Companies should make extra low powered racquets for beginners.

[J011yroger]

The biggest problem plaguing beginners is that they can't keep the ball in play, and expanding on that, keeping unforced errors low rules the day below 4.5.

So how come beginners and lower level players are told they need more powerful equipment while at the same time being told that power isn't important for them and they need to focus on placement and consistency.

I have had great success playing green and orange balls with beginners, the men especially love it because they can whack the crap out of the ball and it goes in.

Your typical beginner starts swinging at the ball with dubious form, the ball invariably is swatted to the back fence, and then the player is told to slow down. So they develop abbreviated, jerky, hacker strokes to hit the ball in the court.

Then they get better at doing that, and are told that player's racquets are for people with long, full strokes and they should stick with their racquet.

I say start them off with super low powered racquets then let them upgrade to more powerful racquets as they learn to control the ball.

There should be a progression from beginner racquets to pro racquets, they should be similar in size and shape, then increase in mass and stiffness as one improves.

J

 

[n8dawg6]

so racquets like the defunct blade 98L? its fairly anemic. or the, well, now-defunct 6.1 95 team

 

[J011yroger]

so racquets like the defunct blade 98L? its fairly anemic. or the, well, now-defunct 6.1 95 team

No like a specially made ultra low powered racquet, maybe made of something other than graphite or with a softer resin.

J

 

[n8dawg6]

No like a specially made ultra low powered racquet, maybe made of something other than graphite or with a softer resin.

J

gotcha. interesting angle ... a green ball version of a racquet

 

[J011yroger]

gotcha. interesting angle ... a green ball version of a racquet

Yes, exactly.

J

 

[blablavla]

No like a specially made ultra low powered racquet, maybe made of something other than graphite or with a softer resin.

J

perhaps with wood instead of strings?

 

[n8dawg6]

perhaps with wood instead of strings?

 

[Wheelz]

And forced "them" to have proper footwork/balance to hit the big shot ! I thought that helped me when returning to tennis to grab my lower powered racquet. I couldn't generate power unless I had a good preparation with feet planted.

 

[jersey34tennis]

The Wilson ncode fury to be was a good beginner frame for a lot of people. I found the more lead you added to the handle the lower powered the racquet appeared to play

 

[atatu]

Yeah that would be a great marketing scheme. Maybe they can just use the quickstart balls instead though.

 

[Ronaldo]

Tecnifibre T-Rebound 260 Tempo2 Powerlite Racquets

www.tennis-warehouse.com

 

[dr. godmode]

What if you added UnAero stuff to the racquet to impede peoples swing? Slow down the racquet just enough so it becomes extremely ineffective to pancake balls back, forcing the player to make a long smooth swing

 

[time_fly]

I've never understood the logic of "beginner's" racquets. The racquet should be selected based on physical conditioning, swing speed, and accuracy. Someone who is new to sports needs a large, forgiving head and some extra power as they learn to build swing length and speed. A former baseball player that keeps hitting the back curtain on the fly doesn't need that. About the only thing I wouldn't recommend for any beginner regardless of physical ability is a heavy racquet. Heavy racquets force you to be ready earlier, which takes more experience.

 

[Username_]

Or just teach them to be the local 2.0 hacker who slices and moonballs everything in like me

 

[jonestim]

I started out with a POG mid - strung with poly. Super low powered and gravity would let the balls drop in because there was zero pace. It took me quite a while to learn proper topspin because I didn't need to. I don't think it helped me in the long run.

 

[Tommy Haas]

Racquet manufacturers always need to ensure that there's a fresh influx of new customers "beginners". If it's that hard in the beginning, it may turn away a lot of people after one or two outings because they can't even get the ball over the net.

There's always a market for stiff and powerful OS beginner's racquets. What tennis friends or store sales people need to do is ask how serious the beginner is and steer them towards a more sensible racquet choice with long term improvement in mind.

For me, when I play with dead balls on a cold day using my 93P, it's not very fun as its hard to consistently get the ball over the net. Normally, I have problems keeping the ball in which is why I use the 93P to tame the power of swinging big.

 

[movdqa]

So how come beginners and lower level players are told they need more powerful equipment while at the same time being told that power isn't important for them and they need to focus on placement and consistency.

So that they can hit the ball without footwork and fitness.

 

[Shroud]

The biggest problem plaguing beginners is that they can't keep the ball in play, and expanding on that, keeping unforced errors low rules the day below 4.5.

So how come beginners and lower level players are told they need more powerful equipment while at the same time being told that power isn't important for them and they need to focus on placement and consistency.

I have had great success playing green and orange balls with beginners, the men especially love it because they can whack the crap out of the ball and it goes in.

Your typical beginner starts swinging at the ball with dubious form, the ball invariably is swatted to the back fence, and then the player is told to slow down. So they develop abbreviated, jerky, hacker strokes to hit the ball in the court.

Then they get better at doing that, and are told that player's racquets are for people with long, full strokes and they should stick with their racquet.

I say start them off with super low powered racquets then let them upgrade to more powerful racquets as they learn to control the ball.

There should be a progression from beginner racquets to pro racquets, they should be similar in size and shape, then increase in mass and stiffness as one improves.

J

Yikes. Who wants to have to play with the steam 96? Omg no power in that stick even with lead.

 

[Ronaldo]

Yikes. Who wants to have to play with the steam 96? Omg no power in that stick even with lead.

Rocck the ROK

 

[Shroud]

Rocck the ROK

Huh??

 

[Znak]

perhaps with wood instead of strings?

 

[movdqa]

This is quite low-powered. Strung with 15 gauge tournament nylon 40 years ago.

 

[Ronaldo]

Huh??

IMHO Wilson racquet w/least power,

 

[haqq777]

Because we all can use

 

[GenerationTennisElbow]

I think the potential downside of this approach (although I do like the idea a lot) is that some beginners won’t learn the value of topspin to keep the ball in because a lot of their shots will have so little heat on them that the ball just drops in. Additionally, impatient learners will probably feel sort of disadvantaged early on, so it would have to be with students who are willing to sacrifice some of that sweet feeling free power and forgiveness at first.


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[Ronaldo]

Would a jr racquet be a start?

 

[movdqa]

Would a jr racquet be a start?

Ever use a Head Master? Very soft aluminum racquet aimed at juniors.

 

[Ronaldo]

Ever use a Head Master? Very soft aluminum racquet aimed at juniors.

Chose the Redhead instead

 

[teachingprotx]

Let me know if they ever make it . I’ll buy 6 and use them forever

 

[movdqa]

Chose the Redhead instead

I've got three of them in the basement. It's very soft by Graphite standards but the Master was soft by Aluminum standards. The Master felt like the Ken Rosewall Aluminum with the plastic suspension system.

 

[Kevo]

Yeah, people need control more than power for sure. I also like rallying with beginners with the orange balls. It's also a lot easier on the arm when you frame one.

Maybe we should start an orange ball league. That would really force people to learn to play the game rather than just hit and keep score. Might need to bring two cans of balls to each match though. I can imagine in and adult competition those balls would not hold up so well.

 

[Chadalina]

The biggest problem plaguing beginners is that they can't keep the ball in play, and expanding on that, keeping unforced errors low rules the day below 4.5.

So how come beginners and lower level players are told they need more powerful equipment while at the same time being told that power isn't important for them and they need to focus on placement and consistency.

I have had great success playing green and orange balls with beginners, the men especially love it because they can whack the crap out of the ball and it goes in.

Your typical beginner starts swinging at the ball with dubious form, the ball invariably is swatted to the back fence, and then the player is told to slow down. So they develop abbreviated, jerky, hacker strokes to hit the ball in the court.

Then they get better at doing that, and are told that player's racquets are for people with long, full strokes and they should stick with their racquet.

I say start them off with super low powered racquets then let them upgrade to more powerful racquets as they learn to control the ball.

There should be a progression from beginner racquets to pro racquets, they should be similar in size and shape, then increase in mass and stiffness as one improves.

J

I dont understand how dead balls and junior rackets are going to transalte to the adult. Why not just teach them to hit the ball in with a proper racket and ball instead of using equip as a crutch?

 

[J011yroger]

Yeah, people need control more than power for sure. I also like rallying with beginners with the orange balls. It's also a lot easier on the arm when you frame one.

Maybe we should start an orange ball league. That would really force people to learn to play the game rather than just hit and keep score. Might need to bring two cans of balls to each match though. I can imagine in and adult competition those balls would not hold up so well.

They are darned near bulletproof.

J

 

[J011yroger]

I dont understand how dead balls and junior rackets are going to transalte to the adult. Why not just teach them to hit the ball in with a proper racket and ball instead of using equip as a crutch?

Because it's clearly not working.

If I wanted to learn how to ski and you dropped me off at the top of a black diamond and told me to go slow until I figured it out I would say this sucks and quit.

J

 

[Ronaldo]

I've got three of them in the basement. It's very soft by Graphite standards but the Master was soft by Aluminum standards. The Master felt like the Ken Rosewall Aluminum with the plastic suspension system.

40 yo racquet should be soft

 

[J011yroger]

40 yo racquet should be soft

Lol, I learned how to play with aluminum racquets, if you can play with those you can play with anything.

J

 

[Ronaldo]

Lol, I learned how to play with aluminum racquets, if you can play with those you can play with anything.

J

Recall those days. Beginning of lighter, stiffer racquets.

 

[J011yroger]

Recall those days. Beginning of lighter, stiffer racquets.

They would be dented and not round anymore but if the strings weren't broken it was "shut up and play."

Only people with money played with wood.

I barely remember, but I do remember.

J

 

[Ronaldo]

They would be dented and not round anymore but if the strings weren't broken it was "shut up and play."

Only people with money played with wood.

I barely remember, but I do remember.

J

Prince Pros were the beaters

 

[Kevo]

They are darned near bulletproof.

Which ones do you use? I use the Penn QST 60. I've broken a few of them hitting serves while waiting on kids to show up for lessons. I don't do that anymore, and I rarely hit full speed ground strokes with them, so I'm not sure how well they would hold up to that. It's also possible I have gotten a bad batch or two. I did have to get Penn to replace 6 bags of them once because most of them were flat out of the bag. I tried some of the gamma ones then, but I didn't like them as much as the Penn's so I stuck with those.

 

[Chadalina]

Because it's clearly not working.

If I wanted to learn how to ski and you dropped me off at the top of a black diamond and told me to go slow until I figured it out I would say this sucks and quit.

J

Really bad analogy.

If you charge someone $60 an hour, give them junior balls and a racket, then play mini tennis, they are going to quit (or change pro's).

Not idea why the usta pushes this crap so hard, our players were much better before the dot balls and the other nonsense they are now bringing. I see nothing but gimmicks and people who cannot really teach (not you of coarse), they just read a script

 

[tonylg]

Prince Pros were the beaters

It was always a lottery to see which would break first, a string or the frame.

FWIW .. I learned to play with wood.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[J011yroger]

Which ones do you use? I use the Penn QST 60. I've broken a few of them hitting serves while waiting on kids to show up for lessons. I don't do that anymore, and I rarely hit full speed ground strokes with them, so I'm not sure how well they would hold up to that. It's also possible I have gotten a bad batch or two. I did have to get Penn to replace 6 bags of them once because most of them were flat out of the bag. I tried some of the gamma ones then, but I didn't like them as much as the Penn's so I stuck with those.

I'll check tomorrow, pretty sure they are Penn. We have a few random gamma ones in the carts and they suck.

We were doing a 10 and under thing for the PTR and I was hitting with another pro at my club jackassing around with the green balls and if they survived that 10 minutes they would last 3 years with a 3.0.

We have 9 indoor and 8 outdoor clay courts, probably go through 20 cases of balls a month, we barely have to refresh the quickstart balls, we lose more than wear out.

J

 

[Ronaldo]

It was always a lottery to see which would break first, a string or the frame.

FWIW .. I learned to play with wood.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

Same here, Maxply Fort

 

[Kevo]

I'll check tomorrow, pretty sure they are Penn. We have a few random gamma ones in the carts and they suck.

We were doing a 10 and under thing for the PTR and I was hitting with another pro at my club jackassing around with the green balls and if they survived that 10 minutes they would last 3 years with a 3.0.

We have 9 indoor and 8 outdoor clay courts, probably go through 20 cases of balls a month, we barely have to refresh the quickstart balls, we lose more than wear out.

That's typically what I see as well. The only other ball I can remember ever breaking were the Tretorn Micro Xs. I think their quality just took a dive at some point though so I quite buying those. Other than breaking the QSTs while serving I haven't had any issues with them. Could very well have been some from the bad batch that weren't flat which I kept in the baskets.

 

[J011yroger]

Really bad analogy.

If you charge someone $60 an hour, give them junior balls and a racket, then play mini tennis, they are going to quit (or change pro's).

Not idea why the usta pushes this crap so hard, our players were much better before the dot balls and the other nonsense they are now bringing. I see nothing but gimmicks and people who cannot really teach (not you of coarse), they just read a script

Everything is an option or a tool, good pros use what is best for the individual.

Having said that, it's tiresome watching beginner adults in a clinic blast balls at the back fence because they have minimal body control.

J

 

[Chadalina]

Everything is an option or a tool, good pros use what is best for the individual.

Having said that, it's tiresome watching beginner adults in a clinic blast balls at the back fence because they have minimal body control.

Learning to hit dot balls with a 8oz racket is a waste of time imo. Maybe 6yr and under, aside from that give them the real stuff.

I did adult beginner clinics for over 15yrs (my fav group) and only had this issue a few times. Plenty of way to get them to control their power, from the fact they are hitting the fence to the other players safety.

 

[DTennis3]

Yeah that would be a great marketing scheme. Maybe they can just use the quickstart balls instead though.

Yes, I don’t understand why we don’t start adult beginners with green or orange balls. It must be a pride thing. A local fitness/tennis club that does a ton of cardio use green dots since they have non-tennis players coming out for the cardio element and it really make sure more enjoyable since they can keep more balls in play. Hopefully they are then converting these cardio tennis “players” over to tennis players.

 

[Ronaldo]

Better yet, start beginners with pickleballs

 

[Notorious_Junkballer]

I think a lot of it has got to do with how racquets are marketed to recreational players and beginners. Many of them buy their first frame at their local sporting goods retailer or hypermarket. And they rarely if ever, sell players' racquets. In stead they have a limited selection of frames that are lightweight, fast, easy to use and powerful. Doesn't that sound good? If you don't know that much about tennis and racquets in particular, those USPs sure beat their counterparts, that is, heavy, slow and hard to maneuver and low powered.

I've had this discussion so many times. Some people find it hard to believe why pros would prefer heavy, cumbersome use to and low powered racquets to something that is light, speedy and powerful.