At the end of any pool game, be it on TV or at your local bar, you’ll notice people pushing all the remaining balls into the pockets. But why do they bother doing that? Can you leave pool balls on the table?
The answer is yes you can, but you shouldn’t. Leaving pool balls on the table expose them to direct UV light which contributes to the yellowing of balls over time. Another reason not to leave them on the pool table is that low quality balls are known to leave marks and damage the pool table felt.
The best option is to store the pool balls away once you’re finished playing to avoid any damage to your pool table and balls.
Leaving Pool Balls on a Table Affects the Tables Felt and the Balls
Leaving pool balls on the table can affect both the table and the balls themselves if they are simply just left on top of the pool table felt. This is one of the main reasons why billiard balls wear out and turn yellow.
Speeds Up Pool Ball Wear and Tear
These days, manufacturers make most pool balls using phenolic resin. As part of its natural wear and tear, the balls’ material turns yellow over time because of exposure to light, air, and high temperatures.
Worse still, if your balls are randomly sprawled out on the table each time, the discolouring of the ball will also be uneven. It won’t be long until you find yourself with a bunch of pool balls that don’t look all that pleasing to the eye.
So, as you can see, leaving your balls on the table all the time contributes to this wear and tear. The yellowing won’t happen overnight, but it’ll undoubtedly occur quicker than it usually would. If you want to maximise the lifespan of your pool balls instead, be sure to store them away nicely.
Low-Quality Pool Balls Will Damage The Table Felt
Another reason leaving pool balls on the table isn’t good, is that low quality pool balls will damage the felt. Knowing if your pool balls are low or high quality depends solely on how they are made.
People who bought cheaper, low quality pool balls often find that the balls’ inferior materials transfer to the table, leaving a mark that’s hard to remove.
Consider changing over to high quality, long lasting pool balls. The price of these balls will pay for themselves over time since you won’t be needing to replace them for a very long time. A very well known brand, that goes by the name of Aramith, build high quality pool balls like these ones found on Amazon.
If you’re worried that your pool balls might damage the table, then that’s all the more reason to store them away after each game.
Can You Store Pool Balls in the Pockets
So, if you shouldn’t leave your pool balls on the table, where are you supposed to put them? For many people, the next logical step would be to leave them in the pockets instead. Unfortunately, that also presents a different set of negative side effects.
You see, pool balls are heavy and leaving them in the pockets will bring gravity into the equation. Both of them will cause the balls to stretch the pockets downwards, causing you a bunch of other problems.
It would be quite ironic if you protect your table by not leaving your balls out, but end up damaging the pockets instead.
The Proper Way to Store Pool Balls
So if you can’t keep them on the table or in the pockets, where should you keep your pool balls? You should keep them in a storage case, of which there are plenty of affordable options these days. Investing in a good case for your balls will remove the need or temptation to leave them on the table.
Remember: everything has its place. Your pool balls should go in their storage case, and your pool cues should go on their rack too. That way, you’ll keep your pool table looking as good as it possibly can, and for as long as it can.
Did You Know?
There are storage racks for cues that also have spaces to hold your balls. This cue rack on Amazon holds up to 8 cues and an entire set of balls. This is a great investment since it eliminates storage for two of your most used pool accessories.
Final Thoughts
Don’t leave your pool balls on the table. You can risk ruining your pool table’s felt and cause premature yellowing on your pool balls. Although you can minimize this risk by only playing with high quality pool balls, it is still better to store them away properly.
If you have a set of low quality pool balls, we suggest that you upgrade to a higher quality ball. One of the top brands in the industry, Aramith, makes pool balls with only the best materials. These pool balls can last up to 5 times longer on average than other balls on the market.
Instead of putting your balls in the pockets, or leaving them on the table, you can store your balls properly by using a storage rack or storage case specifically meant for pool balls. This will ensure the longest life out of your pool table’s felt as well as your billiard balls.