This pickle ball thing is getting serious now

Bud

Bionic Poster
Newport Beach Tennis Club had 24 tennis courts in 2000. Here is what it looks like now.
342203882_6108870965873843_3806545633245928257_n.jpg
Is that 31 pickleball courts?

11 CLUBHOUSE DRIVE, NEWPORT BEACH CA 92660

That's the one I'm seeing with pickleball
 

kevin qmto

Hall of Fame
Pickleball is very fun when you reach the advanced level. I now enjoy playing PB more than tennis. I still play tennis a couple times per week so I don't decline. I'm playing PB up to 4x per week and plan to increase it.

There are many advantages to PB vs tennis. The points are quicker, games are quicker, reflexes must be quicker, etc. Also, much less court to cover and it's easier on the body.

Pickleball courts can be set up quickly indoors or outdoors and the equipment is less expensive than tennis. You can fit 4 PB courts into a single tennis court and most enjoy playing doubles, so you have 4x to 8x the number of people within the same space.

PB players, I've found, are more friendly and less ego-centered vs tennis players. Everyone seems to have more fun and the differences between male/female skill is much smaller than tennis. Serving power is nullified in PB and the receiver has the advantage.

IMO, tennis' days are numbered apart for some niche locations.

Give into the pickle and try it. It's calling you :)
You could say the same thing about ping pong. Pickleball hasn’t really brought anything new to the table.
 

Bud

Bionic Poster
You could say the same thing about ping pong. Pickleball hasn’t really brought anything new to the table.
Comparing pickleball to ping pong is like apples and oranges. You don't run back to front or side to side playing ping pong. The only similarity is a paddle.
 

Bud

Bionic Poster
At high levels the athleticism is easily as high if not higher than pickleball.

I watched dudes completely soak through shirts in sweat playing serious ping pong in college.
I played ping pong extensively when i was younger. It's definitely a sport versus activity but still can't compare it to pickleball, imo.
 
The outside courts are slower and bounce slightly higher due to the surface friction.

I don't find receiving powerful "club" serves requires fast reflexes. I move back 8-10 feet behind the baseline if someone is serving near 100mph. Gives plenty of time.

Pickleball net exchanges require very fast reflexes. More than anything in tennis, imo.
Oh true there are those quick reaction flicks like in badminton you don't really get in tennis. Club players who see you back up 8-10 feet behind the baseline and don't give you something short and angled are bad at tennis imo. Makes sense with the courts. The hardwood always felt very slippery when I played on it. Wasn't sure if equipment advancements (we used wooden paddles) had changed anything.
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
Who built the courts? They don't charge to use them?
Most of them are at public pay to play rec facilities. And usually they don’t have plexiglass walls. Just cheap fences. Or else the greenhouse effect could be lethal here.
 
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sureshs

Bionic Poster
There's a park in Carlsbad CA with 6 PB courts and it's busy from open until close. All levels mix and there's a couple challenge courts for advanced players.
Poinsettia Park tennis is under attack by Pickles. I just signed a petition
 

Chalkdust

Professional
One of the developments in my area is going to be converting 2 tennis courts into 6 additional PB courts.
Currently there are 8 clay tennis courts, and 4 hard PB courts.
This will become 6 clay tennis, and 10 hard PB.

It really shows how fast things are changing. This development is only 6 or so years old.
Newer developments are already being built with at least a 3:1 ratio of PB to tennis.
 
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travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
Playing my first tournament singles tennis match of the year tonight. The organizer asked me to move my match time later to a 9:30p start, so that a female competitor in the co-ed UTR draw could switch times with me. I subsequently found out thru a mutual friend that the reason she wanted to switch times was so that she could attend a Padel birthday party tonight.
 
Playing my first tournament singles tennis match of the year tonight. The organizer asked me to move my match time later to a 9:30p start, so that a female competitor in the co-ed UTR draw could switch times with me. I subsequently found out thru a mutual friend that the reason she wanted to switch times was so that she could attend a Padel birthday party tonight.
Pickleball is settling in its sinister roots even there? More pernicious than Himalayan blackberry.
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
I played ping pong extensively when i was younger. It's definitely a sport versus activity but still can't compare it to pickleball, imo.

Thats true. It actually takes incredible hands, side to side movement and spin technique to be good at TT and not get blown off the table by someone good.

Any old guy with tennis experience can walk on a court and play pickelball at a decent level so I can see why it appeals to so many.
 

Bud

Bionic Poster
Thats true. It actually takes incredible hands, side to side movement and spin technique to be good at TT and not get blown off the table by someone good.

Any old guy with tennis experience can walk on a court and play pickelball at a decent level so I can see why it appeals to so many.
This tells me you've never played pickleball beyond a beginner's level, if at all.
 

Bud

Bionic Poster
Keep making assumptions if you’d like. I just pointed out that you have no idea what you are talking about when it comes to TT.
If you read the thread, I stated I played ping pong extensively when I was younger. We owned a ping pong table and I played daily with my dad. I do know what I'm talking about concerning ping pong.

Now, what's your pickleball experience?
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
If you read the thread, I stated I played ping pong extensively when I was younger. We owned a ping pong table and I played daily with my dad. I do know what I'm talking about concerning ping pong.

Now, what's your pickleball experience?

Everyone owned a ping pong table. Thats nothing. Its not experience at all. In fact, the first people to get clowned in any form of decent TT competition are those guys. Especially ones like you who seem to think that there is no side to side movement in TT. It is actually a very physical game if played at a decent level.

It's not about my Pickelball experience, its about your lack of understanding of a sport you are trying to compare it to.
 

Bud

Bionic Poster
Everyone owned a ping pong table. Thats nothing. Its not experience at all. In fact, the first people to get clowned in any form of decent TT competition are those guys. Especially ones like you who seem to think that there is no side to side movement in TT. It is actually a very physical game if played at a decent level.

It's not about my Pickelball experience, its about your lack of understanding of a sport you are trying to compare it to.
You're just talking nonsense out of your hole as usual. From your responses, you've never played pickleball and have no concept what's it's about, how physical it is, how much you run, calories you burn, nothing. You've probably never even touched a PB paddle.

I've played more ping pong than you've played pickleball and have some basis for comparing them at a recreational level. I've tried to be fair comparing them, giving recreational ping pong the respect it deserves as a sport.

At a non-professional level, pickleball requires more movement and skill to be a decent player. Playing ping pong recreationally, you move side to side about 6 feet max. That's two to three steps to the side then two steps back. Most recreational players stay within 5 feet of the baseline.

Neither one of us have played either sport at a professional level, so have no basis to compare the two at that level.

When you play pickleball at least once, come back and speak intelligently on the subject. Until then, enough with your nonsense about pickleball. Nobody cares what you think about it and whether you like it or hate it.
 

Bud

Bionic Poster
New developments here are being built ground-up along similar lines.
Buddy at mine just moved into one of the new devs; I hit with him one recent morning.
6 tennis courts (green clay), 24 PB courts (hard)
Two of the tennis courts were in use - me and my buddy on one, and a foursome on another.
PB courts were packed - maybe 20 in use.
So I guess they know their clientele.
This is where it's heading and I l just laugh at the 'elitist' club level tennis players who continue denigrating PB and have never even touched a PB paddle or held the ball.

At least try a sport before trashing it and insulting those who enjoy playing it. Otherwise, you sound hateful, ignorant and intolerant.
 

Chalkdust

Professional
This is where it's heading and I l just laugh at the 'elitist' club level tennis players who continue denigrating PB and have never even touched a PB paddle or held the ball.

At least try a sport before trashing it and insulting those who enjoy playing it. Otherwise, you sound hateful, ignorant and intolerant.
Yeah, agreed.

Seems most of the animosity is because of contention for resources. Perhaps as PB becomes more and more popular that will be less of an issue due to dedicated PB courts being built. And then maybe people can relax and realize that both sports have their pros and cons and both can be enjoyed without trashing the other.
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
You're just talking nonsense out of your hole as usual. From your responses, you've never played pickleball and have no concept what's it's about, how physical it is, how much you run, calories you burn, nothing. You've probably never even touched a PB paddle.

I've played more ping pong than you've played pickleball and have some basis for comparing them at a recreational level. I've tried to be fair comparing them, giving recreational ping pong the respect it deserves as a sport.

At a non-professional level, pickleball requires more movement and skill to be a decent player. Playing ping pong recreationally, you move side to side about 6 feet max. That's two to three steps to the side then two steps back. Most recreational players stay within 5 feet of the baseline.

Neither one of us have played either sport at a professional level, so have no basis to compare the two at that level.

When you play pickleball at least once, come back and speak intelligently on the subject. Until then, enough with your nonsense about pickleball. Nobody cares what you think about it and whether you like it or hate it.
I’ll speak when I want and how I want bud. Thanks. Try and maintain some composure. You are angry ranting about pickelball and making foolish assumptions . Thats a low point. Try and be a bit of a better ambassador for your new sport.
 

Dartagnan64

G.O.A.T.
This is where it's heading and I l just laugh at the 'elitist' club level tennis players who continue denigrating PB and have never even touched a PB paddle or held the ball.

At least try a sport before trashing it and insulting those who enjoy playing it. Otherwise, you sound hateful, ignorant and intolerant.

I still think it's all about resources. I have no problem with Pickleball itself. It's just when it leads to fewer tennis facilities and fewer tennis players.

I've played pickle ball and immediately was an intermediate level due to an extensive background in squash, tennis and racketball. To be honest, my racketball/squash experience was more useful in picking up the sport than tennis.

It's definitely more accessible for the very average athlete. Any beginner can have fun. Tennis. like golf, requires some skill acquisition to be fun. PB just needs comparable competition to be fun, skill acquisition only comes into play once you start trying to gain levels.
 

beltsman

G.O.A.T.
You're just talking nonsense out of your hole as usual. From your responses, you've never played pickleball and have no concept what's it's about, how physical it is, how much you run, calories you burn, nothing. You've probably never even touched a PB paddle.

I've played more ping pong than you've played pickleball and have some basis for comparing them at a recreational level. I've tried to be fair comparing them, giving recreational ping pong the respect it deserves as a sport.

At a non-professional level, pickleball requires more movement and skill to be a decent player. Playing ping pong recreationally, you move side to side about 6 feet max. That's two to three steps to the side then two steps back. Most recreational players stay within 5 feet of the baseline.

Neither one of us have played either sport at a professional level, so have no basis to compare the two at that level.

When you play pickleball at least once, come back and speak intelligently on the subject. Until then, enough with your nonsense about pickleball. Nobody cares what you think about it and whether you like it or hate it.

Pickleball is now and always will be a joke sport like shuffleboard. Doesn't matter how much money is dumped in to get it on ESPN. Tennis may die, but pickleball will always be a joke.
 

BallBag

Professional
Pickleball is great for getting old people off the couch but it has no depth. It will be gone in a few years just like POGs. I think it will be great when we will be able to use all the abandoned pickleball courts for something like Touch Tennis.
 

derick232

Rookie
Pickleball is great for getting old people off the couch but it has no depth. It will be gone in a few years just like POGs. I think it will be great when we will be able to use all the abandoned pickleball courts for something like Touch Tennis.
The average age of pickleball players is constantly going down and is now in the 30's. I continually see pickleball courts packed with groups of teenagers (more of a social gathering than a competitive thing though). It's not going anywhere anytime soon. It is possible it could face the same fate as tennis many years from now but I doubt it, as many who are in the business of promoting pickleball are learning directly from the failures of tennis in the US.
 

BallBag

Professional
The average age of pickleball players is constantly going down and is now in the 30's. I continually see pickleball courts packed with groups of teenagers (more of a social gathering than a competitive thing though). It's not going anywhere anytime soon. It is possible it could face the same fate as tennis many years from now but I doubt it, as many who are in the business of promoting pickleball are learning directly from the failures of tennis in the US.
I wish them the best of luck. I don't see anyone being really into a game that can be mastered in a few months. Maybe it will stay kinda like everyone plays Tic Tac Toe in school.
 

sureshs

Bionic Poster
I still think it's all about resources. I have no problem with Pickleball itself. It's just when it leads to fewer tennis facilities and fewer tennis players.

I've played pickle ball and immediately was an intermediate level due to an extensive background in squash, tennis and racketball. To be honest, my racketball/squash experience was more useful in picking up the sport than tennis.

It's definitely more accessible for the very average athlete. Any beginner can have fun. Tennis. like golf, requires some skill acquisition to be fun. PB just needs comparable competition to be fun, skill acquisition only comes into play once you start trying to gain levels.
I thought the same way, but Pickleball is not fun anymore. The path from beginner to intermediate is very short, and soon the new player will find that it is all about bending and hitting constipated (small backswing) strokes which are not fun things to do. Moreover, the initial friendly phase has finished, and only a reluctant show of camaraderie remains.
 
I thought the same way, but Pickleball is not fun anymore. The path from beginner to intermediate is very short, and soon the new player will find that it is all about bending and hitting constipated (small backswing) strokes which are not fun things to do. Moreover, the initial friendly phase has finished, and only a reluctant show of camaraderie remains.
Reported for slander against pickleball hope 2 c u behind bars soon
 

Mongolmike

Hall of Fame
I think pickleball is like beach volleyball was in the 80's and 90's in many areas of the US. Popular at bars, parks, beaches and could be done while drinking and socializing.
Now I see young 20 something guys with shirts off playing pickleball with young 20 something girls wearing cute shorts and tight tops, same as it was for beach volleyball.
In fact, back in the day, beach volley at bars was a huge draw. League play was huge.

Pb, like volleyball (at the rec level) has a very small learning curve and a lot of opportunity for socializing. Mingle, compete, gather, simple to play...you are absolutely going to see pb courts at certain types of bars,
and there will be leagues at the bars, and it will be a growing draw.

A year or two ago, it seemed mostly elderly. Now, 40% younger people. It is here to stay for a good while. Communities are converting tennis courts, or adding pb only courts.
It ain't going away.
 

Chopin

Legend
I still think it's all about resources. I have no problem with Pickleball itself. It's just when it leads to fewer tennis facilities and fewer tennis players.

I've played pickle ball and immediately was an intermediate level due to an extensive background in squash, tennis and racketball. To be honest, my racketball/squash experience was more useful in picking up the sport than tennis.

It's definitely more accessible for the very average athlete. Any beginner can have fun. Tennis. like golf, requires some skill acquisition to be fun. PB just needs comparable competition to be fun, skill acquisition only comes into play once you start trying to gain levels.

I agree it's about resources. If people want to play pickleball, great! However, none of us tennis players want to see our courts monopolized or demolished. I understand people don't like the noise either (can't something be done about the noise as far as modifying the equipment? Serious question).

I'm not sure how long pickleball will be popular, but posters here who think it's just popular among seniors are mistaken: I've seen lots of high school, college-aged and young adults playing it this summer. Tennis is still very popular though. I know some posters like to talk about the death of tennis, but I've seen more new tennis students now than ever before. Tennis will be fine.
 
I agree it's about resources. If people want to play pickleball, great! However, none of us tennis players want to see our courts monopolized or demolished. I understand people don't like the noise either (can't something be done about the noise as far as modifying the equipment? Serious question).

I'm not sure how long pickleball will be popular, but posters here who think it's just popular among seniors are mistaken: I've seen lots of high school, college-aged and young adults playing it this summer. Tennis is still very popular though. I know some posters like to talk about the death of tennis, but I've seen more new tennis students now than ever before. Tennis will be fine.
PB does of course feed curious learners into tennis, it is a big of a gateway drug in that way for the more athletically inclined of the player pool. A small consolation for the rampant destruction of prime real estate.
 
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