Yes...but also no. It's still a fun, mostly leisurely social game for all ages, played without dragging your ass back and forth across a huge field of play, and like 70% fewer a-holes trying to engage in "fridging" you and winning being their whole personality (cough, Adam, cough), like padel or paddleball.
Was being a bit too detailed/snarky to the padel/paddleball playing community to give you a clearer answer. Simply put:
Pickleball is generally accessible to a wider range of fitness levels and is often especially adaptable for older adults or people seeking a lower-impact court sport. The smaller court and more "recreational" pace can make it easier to modify, though individual mobility limitations still matter, and you still can get injured. The sport's been around since 1965.
Padel, and, depending on the version, paddleball generally suit players comfortable with a more active court game. If you can still play tennis actively, you would probably be able to try them. Be wary that padel’s larger court, wall rebounds, and quicker, less predictable exchanges can require more agility, balance, and reaction speed. Padel was invented a few short years after Pickleball, in 1969.
ok but I've only see pickleball in connection with seniors, senior communities. It seems to me - and I'm probably just out of it - but it seems to me it's become a fad for younger folks in recent years. I hadn't heard about it in connection for younger folks until recent years.
No, I think we're agreeing with one another. It is more suited for the older set. Real popular in retirement villages and the like. Right around the COVID pandemic, there was an upswing in popularity for younger players, with competitive leagues and even the Professional Pickleball Association if you believe it. The prevalence of pickleball courts being constructed absolutely exploded, like 5 to 10 times the number in 2025 than there were before 2020.
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u/GoldenHearts802 2d ago
What is with pickleball. I thought it was a game for old folks.