Snooker

Every sport has legends that people will talk about for generations. This small group of individuals stand out above the rest due to their elite level of skill or unforgettable personalities. Football has the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, golf has Tiger Woods, and tennis has Serena Williams and Roger Federer. Snooker has Ronnie O'Sullivan. Considered by most to be one of the top all time snooker players in the world, O'Sullivan has entertained millions with his ability to do things that others simply can't. He makes snooker look easy and, dare I say it, cool. You never know what O'Sullivan is going to do next and that's what makes him such an exciting star of the game. People say that a bad workman blames his tools and, although that's probably true for the most part, I certainly feel that I could do a better job of knocking down a wall with a sledgehammer than a judge's gavel. In the same regard, sports fans around the world are bombarded with adverts telling them they'll improve if they buy the latest piece of equipment that their favourite stars are wearing. It's easy to buy the same pair of football boots as Paul Pogba, but snooker fans have to dig a little deeper to find out what cue their favourite players prefer. To save you some time, I've done some digging to find out what brand and type of cue Ronnie O'Sullivan uses. I'm not sure if it will make you play any better, but you'll look awesome doing it either way. Parris Cues Research suggests that Ronnie O'Sullivan's most recent used cue is the Parris Cues Ultimate. It seems that Ronnie has been a big fan of John Parris's cue workmanship over the years and has even provided a testimonial on the Parris Cues' website, in which he states: I remember when I first got my cue, I could not believe how good it felt. I was able to play so many more shots, the power I was able to generate was fantastic. In fact, my break building went on to another level, along with the other parts of the game. That's quite a compliment from the great man himself. By now, you're probably wondering how to get your hands on a Parris Cues Ultimate model and how much it will break the bank. Don't worry, I feel the same way. Here's everything you need to know. Cue Builder In order to buy a Parris Cues Ultimate model, you need to actually design its specifications yourself by using the Parris Cues Builder. There are 7 choices to be made before you get to use the checkout and have your cue sent to you but each decision you make will influence the final price. Let's take a look at the best case scenario as far as price is concerned. Step 1 In the first step, you need to decide whether you want your Ultimate cue to be designed for snooker/English pool or American pool. There is no difference in price here so we can establish a base rate. Base price: £936 Step 2 There are 3 different models to choose from here. As we are trying to replicate O'Sullivan, we need to choose the Ultimate model. This is the most expensive of the 3 and retains the initial price listed. Step 3 The next step is to select whether you'd prefer ash or maple wood. No change to cost here. Step 4 On to joint position now and the Parris Cues website suggests that the most popular position is 16" which comes in at a slightly lower cost than a 1pc and doesn't increase the base price at all. Step 5 The next choice to make is whether you'd prefer an ebony, macassar ebony, or rosewood spliced butt. The macassar ebony option would increase the price by £24 but ebony and rosewood retain base price. Step 6 This step is all about aesthetic individuality and you have a wide variety of splicings and veneers to choose from. Opting for no design at all will keep the price at the base rate but choosing 4 secondary splices with a face splice and 3 sets of veneers will increase the price by a whopping £222. Step 7 Finally, if you have decided to pay more to add a splash of personality to your cue then this is the time to select your colours. If not, it's time to pay. At the lowest price available, you can pick up a Parris Cues Ultimate model for £936 but a few extras will see this price soar quickly towards £1300. Cue Tip All you need to do now is choose what tip to use. Ronnie has tried lots of tips over the years, even asking his Twitter followers for some recommendations, but has been known to use an Elkmaster. This is probably a dream cue for even the most talented of players so it's worth considering whether the price is worth how much improvement the cue may add to your game. Of course, if you just want to look cool as you continue to miss your shots then it's probably worth every penny.