THE BASICS
THE BASICS
Remember a cue is only a bit of wood! It doesn't have to be hand-crafted to be any good.
Alan McManus still plays with a machine-made cue and Stephen Hendry won all his World Championships with a basic cue.
It is simply a case of whatever suits the individual.
Most people think they need a cue with certain qualities. You might think you know what you want but you don't.
It's very important to stay with the same cue and practice with it. You need time to tune into it, it won't tune into you!
You might even have a back-up cue but it won't play the same, even if it's made to the same dimensions.
Each bit of wood is different. So my advice is to buy a cue and stick with it. And if you can, get a feel of the cue at your snooker club before purchase.
TOP TIPS
TOP TIPS
The cue has got to feel comfortable, but the most important thing is the tip.
The biggest difference is its diameter and surface area. This has the most significant effect on the cue's characteristics.
Most players use 9mm tips, but they can go up to 11mm.
The bigger tip is better for beginners. A thinner tip can be really lively and takes good cueing to keep control of the ball.
The hardness of a tip varies as well. A hard tip may last a bit longer but it's gets shiny quickly and won't grip the ball properly.
Whereas a soft tip tends to collapse on contact and pushes the ball off course. Ideally, you want something in between.
A ferrule should be attached to the end of the cue, which the tip attaches to. This prevents the end of the cue from splitting and protects it when replacing a tip.
MEASURING UP
MEASURING UP
Most cues are about 58 inches long.
Dimensions haven't changed much over the years, although most players now favour a three-quarter length cue with a quick release button to allow for the screw-in extension.
But a two-piece is not essential. The only benefit of this is the convenience of travelling with it.
The majority of cues are 17-17.5 ounces. Just pick the cue up and see if it feels right in the hand.
Stephen Hendry has a light cue, while Jimmy White has a heavy one. It's all about how YOU feel.
MATERIALS
MATERIALS
The best cues are made from ash or maple.
They have similar characteristics, although the American pool players would never use ash.
The grain on ash is sometimes heavier and can help when sighting your shot but it's quite often a fad thing.
Some say that because maple is a white wood it simply looks better. You decide.
TAKING CARE
TAKING CARE
Treat your cue with respect because it's your friend!
Most of this is common sense but it needs to be said. Don't leave it where it can be knocked over, or lean it against a wall because it can warp.
And don't leave it in a car in the hot weather.
See it as a piece of antique furniture that you want to last forever.
And no matter how well or badly you get on in a match, go easy on it!
(Source. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/snooker/4432771.stm)
