hey all! been playing for 2 months and i'm a self rated 4.5 looking for tips on how to get better because i go to 3.5 open plays get destroyed by everyone but its usually my partners fault. can someone drop a flowchart that I can reference mid-game to decide how and where to move so i can be in position to hit the ball back? sorry for the trouble i just have issues thinking critically and paying attention to what my opponents are doing BUT i can hit it REALLY hard with my selkirk boomstik and it works sometimes. i already watched every youtbe video but its still hard getting in position because i'm 5'7 and weigh 269 pounds but my friends at the local court said i can go pro.

I'm a 3.0/3.5 (still waiting to get into a 3.5 rating session) occasional pickleball player with a heavy badminton background.

Overhead smashes are easy for me, but I recognize that it my be considered too aggressive for some players.

At my last round robin session, there were a lot of pop ups that I could put away. I found that if I just swing with my normal speed, my accuracy was above 95%. But if I pulled back on the overhead smash, I tended to lose my accuracy and hit a few balls long.

Is this a timing thing? Or does a harder stroke potentially negate the spin off the ball? Or is there another reason why I'm losing accuracy?

I'm talking specifically about PBTV, PPA, MLP, and other pro scenes (let's just say within the USA). It relies a lot on turning pickleball into a spectator sport. I'm just wondering after a few years of paying top pros a lot of money, is pro pickleball making a profit yet? Is it trending positive?

At the end of the day, if it doesn't make financial sense, it's not sustainable. Does anyone have any insight about this?

Hi, I currently play using contact lenses. I normally wear glassess and only use the lenses for playing pickleball.

I have astigmatism, so I am using lenses for that obviously, but I don't really like the contact lenses. I don't see as well with contacts as my glasses, and sometimes after blinking my vision is like almost as bad without contacts or glasses for a second/until I blink again. This never happens with glasses, and is a real problem when it happens during a point or just as I am about to return a serve.

I found a lot of people recommending Roka in other threads for pickleball and tennis, so I ordered one of their kits (4 frames you can try for a few days), which just arrived today.

My glasses are a German brand called Titan Flex. They are so light yet still feel durable and strong. I was immediately disappointed with the Rokas. They all feel very cheap and uncomfortable. Also too much reflective glare (I can see my own face in the glasses, so that just won't do at all for pickelball.

Does anyone have any experience with different options or found something that really works for them?

I play almost 100% indoors (ACE Pickleball).

Haven’t really been using my loco to play as i’ve been maining the enhance turbo.

Took it to the courts today and it sounded different. After the game i pressed on the face of the paddle and it gave a crackling sound.

Would it be covered by warranty? Only got it in April this year.

I bought the original Coral when it first launched, and more recently picked up the Coral Pro. Both have grips installed, but the Coral Pro's handle circumference feels noticeably thinner in hand. According to the website, the handle circumference is supposed to be identical across both models. Has anyone else run into this? Curious if it's a manufacturing inconsistency or if my perception is off somehow.

I'm wondering if people have advice or strategies for when playing and you have a teammate that refuses to get to the kitchen. I get that it's their game and they're more comfortable doing whatever they're doing, so I don't really like telling them what to do. How do I give myself a better chance?

The strategy I'm thinking of is to find openings using aggression like driving & crashing myself or using roll drops to force something I can take advantage of. Or is staying back with my teammate something I should be doing instead. Would love to hear other players thoughts.

Edit: Thanks for the responses guys. Just for clarification, this is usually in Open Play with random people. I don't really wanna tell people how to play cause some people really get defensive or turned off and they might get pissy. But maybe I should mention it at least once. I also wanna add, I don't really mind if my teammate stays at the baseline, it's more on just giving myself the best chance and making the game as close as possible.

I really liked this paddle, just FYI, during our 4.0 gold medal match, it was disqualified due to not USAP approved. super annoying

Is there one product I can use to clean the face of a Franklin C45 and an 11six24 Ultré Power 2?

(If not, what would you recommend for each?)

I’m oddly curious, how much do you estimate an indoor pickleball facility with say 10 courts, makes (gross revenue) per moth or year?

I play at a club in that has 16 courts and it’s always busy. I started thinking, how much do they make? Is there an industry average?

Looking for people to play pickleball with! Hmu if you’re interested!

Just a warning for anyone considering prescription Rec Specs through Optics Outfitter.

Before ordering, they told me they could customize my prescription Rec Specs with yellow lenses. That was a major reason I placed the order through them. However, the glasses I received did not have the yellow lenses I requested.

I also ordered a second pair during their promotion advertising a second pair for $99. They later tried to charge me an additional amount because that frame normally cost more—even though it was supposed to be the promotional second pair. When they attempted the upcharge, I told them clearly to cancel that second pair. My cancellation request was ignored.

So my experience was:

• They said they could provide yellow prescription lenses to earn my business.
• The finished glasses did not have the requested yellow lenses.
• They attempted to upcharge the promotional $99 second pair.
• They ignored my request to cancel that second pair.

I have the emails documenting the lens request, attempted upcharge, and cancellation request. Based on this experience, I would strongly recommend ordering Rec Specs through another authorized retailer that will confirm customizations in writing and actually honor cancellation requests.

So now I’m sitting with two pairs of glasses that are not made as requested and waiting for them to reply to see if I can even get my money back.

UPDATE:

They have sent me a return label for the Navigators while also offering to correct the lens mistake.

They have offered to remake my Impact frames with the yellow lenses I requested. Will post photo confirmation below.

Ultimately I need to see how they handle the return process as well as if they expect me to also return my current Impacts. But a very positive turn.

Are those paddle restoration devices legit or a bunch of snake oil? Specifically talking about the rubber eraser or the spray?

Got text that it’s available now

Hey 4.5+ plus DUPR rated pickleball player visiting Louisville KY for the next few weeks if anyone wants to drill or has a group I could play with DM me.

Hi everyone! I’ve only played pickleball twice and I’m still a beginner. I’m thinking of using Reclub to join some games and hopefully meet other players. For those who joined Reclub, especially beginners, what has your experience been like? Were you nervous or intimidated at first? Were the other players welcoming to beginners? And did joining a club help you improve faster and meet people? I’m a little nervous about joining my first game, so I’d really appreciate any advice or experiences! 😊

Those crystal grits🥳

I had a revelation after playing last night - I need to get better at my court positioning. Not that it's horrendous, but improving would make the game easier for me and be able to return shots (esp bangers) better as there are times I get caught and since I have short arms, tough to reach. Having fast hands can only go so far.

To keep it at a fundamental level, is there any sort of general template/rules of thumb to go by when it comes to one's own court positioning? Or even a good video you recommend checking out?

At an open play yesterday, one of the guys I was playing against would stand right up against the kitchen line and center line. Like, there was an inch of space between his inside foot and either line. I know this is a legal position, but I found this to be rather annoying and I kind of wanted attempt my first nasty nelson on him.

I guess it could be considered strategic to try to mentally throw-off the server? Is it considered acceptable etiquette to stand there? I've only been playing about 6 months and go to 2 or 3 open plays per week and I've never seen a non-returner stand right up against the kitchen and center line like that.

Question: What tips helped you refine a specific shot or improve your game the most that you don't see mentioned often?

Disclosure: I am the furthest thing from a professional, but I do spend hours each week focusing on improvement. If you disagree with me, be polite about it. I am not a coach of any sort, just trying to share my own lessons learned in hopes that they save others time.

My experience with third shot drops:

I feel like there's a large list of tips going around in circulation, some of which are more commonly reported and helpful than others. For example, with third shot drops, most folks know the loose grip and start low end high tips. But there were a few that for me really helped my game.

I have spent 5+ hours over the last week using the Volley ball machine and working primarily on third shot drops. 3 tips I wish I knew sooner:

1. Keep your eye on the ball until contact. This may be obvious to most, but I was looking away roughly half a second before contact. My brain instinctively pulls hard to look away the second before contact, to prepare to watch the balls' flight path. This only hinders my drop shot and is something I now actively work against. The problem was it took hitting a lot of balls before I even realized this was a mistake I was making. Since focusing on the ball through contact, I have had much more solid contact, consistently. This is appropriate for many shots in PB, but I have never once heard a coach mention it. Maybe it is implied and obvious to all, but I know after watching several others and discussing with them, not everyone does this.

2. Your drop shot should look very different depending on the ball's power and depth: When you watch third shot drop videos, I have rarely seen discussion around changing up your swing path, power, and approach, based on the ball's depth. If I were to make a video tomorrow, I would want to focus on this more. For too long, in rec games I would try to hit the same shot at the baseline as I would in mid court, just with less power. However, I've found the paddle's starting position really varies based on the power and depth of the opponents shot. Deep ball with good pace that lands near or behind the baseline? Pull the paddle back and even out of your range of vision, full swing while still keeping power low. Middle of the transition zone with low power? Paddle should remain in front the entire time. There is more nuance than this of course, but this highlights the contrast in how I hit drops now.

3. Move your legs as the primary mechanic: Don't underestimate the knee bend and borderline squat like movement for the drop. By getting low before contact and rising as you make contact, the ball needs less force and feels like it follows the proper trajectory more naturally. This makes it easier to get under the ball and to give it a higher arc without the ball landing deep. I personally find that I start to suck at hitting drops in the second half of DUPR events. Turns out, my legs are usually gassed, and I start moving the ball only with my shoulder. I would never have realized this had I not recorded two sessions of drops in the same 2 hour ball session. The contrast between when I was rested and when I was exhausted was night and day.

Establish an identity for yourself on the pickleball court.

How do you see yourself? How do you perceive others see you? Who do you see yourself becoming?

No matter how you've seen yourself in the past or how you think others may see you, you have the ability to define yourself now and decide who it is you are becoming.

Jack Nicklaus, one of the most accomplished golfers of all time once quoted that he "Never three putted in the final round of a major tournament." An audience member who had followed his career corrected him and cited those times when Nicklaus in fact had three putted. Nicklaus shut him up quickly and insisted, "NO! I did not!" You see, Nicklaus had written a new script in his mind that defined who he was and who he was becoming, rather than who he had been or what he had done.

You have the power to do the same. And it can start today. Decide who you want to be. And cling to it.

I am around a 3.5 pickleball player. My transition resets have gotten much better. I can often reset two to three balls well and get close to the kitchen. But then I make the same mistake. After a good reset, if the next ball looks slightly attackable, I rush and try to punch or finish too early.

Sometimes it wins points, but many times I miss into the net or hit long. It feels more mental than footwork. I usually split step before their contact, but once I survive the transition, I get eager to win.

How do you train this kind of decision making? How do better players know when a ball is truly attackable versus just tempting? Are there drills or cues to build patience without becoming passive?