David Zapatka Wind is the great equalizer on the pickleball court. It doesn’t matter how polished your dink game is or how powerful your drive is; a stiff breeze can turn your best shots into unforced errors in a hurry. The good news is that with a few smart adjustments, you can use the wind…
Tag: Relishing Pickleball
Sports, February 2026
Relishing Pickleball: Mastering the Spin Game
David Zapatka Spin is one of the most underrated game-changing skills. While beginners often focus on simply getting the ball over the net, intermediate and advanced players know that adding spin can create awkward bounces, force errors, and open up the court. Whether you’re looking to sharpen your offensive tools or add finesse to your…
October 2025, Sports
Relishing Pickleball: What to Look for in a Paddle
David Zapatka Reader Ann Howard writes, “Hi David, been reading your column in Robson Ranch Views. I’m a 3.5 player, in my 70s, and got a new paddle almost three years ago. I play regularly two to three times per week. I have been making more mistakes than usual and wondering if it’s me, the paddle,…
August 2025, Sports
Relishing Pickleball: Don’t Hit Out Balls!
David Zapatka Let the bad ones go bad. This is a skill we all need to learn to improve our game. How can we become more aware of balls that are traveling out of bounds? Any shot by the opponent that lands out of bounds ends in a winning rally for your side. Don’t give…
July 2025, Sports
Relishing Pickleball: The Art of Blocking
David Zapatka Last month we discussed how to beat the bangers. Blocking at the kitchen line was a key strategy. This article will pick up with that focus. Consider these strategies to improve your blocking skills. 1. You know the hard shot is coming. Be prepared, knees bent, relaxed, eyes on the ball, paddle out…
June 2025, Sports
Relishing Pickleball: Beating the Bangers
David Zapatka From 2.0 to 5.0, we have all faced the “bangers,” those players who prefer to hit everything hard rather than play the soft game hitting dinks and drop shots. Would you like to defeat these hard hitters? Consider adopting these tips. Hit deep returns. Keep the banger at the baseline with a deep…
Sports, April 2025
Relishing Pickleball: Resetting the Rally
David Zapatka You’re in a crosscourt dinking rally and your opponent continues to put you under pressure with consistent dinking that tries your patience. The rally becomes more difficult as your opponent pushes you closer to the sidelines with shots close to the net. How long can you dink like this? Is it a battle…
January 2025, Sports
Relishing Pickleball: Playing the Middle
David Zapatka If you have played pickleball very long, you’ve heard of this strategy, “hit the middle of the court.” What does this mean, why should we do it and why does it work? Our first thought may be that this means to hit the middle of the opponents’ side of the court. This is…
October 2024, Sports
Relishing Pickleball: Lobs and Angles
David Zapatka The lob is alive and well. Watch any of the stronger players and you’ll see they all use the lob as a weapon. Why do lobs work? They catch the opponents off guard. Many opponents don’t deal well with the unexpected lob. They sometimes panic or don’t use proper footwork to get to…
September 2024, Sports
Relishing Pickleball: Be the Best Partner
David Zapatka The No. 1 priority is to always remember you are on the same team. Do everything possible to help your partner, support your partner, and encourage your partner. Words and body language are powerful. They both have meaning and influence on you and your partner. Your energy is real. Partner cannot only hear…