Table cloth

[bluenose1940]

Hello folks, I have just been watching Trump v Higgins and Trump had potted a red, the cue ball ended up between the Blue and the Brown on the Green side (I think it was)and the only way to get back onto an open red was to play the brown and go round the table.

This is a shot that I often find myself playing but, the point that I want to make is, it is amazing how much harder I have to hit the cue ball than Trump did in order to get the travel that I need. Playing the Brown off its spot from either side of the table from the baulk side of the Blue spot, I really have to give the shot some welly and this results in a success rate of about 3 in 5 for me. In fact this applies to pretty much all of the shots that I play at the club. even playing the Black off its spot and getting round two cushions for the next Red, I have to give the shot a bit of oomph.

I have no experience whatsoever of differing cloths, I have only ever played my snooker on general run-of-the-mill club tables. I played at a club many years ago that had a glass panelled room with a table in it which was the 'match' table. I assume that the cloth on that table would have been different to the rest of the club. So my question is, is there really such a considerable difference in the grades of cloth?

[jrc750]

Massive difference playing on Star tables, hell of a lot faster and they are heated too, very easy to lose the white

[DeanH]

thin pro cloths and heating (on any table ) definitely make a massive difference compared to cold/damp club tables with carpet fitted

[Nifty50]

I've played quite a few times on the table in the Cue Zone down at The Crucible. Unbelievable difference to the normal club tables. Lightening fast. You hardly need to hit the cue ball at all to get it to travel. The other thing is the match tables are very level compared to my club tables. Virtually no drift. And of course the pockets....really tight. Got to be dead centre all the ball won't go in.

[djax]

I have Hainsworth "Smart" fitted. Summer a hot day, the cue ball flies around the table. Last night, blue into middle around the three colours it ends up opposite blue again. Same every winter.

[Terry Davidson]

The fastest commercially available cloth is (I believe) the Hainsworth Precision. I had it on my table at home and it really did play a lot faster than the #10 (pro cloth) and 6811 (which is normal club cloth these days). Problem is the Precision will not last long in a club environment although it lasted about 2 years on my home table where I played 2-4hrs every day

[thommo335]

Table cloth

steel block cushions with fresh rubber also make the table play faster so much more reactive and less loss of speed of rebound.

[djax]

steel block cushions with fresh rubber also make the table play faster so much more reactive and less loss of speed of rebound.

And, make sure you're getting through the ball.