Is there a better racquet than POG OS, Prestige, Redondo, ProStaff, C10 etc?

[daved]

Why bother with other (kinds of) racquets?

I'm no expert, and that's why I'm posing this question here. Lotsa people on this board have played tennis for far longer than I have, are better than I am and have tried a lot more racquets than I have.

I'm a middle-aged, athletic guy who took up tennis in earnest 3+ years ago. I play mostly singles. I win easily at 3.5 and struggle at 4.0. I'm still improving. 1HBH, SW forehand, fairly "modern" groundstrokes, I suppose. I screwed around as a kid (with a Kramer) but never played a set or even a single serious game.

I bought two POG OS three years ago based on posts here and reviews at TW. I figured if I could learn to play with the most classic racquet still in production, then that would be a good place to start.

I've tried lots of racquets over the last few years, including bouts with APD and other tweeners and with lighter "players" racquets...e.g., LM Radical MP.

But I keep coming back to the POG, most recently in the last two weeks after losing my way with a Prince Original White for a few months. I realized today after playing a few great matches with the POS OS in the last two weeks that all of my noodling and messing about with sticks is a waste of time if what I really want to do is get better at tennis. Fun, maybe, but fundamentally a distraction.

I suppose it could just as well be a Redondo or a ProStaff 85 or 90 or a Volkl C10 or a Dunlop 200, but I'm pretty sure it would have a thinnish beam, be 12 oz. or more, have a SW of 330 or more and not be too terribly stiff.

Is there any reason someone who aspires to play decent competitive tennis should be messing around with anything else?

 

[movdqa]

I've arrived at a similar place using the Prestige line though I like the Radical line quite a bit too. There is a range on the stiffness of the frames that you mentioned though they aren't in the category of most stiff racquets.

Good players can really play with anything - I was watching Gasquet hit with a Head Extreme (stiff) against Murray using a PT57a (like a Redondo - flexible) and they both play well with their frames. The racquets that the pros use are all over the place and they're the best players in the world. I happen to like stiff frames - but my arm doesn't. So I play with something in-between.

 

[seacard]

I was watching Gasquet hit with a Head Extreme (stiff) against Murray using a PT57a (like a Redondo - flexible)

Did Gasquet finally switch from the Liquidmetal Instinct Tour XL? That seems like quite a jump.

 

[movdqa]

I don't know - but in seeing him play and listening to the sound off his frame, I got the impression of a lighter, stiffer frame. The sound of Murray's frame sounded more solid which you'd expect from something heavier.

I just assumed that he used what he advertises because of the sound and depth that I saw (he had trouble getting depth on his forehand but not on his backhand). I suppose that he could be using a PT57A - it just doesn't seem to line up with how he was hitting yesterday.

 

[fuzz nation]

Is there any reason someone who aspires to play decent competitive tennis should be messing around with anything else?

My general advice is that we're better off when our gear isn't a distraction. It can be a lot of fun trying this, that, 'n the other on occasion, especially when learning about what's better or worse for us among the spectrum of racquets out there.

If your racquets aren't a liability, I'd say there's no need to fix what isn't broken. If you eventually get the itch to sample something else, that's great, too. You'll probably gain some better perspective of why you like your current frames so much, but you might come across a strong alternative. If your POG's have become home-sweet-home for you, that's one less thing for you to worry about.

 

[dman72]

My general advice is that we're better off when our gear isn't a distraction. It can be a lot of fun trying this, that, 'n the other on occasion, especially when learning about what's better or worse for us among the spectrum of racquets out there.

If your racquets aren't a liability, I'd say there's no need to fix what isn't broken. If you eventually get the itch to sample something else, that's great, too. You'll probably gain some better perspective of why you like your current frames so much, but you might come across a strong alternative. If your POG's have become home-sweet-home for you, that's one less thing for you to worry about.

I had a similar experience for about 5 years with my NXG Os's (very similar to OG OS). The last 6 months, I've switched to 03 Shark MP's and I've had mostly success, but it wouldn't surprise me if I switched back eventually. It's just hard to find these NXG's now, especially in 4 5/8 which is what I use..they dissapear off **** rather quickly. Some here have suggested in the past I try the POG OS.

When I'm serving well, I play better with the Shark, as it is a beast on serves. I'm less wild with the NXG's but I think I need to be more under control mentally with the Shark. I can throw more junk at people with the NXG (slices and dinks are so easy with the thin beam) but I can hit bigger forehands with the shark.

In the end, for the better of your game, it's best to settle on one frame, get 2 or 3 more, and get rid of everything else so that there are no distractions.

 

[daved]

distractions, KPS88

<<it's best to settle on one frame, get 2 or 3 more, and get rid of everything else so that there are no distractions.>>

Actually laughed out loud. After playing yesterday I took the LM Radical MP out of my bag so I wouldn't even think about it. It's stuck way back in the basement now.

For the record, the one other frame that I've had that I really liked and played well with was the KPS88.

 

[movdqa]

Well, that's part of your list but good luck on finding any more of them. I don't think that there will ever be a racquet for sale like the KPS88.

 

[dman72]

<<it's best to settle on one frame, get 2 or 3 more, and get rid of everything else so that there are no distractions.>>

Actually laughed out loud. After playing yesterday I took the LM Radical MP out of my bag so I wouldn't even think about it. It's stuck way back in the basement now.

For the record, the one other frame that I've had that I really liked and played well with was the KPS88.

I have most of my 10 other frames in storage. I just gave 2 frames I never use to my boss who wants to start hitting with his kid. Everytime I go to put something into my public storage, I always end up grabbing a racquet, taking it out, swinging it around a bit in the lonely corridor...and then eventually screaming "NOOOO" and throwing it back in the bin, slamming the door shut...kinda like Chris Rock in New Jack City trying to stay off crack.


I partially Blame TW and these forums...before I came here I had bought 2 racquets in 15 years of part time playing.

I took up tennis as a year round venture around 2006, discovered this place and e-bay, and viola I have 15 friggin racquets. Unbelievable.

 

[movdqa]

You need to start the Racquetaholics Anonymous.

Hello, my name is john doe and I have 15 racquets ....

 

[dman72]

You need to start the Racquetaholics Anonymous.

Hello, my name is john doe and I have 15 racquets ....

I'm a lightweight compared to some guys on here.

 

[daved]

distraction

Which just proves my point...thinking about and tinkering with racquets can be fun as a diversion unto itself, but it shouldn't be mistaken for having anything to do with getting better at playing tennis.

I went through the same thing with golf. Don't play as much now that I have kids, but was a 9 handicap. After trying 5 different sets of irons, I ended up with a used set of Hogan Apex blades from the early 70s and played my best golf with those...sold everything else and just focused on getting the ball in the hole.

Likewise in cycling. I was a road bike racer for a while, in the lower/slower categories. Bike gear geekery actually CAN make you faster (through aerodynamics, mostly), but I'll never forget watching a top-category local race and seeing a former pro from the 80s on a 20 year-old bike -- with non-indexed downtube shifters, heavy wheels with lots of spokes, heavy steel frame, etc -- smoke most of the competition and have no problem hanging with the top guys.

If you're good, you're good!

 

[daved]

player, not the racquet

If you're good, you're good!

And I'm definitely not good!

 

[Larrysümmers]

to each their own really. IMO the rackets that you like are absolute crap. but then again im a huge fan of the APD and other tweeners. doesnt make a difference on what racket you use as long as you like it.

 

[daved]

to each his own

to each their own really. IMO the rackets that you like are absolute crap. but then again im a huge fan of the APD and other tweeners. doesnt make a difference on what racket you use as long as you like it.

My favorite exception to everything I've written:

By far my favorite local player, a former teaching pro in his 50s who simply kills in Open doubles and is still competitive in Open singles with completely classic game (mostly slice off both sides, Conti on everything, very little pace, incredible placement and angles and anticipation) plays not with a trusty Prestige or ProStaff as you might expect but with a Wilson granny stick snowshoe of at least 115 or 120 sq in.

 

[arnz]

My favorite exception to everything I've written:

By far my favorite local player, a former teaching pro in his 50s who simply kills in Open doubles and is still competitive in Open singles with completely classic game (mostly slice off both sides, Conti on everything, very little pace, incredible placement and angles and anticipation) plays not with a trusty Prestige or ProStaff as you might expect but with a Wilson granny stick snowshoe of at least 115 or 120 sq in.

This just happened to me last week. I saw a guy absolutely killing the ball with a Head TiS6 in a park. Now, I own that racquet, and absolutely thought that hitting the ball that hard, and with a one handed backhand , was impossible with that racquet. It would send it to the next county if I tried it. He was also sticking volleys like crazy. It was in stock form too, no leading or anything.

Turns out the guy was a former high level player, from Jamaica who I was told played on the Davis Cup team. So inspired by him, I took out my Head Ti S6 again, and could not do half as good as he did

Its all about skill, not the racquet

 

[daved]

skillz, baby

So true!

Had one of my bi-annual lessons with one of our club pros yesterday. He's in his mid 30s, played Div. 1 in the Pac 10/12, says his racquet in the day was Prince OG mid.

He gives lessons all day long with a stock Wilson K Zen Team beat to hell with nearly not a speck of paint left on it strung at about 40# with some multi...and of course he can rip any shot in the book and put the ball on a dime at will.