Cue Tips: What’s in the case?
Rack ‘em up!
I noticed that Santa was pretty busy making pool cases this season. Gosh, I’ve never seen so many nice cue cases. Ian went to the sea looking for sharks that would look good as a cue case. His sharkskin case is beautiful and will last for many years. alligator cases? Yep, and cases made of fabric, and most hold all the equipment you need. The modern cue case holds multiple cues and shafts. Why do you need to carry multiple cues and shafts? You don’t, but some players like a break cue for the rack break and a regular cue for playing after the break. Don’t snicker, it can make a real difference in your break shots and in your everyday play. I have multiple shafts because my fingers may hurt and not like my 11.75 mm narrow shaft but do fine with a 12.50 shaft. Narrow shafts are less forgiving when you hit offcenter because you create spin on the cue ball when moving away from a center ball hit. It is harder to hit the exact center and avoid spin with the thin cue tip. On the upside, you can be more accurate on exactly where you hit the cue ball and get the spin you desire. Diameter is a personal choice, but if you have small hands or short fingers, a narrow shaft may be just what the Doctor would order to enhance your game.
If you were considering joining the pool league, the time is now.
You can participate as an alternate or a regular. If you join as a regular does not mean you must show up or lose your birthday, it means you will be mostly available, and no player is required to show up Tuesday at 7:00 pm every week. We have alternates and players who live out of town and play in the League. Just make the decision that you would like to join. Oh, and one more thing, we have players that don’t play well. They may play poorly even, that is just fine, we encourage players of any level to join. If you play poorly, guaranteed your teammates will give you advice on improving, and you will.
So, don’t let the fact that you can’t play well hold you back. We would be glad to have you join the League! We all have a lot of fun and enjoy meeting new players of any ability. Want to get to know 80 new people? Join the League, ask at any bar to join. Chances are there will be a League member standing close by to help. Check the bar bulletin boards. Contact numbers are listed to ask for a spot on a team, but hurry up and decide, as they will fill up quickly.
For Tuesday, 01/04/2022
Visit Angelina’s Grille & Bar, Golden West Saloon, Tip Top Lounge, or Welcome Inn: all maintain a Pool table for playing. You might meet new people or watch old friends playing in the pool tournaments.
Tournaments usually take a couple of hours to complete. Watch weekly competitions that anyone is welcome to enter. If visiting Fort Bragg, test your game with our local players! Good company, food, and music, a full bar with Shuffleboard, Dice, and/or Dart games in addition to billiards for entertainment. Angelina’s Grille and Bar also features Karaoke Friday evenings. If you like a venue with an outdoor patio, try Milano’s bar, friendly patrons, a fullservice bar, and an outdoor patio. Come and enjoy today and tonight in Fort Bragg.
Cue Tip: Are you sure of how spin affects the cue ball direction? Then try playing with just the cue ball. Standing at the center of the rack-end of the table, play the cue ball to the far side of the side pocket on the right long rail. Use side spin and see how the cue ball responds, then use opposite spin and shoot to the same spot on the rail. It will act very differently from your first shot. Sidespin of one type will send the cue ball around the table, and the opposite sidespin will kill the cue ball action and not go around but come nearly straight back. If you experiment by shooting from one end rail to the other end rail using left spin and then right spin, you will see a dramatic difference. Cowboy would say, “right goes right, and left goes left.” Try it to see for yourself. Contact me at mcbohanon@gmail. com. Pool League is on holiday, but not for long.