Snooker has been for many years a pastime that I never really talk about. Not because I’ve been ashamed of it per se but more because it doesn’t really come up in conversation. Maybe I have never been ashamed of playing snooker but I’ve definitely not enjoyed many of the places where people go to play this game.
Usually, snooker bars are dark, smelly and not very inviting. Not the place to be. You could argue that I just had a few bad experiences and that’s true. However, don’t let this stop you from trying the game, there are plenty of nice snooker bars. Go with some friends and you’ll have a great time!
That said, after visiting my fair share of snooker bars, I decided that the only way for me to enjoy snooker would be to get a snooker table and not just any table! A Hamilton Billiards table. Hamilton Billiards have over 40 years of restoring and manufacturing snooker tables, pool tables and billiards tables. Plus, they are a small UK-based business. So, I thought they would be the right professionals to buy a table from.
Why snooker?
You might be asking yourself, why snooker? I started playing during my university years and, since then, it has been a fun game to play (and win!). I might not be a Ronnie O’Sullivan but I know how to win a game or two.
It isn’t a very feminine game to play you might think. Think again. There’s no such thing as gender in a game of snooker. A game is a game. The World Women’s Snooker Tour has over 170 players from around 30 countries – it’s great to see women breaking into what was once known as a men-only sport.
In an interview with the BBC, Steve Davis, a professional snooker player said “The male of the species has got a single-minded, obsessional type of brain that I don’t think so many females have,” which he says gives men the advantage at the game. He also commented that he does not expect to ever see a woman compete in the final stages of the World Snooker Championship. I really hope someone proves him wrong.
The benefits of playing snooker.
Have you only looked at snooker as a waste of time? “What is this all about potting snooker balls into pockets with a stick?” you might ask. Don’t knock it before you try it. Playing snooker is not only enjoyable but also comes with various benefits for your physical and mental health.
Emma Plus Three shared a paper that found out that “playing snooker on a leisurely basis can positively contribute to and positively impact an older person’s well-being in various ways, including maximising social experience.”
But that’s not all! Snooker is beneficial for all ages. According to a study by Anglia Ruskin University, playing snooker can be considered a positive health promotional activity, which helps develop concentration, focus and individual knowledge. The outcome also suggested that the game of snooker is an activity that can potentially benefit a person’s mental health and overall well-being.
Have you ever played snooker? If not, what’s stopping you?
*This is a collaborative post
No Comments