I know Reardon gave/sold it you. Can you give me some very specific measurements of it possibly? Length? Balance? Wood? Looks like a 9.5mm tip maybe?

Best of luck and thanks for reading!


Shaun:
Thanks for getting in touch.

Yeah my cue is a good'un thats for sure. I'm very lucky to have it and don't intend to change any time soon.

It's a Tom Newman Champion cue, made some 80 years ago to celebrate his achievement of a 1370 in billiards. A pretty standard length actually, 8.75mm tip made from ash with a thoyer burr splice. The only work i've had done to it since getting it for my birthday at 15 is i've had a joint put up the end for extensions.

Now it is true that Ray used it but many years ago, 60's or 70's maybe, but i got it from a cue doctor in Northants called Rodney Hinde. He'd collected in a few years before and sold it to my dad for my birthday in 1997.

All the best to you,

Shaun

[jim evans]

i always thought tip was bigger than that,excelent cueing for a tip that size shaun

[jrc750]

Quite a small tip that for snooker, shame he didn't give the weight too

[gazza147]

Great Story and yes takes very Good cueing to play with a 8.75mm Tip in Snooker which when playing Bad Multiplies in Difficulity.

[DeanH]

Great Story and yes takes very Good cueing to play with a 8.75mm Tip in Snooker which when playing Bad Multiplies in Difficulity.

This is the same information he gave in the Eurosport film about pro cues, except the Ray Reardon connection, but he did mention it was just over 17oz.

[Straight strike]

The tip size of Mark Allen's cue is roughly the same as Murphy's.

[cueman]

I'd heard this on commentary a few years back, Matthew Stevens cue is even smaller, 8mm tip for him. Its very much against the norm though for top level players to be using such small tips, obviously they can create more spin but the trade off is the lack of accuracy but then the trend of thought is you don't have to strike the ball too hard to get the spin on the ball so its got some benefits.

[safe t boy]

This is the same information he gave in the Eurosport film about pro cues, except the Ray Reardon connection, but he did mention it was just over 17oz.

Eurosport film about Pro cues?

[jrc750]

Eurosport film about Pro cues?

Have a look here bud
http://www.thesnookerforum.com/board...156#post614156

[narl]

Have a look here bud
http://www.thesnookerforum.com/board...156#post614156

Dominic dale freaks me out in vids like this, he always seems to be grinning like the Joker and acting very eager to please.

[Guy3103]

Shaun Murphy... the true gentleman of the snooker game.

Growing up watching snooker I remember a conversation that took place once in my old club where someone explained why he is a fan of Ronnie and not of Shaun, who was at the top of his game back then, or of anyone else. What he said was that Shaun comes from a wealthy family and that he had his own snooker table from a very early age, whereas Ronnie is the exact opposite having to struggle and live through a much tougher childhood.

Don't know how much of this is true but it definitely had an effect on me being very young back then and new to snooker. I became a non-fan of Murphy and quite obviously grew up admiring Ronnie.

Today Shaun Murphy is one of my top 3 professional players and with the quality behind his cueing and the true gentleman he is... I don't know I guess I just find him fun to watch.


With regards to the tip, reading this thread I seriously consider altering the tip size of a cue I have in order right now... I just wanted to ask if there are any kind of shots you can play with a bigger tip that you can't with a smaller?

[eaoin11]

With regards to the tip, reading this thread I seriously consider altering the tip size of a cue I have in order right now... I just wanted to ask if there are any kind of shots you can play with a bigger tip that you can't with a smaller?

I think it depends on the particular piece of wood. If you want a cue in the 8-9mm range able to perform all the shots consistently then a shaft would need to be selected stiff and solid enough to do the job at that spec.

[gazza147]

And Smaller the Tip more consistant you have to be hitting the White in the perfect Spot as its so easy to Put side on when not needed.

Yes you would need a good shaft which shaun has definately there even thou its a old cue.

[andy carson]

Shaun Murphy... the true gentleman of the snooker game.


agreed

[Inoffthered]

What he said was that Shaun comes from a wealthy family and that he had his own snooker table from a very early age, whereas Ronnie is the exact opposite having to struggle and live through a much tougher childhood.

I'm not sure where your friend gets the notion that Ronnie did not have an easy life as a youngster financially.

It's been well documented ROS' parents were in a successful business empire and were wealthy. ROS benefited from this ( being chauffeur driven to the majority of Pro-AM snooker comps until he was old enough to drive ). And even then, there were occasions here did not have to drive himself ).

Emotionally he has his demons and yes, is the greatest talent to have ever picked up a cue. But to say he came off much worse than Murphy in the £££'s stakes is just misinformed. IMHO. I'm sure however, someone will correct me ( as is the case usually lol ).