As a beginning billiards player, most of you might only be using cue sticks provided by the billiards place where you play. However, if you want to really improve your game you need to have your own cue so you won't have the problem of having to adjust to the length of the cue or the weight of the cue or the diameter of the cue tip. It is important to take note (while you still don't have a cue stick) the type of cue that you feel most comfortable with. Experiment with different cue sticks. Examine the weight, the length and the diameter of the tip. After you've decided on what is most comfortable to you then you are ready to buy one.
Here are some points to consider if you are wanting to purchase your own cue stick:
First, make sure that the cue stick is straight and not crooked. Although most of the production cues are not crooked, it's always good to check just in case. You can do this by rolling the cue stick on a flat surface, if it is crooked then you will notice it right away. Another way of looking at the stick is to look at the butt end of the cue while pointing the other end downwards then roll it a few times and you should be able to notice if it is crooked or not (Figure 1).
Figure 1
Second, the weight of the cue stick. Typically, a cue stick weighs between 18 to 21 ounzes. Find out what weight is comfortable for you and stick with it, no pun intended :)
Third, the length of the cue stick should be dependent the length of your arm. Longer arms, longer stick. The length of production cues typically starts at 57 inches.
