PICKLEBALL CURMUDGEON
For space that’s dedicated mostly to pickleball play, we’ve
tested and would recommend the Elite Heavy-Duty Pickleball
Net System with wheels. It has an MSRP of $1,454.
If you’re a weekend or vacation player, and you’re looking to
have a spare net in your trunk for whenever a game may pop
up, then a portable net system is your best bet. This is a net
that’s easy to assemble, take apart and store until it’s needed
again. Many lightweight net systems have no wheels as
wheels aren’t always necessary. Others come with wheels,
which can add more weight to the system and about $100
to the price tag. Many systems come complete with their
own carrying bag, won’t take up much room in your car and
are light enough to carry a few blocks to the park on foot.
Lightweight portable net systems are the perfect option for
taking on vacation if you’re not sure whether your destination
has pickleball facilities on-site. If you don't want to check
this with your luggage, it’s light enough and small enough
to ship ahead so your game is waiting for you when you
touch down.
There are lots of portable net systems out there. The ones
we have tested and recommend are the Gamma Portable
Pickleball Net, Franklin Portable Net System, USAPA
Portable Pickleball Net System, the Tourna Net System
and the Deluxe Portable PickleNet System (wheeled).
Nets make great gifts, too!
Scene on the Court:
Occasional
Observations
from a
Pickleball
Curmudgeon
BY CRAIG LAUGHLIN
‘ THEY CALLED IT OUT ’
W
hen I hear, “They called it out” on the pickleball
court, the phrase can represent: 1) a simple
confirmation of what a player saw; 2) a muttering of
disbelief; or 3) a full-throated accusation (more often
expressed as “You called that out?!”). I submit that
reaction #3 stems from a level of confusion about how
line calls should be made that is a direct result of the
rules.
Let’s start with the facts. In non-officiated play, players
are tasked with making the line calls on their own side
of the net, and the rules say all questionable calls must
be resolved in favor of the opponent. So far, so good.
However, the rules go on to say, “A ball contacting the
playing surface outside of the baseline or sideline,
even though the edge of the ball overlaps the line, is
considered out of bounds.” The rules then reference a
graphic like the one below, which identifies a ball as
"out" that 99 percent of your opponents will think was
in. And when the ball is called “out,” they’ll probably say
(or at least think), “You called that out?!” Not good!
I also hear
a lot of
disagreement
2 inches
line
about what
court
happens if
one partner
calls a ball out
and the other
says it was in.
That’s an easy one. If the partners disagree, the call is
obviously in question, and the benefit of the doubt goes
to the opponents.
A word to the wise—some will think the player closest
to the ball is in the best position to make the call. Not
true. Because of parallax, a ball that is between a
player and a line will often look like it’s touching the
line, even when it isn’t. For this reason, it’s much easier
for a serve receiver to tell if a serve near the outside of
the midline is in or out (because the ball is behind the
line) than it is for the partner who might be much closer
to the ball, but for whom the line is behind the ball. The
opposite is true of the backline.
So, keep parallax in mind and, unless you’re really sure
he/she is wrong, keep quiet when your partner has the
better point of view. •
JULY/AUGUST 2019 |
MAGAZINE
45