Snooker in Ireland

zack01

Was talking to a few lads last night about the decline in snooker clubs throughout Ireland and the UK, although we have seen a few open up again, most notably the Spawell in Dublin which is a good sign, the conversation turned when one of the boys mentioned he was considering opening a club in Dublin.

So as a non player he was asking what should he provide in his club, apart from the obvious which are snooker tables, should he provide pool, a bar, snacks, gaming machines etc.

As a snooker purist i hate the thoughts of a club full of gaming machines etc but from a survival point of view they probably are needed.

But this has made me curious about the conditions that are on offer in the clubs throughout Ireland, so tell me your expierences playing snooker in Ireland, are you happy with your local club? can more be done to make your visit more enjoyable? what can be done to encourage people to play the game? How do we encourage and help young players with talent to improve?
Do you find it expensive to play? Does your club run tournaments, do they offer cheap rates?

I said i would post a thread and try and get some feedback for him,but as i said i really want to know how well snooker is recieved in this country, so guys what would you expect in your local club, what do you get already, where do you play?

I know RIBSA are doing their very best to get people playing, as are the Dublin Snooker Leagues and i intend to contact the developement officer in both associations with regards to this survey.

We have already had one world professional champion in 1997 in Ken Doherty, could there be another one out there with the talent that has'nt even been noticed yet!

Thanks Zack

califano

Couple of thoughts
Ive never really felt any snooker clubs ive visited particularly welcoming. for no other reasons than the visual element. The first thing i would remove from the name is the word 'club'. No matter what the 'club' its such an unwelcoming phrase in itself to an outsider who isnt in the club but might like to play. First impressions and all that. Members of the club think nothing of it because theyre already a known regular and actually quite like the feeling of a closed shop where you should know everyone.
People not in the 'club' but who like a game might be made to feel even less welcome by the entrance alone. Look at these entrances of some of these places like terry rogers to name one and once in the cage greets you!. Looks like something from the east end of London that would make bricktop or Arthur Daleys mates feel right at home.

So other than taking the word 'club' off the title id make the entrance clearer and more welcoming rather than the narrow dark back door concealed type entrances. Also have a price list on the door or window like a barber shop so everything is transparant and the once off punter wont feel he'll get ripped of on charges once inside because he knows the price before he comes in. Maybe its just me but there just seems something shady or dodgy about a lot of snooker clubs so at least if the prices are transparant the punter feels hes on a lever playing field that the regular that knows the knacks etc.

Also and to a much much lesser extent for god sake have at least 1 triangle per table so there can be less chance of hostility among patrons with the not giving back the triangle your neighbour. Everyone i think feels slighted when someone 'borrows' a triangle unnanounced or even announced and doesnt put it back but instead houses it over the top of their table light!. Agggh such ignorance!.

zack01

Just bumping this up as everybody is probably playing some snooker now!

allOtherPlaces

If there was an equal mix of american pool and snooker tables, that would help. Pool is a lot more user-friendly for the casual punter.

And on a purely selfish note... Vintage pinball machines! I would cross a desert on a wild boar to visit a club with such facilities

scholarswalk

I live in Dublin and sometimes play there but also play in The Embassy in Sligo sometimes. Generally I note that snooker tables and clubs in these places are a bit dirty, unmaintained and the air just does not seem clean! After playing, my hands are full of grime. The tables are just not brushed enough and the baize is bare or has some holes. The balls are not cleaned between table hires and often have holes in them too. I feel that the owners don't really care enough about the game and sport itself. These feelings have only intensified a few years ago since I built my own snooker room and play on my own table! I of course keep my own table immaculate so playing in clubs is a real let down. Also its sad to see the reduction in tables in these clubs or some clubs closing. How can this decline in the game here be addressed?

MagicMarker

allOtherPlaces wrote: »

If there was an equal mix of american pool and snooker tables, that would help. Pool is a lot more user-friendly for the casual punter.

And on a purely selfish note... Vintage pinball machines! I would cross a desert on a wild boar to visit a club with such facilities

You're crossing a fine line there, people who want to play snooker don't necessarily want to listen to pinball machines.

You need to decide on who you want your clientele to be, snooker tables will attract one kind, pool tables and pinball machines will attract another.