The Pickle Talk
Posts
DUPR ratings: friend or FOE?

DUPR ratings: friend or FOE?

PLUS: Ultra-rich splurge on $1 million pickleball court upgrades + pickleball side hustler earns $1,000s

Welcome back, picklers

Read time: ~5 min

Pickleball. Padel. Now…ping pong-padel? I’ve got to say that of all the paddle sport inventions that have popped up over the years, this is one that I think I could get on board with.

Who’s with me? 😃

Now, on to the newsletter.

How to read The Pickle Talk:

First, don’t click any links just yet. Read it all the way through, and then send it to a friend you think might benefit too.
Next, come back and dive into the links that caught your eye.
Last, go play some pickleball and stir up conversations with your newfound knowledge.

Enjoy :)

TODAY’S BANGERS:

Pickle Talk: DUPR ratings: friend or FOE?
Bite-Size Pickle: Ultra-rich spending $1 million on pickleball court upgrades. Quaker Oats' announced pickleball partnership & competition. The pickleball shot heard around the world
Golden Pickle: Stay-at-home dad turns pickleball into a side hustle, earning him $1,000s

Let’s get into some... PICKLE TALK 🎙️

DUPR ratings: friend or FOE?

Alright, so we've all heard about DUPR, the Digital Universal Pickleball Rating system. It's supposed to be this super convenient way to track how we're doing on the court, right? But let's be real for a sec: has it actually made things better or just more complicated?

The Good, the Bad, and the Meh: Sure, DUPR has its perks. It's made signing up for tournaments a breeze and keeps things fair by matching players based on skill levels. But here's the kicker: it's also kind of cramping our style. Suddenly, we're all hyper-focused on our ratings, worrying more about the numbers than just enjoying the game.

An Inside Look: Let me tell you about this player I recently chatted with. She's a real pickleball enthusiast, always up for a match and loves the thrill of competition. So, she enters this tournament with high hopes, teaming up with her partner and giving it their all. They're doing great, snagging a sweet silver medal in the 3.5 doubles category. Spirits are high, high-fives all around…life is good.

But then comes the championship game, and bam! They lose, and to add insult to injury, the other team rushes to punch in the score to DUPR like it's the final buzzer on a game show. Way to add a sour pickle vibe to the game, right?

Community Vibes: So, what's the buzz around town? Well, turns out, this player isn't the only one feeling the DUPR drama. I stuck around for the post-competition mingle, and let me tell you: people noticed the insulting act and did not hesitate to announce their opinions.

Long story short…the championship winners left with a not-so-golden look on their faces.

Finding the Silver Lining: Now, before we write off DUPR completely, let's remember one thing: it's not all bad. Yeah, it's caused some drama, but it's also a sign of how far pickleball has come. Who would've thought our little game would need a high-tech scoring system?

The Big Picture: At the end of the day, DUPR is just a tool, not our boss.

If I were to level with you, let's keep it chill, play our hearts out, and remember why we fell in love with pickleball in the first place.

So, whether you're a DUPR fan or not, let's keep the focus on the joy of the game and leave the scoreboard drama for another day. 😉

BITE-SIZE PICKLES

1/ ➜ Happenings: When it comes to snazzy vacation pads for the mega-rich, forget indoor bowling alleys or horse stables. In 2024, it's all about pickleball courts and secret safe rooms. Yep, you heard me right—pickleball's the new hotness among the ultra-wealthy. Senada Adžem, the big cheese at Douglas Elliman in Florida, says folks are going nuts over properties with space for pickleball action, even shelling out an extra $1 MILLION just to snag that court spot. And if you're not up for building your own court, no sweat—lots of neighborhoods are swapping tennis courts for pickleball arenas.

2/ ➜ Happenings: Quaker Oats is teaming up with the Association of Pickleball Players to bring you the Quaker Pickleball Academy—a series of totally free pop-up events popping up all over the country. Picture this: you get to brush up on your pickleball skills at these events while munching on some delicious and healthy recipes from Quaker. They're hitting up Chicago, Ft. Lauderdale, San Diego, and Newport Beach, and there's even more fun planned for the fall. Quaker's all about keeping you fueled up, whether you're on the court or in the kitchen, and this partnership shows they're serious about supporting the pickleball community and making sure everyone's having a good time.

3/ ➜ Happenings:

During last week’s Cavana PPA mixed doubles tournament, Andrei took a shot at Lina after a slip on the court. Andrei follows with the comment, “Sorry, I had to do it,” as Lina steps off the court to cool off for a moment. The on-court incident caused a stir amongst viewers, as people called Andrei "insensitive.”. Others are saying his shot was fair, as it was a simple return with almost no power to it.

Watch and decide for yourself 🙃