What do Pickleball & Golf have in Common? More than you’d think.
You’re already a pickler and you want to give golf a shot, or vice versa? Good news, there are many parallels between golf and pickleball. The two booming sports require similar technique, bring people together and even have similar terminology!
Popularity
Pickleball, (similar to golf) has always been popular for older demographics, yet both sports are starting to see the average player age continue to drop as popularity increases. During the pandemic, both sports offer a safe way to exercise in a socially distant manner. Similar to pickleball, we see golf offerings (like TopGolf) evolving away from strict rules and tradition to casual and fun! Head to your local outdoor pickleball court and you’ll likely see the same atmosphere - music, drinks and socializing! Even the professional tours in pickleball and golf are following this trend and are creating a fun, relaxed fan experience - what younger audiences crave.
Competition
Although you can learn the basics of pickleball fairly quickly, there is an art in both games that you can only master over time. The magic of golf and pickleball is the ability to play at a competitive level for a long period of time, since both sports are relatively easy on your body. That's why we recommend you start learning now on Coterie (small plug) so you can enjoy both games for many years.
Did you know that both golf and pickleball have handicap systems? This means you can choose to play against other players of similar level. If you have any competitive bones in your body, you will notice the addictive nature of both sports - once you start playing it’s hard to stop! Soon in both sports you’ll be yelling at your ball to “sit!” so it stays in the court or on the green. As for terminology, both sports have drives, slices, aces and backspin! Want to learn more? Check out the tip sheets on Coterie!
Exercise
While very few question the social benefits of pickleball, physical exertion during a game is yet to be determined. What we do know is that pickleball is high intensity interval training (HIIT) as the abrupt starting and stopping causes heart rate to fluctuate. While we may not see the same fluctuations in golf, there is no denying that both sports require strong balance, hand eye coordination and good posture. Many professional golfers (like Amy Olson, LPGA Tour) love playing pickleball in their spare time. Did you know a good backhand in pickleball is very similar to a good drive in golf? You start with your body set up sideways to the target, you coil your body to build power as your shoulders rotate and finally you follow through to your target.
Regardless of the technical similarities, there is no doubt that both golfers and picklers enjoy the fun, social and friendly competition that is associated with both games!
