Here is the problem our club is having. Wondering how others are dealing with this if you’ve had the same issue. 48% of our membership is 4.0+ although many are sitting on a DUPR rating from 1-3 years ago with reliability of 10-25%. Still, the 4.0+ rating on DUPR qualify them for leveled sessions that require a min rating of 3.75, 3.85, or 4.0 (depending on the session).

Players that are 3.5+ want to get better games in but the 4.0+ crowd refuse to register for any sessions if there are players any lower than 3.9. The intermediate players complain they never get a chance to play with better players (even though none of those sessions are for recorded DUPR). People seem to be so protective of their advanced players status even though at one time, they were not.

I got a pair last week and wore them last night. They're not very comfortable. I usually wear running/ lifestyle sneakers that are softer and way more comfortable. Question is should I just return these? Or just use them to break them in?

Hey guys, I want to get into Pickleball but I literally own no equipment at all so I’m coming to this community to ask you guys what equipment you recommend or any equipment you recommend for a complete beginner nothing too expensive also please

One thing I've been struggling hard with is getting to the net following my serve return. Sometimes, the serve just gets me and I hit a short return, making a net approach impossible. But my more typical pattern is to hit a deep 2nd shot drive with pace, kinda stand in place for a second (rather than proceed with my momentum), and then get battered in the transition zone.

Today, I was experimenting with just hitting loopy serve returns, landing deep or semi-deep. In virtually all cases, I was able to be at the net by the time the opponent made contact with their third shot.

I'm just wondering if this strategy -- slow, looping second hsot -- is a viable long-term strategy, or whether I've just stumbled on something that works only in 3.25-3.75 rec play. Thank you!

I've only been playing for 4 weeks and I bought my 2nd PB paddle, the J2cr. Wow. My drives are even more powerful. Deep serves, no problem. Deep returns, no problem. Hands battle, ez pz. Dinks, no brainer. One guy told me that I'm the best player he has ever seen for playing for a month.

This is not a hype. Destroyed everyone tonight. 3.5 to 4.0, here I come.

Some of the old tennis crew played today. We destroyed nearly everyone except a solid 4.0 team. Close game though.

Do get this paddle. It's all that.

My drives caused a lot of pop ups. Also tons of winners. Body bagged opponents a few times. One time it got stuck between his arm and body. Lol.

If I can test the elongated version that would be nice and then the loco.

Disclaimer: This paddle will only work well for you if you understand spin. Modern forehand variations, etc. A true weapon if you know how to use it. Spin master with pop. Forehand slice serves and junker slice forehands were so easy pz. But the real damage is the modern forehand. Wow. It will blow your opponents out of the water. Jam em up.

This happened during a small league game. I don't groan usually, but I begin to make grunting sound for fast hard shots as my stamina runs out after ~2 hours of playing. Some of it is unintended sound.

They didn't call the claim for the drive shot. But they claim that during a particular kitchen line fire fight. I didn't make a sound when I bring wrist flick, then opponent countered with block, and then I make a sound when I bring semi overhead against the fast block to my chest~shoulder level. Then his reset against my semi overhead popped up, then he calls the noise fault on me and immediately stopped playing for that point. He shouted it really loud when he said "noise fault."

He claims with the rule regarding intentional distractions with excessive, unnatural noises. But I made the sound only when I hit the ball, not when he hit the ball. But he claims that I was grunting long and I was still grunting, which was loud enough to be heard, when he hit the ball. But it is just what he says without evidences. I don't think my grunting was that long, it is just his claim. But I admit that it was kitchen line fire fight exchange and I agree the ball was very fast...

We didn't record, and this is a small local league of a small town club, so no refs at all. But I swear to god, I never received any claims regarding excessive noise when I play league or tournament or rec play so far.

We never reached the agreement. So, according to the rule, we replayed the point again. But my mental was shaken because I was annoyed, so I mess up and lost the game that we were winning.

Is his claim legit? I feel like he was just pushing an unreasonable demands to change the mood and create a mental war, which I become hooked. It is my fault that I messed up my mental game but I still think the call was ridiculous because I didn't make the noise when he hit the ball. Even if my grunting was long, it was not that loud, he was just nitpicking, but I admit this is just what I think.

So I wonder, is his claim legit?

I know the title sounds lowkey pretentious, but hear me out. If you've played a long time and moved your way up to the higher skill levels, I am wondering if you have noticed the same trend. At the intermediate level people start banging the ball, and those players move up the ranks until they hit advanced players who know how to handle pace. Then players learn to be patient and not speed up the ball as much because they are punished and lose the point if they don't.

But then you get to the 5.0 level and suddenly the better players are skilled enough to attack every ball if you let them. But the 6.0 pros, just like their 4.0 counterparts, know how to handle this level of pace, and shut it down. So you once again have to be super patient on when you attack. And then you hit the highest level, in order to win, you have to figure out and push the meta on "what is attackable."

So 3.0's bang, 5.0's bang, and the pros once again attack. I just find it so interesting watching the same trend occur, but instead its dictated based on the "better player's" defense. I'm currently trying to play vs ~5.5's and I'm back to feeling like a 3.0 figuring out how to defend against these incredible attackers. I know pros would just block tf out of these attacks, but I'm not there yet. And I just find it super fascinating how these trends reoccur at a couple of skill levels.

One thing I find super cool is the coaching I do. I would never tell lower-level players to play as aggressive as I do, but when I play tournament, I cant tell you how many points I win by abandoning the strats I typically preach. This past weekend I played in a moneyball, and I would unironically move up on pop-ups/bad lobs by my partner because it scared my opponents. I think I won 9/10 points where I ran with reckless abandonment to the net because it made my opponent feel like the *had* to hit a perfect shot or else I'd be poaching and killing their shot. The reality is, if they got even a half decent shot in, I probably would have lost the point. But we're back to the 3.0 trend I see where my pressure is enough to win points on its own......... BUT the average opponent was 5.0 level. I know when I play vs 5.5's this shit doesnt fly AT ALL.

TLDR: Idk, maybe a bit rambly, but I find it cool how the strats in pickleball reoccur across different skill levels as players gain more defense

You can try covering your chicken wing area with your backhand but it’s not that consistent of a shot unless you’re Gabe Tardio playing the right side. So what makes the continental grip better for fast hands?

Traveling for work and will be in Fargo ND for 3 weeks. The extent of my knowledge of Fargo is limited to what I know from Steve Buscemi and Francis McDorman. Any recommendations for places to play? Indoor, outdoor, within 45 minutes works for me. Thanks in advance!

i recently got gifted a paddle by a client, he said it was his personal i was just wondering who signature is on the paddle. thank you so much for those who could answer.

Just got this RPM Q2, it has an engraving on the bottom right of the paddle with “R2605”, is this normal? (Check Image 1) I’ve seen some people have it and some people don’t. This makes me wonder whether the paddle is authentic or not.

The rules say, for a volley serve, the contact with the ball can’t exceed the height of your waist. If I bend at the knees, my waist is lower — does the contact height have to be lower too or is the max contact height where my hips are when I stand up straight? TIA!

At the 3.0 to 4.0 open play level, what percentage of topspin and slices do you use? Seems to me at 3.0 it doesn't matter. Most of the players just don't have the consistency. At 3.5 slices can be highly effective when mixing both techniques in to throw off timing. At 4.0, placement is key. What are your thoughts?

So excited to play today, within the first 5 minutes my right foot just went inward and stretched to the left, looks like rolled or sprained ankle, English isn’t my first language but that’s what it seems like

No bruising or anything, ankle seems a bit swollen and it’s pulsating from time to time, besides ice packs, any thing else I can do? How long do you recommend I stop playing?

Wondering if anyone wears those Road to Pros anti-slip socks. And do they work at all? If not, do you find other solutions to prevent feet slipping in the shoes?

One of my toes has darker toe nail throughout. Corner of my big toes are obviously bruised from time to time. Podiatrist says those are all from trauma - too many sudden stops, and can cause arthritis.

I tried wearing Pilates socks. Although the socks don’t move in my shoes but my feet are slipping in the socks.

So I asked a while back about a new paddle. I previously had a CPX max in pink, which I loved but I frequently hit the ball out. I used to play tennis ( not seriously ,) and I can get a bit aggressive when playing especially when playing people at my club who like to play the slam game.

Many people said a paddle won’t make you better, well I beg to differ. My friend uses Friday paddles and let me borrow a few, and I noticed the ball suddenly seems to go right where I want it. So for my birthday my son bought me one. It is supposedly for control and boy does it seem to work for me. Almost zero shots are out and I have made some crazy plays.

Lots for folks have commented on how much better I have gotten in such a short amount of time, but I swear it’s the paddle !

Next up, I’d like to learn the 2 handed back hand. I’m super solid ( with one hand,) if I’m standing still or if I run to get the ball and have a second to reset, but if I’m moving/running, I can’t get those anywhere near where I want. I’ll take tips if anyone wants to share. I have been drilling and watching videos. I will also be taking drilling classes in the fall when they resume. 😊

I play pickleball usually 2-3 times per week, up to around 3 hours. I sweat like CRAZY (always have), and others have even mentioned it. Most of my play is at an indoor club that I'm a member of, and it's air-conditioned.

I've been looking at some hydration options other than my go-to powdered Gatorade. I really don't want all the sugar, but all of the "low sugar" powdered options all have Sucralose or Aspartame or Stevia or Monkfruit or something else. I just want a regular hydration drink that has sugar, but not as much.

I was talking to an AI about it, and it suggested I make my own. Benefits include me being able to tweak the electrolyte/sugar balance. I've bought some unflavored electrolyte powder from Amazon, and will be adding my own sugar/flavoring. Because I make myself a latte every afternoon, I have quite a lot of Torani (and other brands) syrups for the coffee. Things like "cookie butter", "cinnamon roll", "butterscotch caramel", "cake batter".

All of the hydration drinks I have had have been some kind of fruit flavor. I'm not sure what I think about sweating and reaching down for a cold "cinnamon roll" flavored "Gatorade". Thoughts? Is it worth trying, or a waste of good coffee syrup?

I volunteered to paint courts in a hockey rink so it can be used in the summer when there's no ice. They aren't planning on putting a liner down before flooding it. Will this potentially damage the paint? Part of me thinks yes, but also it isn't much different than if it was outside with a bunch of snow on it all winter either. Thoughts?

I’m not affiliated with the channel in any way. I’ve watched their videos on and off. Just saw this one tonight and I was floored by the first few points. Resets are incredible. And yellow’s random backhand lobs take you completely by surprise.

Hey everyone, wanted to share my recent warranty experience with Ronbus to give potential buyers a heads-up on how their warranty policies are strictly enforced in practice.

I bought a Ronbus paddle that recently developed an internal core breakdown (noticeable crunching/sinking feeling on the front center face and a completely dead/hollow sound on impact).

Here’s how the timeline and customer service claim played out:

• Delivery Date: 171 days of actual ownership/play time when I filed
• Order Date: Slightly earlier, putting it just past their 180-day mark from the initial checkout.

I submitted pictures showing the overall paddle face/edge guard were in great, well-cared-for condition, and explained that the core damage was internal. Because the internal failure happened within 180 days of receiving the paddle, I politely requested a warranty replacement for what is clearly a structural defect.

Ronbus customer support strictly enforced the order date as the start of the 180 days and refused to offer any replacement or resolution. It is mentioned in their policy but i feel that they are not customer friendly.

For a paddle at this price point, an internal core breakdown after under 6 months of active play is disappointing durability. Combining that with rigid support that won't account for delivery transit time or structural core defects means I can't recommend Ronbus to players who expect long-term product support.

Last night I had the chance to attend the New York premiere of The Dink, and it was every bit as fun as you'd hope. I have a feeling it's going to be a hit when it lands on Apple TV+, especially within the pickleball community.

What I enjoyed most is that the movie feels surprisingly grounded. Anyone who has watched former tennis players discover pickleball, or seen newcomers get completely hooked after their first few games, will recognize a lot of the characters and situations. The humor comes from real experiences rather than exaggerated stereotypes, which makes it all the more enjoyable.

The film has a similar spirit to movies like Dodgeball. It doesn't take itself too seriously, but underneath the laughs is a genuinely heartfelt story. Every actor leans into the tone perfectly, embracing the slightly tongue-in-cheek nature of the film while still making the characters feel authentic.

If you're looking for a light, feel-good comedy with plenty of nods that pickleball players will appreciate, The Dink is well worth adding to your watchlist. Whether you're a seasoned player or someone who's just pickleball-curious, there's a good chance you'll see a little bit of yourself on screen.

Why is it always the ones who stay back after their return that are 3 feet inside the baseline when we're serving and back peddling like a maniac when the return is deep?

Why is it the ones who retrieve back when were at the kitchen and the opponents are driving (where are you going???), and will run blindly straight to the kitchen on their partner's 3rd? (even when said partner has a very high pop up rate)

why is it always the ones who stay back after a good 3rd shot drop while their partner confidently moves up, and then throw a crappy lob on their 5th that gets smashed right at your feet (iThat's if said Lob doesn't sail out)?

why is it the ones that speed up 90% of their balls and then will attempt one dink that just sits there high andt gets ripped at them or their partner (to which they conclude: I hate dinking)?

Why is it the ones who drive/speed up everything and try one drop that you roll aggressively out of the air for a winner and they say things like "I'm pretty sure you were in the kitchen. Im not gonna call it, but I'm pretty sure you stepped in the kitchen"

I play at a high competitive court in the mornings. There is a group of “chosen ones” that don’t venture out of their typical 6-8 players. I play with them when they “need” a fill-in.

I am highly competitive and they tend to think they are better than me but often times it’s great matchups and play is solid. There is one guy that just changes his style with me more. Never body bags and then all his body bag shots to me are shoulders and up to face (I’m 6ft2). Today he took it to another level with a great game at 10-8 and he just nasty Nelson’s to end it.

Honestly, if I am playing with buddies and it’s fun and game, then I don’t care. But it just kinda through me off that he did that with me (the one they don’t accept in) but never does at other times. Am I wrong on that?

(I’m also a people pleaser and I hate the thought of someone not liking me just cause I’m not in their group)

to clarify after reading comments*** I don’t mind speed ups and body bags, I just know his skill level and ability not to go at face.

3.0 here. had a bit of a ahha moment a couple week ago after I saw a Youtube Video by Tanner Pickleball, where he said that most people splitstep when their opponent makes contact with the ball, when they should freeze right when the ball crosses the net, especially in transition. I hadnt heard the crossing the net part before and it really got me thinking, and realising why I also felt like the ball came at me too fast while moving, and also why I kept getting surprised by arial flicks and rolls at the kitchen.

Anyways, I started going to open plays with one thing in my mind, to stop when the ball crosses the net. and there I had the ahha moment: The problem wasn't that I was splitstepping at contact, the problem was that I was always watching my own shot (and the distracting self narration that comes with it: "oh crap" "it's good!") Thats why I has always late coming up on my drops, or early coming in on my drives, or jumpy and hitting a pop out out or into net

By implementing the stop when ball crosses the net, it forced me to stop watching my own ball and watch my opponent, their paddle height and angle, and anticipate their next shot.

My coach would often tell me I'm "late" in preparing, reacting and anticipating, and I just could not understand why. Turns out I was admiring my own shots and then going Oh, balls coming. Then watching the ball come. Now I can be a few split seconds ahead with my paddle up or down, ready for the next ball.