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Get active on your partner's third

Get active on your partner's third

Where retirees move for pickleball. The cost to build a court.

December 09, 2024

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People will go to great lengths to play more pickleball. Some resort to building a court in their backyard, others pick up and leave town for a city with warmer weather and more courts per capita.

For many retirees in 2024, pickleball is priority number one. We want to know, where is the best spot to move if playing pickleball is on the top of your to-do list in retirement. More on that below.

In This Issue:

👀 Get active on your partner’s third
🏆 Waters caps the year with a triple crown
💰 How much does it cost to build a pickleball court

Happy Monday Dink Fam.

Our Picks ☝️

🗓️ Calendar: It’s National Championship Week

This week, hundreds of pickleball teams will compete for $50K and a trip to Dubai at The Dink Minor League National Championship. Teams from 24 states have earned their Dream TIcket and are prepared to battle it out in St. Louis. Watch it here.

🎁 Gifting: Break the bad news to your partner

Have you been trying to find the right way to tell your partner to stop going for so many ernes? Let Zane Navratil deliver the blow. This year, Zane is creating personalized videos through Cameo and 100% of revenue will go directly to SAN!

👶 Juniors: No more taking it easy on the juniors

Junior players are flooding into pickleball from all angles. With the influx comes a rapid rise in skill level, or as Anna Bright said over the weekend:

🗳️ Vote: Your last chance to weigh in…

Poll: What's the most popular unpopular opinion?

Get Active on Your Partner’s Third Shot

When your partner is hitting a third shot, it is not the time for you to be stationary. Zane Navratil explains the progression he moves through while his partner is hitting a third.

On the Drop
Zane’s first step is to move a couple of feet into the court. From there he evaluates his partner’s shot to see if it is (A) safe for him to keep advancing or (B) too high and warrants him backing out of the court.

On the Drive
If Zane is confident that his partner will hit a strong drive, he moves further into the court looking for a shake-and-bake opportunity. He has to be more proactive on a drive because there is less time for him to react.

If his partner is less consistent on the drive or hitting from a difficult position, he will stay back, in line with his partner.

Right-Left Considerations
You must also consider if you’re playing the left or right when deciding your action. If you’re on the right and your backhand is subpar, then it might not be advantageous for you to crash in and poach.

If you’re on the left, more of the responsibility falls on you to be active in transition to give your team an advantage. Watch Zane break it down here.

Got a Minute? Let’s Talk Pickleball Gear.

So, you're always looking for that edge on the pickleball court, right? Well, let us tell you about the HEAD Boom Tour EX Pickleball Paddle.

It’s perfect whether you're playing doubles or smashing it in singles. It's got this 11mm profile and a swing weight that feels just right in your hand, giving you the power and control where it counts.

And the tech? Top-notch. HEAD’s thrown in some cutting-edge stuff like the Handle Stabilizer Technology with a special 8S-Resin handle that cuts down on those annoying vibrations, giving you a stable feel as you play. They’ve also crafted this with thermoformed T700 raw carbon, so you get a consistent response and a wider sweet spot—essential for keeping those volleys going.

If you’re serious about stepping up your game, the Boom Tour EX is worth checking out. HEAD nailed it with this one. It might just be the best upgrade you make this season.

Pickleball Retirees Eying These Cities

Where would you move if your only goal was to play pickleball all day? No pro-level aspirations, just looking for good games with good people.

Finance Buzz published a list of the 11 Great Cities for Pickleball Lovers To Retire In and some of the cities included were not on our radar.

The pickleball hotbeds and heavy hitters were mentioned as expected. They included:

Phoenix, AZ
The Villages, FL
Palm Springs, CA
Naples, FL
Henderson, NV

But number one on the list was a shocker, Wilmington, NC. The city is not known for pickleball but might be the right mix of access to courts and beaches sought out by some retirees.

Another surprise was New York City. New York was years behind on adopting pickleball and finding a court in the past was on par with landing tickets to Hamilton.

Other cities highlighted on the list include:

Stamford, CT
Georgetown, TX
Broomfield, CO
Maple Grove, MN

Reply to this email and let us know where the U-Haul is taking your paddles after you retire.

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How Much Does it Cost to Build Your Own Pickleball Court?

A dream for many pickleball players out there is to build a backyard pickleball court. After spending hours with their paddle in the rack at a public park or paying court fees to play at a facility, players long to have a court of their own.

But what goes into building a court, and how much does it cost? There are a lot of variables at play but here is a brief overview.

Step 1: Grading the Land - Grading Cost: $0.40 to $2 per square foot

Step 2: Laying A Slab - Approximate Cost: $15-30k (at $10 per square foot)

Step 3: Painting and Sealing - Approximate Cost: $5-8k

Step 4: Picking a Net System - Approximate Cost: $100-3000

Step 5: Fencing and Lighting - Fencing: $9-30 a square ft | Lighting: $1,500-$6,000

Depending on your situation, building a pickleball court can cost from $15,000 to $40,000+, when considering materials, location, and features. One option to cut costs and improve durability is a tile system from Versacourt.

Their custom-designed, ready-to-assemble kits can get you on the court faster than waiting for a traditional build. Learn more about the costs that go into each step and what option is best for you in this breakdown.

This is How To Keep Your Paddle Clean

Have you ever noticed how your pickleball paddle doesn't feel quite the same after a few intense matches? It's not just wear and tear; it's likely a build-up of grime and oils affecting your game.

Think of your paddle like a trusty sidekick that needs a little TLC. That gritty residue isn’t just a nuisance—it’s sabotaging your shots by flattening out those crucial micro-textures that help grip the ball. And while some might reach for an eraser to scrub away the dirt, that’s a bit like using a band-aid when you need stitches—superficial and not quite effective.

Enter the Bear Naked Pickleball Spray Cleaner, a game-changer for anyone serious about their play. Their patent-pending formula is designed to dive deep into those paddle grooves, breaking down the gunk without roughing up your gear. Just a quick spray, a brief wait, and a wipe down with a microfiber towel, and your paddle is back to its high-performance best.

Keep your paddle clean with Bear Naked Pickleball Paddle Cleaner for better grip, more spin, and longer paddle life.

One More Triple Crown in 2024

It doesn’t matter the format. It doesn’t matter who else is coming to play. Don’t bet against the Anna Leigh Waters triple crown.

Anna Leigh Goes for Three
ALW was the big winner again in San Clemente. She brought home another triple crown with three wins on Championship Sunday.

Her most thrilling match was a battle with ‘The Girlies’ Anna Bright/Rachel Rohrabacher in the women’s doubles finals. ALW and Catherine Parenteau finished their unbelievable 2024 season with a thrilling four-game victory 6-11, 11-5, 11-5, 12-10.

Hunter Johnson is on Fire
No one has been hotter at the end of the year than Hunter Johnson. He snagged his third PPA title and is making a strong case for the top 5 in the men’s singles game.

Better Together
Federico Staksrud and Hayden Patriquin are making a case for the top doubles team in the game. They’re three for three in the second half of 2024 winning every event where they’ve partnered together.

Find the full results and highlights from the PPA Finals here.