Just last Tuesday afternoon, I was at my local pub trying to sink some balls, feeling like my shots were going kinda wild. Got me wondering, maybe these pool balls ain’t all equal weight? That worn cue ball felt weirdly light in my hand. Decided right then to actually check out the weights for myself – gotta know what you’re playing with, right?
So, I marched straight home and dug through my garage toolbox. Found my old digital kitchen scale, thankfully still working. Remembered I had that mismatched set from the charity shop last year – figured it’d be perfect for this experiment. Dumped the whole case onto my workbench, hearing that familiar clack sound.
Here’s exactly what I did next:
- Cleaned ’em Up: Wiped every single ball down with a cloth. Didn’t want any sticky soda messing up my scale readings.
- Tested the Scale: Put a nickel on first – 5 grams, like it should be. Good sign the scale wasn’t lying.
- Started Weighing: Placed each ball one by one on that little scale platform, careful-like. Wrote the numbers right down on a scrap of paper.
No Way! The Wild Weight Differences I Found
Man, the numbers popping up were all over the place! My “standard” solids and stripes? Mostly hovered around 165 grams, give or take a gram or two. Okay, kinda expected that. But the 8 ball? Damn thing came in at only 142 grams! Felt lighter when I held it, sure, but seeing it confirmed? Seriously?
Checked that worn cue ball – 135 grams, like a feather compared to the solids. No wonder my draw shots felt sloppy! And get this:
- One red stripe ball (#11) was 168g
- Its buddy #13? 162g! Same stripe set!
- A yellow solid (#1) was 163g
- The orange #5? 170g right on the nose
I weighed each one twice, even moved the scale to another table thinking it was the surface. Numbers stayed stubbornly messy.
Why This Mess Makes Your Game Feel Off
Got me thinking hard. Playing with balls this different weight? It ain’t just annoying, it straight up messes with your game! That light 8 ball would skim across the felt if you hit it softer, changing the whole path. A heavier ball doesn’t bounce off cushions the same as a light one – throws your instincts out the window. Explains why breaking sometimes felt like pure luck – gotta hit hard enough to move the heavy ones, but too hard and the light ones go flying.
Pro sets got it tight – all balls usually 5.5 to 6 oz (around 156-170g). My junkyard set? Chaos. Guess that’s what happens when your gear gets beer-soaked, tossed around, and who-knows-what-else over years in a smoky pub. Makes you appreciate them clean tournament tables.
So yeah, learned my lesson. Worn balls ain’t just ugly, they sabotage your play because the weights drift apart like lost sheep. Next pub game? I’m picking up the cues and balls myself, feeling the weight. Might seem weird, but hey, if you want consistency on the table, you gotta know what you’re dealing with. Or hey, maybe just bring your own decent set. That old cue ball staying home though – throws harder than a toddler’s tantrum. That’s just how bar life goes.
