Pickleball
Author
Discussion

Johnspex

Original Poster:

4,759 posts

201 months

Monday 19th February 2024
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Let's see how long before the "comedians" on here come up with juvenile jokes.

Does anybody on here play pickleball? How old are you?

NaePasaran

812 posts

74 months

Monday 19th February 2024
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Yes. Mid 30s, male. My local gym installed 2 courts, always seem well used.

Johnspex

Original Poster:

4,759 posts

201 months

Tuesday 20th February 2024
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I've just taken it up at 70.
Never really played any kind of ball sports before, only knocking a tennis ball around and a bit of table tennis.
I tried squash once, bloody hell that's hard work.

Mick Dastardly

282 posts

41 months

Monday 7th July
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Me and the missus have been playing pickleball 2-3 times a week for about a year now.

We’re mid 50s and pretty athletic, she’s a very decent tennis player and I played league squash for many years, but our respective skill levels meant that neither of us could give the other a game, and our previous opponents have all faded away into lazy middle age.

Tried pickleball and it’s a revelation as we’re very evenly matched: it’s quick, tactical, nuanced and most importantly, great fun.

Anyone else on here into getting pickled on a regular basis?

shirt

24,475 posts

218 months

Monday 7th July
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Not yet.

We are putting in a racquet sports facility where I work. Tennis, panel and pickleball. I’m going for padel as I know people who play and I can get some practice in with them first.

It’s the first time I’d ever heard of pickleball outside of American tv shows.

Fore Left

1,581 posts

199 months

Monday 7th July
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Yep. 62 & been playing twice a week for about 8 months now. The club runs about a dozen sessions a week over 3 courts and we have players from 30s to 70s at different sessions. The club also plays in a local league that has around 16 teams. I also play padel elsewhere twice a week. Hadn't picked up a racket for 30 years before I started playing pickle but its pretty easy to get half decent at. DItto padel.

IanUAE

3,012 posts

181 months

Monday 7th July
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Not played pickleball but I play padel tennis once or twice a week, outside, all year round. Friday night was brutal with the heat and the humidity.

ScotHill

3,739 posts

126 months

Monday 7th July
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Is the idea that the ball decelerates fairly quickly and there’s less running around a smaller court? I can see why it would make it a more accessible sport, like e-bikes have opened up leisure cycling.

PhilAsia

6,145 posts

92 months

Thursday 28th August
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IanUAE said:
Not played pickleball but I play padel tennis once or twice a week, outside, all year round. Friday night was brutal with the heat and the humidity.
I know the feeling. UAE would not be pleasant. Currently hovering around 100F/38C and 80% humidity just outside Manila. You are in the same boat, but looks like you are over 40C in the next few days - that will be brutal!!

Just looked in "sports" to see if pickleball had got any traction in the UK, as I was curious. It seems slower on the uptake. I was anti at first, being an avid ex-tennis player, but I now play 3 hours twice a week, with one hour teaching MrsPA once a week.

All clubs that I know of opt for a doubles rotation here, but I prefer singles. My tennis partner has buckled and will be playing regularly now, so that will fill that void, and I will probably opt for doubles twice a week with the pretty and elegant partner, and singles twice a week with the grunt.

It really is a great game, that is initially easier to pick up than tennis imho, and, as I am in my sixties, plays less havoc on the body. In my favour, I am probably one of the hardest servers in my area -which helps my points tally - I just wish my eyes and reflexes were younger.

For anyone thinking about it, I would suggest to get out there and give it a go.