The answer to the life duration of a cue tip depends on the density of the cue tip either it is softness or hardness and other factors such as the experience of the player who maintains the shape of the cue tip and how he chalks the tip.
Roughly speaking a harder cue tip will last for 5-6 months while a softer tip can last from 2-3 months while a medium tip can last upto 4-5 months. You can check up the density of your cue tip from this table.
WHAT REDUCES CUE TIP LIFE
a) Yes, it is recommended to chalk a tip before every shot but if someone uses hard chalk on a softer tip then it will scuff the tip material and reduces the tip length. As a result, the tip will worn out quicker and you will experience a lower tip life length.
b) Another factor is too much regular maintenance. If you are maintaining the shape of the tip before it loses it shape then that will also reduce the tip life.
c) A softer tip will compress fractionally with each stroke and you will experience that its length is reducing quickly. This is one of the reasons why softer tips need quicker replacements.
d) Moisture and a dryer environment in the playing area also negatively effects the shape of the cue tip.
e) Incorrect chalking of the cue tip can also change the shape of the cue tip which will tempt you to reshape the tip. Watch how an expert shapes the pool cue tip. It will help you understand what mistake you do while chalking.
MY SUGGESTIONS
I recommend that you go through the process of shaping a pool cue tip yourself it will help you understand how much a tip is lost during this process. This exercise will automatically engrave in your mind to take care of the cue tip while chalking it.
My second suggestion is to get a hard cue tip because the density of the cue tip does not matter. Yes, this is a very different point of view then what you may have read and heard from others but the reality is that the amount of time a hard and soft cue tip comes in contact a cue ball is insignificantly different.
What actually matters is how good you can hit the part of the cue ball where you intend to hit it. In addition, also the understanding of how much spin would be imparted onto the cue ball if it is hit other than the center of the cue ball.
Cue tip is irrelevant, the size of the cue tip and the tapering of the shaft can have an impact on how you play the game. Also, a good pool cue has all the good factors combined which can make your shots more forgiving and accurate.
