Tag: pickleball

To Lob or Not to Lob

There are five dreaded labels in the pickleball world that no one wants to wear: sandbagger, hooker (that’s a cheater on line calls, for the uninitiated), poacher, banger, and—my personal cross to bear—lobber.

Now, I can’t speak for the first four, but I’ve earned a reputation for being that last one. Yes, I lob. Sometimes more than once. Occasionally more than “socially acceptable.”

One of my partners recently suggested that I might want to cut back. Apparently, I’ve been annoying some of my fellow players. The eye rolls and glares haven’t escaped me, and I’ll admit I’ve even apologized a few times for exceeding the unofficial “lob quota.”

But here’s the thing: the lob is not the weak, outdated, sneaky shot it was once considered. Years ago, pros and commentators sneered at it. You almost never saw it on the big stage. Today? Pros lob often, and they lob well. It’s a legitimate strategy—a way to reset a point or outwit opponents who camp at the kitchen line like they’ve paid rent there.

At 73, I don’t have the hand speed or footwork of a 30-year-old tournament player. Just as a pitcher with a fading fastball learns to mix in more curveballs and off-speed junk, I mix in more lobs. For me, it’s both a survival tool and an offensive weapon.

If I lob you, take it as a compliment: it means I think you’re good enough to deserve it.

That said, I try to be mindful. I don’t lob against beginners, players with mobility challenges, or anyone who tells me they just don’t want to chase them down. I do not use the sun as my secret doubles partner, I do my best not to lob into it deliberately. (Though, if I see a wide-open chance for a clean winner? Sorry, I’m taking it. I’m not that saintly.)

At this point in my pickleball journey, I want opponents to bring their best game against me—lobs, drop shots, body-bag drives, all of it. It’s part of what makes pickleball fun and unpredictable. And when the day comes that I can no longer compete, I’ll gladly hang up my paddle and write about pickleball instead of playing it. Or maybe I’ll take up chess—where, mercifully, no one will complain about a well-timed lob

What are the Odds?

Pickleball, much like poker, is a game of percentages. While we may not have a Vegas sportsbook setting the lines, certain odds feel inevitable on the court. Here’s a look at the numbers behind the game, based on highly scientific ??? (and totally not made-up) research.

There is a 90% chance if I register more than 10 seconds after sign-ups open for 70% of Meetups or TeamReach events, I’m deep on the waitlist. Every. Single. Time.

When there is a volley fire fight among the other three players on my court, there is a 60% chance that I will dump the ball into the net when the first volley is hit to me.

I own a 66.6% success rate on “shots I should make 100% of the time.”

If I poach 25% from the right side, there is a 75% chance I will piss off 60% of my partners playing on the left side. The remaining 40%? They just haven’t spoken up yet.

3% of players are who 80% of players don’t want to partner or play with.

In 84% of intermediate-level games, less than 10% of total shots attempted are dinks.

There is a 100% chance that the Meetup app can be improved and a 0% chance that I would ever sign up for Meetup + no matter how many times I get solicited for the service when using the free app.

In rec play, 88% of close line calls called “out” are accurate; 74% of close line calls called “in” are accurate. However in the late stages of a closely contested game, 70% of close line calls called “out” are accurate. In the pro pickleball, the odds are less than 50-50 for accurate line calls in the late stages of a closely contested game.




Pickleball Challenge before You Get on a Court

My pickleball friends will understand this graphic. In many pickleball meet-ups, a player needs to sign in at a dedicated website (e.g. meetup.com)and at an appointed reservation time, press “Attend” to reserve their spot. Many times, if you don’t sign up in the first 10-15 seconds, you may find yourself on a waitlist with dozens of other players. Such is the popularity of pickleball and the need for more places to play.

Line Calls

When I don’t play pickleball, I write about it…

I Saw the Light
Still playing “lights out”—literally—at St. Matt’s pickleball. No word yet on when the new lights will be installed. Despite the dim conditions, meetups remain popular, with players showing up under less-than-ideal circumstances.

It’s Not You, It’s Me
Like speed dating, partner switching in professional pickleball has become the norm. Even Ben and Colin Johns, dominant champions for years, are splitting up in 2025 to pursue new partnerships. Many pros are following suit, aiming for gold medals and bigger paydays. Pair splitting also happens at the recreational level, but with much less drama.

Offers I Could Refuse
PickleballTV, the online media service, now offers subscriptions: $5.99/month or $59.99/year. While I enjoy watching pickleball online, PickleballTV doesn’t yet match the production quality of Tennis Channel. From a business perspective, it feels premature to charge for a service that’s still refining its offerings.

Meanwhile, MeetUp has introduced MeetUp+ with subscription features that were previously free. Since being acquired by Bending Spoons last year, the platform feels outdated and in need of a refresh—not exactly a premium experience worth the added cost.

What Goes Up, Must Come Down
Pickleball’s growth is impressive, but industry players should tread carefully. If I were a paddle manufacturer, coach, or facility owner, I’d focus on competitive pricing, branding and quality. Just like the stock market, a “correction” could be on the horizon, forcing adjustments in strategy.

Crystal Ball Outlook
An analysis of DUPR scores shows the median player rating at 3.29, meaning half of players score higher and half lower. I predict the median will rise to around 3.50 in the next five years as younger players pick up the sport in schools and colleges.

To Lob or Not to Lob—No Longer the Question
Lobbing in pickleball can be as polarizing as playing with the sun in your eyes or battling high winds. Offensive lobs are often seen as unfair and even risky in social games, where players can injure themselves chasing down balls. I’ve decided to reserve lobs for defensive purposes in casual matches, but in a competitive game, all bets are off!

Takin’ Care of Business
The business side of pickleball risks overshadowing the sport itself. Pro pickleball is a mess, with issues like financial instability, disputes over illegal paddles, ever-changing rules, and player misconduct. Thankfully, the recreational game has largely been insulated from these woes—for now.

Three Best Pickleball Podcasts

  • King of the Court with Tyler Loong and Jimmy Miller
  • PicklePod with Zane Navratil and Thomas Shields
  • Tennis Sucks with Travis Rettenmaier and Graham D’Amico

Snapshot

Pickleball: where tennis players go to die. (Seen on t-shirt)

“Kamala holds the hopes of a lot of people in this country who are praying that she doesn’t fall on her face in the next 72 days. She can take heart that she’s driving Trump crazy. He is jealous of her looks, her crowd sizes, her star power and her vivacious, bodacious vibes. That’s a good start.”

Daffy Donald, Turning Pea Green With Envy NYT Maureen Dowd

Planning a wedding has become so expensive that some couples are asking their guests to pay to attend their special day…Matthew Shaw, the founder of Sauveur, a wedding planning company in London, said that selling tickets “introduces a strange relationship between you and your guests, turning your guests into customers.”

He added, “You’re no longer hosting — you’re offering them a paid experience, which introduces a very different narrative in terms of what guests are expecting.” (NYT)

NYT Hardcover Non-fiction Best Sellers

  1. SHAMELESS by Brian Tyler Cohen

2. MEN HAVE CALLED HER CRAZY by Anna Marie Tendler

3. THE ART OF POWER by Nancy PelosI

“School board candidates backed by Moms for Liberty, a conservative vanguard whose members popularized restrictions on classroom library books, are losing elections in Florida and some swing states. Republican leaders who rallied against critical race theory and LGBTQ+ issues recently faced recalls in red pockets of California.”

Are Republicans losing the culture wars? Politico

Babe Ruth ‘called shot’ Yankees jersey fetches record $24M

Dow 41,175

S&P 5,634

Nasdaq 17,877

Are you a Pickleball Elitist or Snob?

According to a recent article in dinkpickleball.com, if you can say “Yes” to five of their following criteria, you may be a pickleball snob:
1. You only play with “good” players
2. You own AT LEAST three paddles
3. You ask for full names so you can look up DUPRs
4. You say, “That’s how the pros play”
5. You scout ahead
6. You judge players by their paddle
7. You have a “Pickleball Coach”

I thought that was a rather pedestrian list so here’s my other signs that you just might be a pickleball snob:

  1. You have three or more indoor memberships
  2. You play with a different model paddle each day of the week
  3. You have a “Pickleball Coach”, dietician, trainer and therapist
  4. Joola designed a custom paddle for you
  5. You never feel it necessary to buy or bring pickleballs to the court for play
  6. You don’t tap paddles at end of games, you offer a dismissive wave to your opponents
  7. You judge players by the cars they pull up in
  8. You check your iPhone between points

Notes and Asides : Potty Mouths and Pickleball

There can’t be many more stressful and thankless jobs than being the Director of the U.S. Secret Service. Kimberly Cheadle resigned from the job after dodging more bullets from a House Committee meeting yesterday than John Wick running through a gauntlet of assassins. Members of both political parties set their sights on Ms. Cheadle and took their best shots. There also have been complaints about the women who are on Trump’s secret service detail. They were accused of being too small in stature and one female agent was shown having difficutly in unholstering her gun. Best of luck finding a successor in taking a job where any misstep or failure in a very volatile political and violence prone country will get you ridiculed and fired no matter how diligent you and your associates perform.

I thought that having women in high elective office would elevate the national conversation and promote civility. Boy, was I wrong!. Nancy Mace, Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene among others (usually Republican women) have mouths that would embarrass a trucker, rapper or biker.

If you want to guarantee a solid workout playing pickleball, then either play singles or play with a hand-picked group of like-skilled players in a competitive landscape. Do not just go to the park and play 2 hours of pickup and expect it to be a great workout.

The Workout Value Of Pickleball Compared To Other Racquet Sports
Forbes · by Todd Boss · July 22, 2024

I think that the author of the referenced quote did not take into account the age and physical condition of the player. I would agree that for a 20 or 30 year-old, two hours of recreational Pickleball doubles would not be a very good workout. But for someone who is in their 60s or 70s, it constitutes a very good workout.

Pickleball Isn’t Cheap

Just a guessestimate…Depending on how you play, what level, how committed, wear and tear and where you play, expenses can add up. I’m sure some players pay less than this and I’m very sure many “competitive” players pay more. This estimate doesn’t factor in any medical expenses that can occur.

There is an increased level of commercialization in the sport that is inevitable as it becomes more popular and mainstream.