Table cloth selection..

[maryfield]

I would like to see this type of cloth fitted to a snooker table, properly. It's hard enough to eliminate wrinkles at the middle pockets when fitting to a 30 mm Thick pool slate, with a very large radius. Let alone trying to fit to a thicker snooker slate with tighter radius.

[Hello, Mr Big Shot]

I agree with this 100%, there's hardly any nap on the pro cloths to make the balls roll true, why not just use a synthetic material with no nap? Then it could be on all tables and not just tournament tables. Nobody else on here seems to agree, I can only assume they enjoy watching their shots drift off line.

They don't like change mate.

[ADR147]

They don't like change mate.

very true - any change is bad in their eyes....

[Redphex]

and then for some reason you install cloth that makes the balls roll crooked? Makes no sense.

Well, Snooker is played on an English Billiards table. This is where the napped cloth has it's use and makes sense.
But I agree that the napless cloth would make perfect sense for Snooker. And I guess Billiards could be OK with it too, as the cloth used before the war was napless.

[Geoff Large]

I would like to see this type of cloth fitted to a snooker table, properly. It's hard enough to eliminate wrinkles at the middle pockets when fitting to a 30 mm Thick pool slate, with a very large radius. Let alone trying to fit to a thicker snooker slate with tighter radius.

Agree 100%

those man made fibre american speed cloths would not fit well on a two inch thick snooker slate bed with vertical drops around the middle pockets .
it is bad enough trying to fit No10 strachan on them , also those man made cloths are stapled on not tacked like snooker tables .

american pool tables have large diameter drops , and sam have started to cut the corners of the half moon radius on there sam k steels for some years to make fitting the cloth easier around the middle drop

keep speed no nap cloth on american type tables but not on proper Snooker / billiard tables please .

Simonis bought strachan for their expert knowledge and excellent napped cloths regarded as the best in the world and 100% pure new wool
playing with a wool shaved napped cloth , players over the years have been taught to play to the nap direction on certain shots

you do not see golfers moan about reading the direction of the grass when putting ?
it is all down to maintenance , brush and iron every 10 hours of use .
the more you maintain the cloth the better the table will play , it is these lazy clubs who will not pay a cleaner to do the tables that give napped cloth a bad name .

Napped cloth has been part of playing snooker and Billiards for years .

there is Strachan super pro speed for pool tables also this is a good cloth for pool tables , being 70% wool and 30% man made fibers .

[dinovirus]

Agree 100%

those man made fibre american speed cloths would not fit well on a two inch thick snooker slate bed with vertical drops around the middle pockets .
it is bad enough trying to fit No10 strachan on them , also those man made cloths are stapled on not tacked like snooker tables .

american pool tables have large diameter drops , and sam have started to cut the corners of the half moon radius on there sam k steels for some years to make fitting the cloth easier around the middle drop

keep speed no nap cloth on american type tables but not on proper Snooker / billiard tables please .

Simonis bought strachan for their expert knowledge and excellent napped cloths regarded as the best in the world and 100% pure new wool
playing with a wool shaved napped cloth , players over the years have been taught to play to the nap direction on certain shots

you do not see golfers moan about reading the direction of the grass when putting ?
it is all down to maintenance , brush and iron every 10 hours of use .
the more you maintain the cloth the better the table will play , it is these lazy clubs who will not pay a cleaner to do the tables that give napped cloth a bad name .

Napped cloth has been part of playing snooker and Billiards for years .

there is Strachan super pro speed for pool tables also this is a good cloth for pool tables , being 70% wool and 30% man made fibers .

Bolded is the problem. Very few clubs do this even in Europe. In North America it's unheard of except in maybe three places.

With napless cloth you remove the need for that kind of strict maintenance, which keeps the tables from getting into a bad state and thus keeps people playing. When the table is in bad shape the players don't have as much fun, which leads to shorter sessions, which leads to fewer people playing etc etc.

Top players will adjust to not having to allow for nap. Why wouldn't they? It makes the game easier, not harder.

Just because something has been done a long time doesn't mean it's right.

[itsnoteasy]

Why would you want to make the game easier?

[jonny66]

Why would you want to make the game easier?

I thought we were all constantly trying to make the game as easy as possible?

[itsnoteasy]

Are we ? playing the game at a better standard isn't the same as making the game easier, they are two completely different things, surely you understand that don't you?

[Cue crafty]

I thought we were all constantly trying to make the game as easy as possible?

No not at all. I personally don't want to see it made easier in any way. Why change the great history of the game and our ability to compare the greats of it against each other? What good would making things easier do for the sport?

[jonny66]

It makes the ball run true and straight, you think that makes the game too easy? Do you play every shot with side? If not, why not?

[Cue crafty]

It makes the ball run true and straight, you think that makes the game too easy? Do you play every shot with side? If not, why not?

Never had a problem with straight and true when a tables well balanced. Never not played a shot without side unless it was straight or dead pace since I was 13.

[jonny66]

So what's the problem with this cloth then? Why do you think it makes the game too easy?

[itsnoteasy]

Because it's not required, what's that got to do with it, when side is needed I will use it, again nothing to do with the cloth, if you want to see a game that every shot is played with side watch nine ball on those nap less pool cloths, I like the fact the nap plays a part in the game, there are more centuries made now than there ever has been, there is more of an argument to make the game harder not easier, unless you want one visit stuff all the time, or hardly touching the pack and the balls exploding all over the table and you are left with a training set up that even I can clear, I want to see players do things I can't , things I see that I say ,now that's impressive, put on a pool cloth that is made so the balls split the best they can, and it Fundamentally changes the game. I do realise nowadays folk want everything easy and don't have the patience to learn , that's why they all drift to pool, because you can be half decent in a matter of weeks, me, I prefer to learn a game that takes patience and time to learn the craft, but I'm older and I can see the fifteen minute attention span folk have today means shot clocks, bigger bags, spotty whites, ten minute frames are all coming down the line, but It's not for me. Again why would you want to make the game easier, I just don't understand it, isn't it because it's hard that's what attracts us, its not all potting and if it was it would become very boring very quickly, and those times someone is on fire and potting them off the lampshades and has that cue ball on a piece of string, I want that to be special. I would also say if anyone thinks it's the nap on the cloth that's holding their game back, it's not, if you can't play you can't play the cloths not going to help you or hinder you, I know players that make centuries on what a lot of folk on here would call poor cloths, how do they do it? Because they are good, they have learned how to play the game, they have played at my club all their lives, one was a pro, one tried to be but never made it, but the nap on our club cloths never held them back, it's just an excuse.

[itsnoteasy]

So what's the problem with this cloth then? Why do you think it makes the game too easy?

I never said it did, it was the fella that wants it who said it made the game easier, I just don't want the game made easier, not bothered what it is, no need for it.