The importance of having a decent cue stick, whether you are playing snooker or pool, is immense. If you are comfortable with the cue stick in your hand, you’ll excel at the table. Conversely, if you don’t find the cue stick in your hands comfortable, your quality of play will suffer. So in this article, we are going to discuss a very important aspect regarding your pool/snooker stick, the weight of the cue.
We’ll go in the details regarding the weight of the pool/snooker cue stick. From beginners to amateurs, kids to adults, and several other things regarding weight will be part of this article. So keep reading till the end to make the right choice when you are buying your next cue stick.
So, whether you shop online, or go to the shop to pick your cue stick after physically examining it, you must have noticed that there are pool/snooker cue sticks available in different weights.
The standard snooker/pool cue weights available in the market are 18, 19, 20 and 21 ounces, with 1/2 ounce intervals in-between. And even, you might find cue sticks lighter than 18 ounces, but they can’t be used when playing on standard tables and with standard size balls because they’d be too light and small to play with.
The 18-19 ounces cue sticks fall in this category. They are considered light cue sticks. If you play with such sticks, you’ll observe that the ball travels slow into the pocket, however the cue ball will be very lively. This is due to the fact that you create more snap with a lighter cue stick.
Lightweight cues can also be used as jump cues because of their little weight, it becomes convenient to execute such shots.
And the cue sticks having weight between 20-21 ounces are considered heavy cue sticks. Their effect is they cause the object ball to go into the pocket faster while the cue ball becomes more lethargic. This is due to the fact that you have more weight to hit with while the snap is not like the lighter cue sticks.
However, when it comes to break cue weights, heavier weights can make a difference. Because they bring considerable power behind the shot and balls tend to travel far, heavier weights for break cues can be useful.
The general opinion is, light cue sticks. Even pros prefer light cues. If you see it from a technical point of view, according to the law of motion set by Isaac Newton, there’s an equal and opposite reaction when you act on an object. The object ball keeps moving until it slows down due to friction.
Persistent effect, known as inertia, also applies here. The heavier the weight of the cue, the more it will keep moving in the direction of the shot, sometimes it will be good for you while some time it won’t be.
That’s why in general opinion, lighter cue sticks are considered better.
If you are buying your first cue stick, it’ll be tricky for you to decide which weight to pick. Here, I’ll share the right type of cue weight for you in terms of your expertise.
If you are just starting out, I’d recommend playing with lighter cues. Amateurs normally start with 19-20 ounces cues as these weights are the sweet spots or average snooker/pool cue weight for most players. Once you have played with a particular size for a while, you’ll understand if it’s too light for you.
One of the indications that you have chosen a lighter stick is that you’ll have trouble controlling the ball. When the cue is too light, it can’t let you control the cue ball while taking a shot.
There is no rule of thumb that suggests experienced or professionals can’t play with lighter cues, however, experienced and pros play with size between 19-21 ounces. Neither too light nor too heavy.
If your cue sticks are too heavy, you’ll have trouble drawing the ball.
Just in case you are wondering how much weight you can add to your pool or snooker cue stick, your cue stick shouldn’t be heavier than 25 ounces. Though 25 ounces cue sticks are too heavy to play for anyone, and any casual or professional would be content with the 22 ounces weight, it’s worth noting that the size limit is 25 ounces.
However, the skill level is not the only thing to consider when buying Pool/Snooker cue sticks of a certain weight. Some other things must also be taken into account.
You could be a man in your mid 20s yet new to billiards. Likewise, you could be a teen turning pro in billiards. So we must consider the age factor too when buying a cue stick of a certain weight.
Cue sticks under 19 ounces are considered ideal for kids, if that feels heavy to your kid, you can order a custom cue stick with weight in his comfort zone.
While teenagers and adults prefer playing with over 19 ounces cue sticks because they are somewhere in between, they provide control and demand less effort when you are taking a shot.
Some pros believe that a cue stick’s weight is also affected by the weight of the shaft. If the shaft is heavy, the cue also feels heavy.
For instance, if one cue weighs 19.7 with a shaft/butt ratio of 22/78, while the other weighs 19.5 with a shaft/butt ratio of 30/70, the one with heavier shaft will feel heavier than the other.
So, when buying a cue sticks, you must consider this small factor in order to ensure your comfort.
The weight of your cue sticks matters a lot, as I have mentioned above that heavy and light weight cues perform differently. When you use a light cue stick, the object ball travels slow, and when you use a heavy stick, the object ball travels fast.
So before choosing any weight, you must consider the table and the weight and size of the balls you are going to use.
Light sticks are not appropriate when you are playing with professionals, and when balls too are of standard dimensions.
Similarly, heavyweight cue sticks won’t be ideal if they are supposed to be used by kids on a small table.
In short, a single cue stick can’t be used by everyone – unless you all have similar preferences.
Yes, don’t fret. Just in case you have purchased the wrong weight, you can still adjust the weight by using bolts.
Luckily, we now have such cue sticks available online that bring this luxury. By changing snooker/pool cue bolts, you can add or reduce some weight from your cue stick.
If you have one of such cue sticks, you can order Predator, Cuetec, or Meucci weight bolts to utilize them whenever you feel you need a lighter or heavier cue stick.
To learn more about cue stick weights and how to change them, read more.
Is changing butt weight will change cue balance?
Yes, the more weight you’ll add, the more it will affect the balance.
What weight of pool cue should I use?
Any weight between 19 ounces to 21 ounces should feel good in your hands.
It matters a lot what weight of cue stick do you feel comfortable playing with. And when you are just starting out, it can be difficult to select the right weight of pool/snooker cue stick. But, with the above mentioned pool/snooker cue weight guide, now you know which weight is apt according to your skill level and age. Hopefully, now you’d be able to pick the right weight when buying your dream cue stick.
