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- 🤾 This pattern will win you more points
🤾 This pattern will win you more points
Plus, our 2025 Paddle of the Year just dropped under $135, urban pickleball returns to downtown San Diego, the serve target to win the most FREE points, and much more...
Brandon at Pickleheads
July 30, 2026
Hey reader,
Welcome back to the Pickleheads Newsletter!
In this issue:
🥷 This team does not back down!
😲 Our 2025 Paddle of the Year just dropped under $135
🤾 This pattern will win you more points
🥰 Urban pickleball returns to downtown San Diego
🎯 The serve target to win the most FREE points
🥷 This team does not back down!
Have a filthy point caught on cam? 📸
Reply to this email or submit yours to [email protected]. The most epic one will feature in next week’s newsletter!
And if we pick your submission, we’ll send you a free Pickleheads t-shirt 🙌
😲 Our 2025 Paddle of the Year just dropped under $135
We've just had some BIG NEWS from Bread & Butter HQ that was too good not to share.
This week, they announced our 2025 Paddle of the Year, the Bread & Butter Loco, is 25% off. That's already an incredible deal on one of our favorite all-court paddles, but it gets even better…
Our exclusive discount code PICKLEHEADS15 stacks on top of the sale, knocking an additional 10% off the discounted price. That brings the Loco down to just $134.33.
Considering this paddle competes with models costing well over $250, I genuinely never expected to see it available at this price.
So, what's the catch? There isn't one. Bread & Butter is simply clearing the way for the launch of the Loco 2 later this year.
If you've been eyeing the B+B Loco, waiting for the perfect moment to click “Buy Now”", I can’t imagine there will be a better time to do it this year!
Use code PICKLEHEADS15 for a further 10% off
🤾 This pattern will win you more points
James Ignatowich, former top pro and founder of RPM Pickleball, returns for this week's Level Up.
Hey Pickleheads readers,
One of my favorite patterns on the right side is surprisingly simple.
I speed the ball up with my forehand... then I'm already expecting the next ball to come back to my backhand.
Here's why it works:
1️⃣ Anticipate the counter
After you speed up from your forehand, your opponent's easiest reply is usually back toward your backhand. Instead of reacting late, expect it and get your paddle there early.
2️⃣ Stay low
One mistake I see all the time is players standing up after the speed-up. Stay low through the exchange. You'll be in a much stronger position to hit a solid counter.
3️⃣ Keep your momentum moving forward
When you lean back, you lose power, control, and you’re more likely to pop the ball up. By staying balanced, you'll hit firmer counters and put your opponents under even more pressure.
Winning hand battles isn't just about fast hands. It's about anticipating the next ball and putting your body in the best position to attack it.
Watch me break down this simple pattern in this week's video 👇
🏆 ICYMI: the most powerful integration in pickleball just went live
This week we launched our CourtReserve integration, and it's the biggest thing we've ever built for how pickleball gets played.
Here's what it means for you.
If you play at a CourtReserve club 🙋
You sign up on CourtReserve like usual.
You walk in and your phone buzzes with your court and start time.
You climb the leaderboard as you win, with every score tracked automatically.
You walk off on top, already signed up to do it again next week.
That's league night with the integration turned on: an awesome Pickleheads round robin, live standings, and none of the front-desk scramble or tech issues.
Want this experience at your club? Tell us where you play, and we'll send you a free Pickleheads t-shirt if we connect with them.
If you run or coach at a CourtReserve club 🏟️
Link a CourtReserve event to a Pickleheads league or ladder in one dropdown, and it runs from signup to final standings on its own.
More paying members per court in prime time, and almost no staff time needed.
Founding facilities get 60 days of Pickleheads Ultra + the integration free, with personal onboarding from me.
🥰 Urban pickleball returns to downtown San Diego
Photo: Courtesy of Gaslamp Quarter Association
Every Thursday this summer, five blocks of downtown San Diego will be transformed into a giant pickleball venue, complete with 13 courts, live DJs, food, and a street festival atmosphere.
🌍 Pickleball Inc. and Pickleball World Cup unite
Pickleball Inc. and the Pickleball World Cup have announced a landmark partnership that will help grow international competition and, crucially, allow PPA Tour professionals to represent their countries starting in 2027.
That means we could soon see the world's best players competing under their national flags, bringing pickleball one step closer to the kind of World Cup spectacle fans have been dreaming about.
🎯 The serve target to win the most FREE points
💧 Drop better every time with this tip
💥 Hit your dinks here.
Your opponent hits a wide shot that travels past the net post. You sprint wide and return it around the outside of the post — never going over the net. Is this legal? |
Mid-rally, a player switches their paddle from their right hand to their left to hit a shot. Is this legal? |
During a rally, your shot clips the top of the net tape and dribbles over to your opponent's side. What happens? |
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:
What do you think of the Pickleheads Newsletter? Let us know how we can be even better in the comments. |