While some membership cards require you to be able to jump the cue ball, bank it off three rails and sink the 8-Ball blindfolded, getting an APA Membership Card is much easier.

Having fun, meeting new people and playing pool is what the APA is all about.. You don't have to be a pool shark, because in the APA -- everyone can play and anyone can win. The APA wants beginners and novices, because it is the AMATEUR Poolplayers Association. No other organization in pool gives ordinary players a chance to win a share of nearly $1.5 MILLION guaranteed cash and prizes paid out through its national tournaments. 

How does the APA do it? It uses The Equalizer® handicap system to determine the amount of games a player has to win in order to capture the match. It allows a novice to win less games than a more-skilled opponent to win a match.