Snooker Cues: 7 Hot Tips For Snooker Cues

Snooker Cues are one of the most important factors when playing any game of snooker. And of course, deciding which one to buy can seem so overwhelming. So here are my top seven snooker cue tips that will get you up and running when making that important, yet fun decision.

You know... strutting into any snooker hall, with the skills to whitewash your mates, is enough to put a smile on so many faces. But in order to do that, you must first start at ground zero... grabbing your ideal snooker cue.

Follow my guide and you won't wrong.

Tip 1 - Choosing The Right Wood

Tip 2 - Choosing The Correct Weight

Tip 3 - Choosing The Correct Length

Tip 4 - Choosing Your Tip Size

Tip 5 - Eliminate Bent Snooker Cues

Tip 6 - Expensive Snooker Cues

Tip 7 - Finding That Perfect Price

What Are The Best Woods For Snooker Cues?

Ash and Maple are the two main sources of wood used to make snooker cues.

- Ash wood, comes straight from an Ash Tree (hence the word "ash"), has visibly darker grain lines and is considered the toughest out of the two. While...

- Maple wood, comes straight from a Maple Tree, is mainly used for pool cues and has many tighter grain lines (close together) than Ash wood.

Try them both; cuz wood type is largely a matter of feel. But if you want my personal opinion, go for the Ash wood. It's stronger and built to last.

How Much Do Snooker Cues Weigh?

Because of its long length, snooker cues have a metal bolt skewed in at the thicker end, typically called the butt. This helps maintain an even balance when playing a friend and allows you to strike the "cue ball" (white ball) with enough force.

Snooker cues come in 3 different weights, 17 - 19 ounces (oz), and weighs no more than your average "Baked Beans" tin (give or take a bean).

- 17 ounces (oz), is the lightest from the bunch. It's perfect for beginners as it gives a better feel for a shot.

- 19 ounces (oz), is the heaviest and has the tendency to tire out inexperienced players. These cues are brilliant for intermediate to advanced players, as it is ideal for those power shots.

So what weight do you go for?

Mmm... let me see... in the wisdom of "Goldie locks and the three bears", I'd stick with middle (18 ounce). That way, you'd get the best of both worlds, by future proofing yourself as you grow into your cue.

Does Size Really matter?

You know... there's this strange method in the snooker world, which allows you to check and see if a snooker cues length is right for you...

Wanna know how?

Well, first of all, stand the cue upright so that the "tip" (skinny end of the cue) is pointing to the ceiling. If the cues tip measures just below your shoulder, it's perfect.

But in reality... it doesn't matter.

The standard length for snooker cues are anywhere between 57 - 58 inches long. However, 57 inches should be ideal for just about 99% of players, unless your exceptionally tall (a giraffe), or very small (a grain of salt).

What Tip Sizes For Snooker Cues Do You Go For?

Your snooker cues tip is one of the most important part for playing any game, cuz without it... there is NO game.

Cue tips come in different sizes starting from 9mm all the way up to 13mm. Generally speaking, tip sizes for snooker cues are between 8 - 10mm and 10 - 13mm are for pool cues. Although, you do see some pool players with 8mm tips, which is pretty strange. Oh... and by the way...

If your snooker cue comes with a "GREEN" chalk, don't go using "BLUE", as this could damage your cues tip. And you don't want that to happen... now do you?

Chalk is used to add grip to the tip to prevent you from a "miss hit" (a foul). That's why you see many players chalking their cue right before a shot.

Did you enjoy my first four tips on snooker cues? would you like to see the last three, most important, tips when selecting your cue? Simply, click this link for more Snooker Cues tips.