Play Better Pool - The Grip
March 25, 2008
The first thing that most players do wrong when playing pool, is to hold the pool cue far too tight. Think of it as a tube of toothpaste and hold it just tight enough to only slightly dent the tube. Don’t use all your fingers to hold the cue, rather just use your thumb and forefinger to create a loop with the balance of your fingers merely supporting the butt of the cue. Most importantly, don’t run your thumb along the top of the cue as this will restrict proper wrist flexibility required through the shot.
Different shots require different hand positions, and whilst it is vital that you keep your body position as static as possible, you may need to change the position of your backhand. For example if you want to hit a hard shot, you may want to hold the cue toward the back of the butt so as to generate as much lateral movement as possible. Alternately, you may need to hold the cue toward the joint for delicate shots so as to improve accuracy and touch.
Ideally, when addressing the cue ball and just prior to playing your shot, your back arm should be perpendicular to the floor. However at the end of the day…all you are looking for is for the cue to travel in a straight line, so if you have to look backwards and play through your legs, it’s not an issue just so long as you play the cue ball straight and true.
Play Better Pool - The Stance
March 19, 2008
There is no real perfect stance. On the basis that you are right handed, then when you are aiming a shot, part of your weight will be on your left foot and part on your right. You would also expect to support your body just slightly on your left hand as it rests on the table. How much weight is applied to each part of your body will vary drastically from one player to the next, as will exactly how each part of your body is placed. Some expert pool players will keep both knees straight and spread their legs widely, whilst others keep their feet fairly close together and then flex both knees.
Many snooker players turning to pool, will bring with them a snooker style stance, whereby they place their chin on the cue, however this can be painful on the back as a pool table is a couple of inches lowere than a snooker table. Whatever way you set yourself up for a shot - just be sure that you can play the cue ball straight and adopt that stance each and every time you go to the table.
Pool Table Slate Bed
March 18, 2008
Since the early 1800’s, slate has been the defacto choice for billiard tables. But there’s been a lot said about how thick it needs to be and how a certain type of slate from a certain country is better than another.
Italian slate is widely considered as being the best, but in the UK, Welsh blue slate is as good, if not better than anything else ever mined. This is simply due to two factors…the density and the water content.
The density of the slate is why we still use it - there is nothing else available that can provide a better mass to weight ratio, so no other substitute will give a better response than slate. The problem is that when it is cut into slabs, slate can warp or bowl. If the slate cannot hold water, it’s almost impossible to do anything with it, but if it does hold water, then the slate can be repaired, hence why many craftsmen prefer Italian.
However, these days, price is the biggest factor. Chinese slate can be 1/3rd the price of Italian and to most people this is all that counts. But…if you want precision pool, then you have to be sure that the slate is accurate to at least 1/100″ and so far only Italian and Brazilian slate can conform to this requirement, but Brazilian slate is less expensive and therefore the most popular of quality slates.
Thickness is not really an issue. John Thurston discovered in the first part of the 19th century, that once over an inch in thickness, performance doesn’t really increase, the only major benefit is a lack of ball rumble. However once you get past 1-3/4″ in thickness, any gains in performance are off-set by the requirement to produce increasingly heavy frames, thus causing one to cancel out the other.
How To Move A Pool Table…
March 17, 2008
What to think about before you pick your table up!
If you have a quality pool table like a Brunswick pool table or a Olhausen pool table, then the last thing you really want to do is try and pick it up to move it, and there are two reasons why…
1 - You’ll rip the aprons or blinds off (these are the pieces that hang down under the cushion rails and hide the slates), which will cost a lot of money and likely rather depress you!
2 - You may well put your back out! These tables generally weigh in excess of 1/3 tonne, so please be carefull.
If you want to do it yourself, it’s quite possible, just take a little time but do be very carefull of the face side of the slates. The edges and the back of the slate are actually quite durable, but don’t chip the face or you may need a new set (at GB£600 a set!).
The problem is…trying to put it back together again. Unless you are a qualified pool table fitter you will have problems levelling the table and the slate, but you’ll also have problems re-clothing the table.
If you have to do it yourself, then drop me a line via the Contact Us form here: http://americanbilliardcompany.com/contact/ and I’d be happy to help.
Brunswick’s Gold Crown® Legend Keeps Getting Better
March 13, 2008
BRISTOL, Wis. (August 15, 2007) – Brunswick Billiards’ lineup of seven new billiards tables reinforces the company’s global reputation for innovation. One new model is an updated version of one of the most legendary names in the game. The flagship Gold Crown® table, first manufactured in 1961, and widely recognized as the professional players’ table of choice, proves some things truly do get better with age. The Gold Crown V was launched to rave reviews at the recent Billiard Congress of America Show in Las Vegas and is destined for upscale billiards establishments, tournament hosts and international dealers. It replaces the Gold Crown IV which was introduced in 1997.
“The Gold Crown is the oldest billiards table model in production and it sets the standard around the world for its unmatched quality, accuracy and playability,” said Debbie Groshek, brand manager for Brunswick Billiards. “New features in the Gold Crown V signal an important evolution in the greatest name in billiards.”
Without compromising the classic lines, the new Brunswick Gold Crown V features a revamped ball storage box that provides a full front facing for all 16 balls. A new apron extrusion provides a bolder, stronger stance accented by new 45-degree, brushed-nickel corner pocket castings. The Gold Crown V is available in mahogany or matte black with nickel trim. The top-of-the line model, available as an eight-foot pro or nine-foot table, has an MSRP of $8,999. A nine-foot tournament edition is also available featuring tighter pockets engineered to more stringent World Pool-Billiard Association specifications.
“The Brunswick Gold Crown V is a world-class pool table, engineered for those who demand the very best. This table is the professional players’ table of choice,” said Groshek. “In addition, a new Gold Crown V Tournament Edition table is going to be made available for home sales so consumers will have the option of playing on the same table as the pros.”
Brunswick Billiards Launches Largest Collection of New Products
March 12, 2008
New Designs in Billiards Tables, Game Room Suites Offer Unique Appeal BRISTOL, Wis. (August 15, 2007) – Brunswick Billiards is offering several new billiards tables and game room products for 2007 in the industry’s largest and most diverse product lineup.
Two new additions to the Brunswick line, an updated Gold Crown® and four new tables in the company’s CONTENDER® Series, bring the total number of billiards tables to 37, according to E.J. Loferski, director of marketing for Brunswick Billiards. All billiards tables can be purchased as part of a complete game room package featuring a poker set, bar, pub table, bar stools and more.
“Families continue to invest in their homes to create fun environments where they can spend quality time together,” said Loferski. “And, today’s tables and game room suites provide a stylish focal point to what’s becoming the most popular room in the house.”
Brunswick’s new Providence™ table follows a traditional European design, featuring elegant lines for a sophisticated look that will clearly stand out in any setting. The table features an innovative ball storage box hidden behind the foot-end apron, a patent pending innovation from Brunswick. The Providence, priced at $5,899 (MSRP), is designed in a beautiful chestnut finish and also features handsomely profiled, thick rails that are complemented with mother-of-pearl, diamond-shaped rail sights. The pockets, dressed with fringe tassels, overhang beautifully carved ram’s head post-style legs.
The new Park Falls™ table features a casual design style that is rustic, yet trendy. Constructed of select pine with a distressed antique pine finish, a Park Falls is unique and would be a perfect complement to a Northwoods retreat or any home designed with casual elegance. The Park Falls, priced at $5,249 (MSRP), features leather-bucket pockets, hammered black metal rail sights and wood pegs on the sides of the head and foot rails.
“The 2007 lineup shows Brunswick’s wide range of design capabilities,” said Loferski. “We simultaneously refine the classic styles and introduce new designs of top-quality products that provide the most satisfaction for our customers. This year’s new additions to the Brunswick line will continue its tradition of high quality and excellence making it possible for more people to enjoy pool in their homes as a recreational luxury.
Brunswick Billiards and Ewa Laurance A Winning Combination
March 11, 2008
Brunswick Billiards and Ewa Mataya Laurance have inked a contract extension to continue their long-standing relationship that began in 1988. Brunswick will sponsor Laurance on the WPBA Tour, and she will continue to represent Brunswick as their professional player representative and spokesperson.”Our relationship with Ewa has been a wonderfully rewarding experience for Brunswick. Ewa is one of the most well-respected players in the sport of billiards and we are thrilled to have her continue to be the face of Brunswick,” said Brunswick Billiards President Sean Cummings.
Laurance is one of the most recognizable stars in the history of pocket billiards. She has won every major title the sport has to offer, including multiple World Titles, U.S. Open titles and National Championships, and is a member the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame. Known as “The Striking Viking,” she has also become widely recognized as one of the great international ambassadors for the sport, promoting pocket billiards worldwide.
Laurance commented, “I am delighted to continue to be a part of a first-class organization like Brunswick, which has done so much for the sport of billiards. Additionally, it is an honor to be included with some of the other legendary professional billiard players that Brunswick has sponsored over the years such as Willie Mosconi and Jimmy Caras.”
For over 160 years, Brunswick Billiards has been the leader in designing the highest quality in pool tables with a standard of superior craftsmanship preferred by experts around the world. Based in Bristol, Wis., Brunswick designs billiards tables, game room furniture and accessories and has a distribution network covering 50 countries around the world, including over 300 retail dealer locations across the United States and Canada. For more information about Brunswick Billiards and its product line, visit their Web site at www.brunswickbilliards.com
Virtual Bowling By Brunswick Added at Second GameWorks Location
March 11, 2008
MUSKEGON, Mich., March 7, 2008 – Following the success of the first installation of Virtual Bowling at GameWorks in Las Vegas, Brunswick Bowling is pleased to announce that a GameWorks location in suburban Chicago now offers Virtual Bowling as its newest attraction.GameWorks Schaumburg, which is located at the Streets of Woodfield, is a casual dining and location-based entertainment center owned by Sega Entertainment U.S.A., Inc.
“Virtual Bowling is a great new addition to our facility, which has far exceeded our expectations. It allows us to enhance our day-to-day business, as well as our birthday, corporate and group party offerings,” said Jim Olson, general manager of GameWorks Schaumburg. “It attracts customers by providing the fun experience of bowling in this world-class entertainment facility.”
Virtual Bowling is a unique and exciting new game designed to help build traffic and revenues by attracting today’s video game generation as well as traditional bowlers seeking a new and fun bowling challenge. Today’s home electronic games continue to challenge entertainment facilities’ ability to attract patrons, get them out of their homes and into an entertainment–oriented establishment. Each year it becomes more difficult to identify and select the entertainment products unique enough to attract–and then keep–the best patrons coming back for more.
Unlike the more traditional video games available and easily duplicated by the home electronics industry, Virtual Bowling blends the unique attributes of real bowling with the excitement and variety of video gaming. Complete with realistic sounds, bowlers roll a standard bowling ball down a shortened lane, where sensors detect the speed and direction of the ball as it enters the virtual world. Players choose from five fun-filled bowling themes and can select five or 10-frame games.
GameWorks Schaumburg is the first location to offer the new Virtual Bowling Target Challenge™ game - a fun and exciting new game option where players roll the ball down the lane at a colorful target to achieve the highest point value. Sound effects and visually enticing graphics add fun and excitement to every shot and highlight each score. Multiple players can compete, making Target Challenge another great game for groups and parties. Players on the same lane can choose to play the bowling game or Target Challenge at any time.
The ability to offer an exciting alternative game like Target Challenge is unique to Virtual Bowling by Brunswick as a result of patented technology which is not restricted by using a mechanical pinsetting machine. Additionally, GameWorks in Long Beach, Calif., and Minneapolis, Minn., both include 10 lanes of regulation bowling on Brunswick equipment as part of their entertainment attractions
The Brunswick Billiards Story…
March 10, 2008
Brunswick. The name is legendary.
The Brunswick legacy is rich in history, a history that spans nearly two centuries. But even legends have humble beginnings. John Moses Brunswick started in a small Cincinnati wood shop building carriages.
The young John Moses Brunswick was known for his attention to detail and impeccable standards of quality. Then one night in 1845 Brunswick saw a billiard table for the first time and was spellbound by its intricacy and beauty. As a carriage maker who was passionate about woodworking, he was fascinated with its design and workmanship. Brunswick quickly decided this was his chance to build something with unlimited potential and lasting beauty.
“If it is wood, we can build it, and we can build it better than anyone else,” Brunswick said, and he lived up to his word. Within ten years he had carved an impeccable reputation for his fine tables and had built the foundation of what would become the largest billiard company in the world.
The Legend Continues
In 1845, the J.M. Brunswick Company produced its first billiard table. By 1850, Brunswick tables were known around the world as masterpieces of original craftsmanship and design. The world has changed tremendously, but the Brunswick commitment to exceptional quality remains. John Moses Brunswick’s creative vision continues to thrive at Brunswick Billiards in Bristol, Wisconsin, where you’ll find over a century and a half of exceptional engineering and innovative style built into every table. A timeless tribute to excellence in design and workmanship, every model is backed by a lifetime warranty and has the best resale value in the industry.
Part of the Legend
Experience our rich history for yourself. By investing in a Brunswick table, you not only own the best playing pool table in the world, you own part of the Brunswick heritage…nearly two centuries of quality products, outstanding service, and value par excellence.
BRUNSWICK BILLIARDS
Some traditions are worth keeping forever.
Life Fitness Vivo Web Site Provides Personal Link Between Exerciser and Machine
March 10, 2008
New Online Service from Life Fitness Enables Users to Plan, Create and Track Cardio Workouts SAN DIEGO (March 6, 2008) – If knowledge is power, then the new Life Fitness® Vivo Web site is the ultimate motivator. This state-of-the-art tool, unveiled today at IHRSA 2008, harnesses personal fitness and training data to give exercisers the power to plan, customize and track cardio workouts online.
Designed to link exercisers and equipment, the Web site’s interactive, online program harnesses the data exercisers store on a USB device through the integrated USB port on the Elevation Series products (EngageTM and InspireTM Consoles only). The Vivo Web site organizes and stores a user’s workout data making it simple to view and track progress from a computer, as well as create personalized workouts for usage anywhere, anytime on Life Fitness Elevation Series products.
“Through research, we’ve been able to discern that exercisers hitting ‘Quick Start’ are more likely to get bored and quit their exercise sooner than those who opt for the richer workout profiles,” said Bob Quast, vice president of product management for Life Fitness. “The Life Fitness Vivo Web site makes it easier for exercisers to access more engaging workouts and provides feedback on progress, which is an essential tool to help exercisers continue on their fitness journey.”
Through the Life Fitness Vivo Web site, exercisers can plan regular workouts on a fitness calendar and create workouts best suited for their fitness needs. It also makes it easier to “get on and go,” by plugging a USB device into the equipment’s USB port and selecting the desired program created on the Web site. The machine automatically adjusts to the chosen workout.
The Life Fitness Vivo Web site enables facilities to enhance their personal training offering to help clients reach their fitness goals. Through the Web site, trainers can design personal Web accounts to store individualized workouts for clients and track a client’s progress between sessions. Facilities also have the option of purchasing Life Fitness-branded USB wristbands.
“This innovative solution offers the kind of advanced fitness technology that gives facilities a competitive edge,” said Quast. “It engages both the body and the mind, and it empowers exercisers and trainers to take workouts to the next level. This is the future of fitness.
