6"2 56" cue, does this suit me or is it my bad cue action?

[RGCirencester]

I am planning on purchasing a new cue just trying to figure out the length that i require. My previous cue was 58" and was to be frank a mallet. My current cue is 56" and i find that i play best when i hold it a few inches from the end. Looking around this forum seems to suggest that i should go for a longer cue.
Basically the question i have is whether i am experiencing more consistency with the shorter cue because that is what suits me or because it is forcing my cue action to be better by confining my arm to a certain distance?
I was planning on buying a standard 58" cue because i figure i can always hold it further up the butt. I would just like some more knowledgable peoples opinions on whether they think i would find the longer cue better for my game in the long run? I seem to get through the ball better and can get more backspin using a longer cue, however potting consistancy seems to suffer the further towards the end i hold the cue.
I'm sorry if i haven't explained properly but i think im confusing myself now.

[KeithinFrance]

Given your explanations above, why not go for 57"? Seems like the best of both worlds to me.

[trevs1]

I am planning on purchasing a new cue just trying to figure out the length that i require. My previous cue was 58" and was to be frank a mallet. My current cue is 56" and i find that i play best when i hold it a few inches from the end. Looking around this forum seems to suggest that i should go for a longer cue.
Basically the question i have is whether i am experiencing more consistency with the shorter cue because that is what suits me or because it is forcing my cue action to be better by confining my arm to a certain distance?
I was planning on buying a standard 58" cue because i figure i can always hold it further up the butt. I would just like some more knowledgable peoples opinions on whether they think i would find the longer cue better for my game in the long run? I seem to get through the ball better and can get more backspin using a longer cue, however potting consistancy seems to suffer the further towards the end i hold the cue.
I'm sorry if i haven't explained properly but i think im confusing myself now.

The issue with choosing a cue to suit is that people often go on the experiences they've had, which can be misleading at times.

If you're 6'2" tall, then a cue of 56" long is probably too short for you, especially from a technically correct perspective. I'd guess you play with a very bent bridge arm, or, have a grip (elbow to wrist) which is well forward of perpendicular, when the tip is against the cueball. The problem with this is that you will perhaps have a tendancy to drop your elbow quite considerably when delivering the cue, and, while in itself that's not all bad, it can lead to inaccuracy, especially over distance, and also, cause a loss of power due to a lack of cueing through the white ball.

A longer cue will aid a more correct technique, BUT, only if you are addressing those issues too. If it is fundamentally a questions of technique, then changing cues is not going to do much at all I'd have thought.

As for the backspin bit, this is possibly due to the fact that you are altering your technique when using the longer cue, or, could be due to that cue being more responsive.

It's kind of tricky without seeing what someone is doing to be honest, but in my opinion anyway, a cue of more than 56" would be a good idea for you.

Good luck with it

[RGCirencester]

thanks very much, it seems i can pot much better with the shorter cue, even from the length of the table, but i don't get through the ball as well as i used to. I suspected it may be my technique as other people seem to be buying cues over standard length for my height. I will bow to your immensely superior knowledge and go for a longer cue.

[Jonny]

It's not what people think suits you

It's what you think suits you

[RGCirencester]

but i don't know, and on further inspection my wrist is slightly bent forward and my bridge arm is slightly too bent using my current cue. if i have my wrist perpendicular the cue falls off the back of my bridge hand! So i've definately decided to go for a longer cue, probably a 58" as my friend has a cue that size and his seems about right.
And remember you can always hold further up the butt, but not off the end of the cue!