At Third Shot Sports, we're all about mixing technology with pickleball to bring you unique and exciting content. Recently, we decided to challenge ChatGPT to come up with 100 short pickleball tips. Of course, we couldn't just leave it there. We handed this list to our very own pickleball guru, Mark Renneson, to separate the gold from the glitter. Spoiler alert: some tips were spot on, while others needed a little more context. Let's dive into one of these tips and get Mark's expert take on it!
Expert Insight:
“Keep your Paddle Up and Ready”
This seems like a pretty straightforward and uncontroversial tip. However, some context is needed.
Having your paddle “up” only makes sense when “up” is where the action will take place. If the ball is likely to be low, having a paddle high is not very useful.
For example, imagine you are returning serve or getting ready to play a drop or a drive. In this case, the impact point is typically waist high or lower. The same goes when your opponents are receiving high balls at the net and looking to attack. You’re likely going to have to dig something out of the dirt, so your paddle should be prepared low where the action will be.
If, on the other hand, you are up at the net getting ready to receive a ball from your opponents who are quite close, having your paddle up is important. But how high is high enough?
When the ball comes over the net with speed, it will be close to the net—let’s say within one paddle height. So, that is where your paddle should be. Again, the paddle should be at the height of the action!
Having the paddle higher than that window means it’s in a place where you won’t have to defend against a fast ball since it would go out. Having the paddle below the net makes you susceptible to a quick speed-up attack.
Chest high? Face high? How high is high enough?
If you are a very tall player, having a paddle in this window might mean having it around your bellybutton. Any higher is useless. If you are a shorter player, this window might be up around your chest or even your face if you have a low, athletic stance. What’s important to realize here is that “up” isn’t about having the paddle at a certain place on your body. It’s about having it at an appropriate height as the ball comes flying fast over the net.
And there you have it! One tip down, 99 more to go. We're turning this into a fun series where Mark will continue to break down these tips, separating the pearls of wisdom from the well-meaning-but-misguided advice. So stay tuned for more expert insights from Mark as we explore the fascinating world of AI-generated pickleball tips!