Snooker/Pool Cue Balance Point

Smith, who happens to have a great eye for noting down small details about billiard, has asked us a very technical question today.

Question:

Hey, I hope you are doing well. Wash hands and maintain social distancing. I have a question racking my mind when I’m cropped up inside my apartment. What the hell this “snooker cue balance point” and “forward vs rear weighted pool cue” thing is? I saw experts talking about it when discussing a game on TV, just wondering how do you figure out where your cue’s balance point is and how does it impact your game? Also, I want to know what’s the benchmark balance point so that I can mark it for my cue as well?

Answer:

Hi, Smith. It’s not rocket science, your cue’s balance point is its center of gravity. The point at which you balance your cue becomes the center of gravity and ultimately your balance point.

And for your next question, it’s about the cue you are using. If your cue has forward weight, it offers short roll while rear weight offers long roll.

As far as your last question is concerned, it doesn’t make any difference. It depends on your preferences. Some like to play with forward weight while some like to play with rear.

Balance Point

So, as you have learnt that balance point is the center of gravity, the point at which you balance your cue. In general, it has no affect on your play. It’s all about the feel. However, for some people, it becomes a matter of great concern.

For instance, you have a Mezz cue and you have seen people asking about Mezz cue balance point, if other people have shorter balance points while you have a slightly bigger than average, you might think this is the cause of your low performance.

As said earlier, this is not the case. It’s all about what feels good to you.

Benchmark in cue balance point

Normally, for neutral balance, people keep this balance point between 18-1/2 to 19″ from the buttcap. However, if your cue is a little heavier than 19.5 oz, it is recommended to keep the balance more towards the forward – 19-1/4″ – so the balance remains good.

Weight Distribution

Though the central point does not affect your shot, weight distribution does. A lot of people have asked online “which is best, forward balance or butt heavy cues?”

This too depends on your objective. If you have a rear weighted cue stick, the moment of inertia will be greater and the cue will be more resistant to pivoting. Which is best for straight shots.

However, if the striking motion is little non-straight, you’ll have to serve more effort in order to bring it back into line during stroke.

So if we talk about the concept of weight distribution, it varies for everyone. Some would play with heavier butts while some would prefer weight forward.

Conclusion

Choosing the right weight of cue and where it will go is crucial for your performance at the pool/snooker table. With all your queries answered in this blog post, now you will be able to decide where to put the weight and how much.