Snooker, Pool & Billiards Balls

Snooker, Pool and Billiards Balls

Snooker, originating amongst British Army officers in India in the late 1800s, has become a mainstay of pub culture with most featuring a snooker or billiards table as a fun pastime. Not just a game to play whilst catching up with friends, professional billiards and pool players can earn millions of dollars a year if they are successful at international tournaments.

The games of snooker and pool require a set of balls, which consists of 16 coloured and one white ball. The balls are generally made from a thick and crack-resistant plastic, known as phenolic resin. Older and vintage snooker balls were made from a variety of materials, such as ox bone, and vintage plastic materials, like Bakelite and ivorylene. Unbranded snooker, pool and billiards balls are available for the hobby home player and are made from sturdy plastic. If stored in room temperature conditions, they will last for generations.

There are plenty of accessories available to complement your billiards balls. From chalk, which is necessary to tip the cues, to a wide variety of cues in differing lengths and sizes, there are loads of accessories to ensure you're all set for your games. Triangles, to shape the balls, are made from carved and bent wood and plastic. Replacement cue tips are available, which can simply be glued into place. There are metallic, wooden and painted and lacquer pool cues, and some are even available in hot pink!

Essential to every game is the table. A good pool table needs to be solidly constructed to dimensions measuring 11 feet 8.5 inches by 5 feet 10 inches, with a smooth and level top, and a thick green felt cover runs with the nap facing down the table. The pockets number 6 in total and are spaced evenly around the board. Snooker, pool and billiards tables are available in classic wooden designs to mimic antique and vintage tables, as well as sharp modern styles to suit a contemporary decor.