Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Pool Table Light: To See the Color of Money

By Pamela Smith

Ten years ago, pool or billiards was generally considered a game played in seedy under-lit pool halls infused in thick cigarette smoke with shady characters of all stripes betting on a languid parlor game. The movie, The Color of Money starring Tom Cruise and the late Paul Newman, whose role of a veteran pool shark won for him his only Academy acting award, confirmed in the mind of the public the dubious character of pool. It takes a lot of skill to play pool and in equal measure plenty of light to play it properly. Hence, pool table light is important in this game.

With its newfound respectability, you can see pool games in ESPN and the best players earn hundreds of thousands of dollars in prizes and more on product endorsements. You will notice these games aired on TV that the pool halls are very well lighted, which is pretty similar to indoor basketball games at night.

A pool table light is there to provide adequate luminescence for the playing surface, the billiard balls, the cue stick, and everything involved in the game to be visible. They also produce an atmosphere enhancing the playing experience and the surrounding decor. Because of longstanding prejudices, many believe that an old ceiling light fixture is enough to illuminate the pool table and everything else on it.

But just liken in any work activity, a focused source of light along with the ambient lighting given off by flush-mount or semi-flush ceiling fixtures are needed. This will illuminate the playing surface better and maybe even improve play. The added balance to the subtle style of the decor is a bonus.

Direct and indirect lighting fixtures are two different matters entirely. An activity like pool which needs the use of additional lighting also needs direct luminescence. A blinding spotlight over the pool table is not required for this purpose, directly illumination on the playing surface that does not cause glare or eye strain is what is needed.

Typical lightings such hanging lamps or pendants are most suitable for pool tables. With the basic design of pool tables being long and narrow, the lights must match the design. A billiard lamp as long as a billiard table is desired, but pool tables usually measuring eight feet long, is not practical. A small light fixture over a pool table light blends well in this part of the game.

Just be sure that the light is at the center over the table. Players want see clearly the corner pockets in this game of angles. Shadows that smaller pool table light fixtures cause affect the outcome of the game, besides producing a gloomy atmosphere that harks back to the seedy period of this sport.

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