Of course, by now you have heard there will be a new ball in play at both PPA and APP tournaments in 2024. The PPA Tour has switched to the Vulcan VPRO Flight and the APP will be debuting the OWL ball later this year.
So how does this affect you? With a new ball comes a new style of play. Different balls change what is possible on the court. Until now, you might only have experience playing with a Franklin X-40 or Onix Durafast 40, both of which allow for different styles of play.
On the PicklePod, Zane and Thomas discuss how their games change when using a new ball.
- The Dura plays fast, it is harder to control.
- Many top-level teams resort to a slower speed of play.
- Think of the Johns brothers in men’s doubles. They know a counterattack with a Dura is hard to return so they will extend dink rallies and wait for the other team to speed up.
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Zane predicts we will see less of those long dink rallies with the new ball. Because it plays slower, teams will be less hesitant to speed up. Counterattacks will not be as lethal. Firefights are expected to last longer.
The type of ball isn’t the only factor to consider. A huge variable in ball performance is the weather. Find out how Mother Nature is affecting your game here.
The Dink Media Team
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