Short answer: The best pool cue for beginners in Australia is a mid-weight, two-piece ash or maple cue, 145 cm (57 in) long, with a tip sized to the balls on your table: 9 to 10 mm for snooker and English-style balls, 12.5 to 13 mm for American balls.
By Andy Gibson · Updated 18 October 2026
What should a beginner look for in a pool cue?
Five specs decide whether a first cue suits you. Work through them in this order, because the first one depends on your table, not on the cue.
| Spec | Starting point for a beginner | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Tip size | 9 to 10 mm for snooker and English-style balls; 12.5 to 13 mm for American balls | The tip is matched to the ball. A larger tip puts more leather on a larger ball. |
| Length | 145 cm (57 in); shorter for children and tight rooms | 57 in is the standard length, and most cues in our 57-inch range are made to it. |
| Weight | The middle of the range, around 18 to 19 oz (510 to 540 g) | Lets you settle your stroke before deciding whether you want lighter or heavier. |
| Construction | Two-piece | Splits into equal halves that fit a standard two-piece case. |
| Shaft | Ash or maple | Both are proven cue timbers. Carbon fibre is a later upgrade for most players. |
What size tip should a beginner's cue have?
Match the tip to the balls on the table you play on most. Pool in Australia is played with several ball sizes, so check yours before you buy:
- Snooker balls are 52.5 mm under the WPBSA rules. Snooker cues usually carry a 9 to 10 mm tip.
- English-style pool balls are 2 in (50.8 mm), often with a smaller 1 7/8 in (47.6 mm) cue ball on coin-operated tables. Tips of 8 to 10 mm are the norm.
- American pool balls are 2 1/4 in (57.2 mm). Cues for them carry a 12.5 to 13 mm tip, which puts more leather on the larger, heavier ball.
Not sure which you have? Measure a ball with a ruler. Anything close to 5 cm takes a 9 to 10 mm tip; anything close to 5.7 cm takes a 12.5 to 13 mm tip. Very small tips, such as the 8 mm on the Pot Black Blue Viper, give a smaller contact patch that rewards an accurate hit, so most beginners are better starting at 9 mm or above.
Shop by tip size: 9 to 9.5 mm, 10 to 10.5 mm, 13 to 14 mm.
Screw-in or glue-on tip?
A screw-in tip is replaced by unscrewing it, with no glue or clamp, which suits a cue that gets heavy home or club use. A glue-on tip is the standard on better cues and is replaced by re-tipping. Some carbon and graphite cues, including the Grafex and Palko ranges, ship with a travel tip that protects the cue in transit and must be replaced with a playing tip before first use. Spare tips are in our cue tips range.
How long should my first cue be?
For most adults, 145 cm (57 in). Go longer or shorter only for a reason:
- Taller players: a 147 cm (58 in) or 152 cm (60 in) cue suits a bridge that naturally sits further from the ball. The Formula Sports GCE is 60 in, three inches longer than standard. See 58-inch and 60-inch and over cues.
- Children: a cue that is too long can't be drawn back without the back hand coming off the butt. The Formula Sports Rumpus comes in 36 in and 48 in, and the Dufferin Hi Run in 42, 48, 54 and 57 in. See 36 to 48-inch cues.
- Tables close to a wall: if a wall or pillar stops you drawing the cue back on some shots, a shorter cue or the Formula Sports 4-Piece Adjustable, which assembles to 44, 49, 52 or 57 in, solves it. Its multi-jointed build means the assembled cue may not sit perfectly straight; that is the trade-off.
For long shots over the table, an extension on the butt does the job of a longer cue without changing the one you play with every day.
What weight cue should a beginner use?
Most pool cues are made between 18 and 21 oz (510 to 595 g), according to McDermott, and snooker and English-style cues usually sit a little lighter. Start in the middle, around 18 to 19 oz. The Formula Sports GCE is 18 oz, and most of our timber cues are described as medium weight.
If you're unsure, an adjustable cue removes the guesswork. The Grafex Supreme uses the Grafex Multi-Weight System to set the cue between 16 and 18 oz, or 21 oz in its heavier setting.
One-piece, two-piece or 3/4 split?
- One-piece: no joint. Fine for a cue that stays at the table, harder to carry and store.
- Two-piece: a centre joint splits the cue into equal halves that fit a standard two-piece case. The usual choice for a first cue of your own.
- 3/4 split: the joint sits three-quarters of the way down, so the shaft runs unbroken through the bridge. Common on snooker cues; needs a longer 3/4 case.
Ash, maple or carbon fibre for a first cue?
Ash has an open grain with arrowhead markings that many snooker and English-style players use as a sight line. Maple is paler and closer-grained, finishes smooth under the bridge hand, and is the standard shaft timber for American pool. Either makes a good first cue.
Carbon fibre takes on no moisture, so it doesn't warp, and its stiffer shaft pushes the cue ball off line less when you play with side. It costs more than a timber cue at entry level, so most players move to carbon once they know what they like.
Which cue suits which beginner?
Who it suits
- Home table with snooker or English-style balls: the Formula Sports High Performance, a 57 in two-piece ash cue with grain matched across the joint, a 9.5 mm glue-on tip, medium weight and a 6 in extension in the box.
- Footy fans: the officially licensed AFL Teams 2-Piece Ash Cue, 57 in with a 10 mm Elkmaster tip, in 19 club designs. NRL fans have the NRL cue range.
- A table used for several games: the Formula Sports Edge, a 57 in maple cue with a 10 mm screw-in tip, or the Dufferin Dot, a 57 in maple cue with a 10 mm glue-on tip.
- American pool balls: the Grafex Supreme with the 13 mm tip, 58 in and adjustable for weight. Fit a playing tip before first use.
- Taller players: the 60 in Formula Sports GCE, 18 oz with a 10 mm tip.
- Children and family tables: the Formula Sports Rumpus (36 or 48 in, 11 mm screw-in tip) or the Dufferin Hi Run (42 to 57 in, 9 mm Elkmaster tip).
- Tables close to a wall: the Formula Sports 4-Piece Adjustable.
Choose your option
Choose your option
Choose your option
Supreme - 2-Piece Multi Weight Graphite Cue
Choose your option
Choose your option
Choose your option
What else does a beginner need?
- A case. It protects the tip and shaft and keeps the cue away from heat and damp, the two main causes of warping. See two-piece cue cases.
- Chalk. Chalk the tip before every shot so it grips the ball instead of sliding off it. See Triangle chalk.
- Spare tips. Tips wear and harden with play. See cue tips.
Once you have a cue, check it's straight before your first game: our guide on how to check if a pool cue is straight shows how.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best pool cue for a beginner?
A mid-weight, two-piece ash or maple cue, 57 in long, with a tip matched to your table's balls: 9 to 10 mm for snooker and English-style balls, 12.5 to 13 mm for American balls.
What size tip should a beginner use?
Match it to the balls. 9 to 10 mm suits snooker and 2 in English-style balls; 12.5 to 13 mm suits 2 1/4 in American balls. Tips smaller than 9 mm demand a more accurate hit.
How heavy should a beginner's pool cue be?
Around 18 to 19 oz (510 to 540 g), the middle of the usual range. Adjust lighter or heavier once your stroke is settled.
Should I buy a one-piece or two-piece cue?
Two-piece if you'll carry it or keep it in a case. One-piece is fine for a cue that stays at a home table.
Is a carbon fibre cue worth it for a beginner?
Only if you want a cue that won't warp and you're happy to pay more. Most beginners start with ash or maple and move to carbon later.
What length cue does a child need?
Short enough to draw back without the back hand leaving the butt: usually 36 to 48 in, depending on height.
Can I use a snooker cue on a pool table?
Yes on a table with 2 in English-style balls, where a 9 to 10 mm snooker tip is normal. On American balls, a 12.5 to 13 mm tip suits better.
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