Cue weights?

Jeff sparks said:

When we played the seniors in Houston this year, I bought a balance rite mid- cue extension from John Henderson, he said he liked the shorter version 2" vs the 3.75" model that you and I are now using.

I'm nuts about it, I won't ever play without it again. I like the forward balance it gives and the feel of the longer cue in my hands, I've been playing with it since April, and I feel it's improved my overall game about a ball. The added weight now at 20 ozs. Up from 18 is not a problem, in fact I like it.

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darmoose said:

Jeff,

Wow, what a coincidence. Now that you mention it, I remember you telling us about that some time ago on here. So, with what you've said above, I'm a bit confused about your earlier wondering what all this about a cue weight, length, balance has to do with playing one pocket?

I agree that one pocket is a very special game. For me, the fact that one can find several paths to victory provides all the attraction I need. But still, the best tool (perhaps optimal tool) is going to make you capable of performing better than otherwise.

So, in retrospect, do you, like me, think you were missing something before you got the extension (and didn't know it)?Don't you feel that the Balance Rite extension has brought you closer to optimal, sure sounds like it.

It reminds me of "we don't know what we don't know" Enjoy your Balance Rite as I intend to do.

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Jeff sparks said:

I had no idea you were talking about a mid cue extension, I didn't read that into your original post. I just thought you were concerned about playing weight in a cue stick.

Even though the extension adds 2 ozs to the overall weight, it's not readily noticeable to me, even the first time I hit a ball with it I never thought about the added weight, all I thought about was how good the cue stick felt hitting balls.

There was no change in the shaft deflection and the added length made the balance point more forward for my stroke hand, which I liked immediately.

I can't find anything negative about the balance rite mid-cue extension, I just ordered another one yesterday to have as a spare. I'm going to try adding it to the other one and playing with both attached to my cue. That will bring the playing weight up to 22ozs, and the overall length will then be about 65".

I'll let you know via a PM as to how it feels and play's. I suspect it will have a much different feel than just playing with one.

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lll said:

jeff
I would be interested to know how the double extension feels too

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darmoose said:

Sorry I haven't responded to comments on this subject which I brought up. I was out all day playing one pocket with my new Balance-Rite extension, which so far I am very pleased with. This is the reason I asked the question(s) in the first place.

I have been researching the Balance-Rite extension and reading reviews and comments about it. The factual effects of this extension are 1) it will add about two ounces to your cue, 2) it will add about four inches to the length of your cue, and 3) it will provide more weight forward thus moving the balance point forward on your cue.

I was pretty sure I would like the longer length and the movement of the balance point more forward (which puts more downward force on the shaft, very desirable when shooting with open bridge), but I was a little concerned about the extra two ounces. My cue is about 19.4 so this would make it 21.4 ounces.

What finally caused me to cough the $35.00 and buy this gizmo was reading several opinions of players, instructors, and even a few from self identifying scientists that said basically that more weight = less effort= more accuracy and conversely less weight = more effort= less accuracy. The most common theory is that a heavier cue helps to keep you cue on track (less lateral movement through the stroke).

Obviously, as L S John points out, this is only good up the point where weight impedes your ability to develop enough speed of stroke. I've played now two full days (10-11 hrs) with this modification, and am pleasantly surprised that I played at my best level almost immediately and stayed there all day. I am aware of the phenomenon that almost any change can initially provide improvement, so I am not at a point of final judgement yet.

My observations these last two days are that I felt like my cueball was rolling farther with less effort, my stroke did seem more "solid", and I was pretty darn accurate both shooting and moving.

I want to say a word about comments from a few about cue weight and other cue properties being merely a personal preference, and we must simply get used to it, and there being no optimum, which I also stated initially in my original post. I think NOW that there MAY just be an optimum, and no one can know without trying options.

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