Pickleball is about strategy, positioning, and shot selection, not just power. If you’re a 50+ player looking to stay competitive, these five essential tips will help you outthink and outplay your opponents. From mastering the non-volley zone to anticipating attacks, learning how to play smarter, not harder is the key to success. The goal? Get to the kitchen, stay ready for fast shots, and stop making the same mistakes that keep you stuck at the baseline.

If your backhand is a liability, you’re not alone. It’s one of the toughest shots to master in pickleball, and most players make the same mistakes—using too much wrist, poor grip selection, or failing to prepare their body properly. But here’s the good news: with the right grip, technique, and strategy, your backhand can become a strength instead of a weakness. Whether you need a consistent drop, a deep slice return, or a powerful drive, mastering the fundamentals will instantly elevate your game.

If you’re making these 10 common mistakes, you’re handing your opponents free points. Whether you’re a beginner or an intermediate player, fixing these bad habits will immediately improve your game. Let’s break it down from the baseline to the kitchen—so you can stop losing and start dominating.

Pickleball is getting faster than ever, and if you’re still relying on the old-school, slow-arching third shot drop, you’re falling behind. The game has evolved, with faster paddles, more aggressive speed-ups, and a heavy preference for drives over drops. But does that mean the drop is dead? Absolutely not. Instead, players must modernize their approach, learning to hit an offensive drop that transitions seamlessly from defense to attack.

Palm Springs is moving forward with a $6 million expansion of its pickleball courts at Demuth Park, aiming to double the number of courts from 12 to 24 while adding a tournament-level, ADA-accessible court, better lighting, shade structures, and other amenities. The project, expected to start in April 2025, has been met with excitement—but also frustration from local players worried about the temporary court closures during the eight-month construction period. Officials assure the community that the plan is progressing, though not as fast as some had hoped.

When Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf first picked up a pickleball paddle in 2020, they were like millions of others—just looking for a way to stay active. Now, the two tennis legends are headlining one of the sport’s biggest events, The Pickleball Slam, proving just how deeply the game has embedded itself in the sports world. Alongside Andy Roddick and Eugenie Bouchard, they’ll compete for a $1 million prize, bringing elite tennis talent to the fast-growing sport in a way that was unthinkable just a few years ago.

For Shannon Gaston, the owner of Crushcakes & Café, pickleball started as a fun hobby and quickly turned into something much bigger. After falling in love with the game in 2023—and even meeting her partner on the courts—she realized that the public pickleball scene was missing something: privacy, exclusivity, and a relaxed, social atmosphere. That’s when she decided to convert an old tennis court on her parents’ property into Crush Courts, Santa Barbara’s newest private pickleball retreat.

The fourth shot in pickleball is a game-changer—but most players don’t realize it. Everyone drills the third shot drop or drive, but what happens next? If you’re not attacking at the right moment or keeping your counters low and controlled, you’re giving away free points.

Feeling stuck at a 3.0 or 3.5 skill level? You’re not alone. Many players hit a wall and struggle to break through to 4.0, unsure of what’s holding them back. The good news? There’s a single drill that could completely change your game. By focusing on mastering the first four shots in every point, you’ll develop precision, consistency, and court awareness that will accelerate your progress faster than mindless hitting sessions.

Pickleball fans rejoice! The Tennis Channel and United Pickleball Association (UPA) have launched the PickleballTV App, offering live matches, on-demand content, instructional videos, and exclusive lifestyle programming for just $5.99/month (or $59.99/year), with a 30-day free trial.

Six-time MLB All-Star J.D. Martinez is already mapping out his post-baseball career—and it involves pickleball. The 14-year veteran has signed a deal with JOOLA to transition into professional pickleball after retirement, receiving coaching, equipment, and sponsorship for events like the PPA Challenger Series.

The Michelob Ultra Super Bowl ad starring Willem Dafoe and Catherine O’Hara has caught the attention of the pickleball world—but aside from the star-studded cast, there’s another major highlight: the distinctive gold-edged paddles wielded by the hustling duo. These paddles, designed by Dope Pickleball, are the brainchild of Domenic Fotino, an entrepreneur who spent years perfecting the first-ever chrome-gold edge guard paddle.

Jared Paul is shaking up Major League Pickleball. As the new General Manager of the Nashville-based MLP franchise, Paul brings his social media and marketing expertise from The Kitchen to an ambitious rebranding effort. His open tryout initiative, guaranteeing a UPA player contract, is a game-changing move in pro sports recruitment.

The PPA took a bold step onto the international stage this past weekend with the first-ever Australia Pickleball Open, marking the tour’s first pro event outside of U.S. soil. The 1000-level tournament saw 382 players compete in full pro draws, headlined by a mix of top traveling pros and Australia’s growing crop of elite players. With electric matchups across singles, doubles, and mixed divisions, the event was a thrilling showcase of pickleball’s global expansion. Gabriel Tardio, Kaitlyn Christian, Tyson McGuffin, and Lacy Schneemann were among the standout performers, with Tardio securing his first career PPA singles gold.

If you want to take control of points while serving, mastering the third shot drop is essential. Through extensive testing, it’s clear that a well-executed third shot drop lands between 1-2 feet from the kitchen line, forcing opponents to hit up and limiting their ability to attack. The ideal trajectory peaks around six feet high before descending over the net at an 8-18 inch clearance. Hitting this shot consistently requires precise power control—around 19-20 mph for down-the-line drops and 22-23 mph crosscourt—ensuring the ball lands in the optimal zone while staying low enough to prevent easy putaways.

If you’re striving to compete at a 4.5 level and beyond, the “modern” pickleball strategy—favoring aggressive drives, frequent speedups, and minimal dinking—might not be the best path to victory. in a recent analysis of over 1,400 shots and 200 rallies from 4.5 men’s doubles matches, the data overwhelmingly supports a more traditional, strategic approach. Players who relied on third-shot drops and consistent soft play at the kitchen dominated their opponents in both success rate and point conversion. Despite the allure of fast-paced play, the numbers suggest that patience and control still reign supreme at this level.

The backhand flick is an advanced shot in pickleball that can add an aggressive edge to your game when executed properly. The key to success lies in identifying the right moment to use it—typically when you’ve pushed your opponent back with a well-placed dink, giving you an opportunity to lean in and attack. This shot isn’t meant for dead dinks but rather for pressuring your opponent into a pop-up that you can exploit. The flick involves compact movement, no backswing, and a precise blend of power and spin to drive the ball past your opponent before they have a chance to react. While many players attempt to finesse this shot, the most effective flicks often rely on sheer speed and control to overpower an opponent’s counterattack.

Pickleball isn’t just a fun way to break a sweat—it turns out it’s also a workout for your brain. Neurophysiologist Louisa Nicola, founder of Neuro Athletics, explains that the game engages proprioception, the body’s ability to sense movement and positioning in space. This function is critical for balance, coordination, and overall cognitive health. As we age, proprioception declines, increasing the risk of falls and cognitive issues. But activities that require quick reactions, precise timing, and strategic movement—like pickleball—help keep this system sharp.

Michelob Ultra has upped its game for the Super Bowl with an all-star cast and a hilariously absurd campaign. In “The Ultra Hustle,” Willem Dafoe and Catherine O’Hara don matching track suits and take to the pickleball courts as a cunning duo hustling for rounds of Michelob Ultra. Their challengers? Sports legends like Randy Moss, Sabrina Ionescu, and Ryan Crouser. The result is a mix of humor, intimidation, and charm that makes this ad stand out on the crowded Super Bowl stage.