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In that same era when I was invulnerable and went to bars, I went with a buddy named Shelby that was an pool hustler, a fact that was unknown to me. The bar's name was Charlie Brown's and a C&W redneck bar. He started playing some guy using his right hand and let the other guy win occasionally. Finally the stakes got higher and the other guy was reluctant to bet much cash. Shelby said he would play left handed to give his opponent a better chance. So the stakes were higher, and of course Shelby is a natural left handed player, and cleaned up.

I had just received a new beer, and Shelby said, we have to GTFO now! So I left my beer, threw some cash down to pay for the beer, and we left in a hurry before the sucker guy could gather his friends to kick his butt. I had ridden in his car, so I was happy to get out of the place unhurt.

Gimme three steps, give me three steps mister, give me three steps towards the door!

(Yes, I know gambling isn't what the song was about, but this situation seems to fit).

Yep, I'm definitely a COB...Crusty old bastid. But that has little to do with selecting a cue. Once I figured out that you're really more interested in the social aspect of the bar scene, with pool being only a minor part of that, my advice to go to Wal-Mart was sincere. Just pick a cue that looks good to you, buy a cheap case that keeps the butt and the shaft separate, and go have fun. Nothing wrong with that....

Curious how you arrived at that conclusion.

Anyway, maybe you can get decent advise at a pool/billiards specialty store. Maybe somebody at DICK'S can assist you, since our resident refuses to work with your budget. I don't believe everything under $300 is the same.

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/search/SearchDisplay?searchTerm=maple%20pool%20cue&storeI d=15108&catalogId=12301&langId=-1&sType=SimpleSearch&resultCatEntryType=2&showResu ltsPage=true&fromPage=Search&searchSource=Q&pageVi ew=&beginIndex=0&DSGsearchType=Keyword&pageSize=48 &selectedStore=1049

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/s/stores

I did the work...my first suggestion of the McDermott was of what I consider a decent entry level playing cue...one that a beginner would be able to use even as skills increase...skills like learning about deflection, english, cue ball shape (which really is the game), etc. A cheap $100 cue is unlikely able to do these skills well...especially with it's standard tip. That McDermott was equipped with a decent tip.

(edit) Clicked on that link from Dick's. Miserak (Named after the late great Steve Miserak) and Viper...both cheaply made Chinese cues, as I described earlier. No better, no worse, than what you'll find at Wal-Mart. The $104 Viper might have a decent shaft...might not. I bought a similar one some years back as a cue I thought I'd leave in my car trunk. Had a good tip installed. It had a huge deflection, but I'd learned to compensate.
Hated it's nylon wrap. When the shaft warped from trunk carry, I tossed it.

Wow, a billiard thread with more than three hits. (OK, Paul is still responsible for a third of 'em, but what - ever.)

Am I in a Stephen King novel? Is my new universe an alternate to reality?

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After a couple posts, I Believe PWD understands perfectly. I've got a long way to go until I'm even average. Until then, I can buy a stick, use my finger, or go someplace where people will be irritated with the old lady figuring out how to play.

LOL! Okay, I'm probably done here. Guess I got a bit riled when those knowing little about the game posted.

There's an old phrase in pool related to cues. "It's not the arrow, it's the Indian". If you pay attention, you'll find that the skilled Indian has an awfully straight and well made arrow.

Right now, I'd guess you're still struggling with aiming, right? Here's a quick 3 minutes basic aiming trick...and remember that the balls are round. Sounds obvious, right? This means that the contact point you want is smaller than the period on a printed page. There's a lot of BS on youtube how to play pool posts. This guy is good... Another is known as "Dr. Dave", a recently retired mechanical engineering professor...although he gets into the more advanced stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7F-2rnkkgY&ab_channel=Sharivari

Study better players...note how they use stance, head position, grip, how they bridge the cue for various shots. It costs nothing to pay attention.

Call it a cue and don't mention the Chevy and I think pwd will warm up.

Thank you for the link. My aim isn't consistent. Ill make three or four in a row, then miss several easy shots. What's important is that I can tell I'm getting better

I was a bit of a pool shark in HS and college...I'd stroll in, grab a cue off the PH rack, roll it on the felt to make sure it was true, then get busy living...

:D

I never played pool until we moved to South Carolina. There were a lot of pool halls and in those days, you needed to have your head on a swivel.

One long gone place in Aiken, the Sugar Shack (I know) had the best jukebox on the planet and no shortage of stories...

My grandfather hustled pool and craps in the 20's. I asked him how much he made and he said "around $3,000 a year." He taught me, my brother, and our three cousins how to play at their vacation house in the Russian River with a table he bought a big time club in SF, where they lived. I probably peaked at age 15-16, but loved the game, always 8-ball. I made a mental note that he was 80 years old and would beat me unless I sunk the 8 in 2-3 turns.

There was a picture hanging on the wall of that room of dogs playing poker.

We played on Friday and Saturday nights at the local watering hole here on the island.

In the 70's it was called "The Glass Bar". Later it became "Moe's" and now is just called "Traders".

Sometimes my buddies & their band would be playing there - and on those nights attendance was mandatory. :)

What else is there to do except shoot pool?

So we did a lot of it.

We used to go downtown to the billiard hall and shoot snooker & 9 ball on those big azz snooker tables.....so when we played on the "regular" tables we were damn good!

Yet there was always someone better so you learned to get in and get out while the gettin' was good!

I always used the house cues. Like Paul said....roll e'm on the table and if they're relatively straight you get busy livin'.......

For the record I was at best below average.

Remember the quarters on the table? I put one on and mirth ensued.

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Pool Queue... The only one I'd want is that really expensive one. ;)

"Balabushka"

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1698016089.jpg