We have confirmation: pickleball has been played on every single continent, including Antarctica…

…That is, if you count this one legendary guy’s dink practice. How does he only have 3 subscribers? Let’s change that immediately so he doesn’t have to be the lone South Pole Pickler.

In This Issue:

• Using tape to your advantage

• Pickleball’s global reach

• PPA was explosive

• Jansen on It Feels Right

Happy Monday. Let’s get into it.

The Lead Tape Guide

More and more pros and advanced-level players now add lead to the edges of their paddle to add weight or change the weight distribution.

Adding weight adds power to your game. Force = mass x acceleration. More mass, more force.

When it comes to weight distribution, the effects vary based on where the weight is placed. Chris over at The Pickleball Studio created a guide to visualize different weight distribution options:

In the simplified version, there are three zones where weight can be added.

• Zone 1 - Weight added to the top of the paddle adds power. The trade-off comes with decreased hand speed.

• Zone 2 - Weight in the middle of the paddle has a moderate effect on power and hand speed. This zone is best for stability. It will prevent your paddle from rotating when contact is made with the ball. In turn, the sweet spot can actually feel larger.

• Zone 3 - Weight added in zone 3 will have less of an effect on hand speed compared to weight in the other zones. It also comes with increased stability and an expanded sweet spot.

Lead tape comes in both rolls (save 10% with code 10DINK) or pre-cut strips. The placement and amount can be completely customized to your liking. We also recommend adding electric tape over the lead tape to ensure everything holds together.

Most paddles weigh between 7-8.2oz off the shelf. These days players are adding tape and playing at a final weight of 8.5-9oz.

Take your paddle from off-the-rack to custom fitted. Experiment with additional lead tape in different positions. If nothing else, at least you can blame your next unforced error on the tape.

Read what the pros are saying about adding tape here.

Never buy another pickleball paddle again.

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• 1 winner will receive one new paddle every year for life

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ONLY ONE MORE DAY TO ENTER. Click here.

Pickleball Making Global Strides

We’ve heard three different statistics this year about pickleball’s participation numbers in North America. But the sport is more global now than ever before, thanks to the travel industry.

From Caribbean resorts to European river cruises, pickleball is taking over the travel sector – and likewise, ze wurrrrld (**evil laugh**).

Familiar hotel & resort names like JW Marriot and La Quinta hosted PPA Tournaments over the last year and now are adding pickleball to their international properties.

But Travel Weekly says even smaller resorts are upping their game, like The Tryall Club in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

The property features four courts and a “pickleball concierge service” which outfits guests with gear, lessons, and even a custom-crafted meal after their game.

Of course, the number of cruise lines that have brought pickleball aboard continues to grow.

The PPA Tour even announced last year that Holland America, by far the leader in PB adoption with every ship in its fleet outfitted with a court, is their “official cruise line.”

We checked in on the number of pickleball players in other countries. Here are just a few which show the most promise:

• Canada - Over a million in 2022, likely many more now

• India - Over 15,000

• Australia - Over 15,000

• U.K. - About 7,000

• Spain - Over 1,000 in early 2022

• Antarctica - One

Put a Sock in it

The only thing that can outshine Anna Leigh Waters’ triple crown is who she won it with. In front of the entire sports world in primetime on ESPN 2, ALW and tennis phenom Jack Sock won the mixed doubles title.

They went down early to Riley Newman and Allyce Jones and dropped game one. Sock and Waters loosened up and unleashed pickleball fury in games two and three. The final score of the match was 3-11, 11-2, 11-3.

It was clear on the court that Sock was enjoying himself. A little extracurricular trash talk and showmanship came out when they took control.

The most noticeable thing about Sock’s game was the effortless power. Every ball that he is hitting comes in hot. When you look at put-away power, he takes pickleball to another level.

ALW cruised through the women’s singles and doubles draw. She and Catherine Parenteau did not drop a game together on the weekend.

Lauren Stratman and Yana Grechkina have put together strong results in back-to-back events. They have found a little magic in a new partnership and finished with silver here.

In men’s doubles, Riley Newman and Matt Wright answered back against JW Johnson and Dylan Frazier. A loss to the young guns lit a fire for Newman/Wright. They topped the podium for the first time this year.

Saturday’s viewing experience was dampened when the wheels fell off the Sock/Tyson McGuffin bandwagon. They lost in round one to NC locals Jim Dobran and Eric Roddy.

McGuffin earned a silver medal in singles. Top honors went o Federico Staksrud. Staks cemented himself in the top three conversation with another big win in ‘23.

You called it Dink Fam. We asked you how Jack Sock would fair in his Pro Pickleball debut and you nailed it. Seventy percent of you answered that Sock would win at least one medal this weekend.

Remind us to ask you for advice when pickleball betting finally happens.

While We’re on the Topic…

We can practically hear you say it: “Jack Sock’s strength and athleticism is a sign that former tennis pros will dominate pro pickleball.”

But consider that pickleball has featured in school PE programs for over a decade.

Sooner or later, there will be a wave of young players who are true native pickleballers...kids who can dink with their eyes closed; who can practically feel where the ball is going to bounce next.

Former tennis stars no doubt make great players, but even Jack Sock overshot and netted quite a few balls.

What’s going to happen when he faces off against someone who’s been playing pickleball for longer than his tennis & PB careers combined?

Food for thought…

Mother’s Day Weekend Pickleball & Podcasts

Join the ladies of The Deep Dive (June Diane Raphael, Jessica St. Clair) and Bitch Sesh (Casey Wilson, Danielle Schneider) for I'D HIT THAT in Los Angeles.

Come to watch the competition, enjoy a boozy brunch, or even step up to the net and play pickleball with your favorite queens of podcasting. MILF and THIRST TRAP admission starts at 10am, early admission for PLAYER and WAP ticket holders at 9am.

Tickets available here.

The Perfect Amount of Chaos

Lea Jansen is the guest on an all-new It Feels Right. She addresses her recent apology video and explains why Jack Sock's forehand was strange for tennis but perfect for pickleball.

Rob is fired up after a successful west coast trip and Adam is ready for Baby Stone to arrive. We’ll upload the video version to our YouTube channel later today. In the meantime, listen here.

Headlines & Quick Hits

• Pickleball-themed charms, earrings, keychains, bracelets, necklaces and more

• Our latest paddle review

• The ultimate pickleball training machine ($100 off with code DINK100)

Highlights

• How we all feel heading into our post-work match

• What a battle 👏

• It grows the economy 🤫

• Sock with the buttery tweener lob

A review from the Dink Fam...