This is a bonus post on Maui, Hawaii because there was just too much to share on the places where Ky and I played. Read that post here if you missed the report on places to play. We were so fortunate to meet several movers and shakers in the wide world of pickleball on the island.
Wailea Tennis Club was a great place to meet up with Nancy Beach. She was one of the early members of my Facebook Group, Pickleball Women. She and her husband Mark have purchased the land to build 10 indoor/outdoor courts. It was so much fun to meet this amazing couple and to hear about their plans and vision. I can’t wait to play on their new courts. Read about their exciting project here.
Another creative person on the island is Brett Lickle. He has developed a very unique paddle called the PKOLL. It has only been out a few months. It has been approved by the USAP , and it fits in to the quiet category (notice the "SHHHHHH" on the side. It is 17” long and very narrow. When people first see it, they have the impression that it is a training paddle. To be honest, I was skeptical, and not very interested in it. Most people have the same reaction. After trying it out, I loved it. I personally saw others go through the same process and then turn around and buy one.
When trying it out, you just have to forget that you are playing with something different and play it as a regular paddle. The narrowness allows for faster swing speed, and the light weight of the paddle is meant to be customized to what a player needs. It is great for people who need a light paddle though as it comes stock at 7.75 ounces If you like trying out new paddles, this is one you should go for.
Brett gave me a paddle to test out, and I’ve been using it about every other game to confirm that it’s likely to become my main paddle. Check out www.pkoll.com. Get a 10% discount with the code C2G. Shipping is also free in the continental US. There is a two year manufacturing warranty - that doesn't include misuse or paddle strikes though. He's working on getting a demo program going now. Give this thing a try if you like to be the first one in the gang to have something new!
At Wailea, Ky and I also got to try out an Owl Pickleball Paddle. I’m very impressed with how quiet it is, and the performance is quite good. The felt surface really seemed strange at first, but playing with it was surprisingly normal. Its capacity for spin is great due to the nature of the surface.
For communities struggling with noise issues, the Owl paddle could be a game changer. I would happily play with it if quiet paddles were required at a location. The primary drawback currently is that there is no edge protection, and no way to apply one. The edges do get dinged up, but I’m guessing that is probably something that they will address in a future iteration. Here is my Amazon affiliate link. I appreciate it so much when you use these! It helps me to continue reporting about pickleball from different places around the world.
I previously wrote and posted a cool video from Laurie Loney's private courts. Her father brought pickleball to Maui, and Laurie and the rest of her family grew up playing in the earliest days of the sport. You can take a look at this post. She and her pickleball partner, Todd Richter gave us great games at Laurie's slice of heaven on earth. If you go, look her up on pickleballMaui.com and schedule a time to play there. She gives great lessons too.
Another couple we were fortunate to meet and play with are Lisa & Yarkek McIntosh. Lisa is another member of Pickleball Women who reached out to me when I said we were coming to Maui. She is so inviting and welcoming to everyone she meets. We were invited to a pickleball potluck on Easter Sunday that had a huge turnout of many of the fun players we had met on the island. Thanks again Lisa & Yarek!
We met so many great people, and another couple I want to mention are David and Diane Lee from Phoenix. We found that we have so much in common. David recently retired and Diane can work remotely, so they have begun a partial nomadic lifestyle. We found out that we had pet sitting in common. They are just getting started at it, so we were able to give them some tips for finding great sits. We were even able to share a great one with them that we were invited to do that conflicted with another pet sit we have.
While visiting Maui, Diane rescued the cutest kitten from a sure drowning situation. They ended up finding the owner who was going to take it to put it up for adoption, so instead of letting it go to the shelter, they adopted her and took her back to the Phoenix area! They are such kind, caring people. Her name is LauLau.
To find great pet sitters like Dave & Diane, and Ky and I, who sit for free, or to find places where you can stay for free if you love animals, log in to my affiliate link for 25% off the annual fee. We pet sat for two weeks with the sweetest cat named Monster. She was ready to go pro by the time we finished teacher her to play pickleball.
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And for a couple of things to do that are completely unrelated to pickleball, so your friends won’t think that you need a pickleball intervention, I highly suggest these two places. In addition to hanging out at the amazing beaches, visit I’ao for a great hike, and also book a tour at the Maui Tea Farm. Have a great time and tell everyone the Coffeys2Go said “Aloha” if you visit.
Thanks for choosing to read my post on the pickleball people, places and paddles of Maui. I know you have many choices for your time, and we appreciate you hanging out with us for awhile! Mahalo & Aloha. Next stop Japan!
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