Q-Masters

Whenever I lean over a pool table and line up my cue, I get this thrilling sense of empowerment shoot up my arm. Moments later, I take the shot and miss and the feeling is gone but it was good while it lasted. The only other time I get this feeling is when I imagine myself loading a cross bow to dust vampires and as Brisbane’s kind of short on archery ranges, I inevitably find myself going back to Q-​masters.
This place isn’t slick nor is it aspiring to be but it’s a practical pool hall with plenty of pool tables and about six billiard ones as well. You can order basic pizzas, burgers, chips and beers if you get peckish but there’s no formal dining area. All food and drinks are consumed on benches around the pool tables.
For serious players, you can join a team and play competitively. The inter-​club competition run on Monday to Wednesday nights and there are different levels from beginner to expert. I personally would like to see the expert level players play in tuxedos, drawing back the good olé days when billiard was a gentlemen’s sport.

This place is perfect if you want to quietly snazzy up your pool skills for the next time you’re challenged to a game by your mates. Q Masters is hidden behind Suncorp Stadium. Blink, and you’ll miss it.
There’s nothing flash about the place, but it serves the purpose it was built for. You’ll meet some characters here. There’s some blokes who will tell you how you’re doing it wrong, there’s the guys who will watch you from their own game and scoff at how badly you’re lining things up, and occasionally, you’ll get someone who wants to help you and teach you a thing or two about playing angles.
Some people who come here really know what they’re doing with a pool cue, I tell you what. It’s a thing of beauty to behold someone smashing three balls into three different sockets on the one hit.
Pool table hire is $ 11.20 per hour before 5pm. It goes up to $ 16 per hour at night. Snooker tables are a bit more pricey– $ 13 per hour during the day, to $ 18 at night. One thing you should know is that these guys will only charge for the time you use. Play for half an hour, cut the hourly rate in half. Yes! The best day to come down is on a Sunday– you play for half price if you’re a member.

While not the classiest of places, Q-​Masters is great for pool and snooker fans and anyone wanting to while away a few hours before heading out of a night. The usual crowd of people hear are usually pretty bogan (no offence if you’re one of them) but its never overly busy and is always relaxed and casual. Its quiet enough to have a chat while you play a few games of pool (tables are hired by the hour) in the hall and there’s a bar and café for decent food and beverages. On Sunday nights, students can get half price table hire and happy hour drinks from 6pm. I just find it a good alternative to the loud, busy pubs around the area.