| Most people start playing pool in a bar or around a | | | | needed. |
| friend's house. There, they usually use whatever cue | | | | The basic thing you need to have when purchasing a |
| stick is lying around without much concern about the | | | | cue is the right feel. Every person is a different size |
| quality or sizing of the stick. At first this is totally fine, | | | | and every person likes a different feel to his or her |
| however as players become more advanced, they | | | | cue. Firstly, a cue needs to be the right size. As can be |
| start to realize how important a cue is to their style | | | | imagined cues are smaller for smaller people and |
| and skill at play. Just like in baseball, one's own glove is | | | | larger for larger people. Try to get a sense of the how |
| very important to playing the game, and so with | | | | the cue balances in your hand. Does it feel like you |
| billiards, having the right cue is vital to playing well. | | | | could snap it in half? Or does it feel like a ladder in your |
| However, if you've never purchased a cue or any | | | | hand? These might be extreme examples, but when |
| other billiard accessory, you may not know what to do | | | | the size is off, the cue will feel either like a twig or a |
| when you're shopping. Here are some billiard cue | | | | tree. Secondly, cues are made with different materials |
| basics to help you along. | | | | so the weight feels much different for each type of |
| A cue has three basic components - the shaft, the tip, | | | | wood. Make sure you hand your cue a lot before you |
| and the grip. These areas can be broken down further, | | | | purchase to ensure that it feels right. Any bad feelings |
| but for now, let's keep things simple. The grip is where | | | | will definitely be noticed in the long run. |
| your hand grips and moves the cue. The shaft is the | | | | Aside from the construction, there's also the |
| length of the cue that will strike the ball. And the tip is | | | | deconstruction. Different cues will break down into two |
| what actually hits the ball. Most cheap cues have | | | | or three pieces and each requires a different type of |
| these as a single piece, but nicer and more expensive | | | | case. This shouldn't affect the playing style, but when it |
| cues have each piece separate so that you can | | | | comes to transporting your cue, this aspect should be |
| customize the cue and repair each component as | | | | comfortable as well. |