Love will make you do some crazy things…pickleball will, too.

Why not combine your obsession for that special someone you’ve known for a few years with your obsession for a game invented a few decades ago?

I Now Pronounce You: Legally Obsessed

If you and your partner’s love story began with pickleball paddles in hand, The Pickle Lodge in Butler County, Ohio, is offering you a chance to formalize your relationship—on the house.

The venue launched The Perfect Match Wedding Giveaway, where the winning couple receives a free wedding pickleball package, including a courtside ceremony and celebration on June 14, 2025.

The prize includes:

• A wedding package for 100 guests

• Catering from Two Cities Pizza

• Beer from Third Eye Brewing Company

• A custom pickleball floral arrangement from Running on Blooms

• A wedding cake by Lulu’s Sweets Boutique

• A complimentary hotel stay

To enter, couples must creatively share how pickleball has played a significant role in their relationship. Submissions are open through 11:59 p.m. on February 14, 2025.

(We presume there’ll be no playing allowed during the ceremony).

About Your Pickleball Partnership…

BRING THIS TO THE COURT: I’ve seen enough married couples on the court to know how ruinous it can be to a relationship when one or more of them just can’t seem to decide on who takes the middle.

Good news: you neither need a lasting bond nor a complicated set of rules to establish this.

Here’s the defacto guide — and no, it has little to do with anybody’s forehand:

Diagonal Player Takes It (Respect the X Rule) – If the ball is coming from your crosscourt opponent, it’s your responsibility to cut it off.

📌 Why? Better angle to get it early; you don’t expose your sideline.

Aggressive Player Roams Middle – If one partner is longer and more offensive, let them take charge of middle balls whenever possible.

📌 Why? If they’re well-practiced & quicker, they’ll be more likely to succeed.

Fast Exchanges Require Non-Verbal Cues – Use hip positioning and movement to signal who's taking the shot when calling it out isn't an option. (The ‘why’ is obvious here to observant players.)

High Ball = Forehand Smashes – On high, attackable shots, the forehand player should usually step in and take over.

📌 Why? It’s understood that forehand smashes are usually going to have more control & power.

Play Better—for FREE.

Activate your game with AIM7's personalized dynamic warmups. Start fast, improve mobility, and prevent injuries before you step onto the court.

When the match ends, recover faster in less than 5 minutes with AIM7’s guided cooldowns—step-by-step routines to boost flexibility and keep you ready for your next win.

Plus, connect your wearables, track fitness stats like calories burned, and share your journey with friends—because every win deserves to be celebrated.

Download AIM7 today. It’s FREE (no credit card required) & ready to elevate your pickleball game.

Mother Knows Best, Andy

Andy Murray has 46 tennis titles & over $60mil in prize money to his name. But his pickleball win-loss ratio is currently: Andy - 0, Andy’s mom - 1.

The Wimbledon champ recently called pickleball “annoying,” dismissing it as too easy.

→ (Sidenote: seems like Andy is perfectly fine profiting off of this “easy” game. In 2023, he opened Scotland’s first dedicated court at his luxury hotel, where those interested pay £100 per hour for lessons).

Anyway: his mom, Judy Murray, feels differently. She’s a pickleball coach who’s advocated for its growth in Scotland.

Judy knows what’s up: “It’s just fun and engaging, and it’s incredibly inclusive,” she said at the last Scottish Pickleball Open. It’s a perfect transfer out of tennis into something that will keep me in a similar game.”

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