The type of pool balls you play with can significantly impact your game. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, quality pool balls are crucial for a great gameplay experience.
Regular billiard players know that low-quality balls wear out quickly. For this reason, they opt for Aramith billiard balls, which have been the standard for over 100 years, trusted by about 89% of billiard players worldwide.
Material
The material that pool balls are made of dramatically impacts their overall performance. Typically, high-quality sets are made of phenolic resin, which is more complicated and more durable than other materials, such as polyester. The phenolic resin is also resistant to scratching and fading, making it an excellent choice for serious players.
Most professional tournaments require balls like Belgian pool balls Raleigh NC that meet specific quality assurance standards. This ensures that all players use the same equipment and that no one has an unfair advantage.
Modern billiard balls are usually made of phenolic resin, a thermosetting plastic that can’t be melted again after it’s shaped. Around 85% of the pool balls today are made of this material.
Shape
There are different types of billiard balls depending on the style of pool game that you play. These include striped and solid balls, or highs and lows (as they are known in the US). There is also a number 8 ball that you can win by pocketing.
The best billiard balls start as a thermosetting plastic called phenolic resin. This mixture is poured into spherical latex molds and set under very high tolerances. Then, they are dyed with the required color. This process creates dense and consistent pool balls resistant to chipping, scratching, and fading. The quality of phenolic resin billiard balls is why they are used in most major professional billiard events. Most home players also prefer them.
Color
Although less significant than shape or material, color is essential when choosing pool balls. During the 17th century, players used ivory to make their pool balls, which were much more beautiful than wooden balls and exuded luxury and exclusivity. However, this practice harmed elephant populations because the demand for tusks increased.
Today, all billiards balls are made of phenolic resin dyed with the required color. This process takes 23 days; if you cut a set of pool balls open, the color would run through.
While most pool and snooker balls are standard colors, some sets have unique color combinations. These include manufacturer-exclusive sets and specialized sets such as Aramith’s ‘granite’ set that gives the balls a stone appearance.
Weight
As you might imagine, the weight of pool balls plays a significant role in their performance. A good set of pool balls will be perfectly matched in terms of weight and diameter so that the margin between each ball is just a few grams or a fraction of a millimeter, which is crucial for precision shots.
While polyester billiard balls may be an affordable option for beginners, we recommend upgrading to a set of phenolic resin pool balls as you progress. This type of pool ball offers superior durability and resistance to moisture, heat, impact, and chemicals.
Design
In the 17th century, ivory was the go-to material for pool balls. But when it became more expensive, manufacturers began to search for alternatives. One inventor named Hyatt made a celluloid set, but his invention proved a poor replacement because they were prone to explosions upon impact. This was due to the nitrocellulose they were made from, which was flammable.
Nowadays, phenolic resin is the preferred material. But a few other choices do exist. Several sets are made from different materials, such as polyester resin. However, they are less durable and last longer than phenolic resin. This is why choosing the best billiard balls is essential when buying your pool table. Check dead bank billiards apparel for the best custom made jerseys for all your matches
