How important is the quality of a cue?

[samasnookerfan]

Most of us probably couldn't afford a cue as good as most the top players have. Some of their cues look fantastic and make want to have a shot with them. This leads to the question; doe's a really good cue improve the standard of your game?
Then I think of John Spencer with his old cue that was warped and someone described it as looking like 'a dogs leg'. He of course revolutionised the game with his screw back shots and his heavy breakbuilding; with his warped cue.
And Alain Robidoux had an old cue that you think he could have bought from a second-hand shop and when it was smashed he was never the same player again.
So maybe it is what you practise with? I always think that snooker is mostly mental and if you have the belief then you can knock in a century with a pool cue.

[Alex0paul]

A very good question. The player that stands out for me that uses a piece of junk is McManus. His cue is pretty poor yet he has still achieved a heck of a lot with it. In my opinion most of it is mental and if you are a good enoughh player you should be able to use any type of cue.

[DawRef]

I agree with all of the above. It's what you feel comfortable with. If you are deciding to change your cue, I suggest you do it 'out of season' and practice as much as you can.
If you've hit a bad run and think it's your cue, remember the saying, 'a bad workman always blames his tools'. Also, the great Joe Davis says in one of his books, 'You play the stroke. If you make a mistake, it's you. Not the balls or the table.' (or something like that).

Steve

[samasnookerfan]

Well I played pool with a lovely ash cue in a pub, and I was a much better player. I could knock in pots I would have never got with the cue I normally play pool with! I also had twice the cue power and could screw up and down the full length of the table without a problem at all. I only got to play 3 games with it, but it certaintly improved my game!
If only I could get my hands on that cue.....unfortunately, I can't, nor afford one like it.
I think there is truth in what i've posted above, and that a large part of it is mental, but a decent cue certaintly helps.

[cueman]

A very good question. The player that stands out for me that uses a piece of junk is McManus. His cue is pretty poor yet he has still achieved a heck of a lot with it. In my opinion most of it is mental and if you are a good enoughh player you should be able to use any type of cue.

Whilst most people consider McManus' cue to be junk you should also remember that the cue is probably a lot better than most of the chinese imported rubbish and most cues like this that you see on Ebay selling for £20.
His cue doesn't look the greatest but it probably has a very good shaft and gives Alan enough responsiveness and feel to make him a top class player.

You give any top class player a cheapo chinese cue on Ebay and they couldn't perform with it.

[Sam147]

You give any top class player a cheapo chinese cue on Ebay and they couldn't perform with it.

hi cueman i think Mr. O'Sullivan would disagree with u... check this out:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...0/ai_n16672192

it's the 6th line from the end of the article

i believe other players have also mentioned they can play with a broomstick

[ADR147]

it matters that the cue can play the shots the same way everytime (not all cues can do that). other than that its all personal taste.

[Monique]

Well in one of his (rare) posts on his own forum Ronnie stressed it that the most important thing is that you feel comfortable with the cue. In an interview, in the context of pool, I heard him say that it's no point to buy an expensive cue if you don't know what you wanted/needed (in answering the question why he was playing with various cues of the rack).
So everyone pretty agrees for once!

[Sam147]

it matters that the cue can play the shots the same way everytime (not all cues can do that). other than that its all personal taste.

hi ADR147,

u claim that not all cues can play the shots the same way everytime, i.e. in a consistent manner... i choose to disagree as i believe any player (given enough time) will be able to adapt to a given cue and play all the different kind of shots in a consistent manner.

the reason i'm saying this is i've seen it & heard about it from some players over here... unfortunately, i don't have proof to what i'm saying i just don't think it's an absolute thing, if u know what i mean

[Mellow Yellow]

hi ADR147,

u claim that not all cues can play the shots the same way everytime, i.e. in a consistent manner... i choose to disagree as i believe any player (given enough time) will be able to adapt to a given cue and play all the different kind of shots in a consistent manner.

the reason i'm saying this is i've seen it & heard about it from some players over here... unfortunately, i don't have proof to what i'm saying i just don't think it's an absolute thing, if u know what i mean

I think what adr is saying is that the cue will not perform consistantly, ie playing two shots, exactly the same stroke, power, angle of pot, side etc and the cue would react in a different way.

[ADR147]

some cues will not strike the ball the same way twice regardless of the player.

[Sam147]

i know what u guys mean but i've seen otherwise is all
i mean opinions are usually generated from certain experiences we face in life, right? that's how i formed my opinion

i'm not saying yours are wrong either, i've just witnessed differently... no harm done

[ADR147]

its because not all wood is the same and wood is a natural thing ergo some wood is not consistent enough to play snooker with but some people still make cues from it. its hard to explain in words but not all cues are the same and i promise you some cues even the best players in the world could not play well with.

[Sam147]

i'm not doubting your professional opinion, ADR147
i'm sure u know much better than me in that domain, so i won't argue

[ADR147]

i'm not doubting your professional opinion, ADR147
i'm sure u know much better than me in that domain, so i won't argue

LOL i am not trying to argue at all