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What really makes a 3.5+ pickleball player?
How Enhance became a household name in pickleball
A huge number of pickleball players identify as a 3.5+. But what is a 3.5 player, really?
Reaching the 3.5+ skill level isn’t just about mastering the mechanics of the game. It is about consistency, strategy, teamwork, mental focus and adaptability. So if you’re not sure what you’re level is, take a step back and assess your strengths and weaknesses honestly.
We’ve put together a helpful guide, which you can find here, to assist in the self-assessment. You can also learn more about the key traits of a 3.5+ player below.
Also in this issue:
We’re still trying to figure out how Eric Oncins did this 🤯
ALL-NEW Engage X2 now available for pre-order 🔥
How Enhance became a household name in pickleball 🎧
Should the ball you play with impact your choice of paddle? 🤔
Level up with the best training aid in the game 📈
45 mph winds make for pure pickleball entertainment 🍿
Let’s get cookin’. 🧑🍳
NEW RELEASE
Much-hyped Engage X2 paddle now available for pre-order!
BE THE FIRST TO GET THE BRAND-NEW ENGAGE X2!
We are partnering with Engage to offer a special pre-order window for Kitchen followers/subscribers to get the ALL-NEW Engage X2 paddle, which will be shipping to the general public next month.
This is the paddle Eric Oncins and Jessie Irvine have been playing with for the past two months. And if you’ve watched the PPA lately, you’ve seen what Oncins has been doing with it — he has now cracked the top 10 in men’s doubles and mixed doubles.
INSIDE THE X2
▪️Quad-Density Foam Core — 100% foam core using four engineered foam densities.
▪️Micro-Weave Carbon Fiber — Thinner carbon strands for longer dwell time and increased spin.
▪️Fiberglass Stability Layer — High density fiberglass used on the outside of the paddle face to expand the sweet spot.
These are expected to sell out FAST, so you’ll want to order right away if you want one soon. The public pre-order window opens March 24.
🔗 Shop the new Engage X2 here — use code “KITCHEN” at checkout for 10% off
HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK
We still can’t believe Eric Oncins did this
A handful of pickleball highlights have made it on SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays, but this was the best one yet.
We just told you about how Eric Oncins has been playing great with the new Engage X2, and here’s proof. This behind-the-back clean winner at the PPA Tour Newport Beach Open earlier this month came in at No. 4 on SportsCenter’s Top 10 list.
Our only question is how it wasn’t No. 1.
🔗 Check out this highlight on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok
PICKLEBALLERS
Enhance Pickleball: Owning the content game and their $65K nightmare
Connor Hance and Drew Baird are the founders of Enhance Pickleball — the most-followed pickleball content creators, with more YouTube subscribers and Instagram followers than any other individual creator in the sport.
In this episode of Pickleballers, Connor and Drew sit down with Roscoe and Jared to tell the full story of how Enhance Pickleball was built — from a bootstrapped Amazon side project to a paddle and content brand that's changed how the sport is marketed and taught.
Connor and Drew break down the business decisions that defined Enhance — what made the Dink Master their first real hit, why they resisted paddles for years before finally breaking through with the Duo and a $65,000 shipping disaster that nearly ended the company early.
PICKLEBALLERS & JOOLA GIVEAWAY: Each week we’re doing a Pickleballers giveaway to celebrate the latest episode. This week we are giving away ANY JOOLA Pro V paddle! Enter here!
IMPROVEMENT HACK
Up your game with the Dink Master 3.0
Speaking of Enhance: The company’s popular training aid, the Dink Master, is in its third iteration and now better than ever.
It’s a durable hitting surface that provides accuracy targets for you to practice placing dinks and speedups. If you have access to a garage or back patio, the Dink Master is a great way to work on your game at home and improve rapidly.
An added bonus: The Dink Master comes with a drill catalog, and you can find a few of our favorite drills here.
🔗 Buy the Dink Master 3.0 here, and check out our full list of great training aids
THE PROS
45 mph winds make for pure pickleball entertainment 🍿
In case you missed the news, Chris Cali from the Sorry Not Sorry pickleball show has joined team Kitchen, where he’ll be breaking down all the best pro and amateur highlights from around the world of pickleball.
The PPA Tour Texas Open went down last week and we saw some crazy moments, including the most insane wind you'll ever see in a tournament. We’ve put together a compilation of the most bizarre windy moments from the week.
QUICK HITS
INSTRUCTION
3.5+ skill level — how to know if you’re there
It’s common for players to overestimate their pickleball skill level, thinking they’ve reached the coveted 3.5+ mark when they might still be missing key elements of the game. Don’t worry, it’s not just you. Ambition can blur the line between where you are and where you want to be.
It is important to understand that 3.5+ is a stage of strong skill development, but not yet the refined consistency of a 4.0 player. Understanding the true markers of a 3.5+ player can help you honestly assess your game.
Here are a few skills any 3.5+ player should have mastered:
1. Consistency in execution of serves, returns and dinking
A genuine 3.5+ player demonstrates consistent execution in serves, serve returns and dinks. This means getting serves and returns in play reliably and using dinks to maintain rallies. If frequent unforced errors in these areas still occur, especially under pressure, you’re not quite there. Consistent execution is more important than occasional perfect shots. A 3.5+ player can perform these skills consistently across an entire match.
2. Third-shot drop and soft game control
The third-shot drop is a key skill for a 3.5+ player, but it doesn’t have to be perfect. You should be developing the ability to hit a reliable third-shot drop and use a soft game to reset the ball when needed. If you rely mostly on power shots without a strong soft game, this is a red flag. Struggling with consistent third-shot drops or resetting fast exchanges means it’s time to prioritize these skills.
3. Strategic court positioning
A 3.5+ player is learning when to transition from the baseline to the net, how to move in sync with a partner, and how to cover angles effectively. If you often rush the net too soon or leave gaps in your coverage, you’re making it easier for opponents to win points.
HOT TAKE
Opinion: The ball you use has a big impact on paddle selection
There are two extremes when it comes to pickleballs right now.
Franklin X-40 = Softer, slower, more forgiving. This is the ball you will find being used at most rec courts in the country.
LT Pro 48 = Firmer, faster, more pop. This is the ball that is used on the PPA Tour and in many other tournament settings.
Because of the big difference in how these two balls play and react off the paddle face, some believe we have reached a point where the ball you use can have an impact on your choice of paddle.
If you’re using the Franklin ball, you might be better off with something with high power and high pop. Especially if you use a Franklin ball in warm weather, which makes all pickleballs play slower.
With the LT Pro 48, there’s more of an emphasis on feel and control -- because the ball is plenty fast enough on its own.
This is also why we've seen some pro players (particularly on the men's side, such as Andrei Daescu and JW Johnson) switch from elongated paddles to hybrid or widebody paddles lately -- they're seeking that extra bit of control because they don't need the added power that elongated paddles provide. Widebody paddles also help with hand speed, which is at even more of a premium with a faster ball.
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