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🤾 How much you should drill vs play
Plus, a must-know tip for 2026, drive harder and faster by doing this, and much more...
Brandon at Pickleheads
December 18, 2025
Hey reader,
Welcome back to the Pickleheads Newsletter!
In this issue:
😍 The paddle Six Zero thinks can top the DBD
🤾 How much you should drill vs play
💥 A must-know tip for 2026
🧨 Drive harder and faster by doing this
😍 The paddle Six Zero thinks can top the DBD
If you’ve played pickleball for a while, you know what the Six Zero Double Black Diamond did for a lot of players. It helped thousands of intermediates level up, and built Six Zero a serious following.
So when the Six Zero Coral landed, expectations were high.
Travis spent 25+ hours testing it, and his big takeaway is this: it’s ready to go straight out of the box. No lead tape. No tweaking. Just play.
Now, the Coral leans more toward control and consistency than raw power, but the real standout is the face. Six Zero’s new Diamond Tough texture (apparently infused with real diamonds) delivers excellent spin off a surface that actually lasts.
Add in modern Gen 4 construction, foam core, and a very forgiving sweet spot, and you’ve got a very complete paddle.
If you loved the DBD and want a true Gen 4 upgrade (not just a refresh), this is it.
Paddle Battle: Pickleball Kingdom’s new reality competition tv series
Pickleball Kingdom just dropped the official trailer for their new reality competition tv series, Paddle Battle! And yeah… it had me hooked.
Sixteen players chasing four life-changing opportunities, including pro pickleball contracts and Pickleball Kingdom franchise ownership (with audience voting deciding the franchise winners 👀)
The stakes go way beyond a win or loss.
From intense matchups and momentum swings to personal stories you don’t usually see on court, this series dives into the pressure, passion, and sacrifice behind the fastest-growing sport out there.
The official trailer gives a first look at bold personalities, rising rivalries, and a never before seen side of pickleball that had me locked in.
📅 Premiering January 14, 2026
📺 Streaming exclusively on YouTube
Watch the trailer and see what Paddle Battle is all about. 👇
🤾 How much you should drill vs play
Excited as always to welcome back Kyle from That Pickleball School for this week’s Level Up.
Hey Pickleheads readers,
One of the biggest mistakes I see players make is trying to drill too early, or drilling without intention.
If you’re brand new to pickleball, your best improvement tool isn’t drills. It’s playing. In your first few months, you’re still learning scoring, positioning, and basic strategy. Drilling before you understand the game often just locks in bad habits.
But once you’ve got a foundation, drilling becomes powerful. Here’s why: in two hours of gameplay, you might only try a new shot 10–15 times. That’s not enough reps to actually improve. Compare that to five minutes of focused drilling, where you can get over 100 reps on one skill alone.
The catch? Reps only help if they’re intentional. Your brain doesn’t know the difference between good reps and bad ones. It just remembers repetition. That’s why drilling without feedback can actually make you worse.
The sweet spot is simple: drill to learn the skill, then play to learn when to use it. A few focused reps, a clear goal, and some form of feedback will take you further than hours of mindless play.
Want to see exactly how I structure this and when drilling actually pays off?
Watch the full video and see the system in action. 👇
Introducing Pickleheads Plus
Last week, we rolled out something big… Pickleheads Plus! A simple $1/month upgrade that unlocks the stuff players have been asking for.
With Plus, you can now:
🌴 Find & join games while traveling
🔍 See players, games, and groups at every court in the world
💬 DM players directly to set up your next matchup
If you love getting games in (anytime, anywhere), this one’s for you. 👇
💥 A must-know tip for 2026
🧨 Drive harder and faster by doing this
🤌 How to handle hard and deep serves
La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club, San Diego, CA
You’ll find this week’s dream court tucked inside the iconic La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club. These courts sit surrounded by palm trees, ocean air, and classic coastal calm.
It’s the kind of place where a great rally feels even better with the Pacific just beyond the fence. Plus, I imagine, morning games hit different here, especially when they roll straight into a beach walk or brunch by the water.
Fresh takes, spicy debates, and the latest hot paddles & gear – catch up on our latest Court Talk highlights:
Skipped a scroll or two? No worries — here are the last few editions we sent your way:
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