THE EVOLUTION OF THE BILLIARD TABLE

Since the Noble Game of Billiards evolved from a croquet styled lawn game in Northern Europe during the 15^th century there has been astronomical changes to the cue sport table.

The innovations today see Billiards or Pool Tables being placed in Hotels to Living or Game Rooms, on the decks to even in Pools.

That’s right Pool tables in Pools.

The changing face of pool has been as much to do with creating various price points and adjusting to household designs, to bringing the game to the people, rather than the people to the game.

The greatest example of bringing the game to the people is the X Men Outdoor Pool table.

As the above picture shows, the X Men Pool table has brought a whole new meaning to Pool!

The tables currently hold pride of place on Hayman Island, Resorts in Las Vegas and Phuket.

“The tables are a brilliant edition to these resorts as they provide Patrons with something out of the ordinary, a talking point, which is what a holiday escape is all about,” Billiard Shop’s Luke Johnson said.

“Let’s face it there is nothing quite as soothing as relaxing around a resort pool and to have a seven or eight foot  X Men Pool table in or around the water is a smart edition to provide patrons with another avenue of leisure.”

The X Men Outdoor table is a true innovation in the Billiard Industry. This table has the great looks and amazing play ability. If you have a large terrace or deck and are looking for the perfect entertainment, the X Men Outdoor Table is exactly what you need. It certainly will impress your family and friends with the latest technology in billiard table making.

The Billiard Shop Outdoor Pool Tables, are made from the highest grade aluminium, electrostatically powder coated to protect against the elements. It is also made with special rubber cushions and outdoor billiard cloth that are both water and UV resistant.

The mind wonders where the next Billiard table innovation will take us. The Krenice is one such design that caters for the more space conscious consumer.

It is beautifully designed with the removable table certain to surprise any diner unaware the fine dining table setting is a Billiard table in disguise.

Billiard tables and equipment rapidly developed in England during the Industrial revolution of the 1800s as slate became the popular table beds around 1835. Ten years later Rubber cushions became standard after Goodyear discovered vulcanization.

By 1850, two to one dimension tables became the norm and billiard tables as we know it became what they are today.

While quintessentially how the game is played is unlikely to change, the designs will continue to wow.

Some tables push the boundaries of our imagination while the more traditional tables such as the Supreme continues to impress.

But for the general public just playing pool brings immense pleasure no matter what the design.

They do bring family and friends together and Billiard Shop outlets at Macgregor and Aspley in Brisbane, Bundall on the Gold Coast, Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Mackay and Townsville have a number of designs to suit your needs.

HOW TO MOVE A POOL TABLE

BILLIARD SHOP – THE PROFESSIONAL MOVERS!

Don’t risk life, limb or table moving your Billiard table! Slate is a heavy thing and it needs to be moved and then reassembled on the frame with precision and care.

Billiard Shop offers a complete removal service whether that be from house to house or house to storage.

Billiard Shop has been moving Billiard Tables of all shapes and sizes since 1968. Their expertise will ensure the move is as smooth as possible, giving you peace of mind.

Billiard Shop staff are expertly trained in getting the table level which is not an easy thing to do for a do-it-yourselfer. After all, what is the point of having a slate table if the balls don’t roll straight?

“All the billiards shops have a service where you can call to move your table, whether that be in Townsville, Mackay, Toowoomba, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, or at Aspley or Macgregor in Brisbane,” Billiard Shop’s Luke Johnson said.

“There are many ways a table is built and many ways to move it, for example some 10 ft and 12 ft tables have a number of pieces of slate.”

“If you give us a call we can give you advice or we are more than happy to come move it for you,” Mr Johnson.

The slate in picture was a one piece slate which was disassembled then placed on the back of the Billiard Shop Ute. A specifically designed trolley, boasting soft tyres, is without a doubt the hero of the exercise.

The tables are not only heavy but many are also artistically designed so to ensure your expensive and prized possession makes the journey intact by professionals.

Depending on the entry point into a dwelling the table may require to be broken down dramatically.

Measuring the entrance with a pool cue is a handy way of deciding the best point of entry.

Once the base is placed in the required position, taking in to account the room to make a shot, the top slate section is then brought in.

It’s simply not a case of placing the top on as it can at times be quite a task lining up all the holes.

The end result of a professional Billiard Shop move is it’s ready to play!

“So if you’ve got a table or are looking to buy a second hand one, or if you’ve got one and you want to move house, give billiard shop a call and we’ll happily help you out,” Mr Johnson said.

Call 1300 300 654 to speak to your nearest Billiard Shop removals specialist.

THE GREATEST THING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO MY FAMILY

“It’s the greatest thing that has ever happened to my family, my three boys now even say they hate video games!”

Macgregor Billiard Shop owner in Brisbane’s south-side Graeme Savage has a particular smile on his face as he recalls the comments of this customer.

“He came in four months after he had purchased the Pool Table to look at upgrading his boy’s pool cues and before I could even say hello he came out with those wonderful comments,” Mr Savage said.

The father of three boys knew nothing about pool tables when he first set foot in to the Billiard Shop.

He was simply looking at something that could get his boys away from video games and start being more sociable – speaking and interacting with each other in a fun, competitive and social way.

Mr Savage says the father went on to say “The Pool table has brought my family together in a way I couldn’t have imagined. For a start it got them off their backsides and they quickly developed some wonderful competitiveness with each other.”

“I never would have imagine that the Pool table would have had such a profound positive effect on my boys,” he said.

Billiards is many things to many people but one unifying force is that it does as Billiard Shop says – brings family and friends together.

Maybe no one describes the power of Pool better than American Billiards blogger Robert Clinton who in collating his thoughts as a troubled four year old wrote.

She (his mother) would take me with her to work (at the Pool Hall) most days, but even when there was discord in the pool room, it never involved me. Anytime something was happening there, it was easier to ignore than the chaos at home. There was refuge for me in this place. I found myself drawn to the rush I felt from the little successes created with each swing of the cue. There was always a release of adrenaline into my humble frame, and the memory of the power that surged through my body in those moments has always provided me with a reminder that I am somebody. The tight and smooth cloth felt wonderful every time my fingertips were placed onto it to bridge my cue. The silky texture caressed my palms and fingers even though I was holding onto them for dear life. For me, this was Heaven on Earth.

  Robert, who is a painter by profession, but a more than handy pool player recently beat nine time world champion Earl Strickland in a handicapped 9-ball tournament.

While his experience with Billiards as a child is much different than the Brisbane father of three, there are obvious parallels with how a Pool table can shape lives.

There are many similar stories throughout Australia and in the Billiard Shop centres in Townsville, Mackay, Toowoomba, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast at Aspley and Macgregor in Brisbane.

Billiards does bring family and friends together!

BILLIARD SHOP – BRINGING FAMILY AND FRIENDS TOGETHER

Since 1968 Billiard Shop stores around Queensland have spoken about the social benefits of playing Billiards.

Today Billiard Shop more than ever stands behind its slogan “Bringing families and friends together.”

While Australian households that have grown up with Billiard Tables are acutely aware of the great social benefits this play, scientific research is also increasingly recognising this.

Science supports the notion that play benefits learning or in scientific language, there are cognitive benefits of play.

Clinical psychologist Dr Eric Fisher who penned, The Art of Empowered Parenting: The Manual You Wish Your Kids Came With, highlights one-on-one sports, like tennis and gymnastics as having tremendous benefits as they allow kids to shine individually without being overwhelmed by having to compete for field time.

Dr Fisher’s recommendation is referenced with ways to help shy children break out of their shell.

According to Billiard Shop’s Luke Johnson, “the one on one aspect of Pool is a great way to help grow a person’s confidence and character.”

“As they grow and their skills develop the social interaction associated with the table game also has tremendous benefits,” Mr Johnson said.

While life experience and common sense tells us of the enormous benefits of playing this one-on-one sport, the Neuroscientists of this world require more concrete evidence of the positive effects playful behaviour has on a child’s ability to learn.

There is no ethical way to test this on a human so research falls on rats.

In 1954 Neuroscientists experimented raising some rats in boring, solitary confinement and others in exciting, toy-filled colonies.

They concluded rats raised in stimulating environments had bigger brains and were smarter, able to too find their way through mazes more quickly.

It seems likely that human brains respond to play and exploration in similar ways.

“The reality is that great mates, of all ages, are being forged every week around a Billiard table and that mateship leads to a whole other range of healthy active life experiences,” Mr Johnson said.

Billiard Shop has stores in Townsville, Mackay, Toowoomba, Maroochydore, Bundall on the Gold Coast and services Brisbane at Macgregor and Aspley.

These stores have a complete range of tables of various sizes and budgets along with attachments that transform them into Tables Tennis set-ups.

Billiard Shop’s expert advice will marry up your wants with particular tables and can even offer finance to ensure the good times roll by “Bringing family and friends together.”

Merry Christmas from Billiard Shop