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Are you using the right paddle shape?
Paul from Pickleball Daily
February 11, 2026
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Tip of the day
Curtis explores the ongoing debate between elongated and widebody pickleball paddles to help players determine which shape actually suits their current abilities.
Elongated paddles are extremely popular because they are the preferred choice of professional players and provide a longer handle for two-handed backhands.
The primary benefit of an elongated shape is the extra reach it provides, which is a major advantage for covering more court during competitive play.
A significant trade-off for that extra length is a smaller sweet spot, which requires a high level of consistency to avoid losing power or control on off-center hits.
Widebody paddles are generally more forgiving for intermediate players because they feature a much larger and more stable sweet spot.
A widebody design typically has a lower swing weight, which leads to faster hand speed and a quicker transition from forehand to backhand at the net.
Choosing a widebody paddle can help reduce the frequency of getting chicken winged by allowing you to flip your paddle over more rapidly in fast exchanges.
The extra stability of a wider face makes it easier to hit consistent resets and maintain better control during delicate dink rallies.
Pros often prefer elongated paddles because their precision allows them to capitalize on the added leverage and power without suffering from the smaller sweet spot.
Key Points:
Elongated paddles offer superior reach and more leverage for powerful drives and overheads.
Widebody paddles provide a larger sweet spot that helps stabilize off-center hits for better consistency.
A lower swing weight in widebody designs enables faster reactions and increased hand speed at the kitchen.
Elongated handles are ideal for players who use two hands for extra stability on their backhand shots.
Intermediate players often benefit more from the forgiving nature of a widebody paddle than the extra length of an elongated one
Deal of the day
Meme of the day
Broke, but happy! 🤣
That’s it for today! As always, thank you for reading. 🙏
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Happy pickling,
Paul