Pickleball: Apps to help you find a place to play, and people to play with

Looking for places to play pickleball, and people to play with?

There's an app for that.

PicklePlay is an app that allows you to find courts near you (or someplace you are going), locate clubs, learn about events, and connect with players who match your skill set.

You can create groups with other players to schedule games, keep in touch, or even talk a little trash ahead of your next match.

More: Pickleball: Books and podcasts to help you learn the game

The app also lets you review pickleball courts and read others' reviews. It provides maps and directions, and in some cases even phone numbers, for courts.

Plus, you can use it to organize pickleball games and events with your club or community.

The PicklePlay app features a "news feed" that contains updates from The Dink, a pickleball blog. For example, the news feed on Friday served me up the latest edition of The Dink newsletter, which took me to a video tweet of NBA star Kevin Durant playing pickleball. I also caught up on newly released APP tour dates, and got to read up on coming rules for 2023 that will most likely ban one-handed spin serves. Stuff you might need to know!

If you create a profile, you can indicate your skill level, location and days and times you are interested in playing. Others can find you and reach out for a meetup.

The app is available for both iPhone and Android.

There are a few other similar apps on the market, including Pickle Connect and an app version of USA Pickleball's Places2Play website.

Pickle Connect has many of the same features as PicklePlay. However, it has a few other nifty things, like showing you "pickleball vacation" ideas (including homes you can rent with private courts!). And a search feature for local coaches.

Pickle Pro is an app that allows you to save your match scores and track your stats. And Pickleball FYI is an app that explains all the basics of the game, defines key terms, and will help you settle on court arguments about rules.  The app also provides tips on game etiquette. One nice feature is it gives you ideas for drills.

Do you have a pickleball app you like? Let us know about it by emailing us at pickleball@desertsun.com.

Coach Mary’s tip of the week: Offensive lobs

Often, beginners bail out and hit lobs from the baseline when they did not move their feet to get in position.  We will address this in another lesson.  Today, we are looking at the offensive lob from the non-volley zone, or kitchen. This is a great tool to get your opponent off the net!

Simone Jardim has an excellent video on this shot, check it out at youtu.be/wxOAYGicRzQ

Here are some important tips:

• Offensive lobs are executed from the kitchen.

• Keep your paddle face open — disguise the shot, make it look like a dink.  Follow-through up and out.

• Lead with your knuckles

• Height and depth, extend with bent knees

• Take your time and lift

• Carry the ball over your opponent

• Push your weight forward

• The ball should be out in front of you. If the ball is too deep behind you, do not try the offensive lob.

• Soft hands

• Relaxed, laid-back wrist, avoid the flicking

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Pickleball: Apps to help you find a place to play, people to play with