Grow your dink game and gain momentum

Tips 💸

• 5 ways to change momentum on the pickleball court (The Pickler)
  
• Ever been up 10-5 and lost? Yeah, us neither. Momentum is the fickle factor that can raise or wreck your game. It’s a game changer. It’s mysterious. And it’s possible to capture. Here are five ways to make momentum your ally.
  
• Common strategies (and weaknesses) for 4.0 players (Reddit)
  
• When you reach the 4.0 level in pickleball, you can’t only rely on athleticism and hitting the ball hard. You have to incorporate strategy. From shot selection to stacking, here’s 40+ comments to help you take your game to the next level. 
• 7 mistakes killing your dink game (PrimeTime Pickleball)
• Is your dinking sinking? Give it a lifejacket by correcting these seven mistakes:
• 1. Standing too tall
• 2. Too much wrist flick
• 3. Excessive use of the elbow
• 4. Excessive reaching
• 5. Excessive footwork
• 6. Getting pushed off the kitchen line
• 7. Big backswing 
• A 3-part journey to growing your dink skills (The Dink)
• According to The Dink, there are about 81 dink combinations — too many to master in a few pick-up games. You can patiently evolve your dink game by viewing the skill as an ongoing journey of consistency, placement, spin and power.

Gear ⚙️

• Snag some balls that don’t crack
  
• We just launched our highest-performing pickleball yet: PCKL Elite 40. It’s USA Pickleball approved and the official pickleball of APA + Southern Pickleball. But the best part? One ball can last more games than you. Try to prove us wrong by grabbing a 4-pack here. 

Hot take 🔥

• Pickleball isn’t the sound of music to all (CNN)
  
• What’s louder: pickleball or the people who complain about the noise of it? Thankfully, we have people like Bob Unetich, the founder of Pickleball Sound Mitigation, to advise organizations and angry neighbors on how to reduce the sound of the game. 

A must watch 🤯

• Collin Shick’s drop (The Dink)
  
• The former NC State tennis player, Collin Shick, went into the PPA’s Red Clay Hot Sauce Florida Open as the 55th seed. He ended it with a silver medal. What helped him take the pickle scene by storm? This Shick drop volley. 

Rules to know 📏

• The Ultimate Guide on Pickleball Rules (YouTube)
  
• Finally, a link to send your friends who ask, “So, what are the basics of pickleball?” Kyle Koszuta takes you through a clear and engaging way to learn the fundamentals of the game — including the myths around kitchen rules.
  
• Serving rules made simple (PCKL Blog)
  
• Pickleball serves are just like snowflakes, no two are identical. But, they all have to follow the rules set by USA Pickleball. Haven’t read the 86-page rulebook? No worries — we’ve got you covered with these easy-to-follow serving rules.
• 3 of the biggest pickleball rule changes for 2023 (PCKL Blog)
• Pickleball is evolving, including the rules. No need to take hours away from your game to read a rulebook. Here are the three biggest rules you should be aware of this year: no more spin serves (hallelujah), you can stop play when the server calls the wrong score, and your clothes can’t match the ball.

In the news 🗞️

• Dude Perfect puts big bucks behind pickleball (Sportico)
  
• The YouTube guys who entertain your kids with Nerf gun trick shots are investing in a Major League Pickleball (MLP) team worth around $5 million. And with nearly 60 million YouTube subscribers, the dudes are the latest influencers to spread the pickle cheer.