"It's really helped me with my maths at school," he says.
Although he has had access to a full-sized table at his grandfather, National Service Club stalwart Bill Schofield's home, for four years Carlson has only played for three. He plays at the Hastings RSA where he is coached by Dave Holmes.
Carlson, who has posted breaks between 12 and 18 in tournament play, has played in two national under-21 tournaments. He failed to qualify in this year's event and last year reached the last 16 when it was hosted in Hastings.
"I know this weekend's tournament, my first North Islands, is going to be a new experience and a big step up. I'll be watching and picking up tips when I'm not playing," he says.
Carlson recently attended a New Zealand snooker academy camp in Petone run by the Christchurch-based director of coaching for the national body Gary Gillard. He found it beneficial.
"Snooker is definitely my main sport. I don't get asked to play in many team sports, I'm more of an individual. I have no one to blame if I lose ... I learn from my mistakes and others' mistakes," Carlson says.
The country's 256th ranked player, Carlson, enjoys playing the more higher ranked players including Hawke's Bay No1 Bayden Jackson, who is tipped to do the best of the host province contenders this weekend, and multiple national under-21 champion Louis Chand of Auckland who is the top seed.
A fan of English professionals Ronnie O'Sullivan and Mark Selby, Carlson, also has access to an eight-ball table at his grandfather's house.
"I prefer the bigger table but I play a bit of pool against dad because he likes the smaller tables more ... sometimes for money," he says referring to his father Bruce who is a regular eight ball player at the Hastings RSA.
Along with Jackson, other Bay players capable of reaching post-section play include Paul Temple, multiple national billliards champion Paul Stocker, Dean Garnett and Mikey Stewart, who like Carlson, has progressed through the Bay's age group coaching system to national under-21 tournament level. Along with Chand, other big names on the national scene who could taste title honours on Monday are Taranaki's Chris Maltby and Waikato's Steve Robertson.
Stocker will be the Bay's big hope when the North Island billiards championships are staged at the Havelock North club on June 6 and 7.
