Anybody else playing pickleball?

[DISTORT6]

Stigmata!

 

[markie]

I have PhennRock. Git yer a$$ down here & we’ll do it

 

[Keith B.]

Played D1 college tennis and have fought the urge to play pickleball, but I feel it inevitably coming soon.

I'm a competitive 4.5 tennis player in Texas. Pickleball is absolutely exploding around here. Don't know how much tennis you're playing, but PB is shockingly fun and incredible how it allows more skill range to be on the same court, compared to tennis (where you can pretty easily tell the difference between each NTRP rating level). This just makes it more fun to have a group get together and enjoy. And no, it doesn't "mess up your swing" - easy enough to have different styles of play between PB and tennis.

You need to try it!

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I'm a competitive 4.5 tennis player in Texas. Pickleball is absolutely exploding around here. Don't know how much tennis you're playing, but PB is shockingly fun and incredible how it allows more skill range to be on the same court, compared to tennis (where you can pretty easily tell the difference between each NTRP rating level). This just makes it more fun to have a group get together and enjoy. And no, it doesn't "mess up your swing" - easy enough to have different styles of play between PB and tennis.

You need to try it!

Great post. So, what do you mean by "allows more skill range to be on the same court?" I know what you mean, but explain why.

Interesting comment about not messing up your swing.

 

[Keith B.]

Great post. So, what do you mean by "allows more skill range to be on the same court?" I know what you mean, but explain why.

Interesting comment about not messing up your swing.

Ok - good callout. What I meant as a first comparison of "skill range" is referring to tennis skill. In tennis, players can usually have good, fairly competitive play with others that are 0.5 rating above or below them. Any more than that and the skill/style difference doesn't really work. On the other hand with PB, in my experience I should note, we have strong 4.5 tennis players that can easily have very good fun playing Pickleball again 3.5 tennis players. Again, this is not about tournament PB, but about good, fun, even intense Pickleball.

Similarly, and maybe an even more important/inclusive example....: I can play a game of pickleball with my kids, my wife, people that really don't already play tennis. The initial learning curve is much lower for PB to do at least the basics. The ball doesn't go flying (like in tennis); there's much less court to cover (compared to tennis). I find the people that try Pickleball for the first time sort of immediately feel like "I can do this!". Whereas with tennis, first-timers (namely adults) often feel intimidated and like "well, that's not gonna happen for me".

Hope this helps anyone who is still considering giving PB a try.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Ok - good callout. What I meant as a first comparison of "skill range" is referring to tennis skill. In tennis, players can usually have good, fairly competitive play with others that are 0.5 rating above or below them. Any more than that and the skill/style difference doesn't really work. On the other hand with PB, in my experience I should note, we have strong 4.5 tennis players that can easily have very good fun playing Pickleball again 3.5 tennis players. Again, this is not about tournament PB, but about good, fun, even intense Pickleball.

Similarly, and maybe an even more important/inclusive example....: I can play a game of pickleball with my kids, my wife, people that really don't already play tennis. The initial learning curve is much lower for PB to do at least the basics. The ball doesn't go flying (like in tennis); there's much less court to cover (compared to tennis). I find the people that try Pickleball for the first time sort of immediately feel like "I can do this!". Whereas with tennis, first-timers (namely adults) often feel intimidated and like "well, that's not gonna happen for me".

Hope this helps anyone who is still considering giving PB a try.

That is a VERY helpful post for me. I really appreciate it. Gives me a lot better perspective. I played a lot when I was younger but haven't played in years. The insights you made are really helpful. I played basketball and softball with guys whose level varied widely but on team sports it can work. You know "best guards best, worst guards worst" works for bball and games can be competitive with varying skill levels. But in one on one sports it can be tough. I'd have friends who were basketball or baseball or both players who'd want to try tennis, and while athletic, I didn't have the patience to teach them unless they caught on pretty quickly. And my wife was a complete lost cause. She really wanted to learn because my whole family played, but she'd get mad if I didn't lob everything in the perfect spot for her forehand. LOL After two times, I gave up and let mom try. Mom was 6.0 champ at our club, but was much better at slowing the game down so Amy could enjoy it. Plus, she couldn't yell at mom for hitting to her backhand! LMAO

 

[Boogie]

Pickle
Ball

Beans before the frank?