Blog - TheVolleyLlama.com

How To Keep Score In Pickleball Doubles vs Singles

Pickleball Strategy
/ By Keith

I’ll teach you the simple way to keep score in doubles pickleball, and share with you how it’s slightly different than singles pickleball!

What Are Illegal Ping Pong Serves?

Ping Pong Strategy
/ By Keith

In a game of ping pong, the serve represents the start of the game and the start of each point. But it’s much more important than that. A lethal serve can put your opponent on their heels. But

Can You Hit The Net In Ping Pong? A Simple Answer For Beginners

Ping Pong Strategy
/ By Keith

Can you hit the net in ping pong? Hitting the net in ping pong is common but different rules may apply based on when it happens.

What Is A Legal Serve In Ping Pong?

Ping Pong Strategy
/ By Keith

I created the definitive guide on what a legal serve in ping pong is, and five simple steps to follow so you know how to execute one.

Can You Lose On A Serve In Ping Pong? Don’t Make These Mistakes

Ping Pong Strategy
/ By Keith

Can you lose on a serve in ping pong and what rules do you need to be aware of? Click here for a simple yet clear answer for beginners.

Does The Ball Have To Bounce In Ping Pong?

Ping Pong Strategy
/ By Keith

Does the ball have to bounce in ping pong or are you allowed to volley it? This one rule separates ping pong from all other paddle sports.

Ping Pong Rules For Dummies – 5 Basic Rules

Ping Pong Strategy
/ By Keith

There are 5 basic ping pong rules for dummies that can allow any new player to quickly learn the basics and have fun right away.

Does The Ball Have To Bounce In Tennis? A Rule To Remember

Strategy Tennis
/ By Keith

A tennis ball bouncing during a game of tennis is a common occurrence and is a regular part of the game but does the ball have to bounce?

What Are The 7 Rules Of Pickleball?

Pickleball Strategy
/ By Keith

I’ve been playing pickleball for over six years now and despite coming from a tennis background, I realized that learning the game of pickleball was a lot easier when I broke it down to these 7 simple

Can The Ball Hit The Net In Tennis? A Simple Answer For Beginners

Strategy Tennis
/ By Keith

The net in tennis marks where your side of the court ends and your opponent’s side begins. However, different rules apply when the ball hits the net. It depends on whether you’re serving or if the

What Is A Half Volley In Tennis? A Simple Answer For Beginners

Strategy Tennis
/ By Keith

There are certain times when the lines of technique and strategy meet in the game of tennis to form a shot so fundamental to the game, it deserves it own unique name. One such shot is the “half-volley”.

How Many Let Serves Are Allowed In Tennis? My Helpful Beginners Guide

Strategy Tennis
/ By Keith

There are many subtle intricacies of tennis and its rules, and one of the stranger ones revolves around serves and let serves. Knowing how many let serves you get in tennis can be a strange rule

What Is A Volley In Tennis And How Its Rebirth is Changing The Game

Strategy Tennis
/ By Keith

In a game of tennis, there are multiple types of shots you can use to return the ball over the net. One of the most common shots in tennis is called a volley. But what is a volley and what makes

How To Lower A Tennis Net For Pickleball – The Easy Way

Pickleball Reviews & Gear
/ By Keith

Pickleball has positively exploded in popularity across the world in recent years, even a pandemic hasn’t slowed down its growth. Part of what makes the sport so appealing is that anyone with access

What Is A Drop Shot In Pickleball? A Helpful Beginner’s Guide

Pickleball Strategy
/ By Keith

Pickleball features various unique shots and techniques, but few are as paramount as the drop shot. This move is known for being tough to learn but strategically vital when the level of play is elevated.

Calling An Out In Pickleball And Proper Pickleball Etiquette

Even though pickleball borrows elements from other racket sports, there are rules that are entirely unique to pickleball. The rules of calling a ball out in pickleball are distinctly different from

6 Easy Ways To Learn How To Keep the Ball Low In Pickleball

Pickleball Strategy
/ By Keith

I’ve been playing pickleball for six years and competitively now for two years. As I’ve grown as a player, I’ve picked up a few things from playing with people who are a lot better than

The Easy Way To Know If You Can Play Pickleball On A Tennis Court

Pickleball Reviews & Gear Strategy
/ By Keith

If you're like me and have found that you have a passion for pickleball, you're not alone. The USA boasted 4.2 million players in 2020, and that figure is growing exponentially. But what do you do if

Why Is It Called Pickleball? The Game’s Greatest Mystery Revealed!

Pickleball Strategy Uncategorized
/ By Keith

For anyone new to the sport, one of the most common questions they ask themselves is "why is it called pickleball?" Anyone who is being shown the game from a friend will undoubtedly ask their

What Are 5 Faults In Pickleball Every Beginner Should Know?

Learning the 5 most common faults in pickleball can improve the learning curve of a new player quickly. But what are the most common ones?

How Long Does A Game Of Pickleball Last? It’s Faster Than You Think!

The length of a regular game of pickleball game can vary for many reasons but a smaller court doesn’t always mean shorter games. Here’s why.

3 Pickleball Kitchen Rules That Every Beginner Needs To Know

Pickleball Strategy
/ By Keith

Every time I introduce someone new to pickleball, I will undoubtedly get asked for clarification around the pickleball kitchen rules. For a beginner, the rules around the kitchen area on a pickleball

A Beginners Guide On How To Play Pickleball On Grass

Pickleball Strategy
/ By Jess

Pickleball is not normally played on grass, but it can be done for recreational purposes; if you know what you’re doing.

What Are The 3 Rules of A Pickleball Serve?

Pickleball Strategy
/ By Keith

There 3 rules of a pickleball serve that are fundamental to not only having an effective serve but also a legal one.

What Is Pickleball And Why Is It Over-taking Tennis?

Pickleball Strategy
/ By Keith

I’ve been playing pickleball for over six years but the game is actually over 50 years old. Despite its long history, new people are asking every year “what is pickleball?” Pickleball is

Where Did Pickleball Originate And Who Invented It?

Pickleball Strategy
/ By Keith

Pickleball is one of America’s fastest-growing sports and has become a popular choice at many parks and recreational facilities. With over 2.5 million players across the United States alone, it is

A Helpful Beginners Guide To – Where Is Pickleball Played?

Pickleball Strategy
/ By Keith

Pickleball is a sport that's been gaining in popularity for more than 15 years, mainly because it's fun to play, easy to learn and at it's heart, a game that bring people together. Also, a pickleball

11 Game-Changing Pickleball Tips For Intermediate Players

When I first started playing pickleball, my learning curve was fairly basic. But as I improved, and played the game more, I started implementing pickleball tips for intermediate players and my

How Many Pickleball Courts Fit On A Tennis Court?

Pickleball Strategy
/ By Keith

Transitioning or converting a tennis court into pickleball courts is easy to do since a tennis court is so much bigger than a pickleball court. You have a ton of space to work with. In fact, it’s

Why Is It Called The Kitchen In Pickleball?

Pickleball Strategy
/ By Keith

If you’ve ever been around pickleball players, you’ve probably heard the term “kitchen” casually mentioned. While quite the odd name to describe one of the most important areas of the pickleball

What Is A Let In Pickleball? Learn Why The Rule Changed.

Pickleball is becoming more popular every year, likely because it’s a fun, fast-paced sport that you can play almost anywhere with any skill set! Like other racquet sports, pickleball has quite

Babolat Pickleball Paddles – My Hands On Review Of All Paddles

I'll admit, I had been wondering why it took Babolat, a huge racquet sport giant, so long to enter the world of pickleball. However, Babolat pickleball paddles are finally here and we have four

What Is A Fault In Pickleball? A Simple Answer For New Players

Pickleball Strategy
/ By Keith

I love the game of pickleball but one of the aspects to the game that I needed clarity on when I was first started playing was a clear answer to the question: What is a fault in pickleball? A

A Step-By-Step Guide to Painting Pickleball Lines On A Tennis Court

If you’re looking to turn a tennis court into a pickleball court, there are a few things you’ll need in order to do the job of painting pickleball lines on tennis court; correctly. Making

Pickleball Net Height vs. Tennis Net Height – A Helpful Beginners Guide

Pickleball Strategy
/ By Keith

The net plays a crucial role in both pickleball and tennis, and must meet certain regulation standards according to their respective sports organizations. These standards include both an appropriate

What Is The Kitchen In Pickleball? A Simple Answer For Beginners

Pickleball Strategy
/ By Keith

Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in America because it is a fast-paced and unique game that can be played by people of all ages and has simple rules that anyone can follow. While

What Is a Pickleball Made Of? The Answer May Surprise You…

Pickleball Reviews & Gear
/ By Keith

Pickleball is a unique blend of tennis, badminton, and ping pong that people of all ages and abilities can play, whether in a church parking lot or at a national-level competition. But you can’t

How To Use Temporary Pickleball Court Lines To Make A Pickleball Court

Pickleball Reviews & Gear
/ By Keith

A temporary pickleball court is relatively easy to put together, especially if you already have a tennis court or other similar playing surface. All you need is a net and some lines to make your own

An Illustrated Look Into 23 Simple Pickleball Strategies For Any Skill Level

Pickleball Strategy
/ By Keith

One of the easiest ways to improve your pickleball game, even if you’re a brand new player, is to start implementing simple yet advanced pickleball strategies. Leveling up your game as a beginner,

Can You Hit Overhand in Pickleball? A Simple Answer For Newbies

Pickleball Strategy
/ By Keith

Can you hit overhand in pickleball? This is a common question for new players that has a simple answer; with just one caveat.

What Is A Volley In Pickleball – A Helpful Guide For New Players

Pickleball Strategy
/ By Keith

Volleying is a popular move in many paddle or racquet sports, including pickleball. If you’ve watched experienced players, there’s a chance you’ve heard them referring to volleys, and you’ve

Where To Stand In Pickleball – A Helpful Guide For New Players

Pickleball Strategy
/ By Keith

Even though I’ve played pickleball now for over 5 years, I’m still learning the nuances of the game, even simple things like where to stand in pickleball can make a huge difference. Here’s

What Is The Double Bounce Rule In Pickleball? A Helpful Beginners Guide

Pickleball Strategy
/ By Keith

When I first started playing, learning the double bounce rule in pickleball took some getting used to. But if you're wondering what the double bounce rule is all about and want to know what the

The 5 Rules of Pickleball That Any Beginner Must Know

Pickleball is a fun game with a quirky name, that’s rising in popularity. In fact, it has been for quite some time. Even a pandemic hasn't slowed it down. If you want to know

Graphite vs Composite Pickleball Paddles – A Helpful Guide For Beginners

Pickleball Reviews & Gear
/ By Keith

Graphite vs composite pickleball paddles. The debate as to which type of paddle is the best has gone on for years now. And it's only getting stronger as more pickleball paddles come out

The Best Pickleball Paddles Under $50 & How To Avoid Junk Paddles

Pickleball Reviews & Gear
/ By Keith

Pickleball’s growth and popularity has created a bit of a problem. The number of companies making inexpensive paddles has exploded. Meaning finding the best pickleball paddle under $50

which pickleball paddles has the largest sweet spot

Which pickleball paddle has the largest sweet spot?

Pickleball Reviews & Gear
/ By Keith

In this post, we’re going to examine which pickleball paddle has the largest sweet spot. Contrary to popular belief, pickleball paddles DO have sweet spots. And some paddles have larger sweet spots

Which Pickleball Machines Replicate Shots The Best?

In an effort to improve my pickleball game when I was on my own, I recently began to look into pickleball machines and if they are a worthy investment. Well, after doing a ton of research, and

The K-Swiss Express Light: A Perfect Dedicated Pickleball Shoe

Pickleball Reviews & Gear
/ By Keith

The K-Swiss Express Light represents one of the first major racket sport brand's attempt at making a quality, dedicated pickleball shoe. But is it any good? I bought it, wore it for three

The Wilson Rush Pro 3.0: The Most Durable Court Shoe Ever

Pickleball Reviews & Gear
/ By Keith

Welcome to my review of the Wilson Rush Pro 3.0 court shoe. Most of the reviews of the Wilson Rush Pro 3.0 that you'll find online are going to be generic "retellings" of the manufacturer's specs

Is Pickleball Good Exercise? Get On The Court To Get In Shape!

I didn’t begin my journey playing pickleball for health benefits but, soon after playing a few times I began to wonder - is pickleball good exercise? So is pickleball really good exercise? After

Tennis Rackets For 4 Year Olds: A Helpful Beginners Guide

Buyers Guides & Reviews Tennis
/ By Keith

Hi, my name is Keith and I’m a tennis player and love all sports played with a racket or a paddle. If you’ve come to this article you probably have a 4 year old son or daughter or even grands

A Helpful Guide To Finding The Best Shoes For Platform Tennis

Buyers Guides & Reviews
/ By Keith

If you live in the north east part of the united states, and like to stay active even in the winter months, you may be familiar with platform tennis. You layer up and head outside to your local

The 5 Best Pickleball Paddles That Made Me A Better Player

Welcome to the little experiment I’m doing to get the most accurate answer to the question I get all the time - “What are the best pickleball paddles on the market?” Most sites on the internet

Tennis Rackets For 2 Year Olds – A Pint Sized Parental Guide

Buyers Guides & Reviews Tennis
/ By Keith

If you've landed on this page, it's most likely because you've got a little one interested in tennis - and you're looking for tennis rackets for 2 year olds. This is a very specific article, but

Prince Response Pro Review -Why I Fell In Love In Just 10 Minutes!

I recently bought the Prince Response Pro because of the comments made about it from Simone Jardim, a 5.0 level pro and gold medeal winner. Even though I'm just a 3.5 level player, I was intrigued

A Helpful Beginners Guide To Ping Pong Table Dimensions

If you're considering purchasing a ping pong table for the first time but, have tons of questions about ping pong table dimensions floating through your head; you've come to the right spot. The

The Best Tennis Bags Rated By Storage, Affordability & Ease Of Use

Buyers Guides & Reviews Tennis
/ By Keith

Don't judge me, but I recently took a family trip and thought I could travel with tennis racquets laying loose in the trunk of the car. Mistake! I needed a dedicated tennis bag and fast!

What Are The Best Tennis Racquets for Seniors?

This post is designed to help you find the best tennis racquets for seniors. I did some research, spoke to some racquet design experts, read tons of testimonials and one thing became crystal clear...one

Spec Tennis Paddles – Analysis and Direction From The Game’s Inventor

I recently did an interview with Nate Gross, the inventor of Spec Tennis, to get the low down on the game and what makes it so unique. You can read the interview here. Since then, he and

What is Spec Tennis And Why Are Younger Players Preferring It?

A while back, I began to look into and learn more about other paddle or racquet sports (aside from pickleball) being played on a smaller court. Ironically, it was at this time that I got an email

Toddler Tennis Rackets – A Helpful Guide for Parents & Grandparents

Buyers Guides & Reviews Tennis
/ By Keith

I’ve got two sons, now ages six and nine but, they started tennis lessons way back when they were three and four years of age. So, I’ve had to learn a thing or two about toddler tennis rackets.

How Technology is Serving Tennis Strategy a Makeover

Strategy Tennis
/ By Keith

In this post I wanted to explore the idea of tennis strategy and tennis technology have finally come face to face. You see, just 10-15 years ago tennis strategy and tennis technology were two

Best Tennis Racquets For Juniors: A Helpful Guide For Parents

I’m a dad of two boys, ages six and eight. Both have been in tennis lessons for a while. As you would expect, they’ve outgrown their racquets multiple times. So to make sure I was getting

15 Ways How The Right Ping Pong Strategy Can Improve Your Game

Are you ready to take your ping pong game to the next level? Do you find yourself wishing you won more games against your friends or coworkers? I can relate because I’ve been playing ping

9 Practical Tennis Tips For Instant Improvement With “How To’s” Included!

Are you looking for practical tennis tips that are easy to learn and implement? Check out these 9 tips for the weekend warrior!

What Pickleball Paddles Do The Pros Use? 4 Pros Share Their Secrets

Let's talk pickleball paddles for a moment. I've been playing pickleball for over four years now and have researched and played with many, many paddles. Some have been good, some not so good.

10 Best Tennis Shoes For Flat Feet

The goal for this article is to give tennis players plagued with flat feet a comprehensive list of the Best Tennis Shoes For Flat Feet that have a proper “low arch” rating ideal for players with

What Are The Best Tennis Racquets For High School Players?

Buyers Guides & Reviews
/ By Keith

Best Tennis Racquets for High School Players - Article Goal: Our goal in this article is to analyze, compare and provide young players, specifically high school players, a list of the best three

The 12 Best Premade Ping Pong Paddles For Anyone – Updated!

Buyers Guides & Reviews Ping Pong
/ By Keith

About 6 months ago I got really frustrated. I was looking to upgrade my ping pong paddle and quickly got lost down a rabbit hole of options. So, I began my own personal quest to create the

HEAD Pickleball Paddles – Paddle Comparison & Analysis

Pickleball Reviews & Gear
/ By Keith

HEAD Pickleball Paddles In today’s post we’re going to take a closer look at all the HEAD Pickleball Paddles, explain the differences between them and give you our top pick. HEAD offers

Pickleball Unforced Errors – The Mental Side of the Game

In this post we're going to talk about an aspect of the game of pickleball that plagues beginners and experts alike. Whether you're still learning pickleball or competing in tournaments - unforced

Pickleball Gifts – Your Holiday Gift Guide!

The 2017 holiday season is upon us which means it's the perfect time to find the perfect pickleball gift for the pickleball fanatic in your life! Aside from the standard options of pickleball

An Illustrated Look at the Best Pickleball Bags

Pickleball Reviews & Gear
/ By Keith

I recently bought a bunch of new paddles and I needed to upgrade my pickleball bag badly! I began to research and look into the best pickleball bags on the market and analyze which one met my

My guide To The Best Pickleball Paddles For Beginners

Pickleball Reviews & Gear
/ By Keith

If you just started playing pickleball and you're looking for a list of the best pickleball paddles for beginners - you've come to the right place. Chances are, when you got introduced to the

After Testing 20 Paddles -These Are The Best Pickleball Paddles For Spin

Pickleball Reviews & Gear
/ By Keith

Over the past year I’ve been buying and trying out various pickleball paddles to get a better feel for which ones are the best pickleball paddles for spin. If you come from a tennis background

The Best Pickleball Paddle Covers To Help Protect Your Gear

Reviews & Gear
/ By Keith

If you've recently purchased a brand new pickleball paddle, you may want to spend a little extra money and consider buying one of the best pickleball paddle covers on the market. This will help

Best Pickleball Shirts – Show Your Love for the Game!

Reviews & Gear
/ By Keith

Pickleball is arguably the most inviting, inclusive sports I can think of. What I mean, is that whether you're a beginner and don't even fully know the rules yet, or an expert who's been