📝 The Blog
Pickleball Tips, Guides & Reviews
Original how-tos, paddle picks, and New England pickleball coverage — written to actually help your game.
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Oct 3, 2026
New USA Pickleball Approved Paddles: 31 Added Around the October 1 Spin Rule
New USA Pickleball approved paddles from Sept 1 to Oct 2, 2026: 31 added, 25 with foam cores, incl. JOOLA Perseus POWER FX, Proton Series One V2 and HEAD.
Oct 3, 2026
Can You Hit the Ball Twice in Pickleball? The Double Hit Rule, Explained
Can you hit the ball twice in pickleball? Yes, in one continuous stroke. The 2026 double hit rule, when it is a fault, and who calls it in rec play.
Oct 2, 2026
Pickleball Popularity by State: How Many People Play, vs Tennis, and Who Plays (2026)
Pickleball popularity by state, checked against primary data: 24.3 million US players, how it compares with tennis, who plays, and New England courts per capita.
Oct 2, 2026
Pickleball in Exeter NH: Courts, Open Play Fees and Winter Options
Pickleball in Exeter NH: 10 courts at Recreation Park, open play by level for a $25 season fee, town lessons, scrambles, adaptive play and winter options.
Oct 1, 2026
How to Hit a Tweener in Pickleball (and the Rule That Makes It a Fault)
How to hit a tweener in pickleball step by step, when to use it, and the USA Pickleball rule that makes it a fault if the ball clips your leg.
Oct 1, 2026
Six Zero Coral Pro Is Now USA Pickleball Approved: What the Oct. 1 Listing Means
The Six Zero Coral Pro joined USA Pickleball's approved paddle list on Oct. 1, 2026, the day the spin cap began. Shapes, specs, UPA vs USAP, price.
Oct 1, 2026
Pickleball in Montpelier, VT: Two Indoor Courts, 331 Players and a Dead Rec Website to Avoid
Pickleball in Montpelier VT: 2 indoor courts at the Rec Center ($4/$6), Elm Street outdoor sessions, and 6 indoor courts at GMCF in Barre.
Oct 1, 2026
College Pickleball in New England: 16 Schools Chase 12 National Bids in West Boylston
College pickleball in New England: 25 schools, 16 from NE, chase 12 NCPA Nationals bids at RT.12 Pickle in West Boylston Sept 26-27. How to watch.
Oct 1, 2026
How Far Behind the Kitchen Line Should You Stand? Inches, a Half Step or 3 Feet
How far behind the kitchen line should you stand? When toes-on-the-line, a half step or 3 feet back wins, what the momentum rule says, plus 3 drills.
Oct 1, 2026
Pickleball Paddle Trends 2026: What 4 Years of Releases Say About Hybrids and Foam
Pickleball paddle trends, counted: hybrids went from 16% to 32% of new releases since 2023 and foam cores took over. What 833 paddles say before you buy.
Oct 1, 2026
Smithfield RI Pickleball Noise: A 5 p.m. Curfew, a Court Swap Plan and a Fence That Misses Its Own Sound Study
Smithfield RI pickleball noise: Willow Field courts sit 70 feet from homes, play ends at 5 p.m., and the proposed fence misses the town sound study.
Oct 1, 2026
Pickleball in East Greenwich, RI: Two Free Courts, a Senior Morning Block and a $320,000 Price Tag
Pickleball in East Greenwich RI: two free courts at Academy Field, senior mornings, disputed hours, Frenchtown lessons, and what the courts cost.
Oct 1, 2026
Pickleball in Guilford, CT: Seven Courts at Bittner Park, a Members-Only Indoor Option and a Pop-Up That Moved Out
Pickleball in Guilford CT: seven outdoor courts at Bittner Park, the Adams school courts, indoor play at Guilford Racquet & Swim, and the Oct. 17 charity event.
Oct 1, 2026
Collin Johns: The Other Half of Pickleball’s Greatest Doubles Team (Pro Spotlight)
Collin Johns profile: 35 PPA doubles titles, the split with brother Ben, his 2026 rankings, his reset-first playstyle and the one shot you should steal from him.
Oct 1, 2026
PPA vs APP: How Pickleball’s Two Pro Tours Actually Differ (2026)
PPA vs APP explained: who owns each pickleball tour, prize money, player contracts, the USA Pickleball split, and which tour matters for New England players.
Oct 1, 2026
PPA Tour Europe Opens in Barcelona: Judit Castillo’s Triple Crown and This Week’s Pro Results
PPA Tour Europe opened in Barcelona: Judit Castillo's triple crown, every gold medallist, what the 20-event European season means, and what's next in Las Vegas.
Oct 1, 2026
Push Drop in Pickleball: The No-Backswing Third Shot (and the Rule That Keeps It Legal)
The push drop in pickleball is a third shot drop with no backswing. Learn the 4 checkpoints, where to aim, 3 drills, and why Rule 12.C says it isn't a carry.
Oct 1, 2026
Pickleball in Marblehead, MA: 10 Free Town Courts, 8-Day Booking and Where to Play in Winter
Pickleball in Marblehead MA: 10 free town courts at Seaside Park and Veterans School, how 8-day booking works, the club league and the JCC for winter.
Oct 1, 2026
High School Pickleball in Massachusetts: The MIAA’s Oct. 1 Deadline and the 57-School Bar
High school pickleball in Massachusetts is still a club sport. The MIAA's Emerging Sport path needs 57 schools and an Oct. 1 application. Where it stands.
Sep 30, 2026
Hit to the Stronger Player: The Practice Habit That Actually Makes You Better
Zane Navratil says hit to the stronger player in practice, not the weaker one. Why that counterintuitive habit is how you actually improve at pickleball.
Sep 30, 2026
When Pickleball Paddle Reviewers Compete: What It Reveals About Your Gear
Pickleball Studio filmed the reviewer tournament where paddle experts play with random partners. What it reveals about reviews, gear price, and your game.
Sep 28, 2026
Best Power Pickleball Paddles (2026): Most Pop, Without Overpaying
The best power pickleball paddles for 2026 — what creates power, the top picks by price band, and why you do not need to spend $300 to hit big.
Sep 28, 2026
Pickleball Bad Habits: The 3 Keeping You Stuck at Your Level
The pickleball bad habits that cap players at 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0+ — and the exact fix for each so you can finally break through your plateau.
Sep 28, 2026
What Paddles Do College Pickleball Players Use? (2026)
What paddles college pickleball players use in 2026 (JOOLA, Selkirk and more), why they lean premium, and whether you should buy one.
Sep 28, 2026
NCPA Sudden Death & the College Pickleball Format, Explained
How NCPA college pickleball works: the best-of-7 team match, the sudden-death tiebreaker, and how regional bids and divisions decide Nationals.
Sep 28, 2026
Why College Pickleball Is Booming in New England
College pickleball is exploding in New England: 21 clubs across six states, a first-ever regional, and four teams headed to NCPA Nationals. Here is why.
Sep 28, 2026
4 New England Teams Punched Their Ticket to NCPA Nationals
Harvard, UConn, Tufts and Boston University all earned Division 1 NCPA Nationals bids at the 2026 Massachusetts Regional. What it means for New England.
Sep 28, 2026
Harvard Wins the First-Ever NCPA Massachusetts Regional — an All-New England Final Four
Harvard won the first-ever NCPA Massachusetts collegiate pickleball regional at RT.12 Pickle, topping an all-New England final four. Full 2026 recap.
Sep 26, 2026
Pickleball in Cold Weather: How to Keep Playing Outdoors Through a New England Fall
Pickleball in cold weather is doable with the right ball, thin layers and a longer warm-up. A New England guide to cracked balls, slick courts and wind chill.
Sep 26, 2026
Spin Durability in Pickleball: the Tier 1-4 System, and Why New Spin Is Not the Number That Matters
Every paddle spins when it is new. The one that matters is how much spin it keeps months later. Here is the Tier 1-4 spin-durability system reviewers use, and how to buy a paddle that lasts.