What's the best paddle shape?

$30K on the line for College Pickleball Finals. Six drills that make drilling tolerable.

October 30, 2024

What’s the fastest way to improve at pickleball? Buy a new paddle, of course.

Today, we cover the two most common questions when it comes to choosing the right paddle. But first, we want to know:

Which ball is the standard in your pickleball group?

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In This Issue:

🎥 Six pickleball drills to add to your routine
🙋 The most common questions when choosing a paddle
📋 Your guide to the MLP playoffs

Happy (early) Halloween Dink Fam.

Our Picks ☝️

🗓️ Calendar: The APP Tour Releases 2025 Schedule

The APP Tour is heading into their seventh season in 2025. Yesterday, they released the schedule for next year, which includes 14 televised events, six golden ticket events, and four majors. 

🏢 Facility: Henrico Parks and Recreation to Open New Complex

The new pickleball complex adds 12 courts, including 2 covered championship-caliber courts, to Pouncey Tract Park. The courts are part of a significant county investment in sports and sports tourism, which is estimated to have generated nearly $2 billion in revenue in 2023.

🏆 Champions: Puerto Rico wins the Pickleball World Cup

The 2024 Pickleball World Cup concluded on Sunday with a Championship match between Puerto Rico and host country Peru. Puerto Rico swept Peru to claim the championship. The U.S. team finished the competition in fourth place.

🏞️ Photo: Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne to Add Pickleball

The famous 5-star Bürgenstock Resort in Switzerland will add pickleball to their racquet sports programming. Not a bad courtside view.

The Only Six Three Pickleball Drills You'll Ever Need

Selkirk-sponsored pro Kyle “ThatPickleballGuy” Koszuta tells us the drills we need

Kyle “ThatPickleballGuy” Koszuta recently made a video in which he gave pickleball players exactly what they always wanted: drills.

Okay, maybe it’s not what players want, but we all know it’s what we need. Here are 3 of the 6 drills he mentions in the video and how to do them.

1. Openers: Perfecting Serves and Returns

Serving and returning are the “openers” of every point. Serving well forces your opponent into a defensive stance, while a strategic return keeps them back. This drill has one player serve continuously while the other focuses on returning, aiming for deep placement.

What to focus on

  • Set a Target: Aim your serve deep into your opponent’s court, making it harder for them to advance.

  • Return with Purpose: Place returns deep, keeping your opponent back and giving you time to set up at the net.

  • Game-like Movement: After each return, move forward toward the kitchen line, as you would in a real game.

2. The Charmin Drill: Mastering the Third Shot Drop

The third shot drop is crucial for slowing the game and allowing a controlled approach to the net. In this drill, one player at the baseline hits drop shots into the kitchen, with a focus on repetition.

What to focus on

  • Hit from Multiple Angles: Practice drop shots from various angles to simulate game situations.

  • Aim for the Kitchen: Land drops in the kitchen to force your opponent into a difficult upward return.

3. Space Invaders: Advancing to the Net

Starting from midcourt, aim to advance to the kitchen line by making controlled “reset shots.” This teaches steady, progressive movement.

What to focus on

  • Reset Shots: Practice “reset shots” to control the ball as you move up. The aim is to maintain soft control while pushing toward the net.

  • Build Progression: Start by completing two successful reset shots before advancing, gradually building confidence as you close in on the net.

  • Add a Competitive Element: Play to a score or set a timer to add intensity and mimic real-game pressure.

To see the other three (which we didn’t have space for in the newsletter), check out the full video from Kyle here.

Best $18 You’ll Ever Spend?

Over 100 hours a week. That’s the collective number of hours The Dink team spends playing pickleball per week (it's no surprise we’re obsessed). With that time spent on the courts, we’re all conscious that we’re pretty high risk for sprains, strains, and the occasional dive-gone-wrong.

One thing we’re not risking, though - is a strain on our pockets. Emerge Insurance Services closes the gap on your deductibles for as little as $18 a month. So if you’re injured on the courts, that deductible money goes right back into your pocket.

Get a free quote in seconds based on your pickleball habits, and put your mind at rest while you go beast mode on the courts.

The Two Most Common Questions in Choosing a Paddle

Braydon Unsicker has been reviewing pickleball paddles for four years now. He’s accumulated an encyclopedia of paddle knowledge but still gets asked two main questions while helping players navigate their paddle journey.

Question #1: What’s the Best Paddle Shape?

Which to choose?
Hybrid and standard-shaped paddles are more player-friendly because they are more forgiving on mishits and are less head-heavy than elongated paddles.

However, more advanced-level players often opt for elongated shapes to help them cover more of the court, reach into the kitchen, and generate more power.

Ultimately, the choice of paddle shape depends on an individual’s playing style, preferences, and skill level. Whether your focus is on reach or forgiveness, understanding the unique benefits and trade-offs of each shape can assist you in selecting the paddle that best suits your game.

Question #2: What’s the Difference Between a 14mm and 16mm Paddle?

16mm Paddles
Thicker core paddles like these typically offer more power from the baseline and more control at the net.

They are less maneuverable than 14mm paddles but are more stable and forgiving. This option is the most common because of the added stability and larger sweet spots, making it easier to play with.

14mm Paddles
Thinner core paddles offer less power from the baseline but more pop at the net on counters and volleys.

They are more maneuverable but less forgiving and stable. Thinner core paddles aren’t as popular among amateurs because they have smaller sweet spots; however, you'll see them more at the pro level and in higher-level play because of the added pop they provide at the net to help finish points.

Your Guide to the MLP Playoffs

It’s playoff time for Major League Pickleball. The Premier and Challenger Levels quarterfinals are set for this weekend in Dallas.

At the Premier Level, you’ll see two best-of-three matchups:

(3) Dallas Flash vs (6) NY Hustlers
(4) D.C. Pickleball Team vs (5) Texas Ranchers

The winner of these matches will move on to the semifinals in Orlando, Nov 22-24. There, they will take on either (1) New Jersey 5s or (2) St. Louis Shock.

As the No. 1 seed, the 5s will have their choice of opponent and control of the coin toss choices (side, MD/WD first, react in Mixed, react in Dreambreaker).

Up for grabs is an $80,000 check for the winning team. Second place takes home $40,000, and third place wins $20,000.

Challenger Level:

The top seeds at Challenger Level are (1) Chicago Slice and (2) SoCal Hard Eights. The quarterfinals will again be a best-of-three matchup between:

(3) Miami Pickleball Club vs (6) Frisco Pandas
(4) Atlanta Bouncers vs (5) Las Vegas Night Owls

The first match starts Friday at 1 pm ET on PickleballTV and don’t miss a special ESPN 2 broadcast of Dallas vs New York at 5 pm ET on Sunday. Find your complete guide to the MLP playoffs, including predictions for each round from our guy Erik Tice, here.

Fancy a Match Before the Year Ends?

The year's wrapping up, and what better way to cap it off than playing in one of the National Pickleball tournaments? Whether you're in Florida, California, or Arizona, there's a spot waiting for you on the court.

These tournaments aren’t just about paddling through; they're your chance to bump up your DUPR rating and maybe snag some cool swag while you're at it. Expect low entry fees and a chance to play at least four matches. Hey, if something comes up, they’ve got flexible refunds, too.

Oh, and did we mention the perks? There’s a free t-shirt in it for you and custom medals up for grabs. It’s all set to be a great mix of competition and community vibes.

Check out the details and get yourself registered right here. Make those last matches of the year count!

DUPR Collegiate Nationals Offer $30k in Scholarship Prize Money

The stage is set for the largest collegiate pickleball event in history as teams from across the nation gather in Dallas for the 2024 DUPR College National Pickleball Championship.

With 64 schools competing and $30,000 in scholarship prize money up for grabs, this year’s championship is a testament to the explosive growth of college pickleball and its bright future.

Teams of 4 players from each school compete in MLP-style matches. The teams will play three rounds of pool play to determine the seeding for a massive 64-team single-loss elimination bracket, just like in college hoops.

Tune into the event starting Friday, Nov 1, on the DUPR YouTube channel. Find everything you need to know about the event, including which players were selected as All-Americans.

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