Often people maintaining courts will just take the cranks used to tighten the cable away and keep them so people don't mess with the nets - so you might be able to get yourself a tennis net crank and carry it with you... you should be able to get one for $30 or $40... but if they lock the mechanisms at the public courts like I've seen in some cases, this may be of little use to you...
I’m not a big fan of pickleball but I have to disagree that it’s only 55+ year olds. Just go be a spectator at a tournament and you’ll notice a lot of young people. Many have a tennis background. Whether we like it or not there’s a lot of excitement in pickleball. Yes I know it has a quick learning curve compared to tennis but it doesn’t matter people are jumping on board.
There is the USAPA and the American Pickleball Organization.
I'm pretty sure its mostly just the US. I'm not sure what's wrong with the USTA folks in the states but Tennis is thriving in Europe, Canada and South America and you don't see much PB at all outside the US.
Padel tennis is growing in Europe
This looks more interesting to me and fast-paced than pickle ball. Aka "platform tennis", I believe. But haven't seen any around - maybe East Coast.
I wore earplugs.........................................needed more protection,
It uses side fences like squash or racketball and so is more difficult to setup. Pickle is much easier and cheaper.
The pickleball associations do very little and I believe why pickleball has been growing is that it is more accessible than other sports especially racquet sports. Most pickleball players will happily play with new players and explain the game to them while most tennis players would not. I tried to get my wife into tennis a couple of years ago and I called 5 tennis clubs to get information about where she would fit or what the best program would be. 1 out of the five called me back (this is after talking with the desk person and them assuring me someone would get back to us). I finally got her involved in a program appropriate for her level and she found the woman playing very cliquish and not welcoming. One bad experience does not mean a lot in the grand scheme of things but it was way harder than I assumed it would be and this comes from a former tennis pro and high level player. With pickleball we went to the park that people play at and she had a lot of fun playing with the people there and it was a much better experience. I do understand this is just anecdotal evidence but I think that most pickleball players want more people to play and grow the game, whilst most tennis players are happy with their group that they have found and dont feel the need to welcome in new players as much. This is from the culture of the games and I think the USAPA has little to nothing to do with the growth as they have done pretty much nothing in my area to help the growth of the game.
You have to take the friendliness with a pinch of salt for 2 reasons. Much of the Pickle crowd is older and hence more mellowed and friendly. And then Pickle IS easier to teach and learn. It is like the crowd which hangs out at the miserable table tennis table at certain sports bars and welcomes everyone to have a go.
Your wife had a built in tennis pro and she still wasn't able to get into it ? Yeah we do have a problem.
I get that might be the case in a tourney setting but I live in florida and work for USTA. This is just what I see. There is a bunch of clubs doing pickleball classes or asking the instructors at facilities to become certified. From what I have seen, it’s a ton of older folks, and honestly I’m just a tennis purist so I can’t deal w the pickleball. I can’t and will not get behind this movement. It’s like a trend but I understand why ppl play and especially older crowds.
I think he was trying to get her hooked with lower-level partners who are probably not his clientele or contacts.
Super athletic people playing pickle ball ? Why ?
Convenience?
So, they can hit a high backhand volley to show off in front seniors, I guess. Same thing pickleball instructors that played 4.0ish tennis do when they teach seniors in pickleball.
I play Pickle about once a week. Often it’s with people that have very little tennis background. This morning I smacked a backhand and the ball knocked the glasses of the opponent. Her glasses prevented injury. She was upset and accused me of head hunting. I apologized and explained the ball richochet off her paddle. My point is it’s pretty hard to volley with the edge of the paddle. I decided to do the boring dink game, your average pickleballer has no clue how to volley or hit a ground stroke. If you want to avoid injuring someone just dial it back.
Wow, what city is this in?
donut tell me he's pickling his eco-friendly balls
I have a hard time believing a 4.5 tennis player would prefer to play pickle?!?
Bend, OR. Population around 90k
I play both, mostly doubles, but later in life I'm transitioning largely tp PB. PB is played at closer quarters than tennis and at higher levels is a game of court strategy, angles, quick volleys and especially misdirection or disguised shots. This is where I think it really differentiates itself from tennis. It can be a good workout, and matches can certainly go 1 1/2 hrs....but not 5 hrs like some GS singles matches. Most strategic play is to the backhand or to jam your opponent.....like you, my backhand is my best shot, both for power and placement. Not taken with a big backswing, but a quick wrist flick. Our tennis pro was told at a spring coaching clinic for coaches, to get ready as they would loose half of their members to PB over the next 5 years.
At the club I work at we are starting to put more focus on Pickleball. Right now we are building up awareness, with one monthly open play event. We only have clay courts, so setting up for PB is a bit of a pain. In the future we hope to get a couple stand alone courts so it will be more available for free play and lessons. We are lucky that we have a nice mix of older and younger tennis playing members, so we should be able to keep a good number of participants active for both sports for many years ahead!
Lose the other half to the boneyard, Pickled4Life
bc they can beat ppl easy in it. A lot of 4.5 are playing paddle tennis tho.
One thing about pickleball is that obese, sedentary & elderly populations are willing to pick it up. As a pharmacist its something I'm happy to advocate/introduce them to it and it works.
Didn't you graduate high school like a couple of years ago and then get into some health issue? How are you a pharmacist already? I thought that was 4 years more after 4 years of college.
But...but...but the USTA just spent MILLIONS on a massive tennis facilitycomplex in Florida.... and NOW you expect them to do MARKETING TOO?
I'm 28 but student pharmacist. In my last yr
Good. Time flies. I thought you just finished high school and had a collapsed lung.
Having played several racket sports, mainly badminton, squash and tennis I made the transition quickly to PB. Within 3 to 4 months I was playing with the better guys in town. But like any skill sometimes you can adapt to a certain level of play quickly, but progression from there requires a lot of time spent on court honing strategy and shot skills. When I get a chance to play against better players it can be a real learning experience, seeing how they set up a winning shot, whether its a misdirection shot, soft angled drop in the kitchen (NVZ) or simply forcing a short high return which can be easily put away. For those who poo poo the game, they have never seen or played it at a higher skill level.....and the same goes for any motion sport.