Which Racquet to Stick With?

[preeb]

Firstly, I'm a 3.0 really looking to get to 3.5. I've got a pair of Prince Lightning 100's and a pair of Head Prestige Graphene Rev Pro's. I admit, I got a bit obsessed with "arm protection" and Recoil Weight reading these forums and just bought the Prestige because it was on sale and had a high RW, polarized setup. I was playing fine with the Prince's but bought them...probably because of reading these forums too much...

Now I'm not sure which ones to stick with. After playing with the Prestige's for the last month or so (and recently restrung in the past week), I pulled out the Prince with the same string setup (although older) and felt everything was just a little easier, which makes a difference in confidence. The setup was Isospeed Baseline 16L/Forten Sweet 17 at 50lbs each. I'm looking to switch back to regular old Syn Gut, either Sweet, Gosen, or a hybrid of both.

I've switched racquets a bunch of times (on TTW? NO WAY), but for the most part, I've stuck with thicker beamed, closer to even balance racquets. So I don't know if switching to such a radically different type of racquet messed me up. It didn't seem to initially, but in the long haul things seem to be worse overall.

Anyway, what to do? Do I add weight to the Prestige to make it more even balanced, or just keep the Prince and stick Syn Gut in it? I prefer to just have one type of racquet, ideally.

 

[SpinToWin]

3.0?

Take any racquet, go get some training with a coach, and apply what you learnt in practice matches.

 

[beltsman]

Firstly, I'm a 3.0 really looking to get to 3.5. I've got a pair of Prince Lightning 100's and a pair of Head Prestige Graphene Rev Pro's. I admit, I got a bit obsessed with "arm protection" and Recoil Weight reading these forums and just bought the Prestige because it was on sale and had a high RW, polarized setup. I was playing fine with the Prince's but bought them...probably because of reading these forums too much...

Now I'm not sure which ones to stick with. After playing with the Prestige's for the last month or so (and recently restrung in the past week), I pulled out the Prince with the same string setup (although older) and felt everything was just a little easier, which makes a difference in confidence. The setup was Isospeed Baseline 16L/Forten Sweet 17 at 50lbs each. I'm looking to switch back to regular old Syn Gut, either Sweet, Gosen, or a hybrid of both.

I've switched racquets a bunch of times (on TTW? NO WAY), but for the most part, I've stuck with thicker beamed, closer to even balance racquets. So I don't know if switching to such a radically different type of racquet messed me up. It didn't seem to initially, but in the long haul things seem to be worse overall.

Anyway, what to do? Do I add weight to the Prestige to make it more even balanced, or just keep the Prince and stick Syn Gut in it? I prefer to just have one type of racquet, ideally.

If you want to win now, use a bigger lighter racquet.

If you want to challenge yourself to improve your form and footwork, go with a smaller heavier racquet.

Or do the best of both worlds and go heavy and big.

Don't plan on sticking with synthetic gut forever. I did plan on it, but made the jump to poly anyways.

 

[n8dawg6]

huh, you sound like me. stick with the lightning 100s and work on groundstokes, serve consistency, and putting away short balls. no need to make it any harder on yourself by using more demanding equipment at this point.

i would take lessons. learning proper form really makes the game more fun, even if youre not applying it consistently at first.

 

[SteveI]

Firstly, I'm a 3.0 really looking to get to 3.5. I've got a pair of Prince Lightning 100's and a pair of Head Prestige Graphene Rev Pro's. I admit, I got a bit obsessed with "arm protection" and Recoil Weight reading these forums and just bought the Prestige because it was on sale and had a high RW, polarized setup. I was playing fine with the Prince's but bought them...probably because of reading these forums too much...

Now I'm not sure which ones to stick with. After playing with the Prestige's for the last month or so (and recently restrung in the past week), I pulled out the Prince with the same string setup (although older) and felt everything was just a little easier, which makes a difference in confidence. The setup was Isospeed Baseline 16L/Forten Sweet 17 at 50lbs each. I'm looking to switch back to regular old Syn Gut, either Sweet, Gosen, or a hybrid of both.

I've switched racquets a bunch of times (on TTW? NO WAY), but for the most part, I've stuck with thicker beamed, closer to even balance racquets. So I don't know if switching to such a radically different type of racquet messed me up. It didn't seem to initially, but in the long haul things seem to be worse overall.

Anyway, what to do? Do I add weight to the Prestige to make it more even balanced, or just keep the Prince and stick Syn Gut in it? I prefer to just have one type of racquet, ideally.

I would stick with the Prince frames.. they can grow with your game. I like the 100 head size and the fact that is frame is a decent platform frame.

Playing with a 93 when you are a 3.0 is a reach.. even for the Talk Tennis folks. Work on your game... slick with a basic string set-up and play matches, build skill and fitness.

 

[n8dawg6]

the g prestige rev pro ... gawd love it and bless it ... is not a frame for a 3.0. unless you want to self-sabotage. which would be completely fine, honestly. none of us are getting paid to do this, as they say at da club.

 

[preeb]

3.0?

Take any racquet, go get some training with a coach, and apply what you learnt in practice matches.

Working on it. Currently looking for one that is more in tune with what I'm looking for.

If you want to win now, use a bigger lighter racquet.

If you want to challenge yourself to improve your form and footwork, go with a smaller heavier racquet.

Or do the best of both worlds and go heavy and big.

Don't plan on sticking with synthetic gut forever. I did plan on it, but made the jump to poly anyways.

I mean, I need to improve my form and footwork anyway, and plan to work on the footwork aspect for sure. So logically...with the lighter racquet it should be even better if I put in the effort into the footwork. So why even have the challenge of the small racquet?

As for poly. I dunno, may stick one with the hybrid to experiment, and keep one with a full bed of syngut and I'll figure out how that plays out later.

huh, you sound like me. stick with the lightning 100s and work on groundstokes, serve consistency, and putting away short balls. no need to make it any harder on yourself by using more demanding equipment at this point.

i would take lessons. learning proper form really makes the game more fun, even if youre not applying it consistently at first.

I've had a couple, and the guy was trying to teach me closed stance forehands with minimal shoulder rotation. It has messed me up on my confidence on that wing and given me another thing to juggle in my mind during matches. I don't see other people hitting like how he instructs?? That's a tale for another time, but I plan to at least try out a club with an actual certified instructor.

I would stick with the Prince frames.. they can grow with your game. I like the 100 head size and the fact that is frame is a decent platform frame.

Playing with a 93 when you are a 3.0 is a reach.. even for the Talk Tennis folks. Work on your game... slick with a basic string set-up and play matches, build skill and fitness.

But...but...I need to appear as a macho tennis guy who don't need no triple digit sqin hitting zone, right? Is that not the TTW way?

----------------------------------------------------

Maybe I'll sell the Prestiges somewheres.

Btw: how should I approach the coaching? Should I ask to hit with him and then have him point out places for improvement? Or should I state specifically what I should work on? I've had people tell me I have the strokes but not the mentality, but I also am very uncomfortable on my forehand a lot. What is the best approach?

Thanks for the responses.

 

[SpinToWin]

Working on it. Currently looking for one that is more in tune with what I'm looking for.



I mean, I need to improve my form and footwork anyway, and plan to work on the footwork aspect for sure. So logically...with the lighter racquet it should be even better if I put in the effort into the footwork. So why even have the challenge of the small racquet?

As for poly. I dunno, may stick one with the hybrid to experiment, and keep one with a full bed of syngut and I'll figure out how that plays out later.



I've had a couple, and the guy was trying to teach me closed stance forehands with minimal shoulder rotation. It has messed me up on my confidence on that wing and given me another thing to juggle in my mind during matches. I don't see other people hitting like how he instructs?? That's a tale for another time, but I plan to at least try out a club with an actual certified instructor.



But...but...I need to appear as a macho tennis guy who don't need no triple digit sqin hitting zone, right? Is that not the TTW way?

----------------------------------------------------

Maybe I'll sell the Prestiges somewheres.

Btw: how should I approach the coaching? Should I ask to hit with him and then have him point out places for improvement? Or should I state specifically what I should work on? I've had people tell me I have the strokes but not the mentality, but I also am very uncomfortable on my forehand a lot. What is the best approach?

Thanks for the responses.

Any racquet will do really, what matters is form. The Prestige will punish you if your form isn't good, so it may punish you in the short run in terms of results, while aiding you at improving your form in the long run (forcing good form). The Prince will be better for quick results but it will let you get away with sub-optimal mechanics, movement, etc. You'll have to choose your poison in the end.

As to the coaching... I personally am better at coaching when the pupil tells me what his problem is. I can then focus a (few) session(s) on that and I usually achieve swift progress. If you have precise issues you want to focus on, express them. Get your money's worth if you're going to be getting private lessons.

 

[SteveI]

Issue with using a players frame to work on your game with... Ahhh... are you good enough, hands fast enough and in good enough shape to get benefit from the
players frame. Many folks on this BBS forget to mention this point. BTW.. since most pros use a frame that is in the 97-100 sq. inch head size, seems like the wrong way to go. The pros make their living playing tennis..and they do not play with these small headed outdated frames. Fed moved from a 85 to 90 to 97... Rafa uses a 100...

 

[CopolyX]

takes time to find what works better for you and your growing game.
most starting out or in a hurry take the easy path.....lighter (HH) is better, and just something quick & easier for them ...no patience , no knowledge, they just want to play.
But....
start out demo-ing (online/pro shops/good-selective knowledgeable (not a part time high school kid- sport stores) .. borrow/ try...experience and learn....take lessons...talk to pros, players who know and can help...

Test Drive!

or
Just buy the one with the best paint job you like.....yer...that is now unusual.
Just pick the one that has a picture of a pro player you know on it....yer...the will work...
Just buy anyone with a sale/markdown tag on it.
Just buy the ones that have strings already on it.....yep they are better that the one missing them....

 

[preeb]

Whelp. I think I have made my decision. If anyone wants month old Prestige's, there should be a thread up in the classifieds tomorrow (pending moderator approval).

I'll talk to the club owner tomorrow to see what instructors are available next week.

And I'll see if I can get a friend to record me playing against the ball machine tomorrow, to see where I'm at.

 

[Big Serve]

I'm finding that racquets that let me hit well aren't necessarily racquets that allow me to play matches well. Granted, I'm still a newbie. But I can rally MUCH better than I can play a match.

Is your current frame easy to serve with?

 

[preeb]

Yeah, I haven't had trouble with it. Yesterday, after switching racquets I immediately noticed that I could hit good slice serves again.

Not that I hit bad serves with the Prestige, I was just less consistent. People still comment that I have a good serve (because I'm a loner and used to practice it daily)

 

[Imago]

Depolarize the Prestige RP and increase the twistweight by adding lead to 9 and 3. This means bigger sweetspot, hence more consistency.

 

[SteveI]

USTA 10 and under Tennis... I idea here is too make the game a bit easier to learn, enjoy and improve. If you are using gear that makes it too difficult to improve..

You quit.. USTA 10 and under tennis is all about.. bigger balls / slowing the game down to enhance improvement. This goes for adults as well as juniors

 

[n8dawg6]

Yeah, I haven't had trouble with it. Yesterday, after switching racquets I immediately noticed that I could hit good slice serves again.

Not that I hit bad serves with the Prestige, I was just less consistent. People still comment that I have a good serve (because I'm a loner and used to practice it daily)

serving is a funny thing. its so dependent on timing ... first thing to go if you havent played in awhile. mine was on fire two months ago. now im double-faulting 50% of the time. makes it difficult to win