Straight To The Heart: You must buy a cuestick that is perfectly straight. It will help you achieve your best the way a straight barrel helps the expert target shooter hit the bullseye accurately.
Four Foot Nine is Fine: Pool cues range in length from about 56 to 59 inches. The British game of Snooker uses an extra long cue of 60 inches. Fifty-seven inches is typical, but a bit of extra length makes difficult to reach shots easier.
Just Over a Pound: Most cues have their weight in ounces stamped near their bottom. Standard cue weights range in ½ ounce increments, from about 15 to 22 ounces or more.
Teeter-Totter: The so-called "balance" of a stick is its fulcrum point, where the cue remains level poised on a finger or two. When this spot is towards the rear of a stick, the cue seems heavier in one's shooting hand than its actual weight. Choose both balance and weight with care.
Lightweight is Modern: A cue's weight definitely affects the results of a player's stroke. Nineteen-ounce cues or lighter are now in vogue among top players. Lightweight cues move easily in the hands, responding to a subtle touch. The player receives maximum control over the balls' speed, for better position play in games like Nine Ball.
Heavier Years Ago: Half a century ago, the pros all wielded 20 or 21 oz. at the table to compensate for the heavyweight balls and slow tables then in use. The weight of a heavy cue stabilizes the player's stroke, holding the cue on-line after impact, and accentuating spin. Heavy cues make shooting long-distance shots easier, but also exaggerate any errors, especially on shots with english.
Which Weight Works?: Pool "sages" often advise the beginner to play with a cue weight that "feels good." Though a 2 lb. golf ball may feel wonderful in the hands, it won't respond well to a gentle putting stroke!
Pool shooting requires more of a delicate touch than it does leverage. Heavy cues must be "pumped" up and down with the arm, ruining a straight, level stroke. Learn a light touch and avoid using english where possible (the pros do).
Use a 18½ or 19 oz. cue, even if a heavier cue feels more comfortable at first. In time, the intermediate is ready to drop or add ½, 1, or 1½ ounces for their preferred choice of stick weight.
