OT Old Man Post of the Week: Pickleball

[aTotal360]

I know a couple of you guys were Bjorn Borg incarnate back in the day. Have any of yall started playing pickleball? We got 2 of our courts lined for PB back in May and we've been playing a few times a week. We started playing indoors with the olds from the retirement community down the road. They've been playing for years. I'm shocked at the reflexes of some of them. They kick our a$$ at the net. And don't let that old dude be Indian. He'll thoroughly embarrass you at the net.

 

[Captain Ron]

I live down in SWFL. It is huge down here, not only with the retireds, but young people as well.

Even the area we used to live in Altanta is converting tennis courts over because of the demand. It really is addicting.

You have these types of business poping us all over as well.

Pickleball Courts, Restaurant, Event Space | Chicken N Pickle

Good Food, Good Friends & Great Fun Await at Chicken N Pickle, an indoor/outdoor entertainment complex.

chickennpickle.com

 

[mstateglfr]

We played Pickleball in a PE class in high school back in '99. Didnt hear about pickleball for almost 2 decades and one day I looked around my metro and thought...

Pickleball courts everywhere- parks, culdesacs, YMCAs, etc.
Multiple active experience sports bars popped up left and right to offer indoor and outdoor pickleball and bags while drinking overpriced beer and eating mediocre bar food.
A forgotten mall now has 13 indoor courts that are open 6am to midnight daily.
A couple large gyms removed tennis courts and installed pickleball courts. 12 of em at one gym now.

Its crazy. But no complaints- if there is the demand, cool. People being active is awesome.



Orthopedic surgeons fully support this craze.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

We played Pickleball in a PE class in high school back in '99. Didnt hear about pickleball for almost 2 decades and one day I looked around my metro and thought...

Pickleball courts everywhere- parks, culdesacs, YMCAs, etc.
Multiple active experience sports bars popped up left and right to offer indoor and outdoor pickleball and bags while drinking overpriced beer and eating mediocre bar food.
A forgotten mall now has 13 indoor courts that are open 6am to midnight daily.
A couple large gyms removed tennis courts and installed pickleball courts. 12 of em at one gym now.

Its crazy. But no complaints- if there is the demand, cool. People being active is awesome.



Orthopedic surgeons fully support this craze.

I had the same experience. I went into Academy the other day and they had all types of paddles made out of all this different type material. Back in the 90s we balled out with a wood paddle and wiffle ball.

 

[patdog]

Played for 1st time over Thanksgiving. It wasn't horrible, but I just don't get how this sport ever caught on as a sport (as a social activity I can see it, but no more than badminton or croquet). I did figure out real quickly that if I just stayed at the back of the court with my niece, her husband was going to kill us, so I started getting to net on everything but my partner's serve. Agree with the golfer, seems like this sport would be hard on knees and backs.

 

[Seinfeld]

They kick our a$$ at the net. And don't let that old dude be Indian. He'll thoroughly embarrass you at the net.

Out of curiosity, are they playing by the rules or are they getting all up in the kitchen? If they're hogging the kitchen, you may have to lay down the pickleball law on some fools

 

[aTotal360]

Out of curiosity, are they playing by the rules or are they getting all up in the kitchen? If they're hogging the kitchen, you may have to lay down the pickleball law on some fools

Out of the kitchen. They are sticklers for the rules. These olds will call a foul if you don't announce the score before each serve.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

There’s people with lined out pickleball courts in our neighborhood in their driveways and even on a dead end street.

 

[mstateglfr]

Pickleball did bring one of the funnier rhyming bits of advice I have heard in a long time. A few years ago a friend mentioned her cul-de-sac had pooled money together for a pickleball court and she quickly learned how to determine if a ball should be hit or let go long.

Above the titty no hitty.

 

[Mjoelner]

My rebelbearshark GF is addicted to it and plays almost every day. She even takes her paddle on vacation. Vegas, cruises..etc. Of course it doesn't bother me, I get to sleep in on those mornings when she goes to play.

ETA: Even though she denied it to me, apparently she has the reputation of crowding the net and slamming people (male and female) in the nether regions with the ball.

 

[Lebby’s Burner]

I know a couple of you guys were Bjorn Borg incarnate back in the day. Have any of yall started playing pickleball? We got 2 of our courts lined for PB back in May and we've been playing a few times a week. We started playing indoors with the olds from the retirement community down the road. They've been playing for years. I'm shocked at the reflexes of some of them. They kick our a$$ at the net. And don't let that old dude be Indian. He'll thoroughly embarrass you at the net.

It’s always when you least expect it..

 

[Captain Ron]

Played for 1st time over Thanksgiving. It wasn't horrible, but I just don't get how this sport ever caught on as a sport (as a social activity I can see it, but no more than badminton or croquet). I did figure out real quickly that if I just stayed at the back of the court with my niece, her husband was going to kill us, so I started getting to net on everything but my partner's serve. Agree with the golfer, seems like this sport would be hard on knees and backs.

I would say that is prolly true, but less so once you learn the game. I was burning about twice the calories when I first started, then you learn where To position yourself and it cuts down on the movement. I still burn a ton of calories, but I also go for every ball I can get.

It is lot easier on the joints at least for than is tennis

 

[aTotal360]

I would say that is prolly true, but less so once you learn the game. I was burning about twice the calories when I first started, then you learn where To position yourself and it cuts down on the movement. I still burn a ton of calories, but I also go for every ball I can get.

It is lot easier on the joints at least for than is tennis

We play Tuesday nights from 7-9pm. Typically burn about 800-1100 calories. best investment I made was buying some real tennis shoes instead of playing in cross trainers. Helped my ankles out tremendously.

 

[Captain Ron]

We play Tuesday nights from 7-9pm. Typically burn about 800-1100 calories. best investment I made was buying some real tennis shoes instead of playing in cross trainers. Helped my ankles out tremendously.

Agreed. I played the first few times in cross trainers. I don’t recommend that

Shoes and a good paddle make a big difference.

Now if I can just find a Bama guy down here that I can destroy….

 

[ZombieKissinger]

I played a while but wasn’t getting enough exercise because I was the only person under 50. It’s big here though. I like it better than tennis but less than racquetball and squash

 

[DawgsGoneWild]

There is a Sonic in Tyler, tx that has pickle ball courts. It’s crazy

 

[STATEgrad04]

I am 42, live in NE Florida, and play on Mondays and Wednesdays. It is an addictive sport, and I like to call it a great equalizing sport. Meaning that people of all ages can be on the court at the same time and all still compete at the same level. Because it is more of a strategy game and timing game, you rarely get to over power your opponent like you can in tennis. It also can get real intense while at the kitchen line, and this is where the game is won or lost. Somebody said it above, but good shoes and a good paddle really do make a big difference.

Dont knock it till you try it!

 

[rynodawg]

I live down in SWFL. It is huge down here, not only with the retireds, but young people as well.

Even the area we used to live in Altanta is converting tennis courts over because of the demand. It really is addicting.

You have these types of business poping us all over as well.

Pickleball Courts, Restaurant, Event Space | Chicken N Pickle

Good Food, Good Friends & Great Fun Await at Chicken N Pickle, an indoor/outdoor entertainment complex.

chickennpickle.com

Had no idea places like that are popping up. I enjoy pickleball, but part of the appeal to me is it is absolutely free (other than buying a decent paddle). At $45/hr for a court, might as well join a tennis club or top of the line gym.

 

[Captain Ron]

Had no idea places like that are popping up. I enjoy pickleball, but part of the appeal to me is it is absolutely free (other than buying a decent paddle). At $45/hr for a court, might as well join a tennis club or top of the line gym.

Yeah.. that is more of an outing like going to Top Golf Etc. We do the free stuff down here too.

 

[GloryDawg]

Speaking of old men.

 

[patdog]

Speaking of old men.

View attachment 476732

One thing I learned a long time ago in tennis. If you're playing old guys, you better be ready to bring it. Cause if they sucked, they'd have quit by now. Although I'm on the verge of testing that theory by still playing.

 

[The Cooterpoot]

I'd pickle ball it

 

[mstateglfr]

I'd pickle ball it
View attachment 476813

She is certainly dedicated to the fake lashes look.
If the lashes aren't too much, the drawn on eyebrows and lipstick that looks like it was crayoned on by her kid should be.

 

[bolddogge]

And those elbows are a little on the pointy side.

 

[BulldogBlitz]

There's a small percentage of our customers that come in store and you can see it...and hear it if anyone says "pickle". They perk up and get intense glare in their eyes and they talk your ear off for the next 20 minutes about it. Most of them spend some bucks getting decked out with equipment and accessorizing every single bit of their pickle outfit.

The county parks have a few outdoor courts, and are busy converting an old grocery for indoor courts. Crazy.