Cue Ball Types Explained: Materials, Measles and Magnetic
A regulation pool cue ball is made of cast phenolic resin, a dense thermoset plastic, and it is the same size and weight as the other fifteen balls: 2 1/4 inches across and 5 1/2 to 6 ounces under the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) specification. What changes from one cue ball to the next is the marking (plain, six red dots, a red circle) and, on bar tables, whether the ball has a magnet inside or is larger than the rest.
This guide covers the material, each common type, how a coin-operated table tells the cue ball from the object balls, and which one fits your table. Everything below comes from the WPA, Aramith's own pages, the Dr. Dave Alciatore FAQ and patent records. Where a number is not published, we say so.
What cue balls are made of
The WPA's Recommended Equipment Specifications say all balls must be "cast phenolic resin plastic," 2 1/4 inches in diameter (within .005 inch) and 5 1/2 to 6 ounces (156 to 170 grams). That covers the cue ball too. There is no separate cue ball weight in the rule.
Aramith, the best-known maker, lists its balls as "100% HD (high-density) phenolic resin" on its specifications page. Its published targets are a diameter tolerance of plus or minus 0.003 inch, roundness within 0.002 inch (0.0012 inch on the top grade), a density tolerance of plus or minus 0.015 and a hardness above 73 HRH (above 80 on Super Aramith Pro). Those tolerances are tighter than the WPA's, which is what a premium ball is buying you.
Phenolic resin took over from older materials. Elephant ivory was the favored material from at least the 1600s, and celluloid, patented by John Wesley Hyatt in 1869, replaced it for a time (Wikipedia's billiard ball article has the history). Cheaper sets today are usually a lower-grade resin, which our Aramith vs cheap sets guide compares.
Cue ball types at a glance
| Type | Size | Weight vs the object balls | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain white | 2 1/4 in | Same | Home tables and most sets |
| Measles (six red dots, Aramith Pro-Cup) | 2 1/4 in (also 2 in) | Same, per Dr. Dave | Tournaments, TV and training. The dots show spin. |
| Red circle (Aramith) | 2 1/4 in | A bit lighter, per Dr. Dave | League and 9-ball players who like a marked ball |
| Magnetic | 2 1/4 in | About the same (a retailer lists about 6 oz) | Coin-op tables with a magnetic cue ball return |
| Oversized | About 2 3/8 in | Heavier because it is bigger | Older bar tables that sort by size |
| Weighted | 2 1/4 in | Heavier. Dr. Dave lists one Dynamo ball at 6.75 oz | Old bar tables that sorted by weight |
Sizes for the Pro-Cup, red circle and magnetic balls are from Aramith's cue ball page, which also lists plain cue balls from 1 7/8 inches up to 2 3/8 inches for other games. Aramith does not publish weights for these balls there, so the weight column describes them relative to the object balls, using Dr. Dave's cue ball types FAQ.
Measles, red circle and the other markings
The measles ball. The nickname comes from the dots. Aramith calls it the Super Aramith Pro-Cup cue ball with an "exclusive six red dot design," made from its most advanced Pro-Cup phenolic resin and "used worldwide in virtually all official tournaments." The dots let a viewer, or you, see how the ball spins. It is the ball to buy if you want to check your tip contact, which is why we put it in our training cue ball guide. Dr. Dave notes that a genuine one has six spots, and knockoffs have eight.
The red circle. A single red circle painted on the surface. Aramith sells it as the Red Circle cue ball in 2 1/4 inches. Dr. Dave describes it as a bit lighter than the object balls and a favorite of 9-ball players. A lighter ball draws a little more easily and follows a little less. Weights vary with a set's wear, so this is a matter of feel, not a rule.
Plain white. The WPA set is described as a "white cue ball" with no markings. Most sets, including the Aramith lines in our pool balls guide, ship with one.
Dr. Dave also reports that the older Blue Circle, Red Logo and Measles balls once differed in weight and composition and are now all the same resin and regulation size and weight.
How weight changes the way a cue ball plays
The cue ball and object balls should match, but they often do not in a set that has been played for years. The cue ball takes the tip, chalk and cushion contact on every shot, so it wears faster and tends to end up slightly smaller and lighter than the object balls, according to Dr. Dave's weight FAQ. A new cue ball in an old set is the opposite: a little heavier.
A heavier cue ball follows through more easily and draws less. A lighter one draws easily and follows less. Dr. Dave quotes regulation at "usually 5.8-5.9oz," inside the WPA range. If your cue ball feels wrong after a replacement, the weight difference is the first thing to suspect, and the replacement cue ball guide covers matching one to an old set.
Magnetic and oversized cue balls on bar tables
On a coin-operated table all the balls drop into one ball box, and a scratch would lock the cue ball inside until someone pays. The table avoids that by sorting the cue ball from the rest, and it needs a cue ball that is detectably different. Three methods exist:
- Size. The object balls pass through a gauge that the bigger cue ball cannot, so the cue ball is steered to its own exit. Aramith's oversized cue ball is listed at 2 3/8 inches and described by retailer Pool Dawg as made for "older-style bar tables" with different-size return holes.
- Magnet. The cue ball has magnetic material inside, spread evenly through the ball in the Aramith version. A magnet beside the track pulls it onto a separate path. A 1988 patent (US 4,726,586, Kidde Recreation Products) describes object balls containing no magnetically permeable material, so the magnet affects only the cue ball. The dealer page for the Valley Panther ZD-11 says its magnetic cue ball is "the exact same size and weight" as the object balls, so it plays far closer to a normal ball than an oversized one.
- Optical sensor. Diamond's Smart Tables identify the cue ball with a sensor, so a regulation-size marked ball works. That is why a Pro-Cup measles ball is listed for those tables.
Weight was the older method: Dr. Dave says the 6.75-ounce Red Dot ball tripped the trap door on early Dynamo tables, and Dynamo began switching to magnetic separation in 1993, with all its coin tables on it by 1995.
The how-it-works detail for each system is in coin-operated pool tables and pool table ball return systems. The key point for buying: a ball made for the wrong system will either not be returned or will jam, so match the ball to the table, not to the price.
Which cue ball to buy
- Home table, no ball return sorting: any regulation 2 1/4 inch phenolic cue ball. Match it to your set. A plain white ball or a Pro-Cup both work.
- Practice and spin feedback: a six-dot measles ball. See the training cue balls list.
- Coin-operated table with a magnetic return: a magnetic cue ball in regulation size. Check the table maker's name and model first, because the magnet strength differs between systems.
- Older bar box that sorts by size: an oversized cue ball, about 2 3/8 inches. Measure the one in your table before ordering.
- Diamond Smart Table: a regulation-size ball the sensor accepts. Pro-Cup balls are listed for it.
- Not sure: ask the table owner or operator which ball it uses. That is the one piece of information that is not on a ball's label.
Our picks
Links open the current selection and price on Amazon so you can compare real reviews before buying.
Aramith Magnetic Cue Ball, 2-1/4 Inch
Coin-op and bar tables with a magnetic returnA regulation-size ball with magnetic material inside so a magnetic ball return can route it. The detail that trips buyers up is that the table has to be a magnetic-return model, so confirm that before you order.
Amazon price: $32.24 as of 4:34 AM EST. Price and availability can change; Amazon’s price at purchase applies.
Check price on Amazon
Aramith Jim Rempe Training Cue Ball
Learning where you hit the ballA regulation cue ball printed with contact rings on one side and a beginner target on the other, so you see exactly where the tip landed.
Check price on AmazonFrequently asked questions
What are cue balls made of?
Cast phenolic resin. The WPA specification requires cast phenolic resin plastic for all balls, and Aramith lists its balls as 100 percent high-density phenolic resin. Cheaper balls use lower-grade resin.
How big and heavy is a regulation cue ball?
2 1/4 inches across, within .005 inch, and 5 1/2 to 6 ounces (156 to 170 grams) under the WPA specification. Dr. Dave says the usual weight is 5.8 to 5.9 ounces.
What is a measles cue ball?
A cue ball with six red dots, most famously the Aramith Super Pro-Cup. The dots show spin on camera and at the table. Aramith says it is used in virtually all official tournaments.
What is the difference between a red circle and a measles cue ball?
Markings and feel. The measles ball has six dots and is the same weight as the object balls, while the red circle has a single painted circle and, per Dr. Dave, is a bit lighter.
How do pool tables know which ball is the cue ball?
By size (an oversized ball that will not pass a gauge), by a magnet that pulls a magnetic cue ball aside, or by an optical sensor on Diamond Smart Tables. Early Dynamo tables used weight.
Can I use a regular cue ball on a bar table?
Only if the table identifies the cue ball by sensor. On a magnetic or size-sorting table, a plain ball will not be separated and may return with the object balls or jam.
How much does a cue ball weigh?
About 6 ounces. The WPA allows 5 1/2 to 6 ounces. Old or heavy bar-table balls can run more, and Dr. Dave lists one weighted Dynamo ball at 6.75 ounces.
Is the cue ball the same size as the other balls?
On a regulation table, yes. Oversized bar-table cue balls, about 2 3/8 inches, are the exception, and British pool uses a smaller cue ball (1 7/8 inches) than its object balls (2 inches).
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