Pool cues can be roughly divided into mass-produced cues and handmade cues. As the name suggests, mass-produced cues come off the production line, so the cost is low and you can make as many as you need; handmade cues are Handmade, so-called handmade poles still rely on tools and machines for many processes, but they are still very different from mass-produced poles. The world's top clubs such as GINA and SOUTHWEST (also known as SARS in Taiwan) are basically handmade clubs. In today's commercialized society where the pursuit of profit is the first purpose, some handmade clubs still rely on manual operations and work tirelessly. The pursuit of perfect quality leads to these exquisite and almost perfect clubs, which can be called works of art. Therefore, there are many club collectors in the world. There will be a detailed introduction in the famous pole appreciation area.

Fancy nine-ball originated from the United States. The philosophy and technology of club making have been continuously improved over the years, making American clubs recognized as No. 1 in the world. Most of the master-level handmade clubs come from the United States and are quite expensive. The famous GINA and SOUTHWEST, for example, start at US$2,000-3,000. Plus, you can imagine the price of complex and expensive decorations. The GINA Shakazula (called Big Rainbow in Taiwan) used by the world champion Zhao Fengbang is priced at US$9,000, and Yang Qingshun's six-piece ivory SOUTHWEST (Shasa) is priced at NT$250,000 (approximately more than RMB 60,000). There are also slightly lower prices, such as OMEN, which are around a thousand dollars. The quality is also well received. It is a brand that webmasters like very much and think has the potential to increase in value.

There are also many mass-produced brands in the United States. These brands generally use computer lathes and have large outputs. There are also some excellent ones, such as the famous PREDATOR (Puma) 314 front section, and SCHON, VIKING, etc. are popular in the United States and Taiwan. Prices range from high to low. For example, a low-end JOSS club can be purchased for more than 1,000 RMB, but I personally think that this kind of club is not very cost-effective. A PREDATOR 314 front section costs around US$180, which is a new model. The Z front section is more expensive, and the minimum cost of repairing an original club is more than RMB3,000; for more expensive ones such as SCHON, mass-produced clubs are generally more than 700 US dollars. It should be noted that many mass-produced brands will also launch some limited-edition clubs. The material selection and design are better than mass-produced clubs, and the price is much higher. However, there is a difference between these limited-edition clubs and real handmade clubs. In addition, with the popularity of fancy nine-ball worldwide, many countries outside the United States have also joined the pole-making industry, such as ADAM and MEZZ from Japan, FALCON from Canada, and LONGINI from Italy, etc., which are all very famous brands.

Taiwan is a region where my country's fancy nine-ball sport is very developed. Players have reached world-class standards. Pool play is popular among the people. At the same time, Taiwan is also famous for its manufacturing. These two points determine that Taiwan has become the world's largest mass production club base. Taiquan, which Taiwanese businessmen invested in Guangdong, my country, is now the world's largest club-making factory, with a monthly output of more than 800,000 pieces. The more famous factories in Taiwan include AXES (Double Ax), etc. Taiwan's handmade clubs are based on snails As a representative, the quality is not inferior to that of American handmade clubs. Recently, many Taiwanese professional golfers have given up their valuable world-famous clubs and switched to snails. This shows that the level of Taiwanese handmade clubs has also reached the top level.

The standard for measuring the playability of a club

There has always been controversy on this issue, and perhaps the controversy will never stop. For example, in terms of hardness selection: softer-tuned clubs have better elasticity and are easier to hit with strong plugs, thin balls, and brake balls, and the offset of the lower plug is relatively small. However, when hitting long-distance balls with great force, it will The front branch deforms a lot and is not stable enough, and sometimes loses sight. The harder-tuned clubs have less plug force and a relatively large offset of the lower plug, but the advantage is that they are stable enough. Please see the article on front-cut performance for details.

Almost all handmade clubs have playability as their primary goal, but the playing feel of each brand of clubs and the club-maker's understanding of playability are not exactly the same.

Most professional players prefer hard clubs, which can ensure the consistency of each shot. In order to be hard enough and reduce the offset of the plunger as much as possible, 314 and other technology front sections have appeared. It has been reported that some professional players have Half of them are using 314 (statistics in 2001), but most of the world's top players that we can often see on TV still insist on using log front sections.

Everyone has different playing habits, so the club that suits you is a good club. My opinion is that a good club is one that has full power, a hardness that suits personal requirements, and a tuck that is easy to adjust.

Beginners do not need to buy too expensive clubs. They only need to choose a brand with relatively stable quality to ensure that the clubs will last. After all, this stage is about continuous learning and understanding of playing skills and golf clubs. There is not enough understanding of sex yet. Once you reach a certain level and develop certain hitting habits and preferences, you can choose according to your own needs. A golf club that is easy to play may not necessarily be expensive, or it may just be a public club, but high-quality and high-priced clubs definitely have their reasons for being expensive. It all depends on your thoughts and financial ability. Maybe you are lucky enough to find a cheap and good golf club, and use it to dominate the battlefield; maybe your golf skills are not very good, but you do not hesitate to spend a lot of money just because you like a certain famous golf club, and cherish it for the rest of your life...